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CHAPTER III. 



How Demons inflict Disease. 



The demons enumerated in the preceding pages are those, who 

 are supposed to inflict disease on men, and who therefore princi- 

 pally figure in the various Ceremonies of Demon worship. They 

 are supposed to exercise their malignant power by virtue of the 

 Wurrun permission, which they have obtained for that purpose from 

 King Wessamonny, from the principal demon chiefs, or sometimes 

 from some of the gods themselves. Originally when they were in 

 a lawless state, they enjoyed themselves to their hearts' content, by 

 seizing men wherever they could and eating them up alive, like so 

 many oysters. But aft er a time these liberties were restrained to 

 a certain extent, and they were allowed to eat human beings, only 

 when the latter happened to come under the shade of the tree on 

 which they lived, or within a certain distance of whatever place 

 they had made their residence. Lastly, cannibalism was wholly 

 prohibited, and, in place of it, permission was given them to inflict 

 disease, and thereby receive offerings, with which they were required 

 to be content. 



Their usual hours of stirring abroad are called Yama. These 

 are 1st, the morning twilight, when there is still some degree of 

 darkness over the earth; 2nd, Mid-day, about 12 o'clock; 3rd, the 

 evening twilight before it has grown very dark; and 4th, Midnight 

 about 12 o'clock. During these Yamas, they stir abroad, as much 

 in search of human victims as by way of recreation. A Singhalese 

 never travels during these Yamas, if he can help it; but if not, he 

 takes care not to go alone (unless it be the midday Yama), unless 

 the country is very thickly inhabited, for solitary travellers are 

 most exposed to the attacks of the demons. There are also certain 

 circumstances in the condition or disposition of an individual, which 

 make it easier for a demon to inflict disease on him; these are — 

 1, when the man is asleep; 2, when he has his person perfumed with 

 fragrant unguents and oils; 3, when he travels in a palanquin at 

 night; 4 } when a woman is in labour; 5, when the predominant 



