PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
489 
good spirit, and at others to the evil. Near the heach to the north- CHAP- 
ward of Potsoong, upon the shore which faces the coast of China, there 
were several square stones with pieces of paper attached to them. The May, 
natives gave us to understand they were the prayers of individuals ; but 
we could not exactly understand the nature of them. A label similarly 
placed to those upon the beach was carried away by Captain Hall, and 
found to contain a prayer for the safe voyage of a friend who had gone 
from Loo Choo to China ; it is very probable, therefore, that those which 
we saw were for similar purposes. At the Jos House at Potsoong 
I have mentioned pieces of paper being suspended between the panels, 
and have also suggested the probability of their being supplications 
of a similar nature. Indeed one of these also was taken to Macao by 
Lieutenant Clifford, and found to be an invocation of the devil*. 
In a natural cave near Abbey Point, I found a rudely carved image, 
about three feet in height, of the goddess Kwan-yin (pronounced Kwaii- 
yong by the Loo Chooans). In front of the deity there were several 
square stone vessels for offerings, and upon one of them some short 
pieces of polished wood were placed, which I conjectured to be for 
the purpose of deciding questions, in the manner practised hy the 
Foo sect in China, by being tossed in the air, or rattled in a bamboo 
case until one falls to the ground with its mark uppermost ; when it is 
referred to a number in the book of the priest, and an answer is given 
accordingly. The natives were very unwilling to allow me to approach 
this figure, and pulled me back when I stepped into a small stone 
area in front of it, for the purpose of examining these pieces of wood. 
In China there are fasts in honour of this goddess, and no doubt there 
are the same in Loo Choo. 
The following answers to several questions which I put to the 
natives of Loo Choo will fully explain the religion of the people. 
“ How many religions are there in Loo Choo ?’^ “ Three.” — 
“ What are these religions ? ” “ J oo, Shih, T aou. Shih is the same as Foo.” 
— Are there many persons of the religion of Joo?” “ Plenty.”— 
“Foo?” « No good.” — “ Taou?” “ Few.” — “ Hoes the sect Joo worship 
3 R 
* Hall’s Loo Choo, 4to, p, 206, 
