CHAEMS AND AMULETS 



63 



figures on a piece of paper to be worn inside the round 

 velvet Malay cap (but not, of course, inside the little 

 white cap, shaped hke a jelly mould, worn by holy 

 men) ; Arabic figures written on an egg, to be buried 

 by the lover beneath the bed-chamber of his heart's 

 desire, or underneath the steps of her house ; Arabic ' 

 figures written on a thin sheet of lead to drop into a 

 well to cause her to think of him when she quenches her 

 thirst with the enchanted water ; Arabic figures written 

 on paper to hang on a high tree, when she will think of 

 her lover as the love charm is blown about by the wind ; 

 or a girl's name with Arabic figures written on a " lemon." 

 The last charm may perhaps be intended to act by 

 telepathy ; the homor must, however, be aware of the 

 phenomena commonly attributed to the long arm of 

 coincidence,*' though the essential condition of his 

 knowledge of the givVs name might suggest the possi- 

 bility of collusion. Any lemon with a bit of the stalk 

 attached will do ; the boimr jots down the girl's name 

 and the magic Arabic figures on it either with a pen- 

 knife or a stout needle. The lover suspends the lemon 

 by means of thread from the top of his mosquito net in 

 such a way tliat it hangs exactly over the region of his 

 heart ; he then sets it spinning, tiiinking of his sweet- 

 heart the while, until sleep overtakes him. In order 

 to be really effectual the lemon should spin for three 

 nights in succession. The old bomor (To* Bomor 

 Enche* Harun) who gave me this charm said it was 

 a very old one, and remarked with a charming naivete 

 that it might be ineffectual in these modem days* 



REFEEENCEd. 



(1) Castellani & Chalmers. (1919.) " A Manual of Tropical 



Medicine," p. 277. London. 



(2) Clifford, H. (1897.) " In Court and Kampong." London. 



(3) Clifford, H. (1904.) " Further India," p. 58. London. 



