INFLICT DISEASE. 



49 



condition was an attentive listener. The road, by which we must 

 return, was a narrow footpath flanked on both sides by thick bushes. 

 Near this path, and about half way between the house and the 

 seashore, was a large bo tree situated in an old graveyard, both of 

 which had always had a bad name among the neighbours, as being 

 haunted by demons, who, it was said, had on diverse occasions 

 frightened many people even in broad daylight. In returning, we 

 had of course to pass this tree and had hardly passed it ten paces, 

 when Baba, giving one of those terrible fierce shrieks of despair 

 and fear, which can hardly be described, threw his arms round the 

 other man, trembling and panting in the most remarkable manner, 

 and the next moment he dropped down senseless on the ground, 

 perspiring most profusely. The other man, who was himself only 

 a few degrees this side of the limits of a fainting fit, managed how- 

 ever to take up the terrified Baba and carry him home. Baba's 

 father and mother having come, a Cattadiya was sent for; in the 

 mean time one of the neighbours pronounced some incanta tions and 

 the pirit charm over the sick man, who in a little while regained 

 his senses. When the Cattadiya came, more charms were pro- 

 nounced in an inaudible voice, at the conclusion of which some 

 knots were made in the hair of the sick man's head, and some 

 charmed cocoanut oil was rubbed on his forehead, temples, breast, 

 nails, and on the crown of the head. He was then removed to his 

 own house, accompanied by the Cattadiya and his friends. 



When Baba was afterwards asked what had frightened liim so 

 much, he said that, as he was coming along behind us, he heard, 

 near the large tree, a sort of growl, like that of a fierce dog muzzled, 

 .and on looking in the direction he saw a large head peering over 

 a bush from behind the trunk of the large tree. 



The morning after this occurrence, Baba was reported to be very 

 ill. In the afternoon we saw him, and found him suffering from a 

 raging delirious fever. Two days afterwards, the ceremony of 

 Sanni Yakum Neteema or the Dance of the Sanni demons was 

 performed, during which, about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, when 



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