SEA DYAK RELIGION. 223 
inovements of the super-human race, who generally confer their 
favours upon the great, and pass by the poor and insignificant. It 
is a personal and not a tribal deity. The python (sawa), and the 
cobra (tedong) are the snakes generally selected by the antus for 
their habitation, not all the members of either class, but only 
individuals which become known as spirit-possessed through dreams, 
or inference from other signs. Should one of these reptiles be in 
the habit of frequenting the vicinity of a village house, it is always 
regarded as the good genius of some one or other of the principal 
men init. Not long ago, I saw a small cobra come under a house, 
and crawl about, not heeding half a dozen of us who were watch- 
ing its movements; it did not attempt to touch the chickens, nor 
did it show fright when I poked it with a stick, but simply inflated 
its hood a little, hissed, and went on in eager search of something! 
At length it caught a frog, and seemed satisfied. I founditwas a con- 
stant visitor, and was said to be a “ spirit-helper”’ of a man of the 
place, who, no doubt, would have fined any one who dared to lay 
violent hands upon it. I was not told, however, that any worship 
was paid to it. In another case, a large python went up into a 
house, and the inmates interpreted the visit as that of one of the 
beneficent powers. They put it undera pasu, (paddy measure) 
and offered a sacrifice to it, made a feast also for themselves, sat 
round the snake, and ate, congratulating themselves upon their 
good fortune. This done they let it go again into the jungle. 
In a third case, the python came at night, and astonished the com- 
munity by swallowing one of their pigs. This bold attack was 
thought to mean that they had been guilty of neglect of duty to 
his spiritship ; so with all haste an offering was prepared, and laid 
out on the floor of the house, the snake, gorged with the pig, being 
still underneath: some words of submission and entreaty were said 
and lo! the beast vomited up the pig, thereby affording indubitable 
proof that their view of the case was right! They then managed 
to secure it in a bambu cage, and left it in honourable captivity 
until the morning when [ arrived and saw it. A company of them 
afterwards took it into the jungle, where they offered it another 
sacrifice, and then allowed it to slide out of the cage into the wood. 
It was‘believed to be the twah, the “ luck-bringer,” of the head- 
