850 A NATUSALIST IN CELEBES ch. xiv 



and even there they are rapidly dying out. ' The ordeals 

 and the oaths are not only allied in their fundamental 

 principles, but they continually run into one another. Oaths 

 are made to act as ordeals, and ordeals are brought in to act 

 as tests to oaths ' (76). 



There can be little doubt that in the old days true 

 ordeals were in common use in Minahassa. 



Thus, there were those of placing the hand in boiling 

 water, of taking fire into the mouth, of taking poison, 

 of washing the face in water which contained finely chopped 

 Spanish pepper. 



The following amusing and vigorous legend may be 

 taken as an example of another form of ordeal, namely, 

 that by diving : — 



In olden times when there was a doubtful case the 

 people had recourse to ordeals, which always spoke the 

 truth. No one who wished to fly from death or punish- 

 ment could escape these, for by them the gods showed who 

 was guilty, and the innocent man was protected from tricks 

 and suspicion. 



Makalew was a mighty hunter who spent most of his 

 time, both by day and by night, hunting in the forest. 



At home he had a loving wife, who passed her life alone 

 stamping the rice and weaving koffo. She seldom saw her 

 husband, and when she did he was usually surly and taci- 

 turn. Makalew admired her beauty, but the demon of 

 jealousy had hardened his heart, and he sought for some 

 pretext to bring an accusation against his true and devoted 

 wife. At last he thought he had discovered the partner 

 of her infidelity. ' It can be no other than my slave,' 

 he said, ' who has stolen my wife's heart by his extreme 

 docility, by cunning, and by trickery. Why is he so dili- 

 gent in performing all that she bids him, and why is she so 

 considerate for the lot of a mere slave ? ' 



