46a 



Polong?,'* are instantly affected in a similar man- 

 ner. Mr Thomson saw a man, who positively 

 assured him (to such extremities will supersti- 

 tion go) that he bad seen no less than twenty in- 

 dividuals thus seized at the same time. 



The soothsayer, or physician, is called in to the 

 patient in order to exorcise the spirit. He draws 

 a representation of it in a white bason, and, pour- 

 ing water upon it, desires him to drink the f:ame. 

 He then, holding the end of the possessed per- 

 sons thumb, in order to prevent the escape of the 

 Polong. (that being the door by which he makes 

 his exits and his entrances), questions him as to 

 his motives for tormenting the individual. Hav- 

 ing received his replies, through the mouth of 

 the possessed, he proceeds to search all over the 

 body for the lurking place of the spirit, which, 

 notwithstanding its invisibility, is supposed to be 

 perfectly tangible, and to be lodged between the 

 skin and the flesh. As soon as the priest has 

 discoveied the spot in which the Polong is con- 

 cealed, ha exacts an oath of him that his previ- 

 ous replies were dictated solely by truths and 

 that he will never re -enter the body of the person 

 from whom he is about to expel him. The sor- 

 cerer sometimes exerts so great a power over 

 the Polong, as to compel him to enter into and 

 torment his own master. 



The Penangalan, again, is a species of evil spi- 

 rit, which takes up its abode in the human body, 

 and. so far as can be ascertained, in women only. 

 The Penangalan is a servant of Satan, and prac- 

 tises sorcery. When it wishes to go abroad, the 

 head and neck with the intestines are detached 



