SHAMANISM IN PEHAK. 227 



roared and growled and sniffed about uneasily until it was evident 

 from his movements that he wanted to get under the mat. An 

 accommodating person sitting close by lifted up the mat for him 

 and he crawled under it on all fours and lay down entirely con- 

 cealed from view. The chorus and the drum went on, and I hardly 

 knew which to admire most — the physical endurance of the woman 

 who sang so persistently at the top of her voice without any symp- 

 tom of fatigue, or her marvellous memory. The invocations were 

 very long, but she never seemed to hesitate for a word. There 

 must, however, have been a good deal of repetition, I imagine. 



After a retirement which had lasted for about a quarter of an 

 hour, during which he had kept perfectly still and motionless, the 

 pawang shewed symptoms of returning vitality. The mat was 

 removed, and he resumed his seat upon it, yawned, uttered a few 

 ejaculations in his feigned voice, and then sat up to be questioned. 

 A desultory conversation then ensued, the pengindin acting as 

 interpreter when the Sakai dialect used by " Bujang Grelap " was 

 unintelligible to the audience. The result was declared to be that 

 the tiger-spirit had identified the demon which was causing the 

 suffering of the sick person present. A thrill of horror went round 

 the assemblage when this was announced to be a dumb langsuyar 

 ( banshee ) . The correctness of this finding was then discussed 

 and it seemed to command popular favour, for it was universally 

 remarked that the patient had been insensible for two whole days, 

 during the latter part of which time she had been quite silent. 

 This was now, of course, accounted for by the dumbness of the 

 evil spirit which possessed her. 



The women round the sick-bed now said that the patient was 

 trying to move, and all turned to look at this manifestation of 

 demoniacal power. It was only a momentary access of delirium 

 marked by convulsive movements of one arm, rolling of the eyes 

 and movement of the lips and jaws.' No sound escaped from the 

 sufferer, another proof of the correctness of the pawang' s diagnosis, 

 and presently she was still again, after many fervent ejaculations of 

 Astaghfir Allah ( I beg forgiveness of God) from those present. 



" Bujang Gelap" continued his efforts for the cure of the patient 



