SEA DYAK RELIGION, 215 
tinuing the account of Dyak religion already introduced in the 
Paper on “ Petara.”’* That dealt with the theories of their belief ; 
this will carry the same subject into the region of religious rite 
and practice. 
Spirits, Goop anp Bap. 
The every day working thoughts of the Dyak about Petara are 
very indefinite, and there is room for the reception of any amount of 
spirits—good, bad, or indifferent—to demand the awesome attention 
of him who may not imaptly be described as a thorough curld of 
nature. Nearly all races of men have imagined a class of inter- 
mediate beings between deity and humanity, whereby the gap 
between the two is bridged over. And the Dyak is no exception : 
yet his religion would seem to be not so dependent upon ima- 
ginary mediators, as some higher philosophic heathen systems, 
because his gods, according to his idea, actually give him their very 
presence when, in answer to invocations and sacrifices, they visit 
these human regions, and partake of his hospitality. But his 
receptivity of belief is omnivorous, and he has surrounded himself 
with thousands of “antus” or spirits, which are supposed to fill 
earth and air, sea and sky; and which scheme as adversaries, or 
appear as helpers of man, until the lne of demarcation between 
Petaras and antus is altogether indistinct. As a matter of habit, 
some beings are spoken of as Petaras and some as antus: but when 
you ask the specific difference between the two, only a very inde- 
finite answer is obtainable. They slide into each with an imper- 
ceptible gradient. and remind one of the “‘ Avatara”’ manifestations 
of the gods. 
Any unusual noise or motion in the jungle, anything which 
suggests to the Dyak mind an invisible operation, is thought to be 
the présence of an antu, unseen by human eyes. but full of mighty 
power. He is mostly invisible, but often vouchsafes a manifesta- 
tion of himself; and when he does go, he is neither a graceful 
fairy, nor a grinning Satyr, but a good honest ghost of flesh and 
blood, a mouster human being about three times the size of a man. 
with rough shaggy hair, glaring eyes as big as saucers, and huge 
* See Journal No. 8, p. 133 et seg. 
