the golden bough-第188节

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ievous　spirit　Tu？a　from　every　house。　The　ceremony　was　witnessed　by　the　members　of　the　United　States　Polar　Expedition；　who　wintered　at　Point　Barrow。　A　fire　was　built　in　front　of　the　council…house；　and　an　old　woman　was　posted　at　the　entrance　to　every　house。　The　men　gathered　round　the　council…house　while　the　young　women　and　girls　drove　the　spirit　out　of　every　house　with　their　knives；　stabbing　viciously　under　the　bunk　and　deer…skins；　and　calling　upon　Tu？a　to　be　gone。　When　they　thought　he　had　been　driven　out　of　every　hole　and　corner；　they　thrust　him　down　through　the　hole　in　the　floor　and　chased　him　into　the　open　air　with　loud　cries　and　frantic　gestures。　Meanwhile　the　old　woman　at　the　entrance　of　the　house　made　passes　with　a　long　knife　in　the　air　to　keep　him　from　returning。　Each　party　drove　the　spirit　towards　the　fire　and　invited　him　to　go　into　it。　All　were　by　this　time　drawn　up　in　a　semicircle　round　the　fire；　when　several　of　the　leading　men　made　specific　charges　against　the　spirit；　and　each　after　his　speech　brushed　his　clothes　violently；　calling　on　the　spirit　to　leave　him　and　go　into　the　fire。　Two　men　now　stepped　forward　with　rifles　loaded　with　blank　cartridges；　while　a　third　brought　a　vessel　of　urine　and　flung　it　on　the　flames。　At　the　same　time　one　of　the　men　fired　a　shot　into　the　fire；　and　as　the　cloud　of　steam　rose　it　received　the　other　shot；　which　was　supposed　to　finish　Tun？a　for　the　time　being。

In　late　autumn；　when　storms　rage　over　the　land　and　break　the　icy　fetters　by　which　the　frozen　sea　is　as　yet　but　slightly　bound；　when　the　loosened　floes　are　driven　against　each　other　and　break　with　loud　crashes；　and　when　the　cakes　of　ice　are　piled　in　wild　disorder　one　upon　another；　the　Esquimaux　of　Baffin　Land　fancy　they　hear　the　voices　of　the　spirits　who　people　the　mischief…laden　air。　Then　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　knock　wildly　at　the　huts；　which　they　cannot　enter；　and　woe　to　the　hapless　wight　whom　they　catch；　he　soon　sickens　and　dies。　Then　the　phantom　of　a　huge　hairless　dog　pursues　the　real　dogs；　which　expire　in　convulsions　and　cramps　at　sight　of　him。　All　the　countless　spirits　of　evil　are　abroad　striving　to　bring　sickness　and　death；　foul　weather　and　failure　in　hunting　on　the　Esquimaux。　Most　dreaded　of　all　these　spectral　visitants　are　Sedna；　mistress　of　the　nether　world；　and　her　father；　to　whose　share　dead　Esquimaux　fall。　While　the　other　spirits　fill　the　air　and　the　water；　she　rises　from　under　ground。　It　is　then　a　busy　season　for　the　wizards。　In　every　house　you　may　hear　them　singing　and　praying；　while　they　conjure　the　spirits；　seated　in　a　mystic　gloom　at　the　back　of　the　hut；　which　is　dimly　lit　by　a　lamp　burning　low。　The　hardest　task　of　all　is　to　drive　away　Sedna；　and　this　is　reserved　for　the　most　powerful　enchanter。　A　rope　is　coiled　on　the　floor　of　a　large　hut　in　such　a　way　as　to　leave　a　small　opening　at　the　top；　which　represents　the　breathing　hole　of　a　seal。　Two　enchanters　stand　beside　it；　one　of　them　grasping　a　spear　as　if　he　were　watching　a　seal…hole　in　winter；　the　other　holding　the　harpoon…line。　A　third　sorcerer　sits　at　the　back　of　the　hut　chanting　a　magic　song　to　lure　Sedna　to　the　spot。　Now　she　is　heard　approaching　under　the　floor　of　the　hut；　breathing　heavily；　now　she　emerges　at　the　hole；　now　she　is　harpooned　and　sinks　away　in　angry　haste；　dragging　the　harpoon　with　her；　while　the　two　men　hold　on　to　the　line　with　all　their　might。　The　struggle　is　severe；　but　at　last　by　a　desperate　wrench　she　tears　herself　away　and　returns　to　her　dwelling　in　Adlivun。　When　the　harpoon　is　drawn　up　out　of　the　hole　it　is　found　to　be　splashed　with　blood；　which　the　enchanters　proudly　exhibit　as　a　proof　of　their　prowess。　Thus　Sedna　and　the　other　evil　spirits　are　at　last　driven　away；　and　next　day　a　great　festival　is　celebrated　by　old　and　young　in　honour　of　the　event。　But　they　must　still　be　cautious；　for　the　wounded　Sedna　is　furious　and　will　seize　any　one　she　may　find　outside　of　his　hut；　so　they　all　wear　amulets　on　the　top　of　their　hoods　to　protect　themselves　against　her。　These　amulets　consist　of　pieces　of　the　first　garments　that　they　wore　after　birth。

The　Iroquois　inaugurated　the　new　year　in　January；　February；　or　March　（the　time　varied）　with　a　festival　of　dreams　like　that　which　the　Hurons　observed　on　special　occasions。　The　whole　ceremonies　lasted　several　days；　or　even　weeks；　and　formed　a　kind　of　saturnalia。　Men　and　women；　variously　disguised；　went　from　wigwam　to　wigwam　smashing　and　throwing　down　whatever　they　came　across。　It　was　a　time　of　general　license；　the　people　were　supposed　to　be　out　of　their　senses；　and　therefore　not　to　be　responsible　for　what　they　did。　Accordingly；　many　seized　the　opportunity　of　paying　off　old　scores　by　belabouring　obnoxious　persons；　drenching　them　with　ice…cold　water；　and　covering　them　with　filth　or　hot　ashes。　Others　seized　burning　brands　or　coals　and　flung　them　at　the　heads　of　the　first　persons　they　met。　The　only　way　of　escaping　from　these　persecutors　was　to　guess　what　they　had　dreamed　of。　On　one　day　of　the　festival　the　ceremony　of　driving　away　evil　spirits　from　the　village　took　place。　Men　clothed　in　the　skins　of　wild　beasts；　their　faces　covered　with　hideous　masks；　and　their　hands　with　the　shell　of　the　tortoise；　went　from　hut　to　hut　making　frightful　noises；　in　every　hut　they　took　the　fuel　from　the　fire　and　scattered　the　embers　and　ashes　about　the　floor　with　their　hands。　The　general　confession　of　sins　which　preceded　the　festival　was　probably　a　preparation　for　the　public　expulsion　of　evil　influences；　it　was　a　way　of　stripping　the　people　of　their　moral　burdens；　that　these　might　be　collected　and　cast　out。

In　September　the　Incas　of　Peru　celebrated　a　festival　called　Situa；　the　object　of　which　was　to　banish　from　the　capital　and　its　vicinity　all　disease　and　trouble。　The　festival　fell　in　September　because　the　rains　begin　about　this　time；　and　with　the　first　rains　there　was　generally　much　sickness。　As　a　preparation　for　the　festival　the　people　fasted　on　the　first　day　of　the　moon　after　the　autumnal　equinox。　Having　fasted　during　the　day；　and　the　night　being　come；　they　baked　a　coarse　paste　of　maize。　This　paste　was　made　of　two　sorts。　One　was　kneaded　with　the　blood　of　children　aged　from　five　to　ten　years；　the　blood　being　obtained　by　bleeding　the　children　between　the　eyebrows。　These　two　kinds　of　paste　were　baked　separately；　because　they　were　for　different　uses。　Each　family　assembled　at　the　house　of　the　eldest　brother　to　celebrate　the　feast；　and　those　who　had　no　elder　brother　went　to　the　house　of　their　next　relation　of　greater　age。　On　the　same　night　all　who　had　fasted　during　the　day　washed　their　bodies；　and　taking　a　little　of　the　blood…kneaded　paste；　rubbed　it　over　their　head；　face；　breast；　shoulders；　arms　and　legs。　They　did　this　in　order　that　the　paste　might　take　away　all　their　infirmities。　After　this　the　head　of　the　family　anointed　the　threshold　with　the　same　paste；　and　left　it　there　as　a　token　that　the　inmates　of　the　house　had　performed　their　ablutions　and　cleansed　their　bodies。　Meantime　the　High　Priest　performed　the　same　ceremonies　in　the　temple　of　the　Sun。　As　soon　as　the　Sun　rose；　all　the　people　worshipped　and　besought　him　to　drive　all　evils　out　of　the　city；　and　then　they　broke　their　fast　with　the　paste　that　had　been　kneaded　without　blood。　When　they　had　paid　their　worship　and　broken　their　fast；　which　they　did　at　a　stated　hour；　in　order　that　all　might　adore　the　Sun　as　one　man；　an　Inca　of　the　blood　royal　came　forth　from　the　fortress；　as　a　messenger　of　the　Sun；　richly　dressed；　with　his　mantle　girded　round　his　body；　and　a　lance　in　his　hand。　The　lance　was　decked　with　feathers　of　many　hues；　extending　from　the　blade　to　the　socket；　and　fastened　with　rings　of　gold。　He　ran　down　the　hill　from　the　fortress　brandishing　his　lance；　till　he　reached　the　centre　of　the　great　square；　where　stood　the　golden　urn；　like　a　fountain；　that　was　used　for　the　sacrifice　of　the　fermented　juice　of　the　maize。　Here　four　other　Incas　of　the　blood　royal　awaited　him；　each　with　a　lance　in　his　hand；　and　his　mantle　girded　up　to　run。　The　messenger　touched　their　four　lances　with　his　lance；　and　told　them　that　the　Sun　bade　them；　as　his　messengers；　drive　the　evils　out　of　the　city。　The　four　Incas　then　separated　and　ran　down　the　four　royal　roads　which　led　out　of　the　city　to　the　four　quarters　of　the　world。　While　they　ran；　all　the　people；　great　and　small；　came　to　the　doors　of　their　houses；　and　with　great　shouts　of　joy　and　gladness　shook　their　clothes；　as　if　they　were　shaking　off　dust；　while　they　cried；　Let　the　evils　be　gone。　How　greatly　desired　has　this　festival　been　by　us。　O　Creator　of　all　things；　permit　us　to　reach　another　year；　that　we　may　see　another　feast　like　this。　After　they　had　shaken　their　clothes；　they　passed　their　hands　over　their　heads；　faces；　arms；　and　legs；　as　if　in　the　act　of　washing。　All　this　was　done　to　drive　the　evils　out　of　their　houses；　that　the　messengers　of　the　Sun　might　banish　them　from　the　city；　and　it　was　done　not　only　in　the　streets　through　which　the　Incas　ran；　but　generally　in　all　quarters　of　the　city。　Moreover；　they　all　danced；　the　Inca　himself　amongst　them；　and　bathed　in　the　rivers　and　fountains；　saying　that　their　maladies　would　come　out　of　them。　Then　they　took　great　torches　of　straw；　bound　round　with　cords。　These　they　lighted；　and　passed　from　one　to　the　other；　striking　eac