224 



A NATirMALJST'a WANDEJtTNQS 



forest we found the warm body of tlie feline, Tratisfixerl from 

 side to side, it bad cleared tbe high fence witb one.gifjjantie 

 boimd, and fallen dead where it lay. As soon as it Wiis known 

 that tbe body bad been found, every man, woman and child 

 hastened out of the village to sec the carejise of their enemy, 

 every individual, save tbe youngest children, bringing with 

 him a knife or kriss. It was only with tbe very utmost 

 diflicnlty that I could, by standing on the body and uttering 

 tbe direst threats, prevent each of these blades from being 

 thrust into tbe skin, wliicb I wished to preser\'e. Witb what 

 savage delight and revenge they did gloat over that carcase, 

 and run their weapons into its body when they could ! What 

 blood there was about was all used up in dipping them in to 

 insure bravery ; and all passed their krisses broadside over and 

 over the body to absorb the potent emanation from this personi- 

 fication of power and Ijoldness. When the body was being 

 skinned the relatives of many of those who had perished by 

 tigers came and l)egged for a piece of tbe heart or bniin, that 

 they might revenge themselves by eating it— especially one 

 old woman who had thus lost first her only son, and later had 

 had her husband carried oS before her eyes. 



Tbe graveyard of the village was laid out along the river, 

 on each side of a moss-grown path, overshadowed by tall and 

 aged trees. All about grew delicate fems and shrubs sacred 

 to the dead. Almost at the end of this tall avenue I came 

 one day on a bouse of some dimensions, with a closed door, 

 tmving a space in front cleared of vegetation, and kept neatly 

 in order. By peering though an aperture 1 could see inside, 

 surrounded by a close pavement of stones, a solitary grave- 

 stone. This was the resting-place of the Nene Poyang, or 

 Forefather, who bad established the village. When any great 

 trouble overtakes the village, such as many deaths from tigers, 

 or times of scarcity befall them, they assemble here, and killing 

 a goat or a buflalo, they invoke the good offices of the spirit of 

 their ancestor. If a man have a dispute with another and the 

 matter be referred to bis oath, it is over the stone of their 

 ancestor here that he swears. 



