CHABMS AND AMULETS 53 



against it, when, if it be a genuine stone, the lime 

 becomes yellow. It has long been regarded as effica- 

 cious in preventing infection and the effect of poison. 

 In " Malay Magic " Skeat says the ceremony of applying 

 the gvliga charm generally takes the form of gi'ating the 

 stone (asahkan bunfat), mixing the resulting powder with 

 water, and drmking tins water after the following 

 chai'm has been recited by the homor : — 



The upas loses its venom, 



And poison loses its venom. 



And the Sea-snake loses its venom, 



And the poison-tree of Borneo loses its venom. 



Everything that is venomous loses its venom. 



By virtue of my use of the Prayer of the Magic Bezoar Stone. 



Bezoar stones ai^e worn as amulets against disease and 

 evil spirits, and are considered to possess wonderful 

 medicinal vu-tues, but their prhicipal value is founded 

 on reputation. They are supposed to be powerful 

 aphrodisiacs. The bezoar is wrapped in a piece of cloth 

 and worn on the navel, or water, ua which the stones 

 have been steeped, is swallowed in all good faith, when 

 they are desired to act in this way (Eef, 6). The bezoar 

 stone is also called buniat in Malay, and when deemed to 

 possess talismanic properties it is knowji as hiniat 

 gemala. A stone of ihls sort, the geniala naga^ is said 

 to have luminous properties, and to be used by dragons 

 to hght their way in the dark at night. Another, the 

 g^mala ular, gives luminosity to the head of the black 

 cobra. A piece of holy wood from Mecca, kayu raja 

 waga, is sometimes carried about as a precaution 

 against snake bite ; it is light brown, friable and 

 hygroscopic, and is applied to the punctures. 



Snake -stones . — A mineral bezoar is used also as a 

 snake-stone " ; it is an amalgam of gold, silver and 

 tin, called buntai raksa (Ref. 8). The hoimr also uses 



