No. 29.— 1884.] A1ST— KELIYA. 



several other lamps in other places. A large hole is dug in the ground, 

 in which is placed the lower part of a dug-up cocoa-nut tree, about ten 

 feet long, with the roots upwards. Between this and a large tree about 

 twelve yards distant, are fastened two large horns, and the thick and 

 tough jungle-creepers, with which they are bound together, are fastened 

 to the tree on one side, and to the stump of the cocoa-tree on the other. 

 On each side are from sixty to one hundred men, trying with all their 

 might to break the horn. If the horn of either party breaks, that party 

 is conquered, and submits patiently to a great deal of abuse from the 

 other party. The conquering party, after the performance of some 

 ceremony at the tree, carry their horn to a small maduwa prepared for 

 it at another part of the village, in geat triumph, and at the end of a 

 certain number of days the Kapuwas, or devil-priests, are called, and a 

 grand ceremony takes place. The people firmly believe that " pulling 

 horns " is the only way to get rid of the small-pox, which they call the 

 "great disease. 1 ' And they say, too, that when this disease is prevalent 

 in the country, the gods in the other world are in the habit of pulling 

 horns at night to stop it. In proof of this a man told me a few days 

 ago that his father was once travelling at night, and on his way he heard 

 at a short distance a noise such as is made at the pulling of horns,* 

 And when he came to the place he found nobody, and he was sure the 

 noise could only proceed from the gods. The poor man, however, was 

 so frightened, that he went home and died soon after. 



The great ceremony usual when the "pulling of horns" is ended 

 took place to-night. In a distant part of the village of Cotta, the people 

 had erected three madu, one of which was very large. It was filled 

 with women and children. In one of the two smaller ones was the devil- 

 priest, and in the other were many things that he makes use of in his 

 ceremonies. There were two tom-tom -beaters and large crowds of 

 people. The Kapuwa was dressed very fantastically, and had six or 

 eight little bells on each leg. He first danced with a lighted torch in 

 each hand, then with a bunch of areka-flowers, then with a pitcher of 

 water, and at last with a broken chatty, in which was burning charcoal. 

 He put himself into all sorts of attitudes, with each of these in his hands, 

 and neither burnt his long beard, which he seemed in great danger of 

 doing, from carrying, as he did, the two lighted torches, the one on one 

 shoulder and the other on the other, nor spilled the water, nor shed the 

 hot embers. All the time he was dancing he continued to throw hand- 

 fuls of powdered dummala, or resin, into the torches, which went off in 

 a sudden blaze like gunpowder. All this was done at the beat of tom- 

 tom, accompanied with singing, by the men beating them, I remained 

 to witness it till twelve o'clock, and the dancing was still going on and 



* The noise made on this occasion is very great, and may be heard 

 to a great distance. It alwajs reminded me of I. Kings, xviii., 27. 



