INHABITANTS OP PERU. 



them to blend with their pra6tice a thousand charms and su- 

 perstitions. The most customary method of cure is to place 

 two hammocks close to each other, either in the dwelling, or 

 in the open air : in one of them the patient lies extended, and 

 in the other the Mohan, or Agorero. The latter, in contact 

 with the sick man, begins by rocl^ing himself, and then pro- 

 ceeds, by a strain in falsetto^ to call on the birds, quadrupeds, 

 and fishes, to give health to the patient. From time to time 

 he rises on his seat, and makes a thousand extravagant ges- 

 tures over the sick man, to whom he applies his powders and 

 herbs, or sucks the wounded or diseased parts. If the malady 

 augments, the Agorero, having been joined by many of the 

 people, chaunts a short hymn, addressed to the soul of the 

 patient, with this burden : thou must not go, thou must not go. 

 In repeating this, he is joined by the people, until at length a 

 terrible clamour is raised, and augmented in proportion as the 

 sick man becomes still fainter and fainter, to the end that it 

 may reach his ears. When all the charm.s are unavailing, and 

 death approaches, the Mohan leaps from his hammock, and 

 betakes himself to flight, amid the multitude of sticks, stones, 

 and clods of earth, which are showered on him. Successively 

 all those who belong to the nation assemble, and dividing 

 themselves into bands, each of them, if he who is in his last 

 agonies is a warrior, approaches him, saying : whither goest 

 thou f Why dost thou leave us ? With whom shall we proceed to 

 the aucas (the enemies) ? They then relate to him the heroi- 

 cal deeds he has performed, the number of those he has slain, 

 and the pleasures he leaves behind him. This is pra6lised in 

 different tones : while some raise the voice, it is lowered by" 

 others ; and the poor sick man is obliged to support these im- 

 portunities 



