corn. — Legends. 99 



them fnto small fragments, he scattered these over the 

 grroimd. On his returning home, Hawaii inquired 

 m hat had become of her children. Adam replied that 

 they were abroad in the field. Six months afterwards 

 she again asked where they were. Adam said, "coma 

 and I will shew yon them." They then both went 

 forth to the plain and called on the children by name 

 bidding 1 them return. 



The other two children who had followed them out 

 answered u - we are coming." Adam and Hawaii now 

 beheld with wonder the wide plain waviuir with a 

 golden harvest. On a sudden, the whole grain be- 

 came gamangat, or instinct with life, and then rising 1 

 in the air like dense swarms of bees, poured onwards 

 with a loud buzzing- noise until it entered the habitation 

 of the first man and woman from whom it had its 

 birth. Hence if . incumbent on cultivators to treat 

 paddie with respect. 



Que of the singular customs which may be observed 

 at this Settlement — amongst a population composed 

 of many races and where about twelve distinct Asiatic 

 languages are spoken by considerable numbers — is 

 the scai-eh f>r Ceres or Proserpine by the Chinese. 



They, being 'ignorant of the real origin of the rio , 

 call it a search fur charmed roots and medicinal 

 substances. Four m°n carry on their shoulders a 

 small painted worn leu or bamboo box, with a ca- 

 nopy and open in front. In this an image of Cboo 

 Sookoog, one of their deified mortals, is placed. A 

 Juzzuzen, or physician, places biimelf in front and 

 i he whole move oif over the country at a double 

 qntfcS pace. 



The Siamese and S.unsam cultivators who are 

 Buddhists, call their Ceres "IYIj Pin S »p Chan ** 

 tin; exalted m ither of grain. Iti their legend fit is 

 recorded, that of old when m mkiu 1 u.-re \et in a state 



