SEA DYAK RELIGION. 289 



shouting out to some departed relative to come from Hades 

 and take them away also, feeling at the moment that life is 

 unbearable. At a burial once I saw a woman jump down into 

 the grave, and stretch herself at full length upon the coffin 

 loudly begging to be buried with her husband. 



Among some tribes, there are professional waiters, nearly 

 always women, who are hired to w 7 ail for the dead One of 

 these is now fetched, not only to lament the lost, but by her 

 presence and incantation to assist the soul in its passage to 

 Hades. Her song takes about twelve hours to sing, and the 

 sum of it is this. She calls with tedious prolixity upon bird, 

 beast and fish to go to Hades with a message, but in vain, 

 for they cannot pass the boundary. She then summons the 

 spirit of the winds to go, and — 



" Call the dead of ancient times, 



'•' To fetch the laid out corpse under the crescent moon. 



" Already arranged like the galaxy of the milky way. 



" To call those along ago bent double, 



" To fetch the shroud of our friend below the moon, 



" Already a heap like the hummock of the rengguang. ( x ) 



" To call the far away departed, 



" To fetch the nailed coffin under the dawn of the rising sun, 



14 Already like the form of a skilled artisan's chest. 



" To call the long departed ones, 



" To fetch the resale-wood coffin below the brilliant moon, 



" Already bound with golden bands." 



The Spirit of the Winds is reluctant at first ; but, at the 

 solicitation of his wife, at length consents to do the wailer's 

 bidding. He speeds on his way through forests and plains, hills 

 and valleys, rivers and ravines, until night comes on and he is 

 tired and hungry, and stops to make a temporary resting place. 

 After refreshing himself, he goes up a high tree to make sure 

 of the proper road. " He looks round, and all is dark and dim 

 " in the distance : he looks behind, and all is obscure and con- 



(1) A crustacean which burrows in the earth, 



