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Proceedings of the Royal Society 
tion, who is ready to raise the fallen doctor, and give her water to 
drink. After she has recovered from her real or supposed exhaus- 
tion, she is supported to the sick child’s hut to see her patient. 
Before the door is opened a certain formula is gone through, after 
which she enters the huts, feels the child all over, and gives her 
opinion as to whether it will get well or not. She is then escorted 
home by the father, who takes with him her fee, in the shape of a 
goat, cow, or arrows. 
The Custom of Killing u Lamb . — A remarkable custom is observed 
at stated times — once a year, I am led to believe, I have not been 
able to ascertain what exact meaning is attached to it. It appears, 
however, to relieve the people’s minds, for beforehand they evince 
much sadness, and seem very joyful when the ceremony is duly 
accomplished. 
The following is what takes place ; — A large concourse of people 
of all ages assemble, and sit down round a circle of stones, which is 
erected by the side of a road (really a narrow path). A very choice 
lamb is then fetched by a hoy, who leads it four times round the 
assembled people. As it passes they pluck off little bits of its fleece 
and place them in their hair, or on to some other part of their body. 
The lamb is then led up to the stones, and there killed by a man 
belonging to a kind of priestly order, who takes some of the blood 
and sprinkles it four times over the people. He then applies it 
individually. On the children he makes a small ring of blood over 
the lower end of the breast bone, on women and girls he makes a 
mark above the breasts, and the men he touches on each shoulder. 
He then proceeds to explain the ceremony, and to exhort the people 
to show kindness, for example — 
If rich, not to deny a cow or sheep to a poor man that asks one. 
If eating, not to appear unaware of a passer-by, but invite him to 
share in the meal. If children see a stranger, they should run to 
their mother for water to offer to him ; or if they see an old woman 
fall, they should not laugh, but give her assistance. 
When this discourse, which is at times of great length, is over, the 
people rise, each places a leaf on or by the circle of stones, and then 
they depart with signs of great joy. The lamb’s skull is hung on a 
tree near the stones, and its flesh is eaten by the poor. This cere- 
mony is observed on a small scale at other times. If a family is in 
