118 



JOURNAL R. A. S. CEYLON. [Vol. VIL, Pt. II. 



into the image at important parts of the body, such as the 

 head or heart. These images, after the process of charming, 

 are buried under a stile so that the intended victim may pass 

 over it* and be thus affected. This "passing over" of the buried 

 image is generally indispensable. After the charms have 

 taken effect, the image is otherwise secreted,* 



The image I now send was found in the trunk of a Rukattana 

 tree.f An oblong hole corresponding in shape to the tin box 

 holding the image had been neatly cut into the trunk of the 

 tree in a direction S.S.W., and about two feet high from the 

 ground. The box containing the image had been inserted 

 inside this hole and a tin plate, covering the hole, neatly nailed 

 over with copper nails. % It is of course absurd to suppose 

 that this contrivance could have had any effect, but should the 

 intended victim have met with an accident or stroke of disease, 

 there would have been another instance of the potency of the 

 Huniyam. 



In the Society's Journal for 1865-66 will be found an 

 exhaustive treatise on " Sinhalese Demonology" by Dandris 

 De Silva, Mudaliyar. This short introductory sketch is only 

 intended to introduce the Huniyam image now sent, which is 

 interesting as a specimen of one which had been actually 

 uttered with malicious intent. When discovered it had 

 evidently been long imbedded in the tree, and unless the 

 particular Yakadurd who performed the devil-ceremony in 

 this instance will volunteer a confession, no further light will 

 be thrown upon the subject. 



* Pannavanavd [o3£2a£Xs3&>]. C. A. S. Jour. 1865-6, p. 71. 

 | Alstonia scholaris, R, Br. 



% The annexed plate gives an exact size photograph of the image by the 

 side of its tin "coffin." Nails pierce the head, heart, right side, chest, and 

 feet, and threads are wound round the body from the neck downward.— 

 Hon. Sec. 



