OF KAMAON. 223 



rocks on opposite and distant mountains, as well as to erections in the imme- 

 diate vicinity. With so many imaginary sources of calamity and sickness, 

 -independant of natural causes, the population must have become extinct, had 

 not the means of prevention and cure for the former existed, possessing the full 

 confidence of the inhabitants. Religious ceremonies, sacrifices, exorcism, and 

 counter-charms are resorted to, in all cases of sickness ascribed to the malice of 

 ghosts, demons, fairies and witches. In cases of temporary affection, such as 

 fits, &c., the devil is driven out either by flogging the possessed with nettles, or 

 by fumigation with some horrible odour. A belief in the temporary and 

 occasional presence of a deity in the bodies of individuals, is here universally 

 prevalent, and the superstition applies equally to all the local deities, and to 

 persons of both sexes, of all castes and classes. Individuals subject to the in- 

 spiration of some particular deities are, on such occasions, consulted as oracles, 

 but in most instances, the fit evaporates in dancing: this consists in the motion 

 of the head or body, at first slow, and gradually quickening, till it becomes 

 convulsive, and beyond the controul of the inspired, and is thus continued till 

 utter exhaustion : during this ceremony, the excitement is created and kept up 

 by the music of a drum beat by one of the spectators. 



Drought, want of fertility in the soil, murrain in cattle, and other cala- 

 mities incident to husbandry, are here invariably ascribed to the wrath of 

 particular gods, to appease which, recourse is had to various ceremonies. In 

 the Kamaon districts, offerings, and singing, and dancing are resorted to 

 on such occasions : in Gerhwal the measures pursued with the same view, 

 are of a peculiar nature, deserving of more particular notice. In 

 those villages of which Kali is the tutelary divinity, a sacrifice of bull 

 buffaloes is offered up : the number of animals slaughtered on such occasions 

 varies with the means of the inhabitants : each buffalo is successively led to 

 the door of the temple for decapitation : the first stroke is inflicted by the 

 principal Zemindar, and if not immediately fatal, is followed up by repeated 



