OR YAK.SE TO. 



19 



There is another class of demons who come into existence by 

 Oapapatiha birth. These are called Malta Yakseyo, or the 

 spirits of deceased men. If a man, who lives at enmity with ano- 

 ther, remember, on his deathbed, just before he dies, and at the 

 very moment of his expiring, any thing relating to that enmity, 

 and if, instead of a feeling of forgiveness, resentment and hatred 

 take possession of his mind, he is supposed to become, after death, 

 a demon of this hind. These demons are not so powerful, as those 

 mentioned above, nevertheless they too cause sickness. 



There are two places distinguished as the birthplaces of many 

 of the demons. These are IVisala Mahd Neioera (XJjayin), and 

 Sank a paala New era. These cities are said to have, on very many 

 occasions, been laid desolate by demons, either by inflicting disease 

 upon the citizens or by devouring them alive. 



To shew the reader that the notion of the possibility of a human 

 mother giving birth to a demon even in these days, is not at all 

 uncommon among the people, we have only to mention an incident 

 which is still fresh in our recollection. A poor woman of our native 

 village gave birth to a child about 23 or 24 years ago; the infant, 

 which was a male, had all its teeth as well developed, as a child of 

 5 or 6 years of age. Its head too was covered with hair about an 

 inch long, its face was unusually long, and its mouth Lroader than 

 usual in children of that age. The appearance of the child was not 

 at all prepossessing, and all thought that it was a demon. An hour 

 or two after its birth the grandfather dashed out its brains with a 

 stick. To this day, the people believe that it was actually a demon 

 and not a human being, and this belief will, we are sure, continue 

 for centuries more. On our mentioning this circumstance some 

 years ago, to an English gentleman now high in the Civil Service 

 of this Island, he gave information of it to Government, who in 

 consequence instructed the local magistrate to make an investigation 

 into the matter. But those of the villagers, who were well acquaint- 

 ed with the particulars of the case, considering it more prudent to 

 hold their tongues, than to give information in a matter, in which 

 they were not personally interested, denied all knowledge cf it. 



