corn. — Ihrrc cat. 



][)?, 



tor is careful not to permit any tiling to foe removed 

 from his house. On the lirsl flay, waxen tapers ai*e 

 lighted and incense hurned. Purrs of the JFovrkhan 

 or Koran are recited, the right being- termed Ku /ata- 

 ri — all the assembly Catling out Ameen at the close of 

 each sentence. 



An iron nail is carried, on the first day, to the field 

 in order to avert some planetary influence — far the 

 planets, it is well known, had, in ancient mythology, 

 their types in ihe several metals. It is stuck into the 

 earth, where it is left until all the grain has been cut. 

 This charm may remind one, too, of the sai lor 's horse 

 shoe. It is afterwards placed in the granarv as a 

 charm to prevent the paddie becoming samangat; 

 namely, taking" fright and vanishing-, as it did of old ! 

 A rude altar is then raised on the field on which are 

 laid offerings of rice, plantain, flour, eggs, oil, water, 

 perfumes: a white cloth is thrown gently over all and 

 the peasant evokes the spirit in the following: strain : 



Marilah Che, marilah Tuan ; 



HunUalj pulau maligei raas maligei peralc. 



Lama sudah main aiigin dan omhak, 



Tumput iyang sinnang iyang selesa. 



Come O young- Lord and Master, 



Return 10 iln- gulden am j silver palace. 



Long hast thou disported in the wind and rippling waters; 



Return now to a place of repose and enjoyment. 



On the same day, one male and one female stalk 

 (the distinction is perhaps fanciful) are selected j on 

 each a gold or silver riijo is put ; both are then tied 

 together with a white thread, wrapped up in white 

 cloth, and conveyed along with one basket-full of tlie 

 ripe ears to the granary. Some ryots cut seven in- 

 stead of two stalks in commemoration of seven mo- 

 thers 'who became samangat — perhaps the seven 

 rishiis, or stars of Hindoo mythology. 



On the second day two, and on the third, three bas- 

 kets full are cut and consecrated in like manner. Wfcen 



