20 



THE DEMONS 



Another child was also sacrificed to this same superstition about 

 25 years ago in a village near Barberyn. In this case, the child 

 was nailed to the stem of a cocoanuttree and so left to die, the best 

 punishment, as was thought, for a demon, who had had the impudence 

 to be born of a human mother. We have also heard of a still more 

 recent case, which occurred some 5 or 6 years ago in the same 

 neighbourhood, but we are not acquainted with any of the particu- 

 lars connected with it. We have likewise heard of 10 or 12 other 

 cases of this kind, which have occurred within the last 25 years in 

 other parts of the Island, in which ignorance and superstition 

 triumphed both over parental affection and over common sense. 



The demons can never inflict disease or receive offerings, unless 

 they have a sort of general permission called Wurrun, previously 

 granted to them by Wissamonny, or by some of his principal chiefs, 

 or by some of the gods. And as they cannot honestly sustain life 

 without afflicting men, and thereby extorting offerings, they are 

 necessarily obliged to seek and obtain this Wurrun, as soon as they 

 enter on life. Inferior and insignificant demons however live on 

 without such a patent, by violating the law, and their sufferings and 

 punishments are therefore very great. The principal offenders of 

 this kind are the demons called Malla Yakseyo. 



Like men, demons also seem to have their own fashionable hours 

 of breakfasting, dining, and supping. Sanny Yakseya will accept 

 his offerings only in the morning between 2 and 6 o'clock; Reeri 

 Yakseya, Calloo Yakseya, Abimaana Yakseya, and Totte Yak- 

 seya, will accept their's only in the evening, between 6 and 10 o'clock; 

 while Maha Sohon Yakseya, Hooniyan Yakseya, Uda Yakseya, 

 the female demons Riddhi Yaksaniya and Madana Yakseniya will 

 accept offerings at no other hours than those intervening between 

 10 p. M., and 2 a. m. 



Although it is believed that there are millions and billions of 

 demons in existence, yet the number of those who belong to the 

 demon worship does not exceed 50 or 60, and even of these Reeri 

 Yakseya, Calloo Yakseya, Sanny Yakseya, Maha Sohori Yakseya, 

 Calloo Cumare dewatawa, and Hooniyan Yakseya, are the principal 

 individuals, who figure in every demon ceremony in the Island. 



