the golden bough-第69节

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e　and　taken　away　from　him；　a　portion　of　his　life　goes　with　the　picture。　Unless　the　sovereign　had　been　blessed　with　the　years　of　a　Methusaleh　he　could　scarcely　have　permitted　his　life　to　be　distributed　in　small　pieces　together　with　the　coins　of　the　realm。

Beliefs　of　the　same　sort　still　linger　in　various　parts　of　Europe。　Not　very　many　years　ago　some　old　women　in　the　Greek　island　of　Carpathus　were　very　angry　at　having　their　likenesses　drawn；　thinking　that　in　consequence　they　would　pine　and　die。　There　are　persons　in　the　West　of　Scotland　who　refuse　to　have　their　likenesses　taken　lest　it　prove　unlucky；　and　give　as　instances　the　cases　of　several　of　their　friends　who　never　had　a　day's　health　after　being　photographed。

Chapter　19。　Tabooed　Acts。

1。　Taboos　on　Intercourse　with　Strangers

SO　much　for　the　primitive　conceptions　of　the　soul　and　the　dangers　to　which　it　is　exposed。　These　conceptions　are　not　limited　to　one　people　or　country；　with　variations　of　detail　they　are　found　all　over　the　world；　and　survive；　as　we　have　seen；　in　modern　Europe。　Beliefs　so　deep…seated　and　so　widespread　must　necessarily　have　contributed　to　shape　the　mould　in　which　the　early　kingship　was　cast。　For　if　every　person　was　at　such　pains　to　save　his　own　soul　from　the　perils　which　threatened　it　on　so　many　sides；　how　much　more　carefully　must　he　have　been　guarded　upon　whose　life　hung　the　welfare　and　even　the　existence　of　the　whole　people；　and　whom　therefore　it　was　the　common　interest　of　all　to　preserve？　Therefore　we　should　expect　to　find　the　king's　life　protected　by　a　system　of　precautions　or　safeguards　still　more　numerous　and　minute　than　those　which　in　primitive　society　every　man　adopts　for　the　safety　of　his　own　soul。　Now　in　point　of　fact　the　life　of　the　early　kings　is　regulated；　as　we　have　seen　and　shall　see　more　fully　presently；　by　a　very　exact　code　of　rules。　May　we　not　then　conjecture　that　these　rules　are　in　fact　the　very　safeguards　which　we　should　expect　to　find　adopted　for　the　protection　of　the　king's　life？　An　examination　of　the　rules　themselves　confirms　this　conjecture。　For　from　this　it　appears　that　some　of　the　rules　observed　by　the　kings　are　identical　with　those　observed　by　private　persons　out　of　regard　for　the　safety　of　their　souls；　and　even　of　those　which　seem　peculiar　to　the　king；　many；　if　not　all；　are　most　readily　explained　on　the　hypothesis　that　they　are　nothing　but　safeguards　or　lifeguards　of　the　king。　I　will　now　enumerate　some　of　these　royal　rules　or　taboos；　offering　on　each　of　them　such　comments　and　explanations　as　may　serve　to　set　the　original　intention　of　the　rule　in　its　proper　light。

As　the　object　of　the　royal　taboos　is　to　isolate　the　king　from　all　sources　of　danger；　their　general　effect　is　to　compel　him　to　live　in　a　state　of　seclusion；　more　or　less　complete；　according　to　the　number　and　stringency　of　the　rules　he　observes。　Now　of　all　sources　of　danger　none　are　more　dreaded　by　the　savage　than　magic　and　witchcraft；　and　he　suspects　all　strangers　of　practising　these　black　arts。　To　guard　against　the　baneful　influence　exerted　voluntarily　or　involuntarily　by　strangers　is　therefore　an　elementary　dictate　of　savage　prudence。　Hence　before　strangers　are　allowed　to　enter　a　district；　or　at　least　before　they　are　permitted　to　mingle　freely　with　the　inhabitants；　certain　ceremonies　are　often　performed　by　the　natives　of　the　country　for　the　purpose　of　disarming　the　strangers　of　their　magical　powers；　of　counteracting　the　baneful　influence　which　is　believed　to　emanate　from　them；　or　of　disinfecting；　so　to　speak；　the　tainted　atmosphere　by　which　they　are　supposed　to　be　surrounded。　Thus；　when　the　ambassadors　sent　by　Justin　II。；　Emperor　of　the　East；　to　conclude　a　peace　with　the　Turks　had　reached　their　destination；　they　were　received　by　shamans；　who　subjected　them　to　a　ceremonial　purification　for　the　purpose　of　exorcising　all　harmful　influence。　Having　deposited　the　goods　brought　by　the　ambassadors　in　an　open　place；　these　wizards　carried　burning　branches　of　incense　round　them；　while　they　rang　a　bell　and　beat　on　a　tambourine；　snorting　and　falling　into　a　state　of　frenzy　in　their　efforts　to　dispel　the　powers　of　evil。　Afterwards　they　purified　the　ambassadors　themselves　by　leading　them　through　the　flames。　In　the　island　of　Nanumea　（South　Pacific）　strangers　from　ships　or　from　other　islands　were　not　allowed　to　communicate　with　the　people　until　they　all；　or　a　few　as　representatives　of　the　rest；　had　been　taken　to　each　of　the　four　temples　in　the　island；　and　prayers　offered　that　the　god　would　avert　any　disease　or　treachery　which　these　strangers　might　have　brought　with　them。　Meat　offerings　were　also　laid　upon　the　altars；　accompanied　by　songs　and　dances　in　honour　of　the　god。　While　these　ceremonies　were　going　on；　all　the　people　except　the　priests　and　their　attendants　kept　out　of　sight。　Amongst　the　Ot　Danoms　of　Borneo　it　is　the　custom　that　strangers　entering　the　territory　should　pay　to　the　natives　a　certain　sum；　which　is　spent　in　the　sacrifice　of　buffaloes　or　pigs　to　the　spirits　of　the　land　and　water；　in　order　to　reconcile　them　to　the　presence　of　the　strangers；　and　to　induce　them　not　to　withdraw　their　favour　from　the　people　of　the　country；　but　to　bless　the　rice…harvest；　and　so　forth。　The　men　of　a　certain　district　in　Borneo；　fearing　to　look　upon　a　European　traveller　lest　he　should　make　them　ill；　warned　their　wives　and　children　not　to　go　near　him。　Those　who　could　not　restrain　their　curiosity　killed　fowls　to　appease　the　evil　spirits　and　smeared　themselves　with　the　blood。　More　dreaded；　says　a　traveller　in　Central　Borneo；　than　the　evil　spirits　of　the　neighbourhood　are　the　evil　spirits　from　a　distance　which　accompany　travellers。　When　a　company　from　the　middle　Mahakam　River　visited　me　among　the　Blu…u　Kayans　in　the　year　1897；　no　woman　showed　herself　outside　her　house　without　a　burning　bundle　of　plehiding　bark；　the　stinking　smoke　of　which　drives　away　evil　spirits。

When　Crevaux　was　travelling　in　South　America　he　entered　a　village　of　the　Apalai　Indians。　A　few　moments　after　his　arrival　some　of　the　Indians　brought　him　a　number　of　large　black　ants；　of　a　species　whose　bite　is　painful；　fastened　on　palm　leaves。　Then　all　the　people　of　the　village；　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex；　presented　themselves　to　him；　and　he　had　to　sting　them　all　with　the　ants　on　their　faces；　thighs；　and　other　parts　of　their　bodies。　Sometimes；　when　he　applied　the　ants　too　tenderly；　they　called　out　More！　more！　and　were　not　satisfied　till　their　skin　was　thickly　studded　with　tiny　swellings　like　what　might　have　been　produced　by　whipping　them　with　nettles。　The　object　of　this　ceremony　is　made　plain　by　the　custom　observed　in　Amboyna　and　Uliase　of　sprinkling　sick　people　with　pungent　spices；　such　as　ginger　and　cloves；　chewed　fine；　in　order　by　the　prickling　sensation　to　drive　away　the　demon　of　disease　which　may　be　clinging　to　their　persons。　In　Java　a　popular　cure　for　gout　or　rheumatism　is　to　rub　Spanish　pepper　into　the　nails　of　the　fingers　and　toes　of　the　sufferer；　the　pungency　of　the　pepper　is　supposed　to　be　too　much　for　the　gout　or　rheumatism；　who　accordingly　departs　in　haste。　So　on　the　Slave　Coast　the　mother　of　a　sick　child　sometimes　believes　that　an　evil　spirit　has　taken　possession　of　the　child's　body；　and　in　order　to　drive　him　out；　she　makes　small　cuts　in　the　body　of　the　little　sufferer　and　inserts　green　peppers　or　spices　in　the　wounds；　believing　that　she　will　thereby　hurt　the　evil　spirit　and　force　him　to　be　gone。　The　poor　child　naturally　screams　with　pain；　but　the　mother　hardens　her　heart　in　the　belief　that　the　demon　is　suffering　equally。

It　is　probable　that　the　same　dread　of　strangers；　rather　than　any　desire　to　do　them　honour；　is　the　motive　of　certain　ceremonies　which　are　sometimes　observed　at　their　reception；　but　of　which　the　intention　is　not　directly　stated。　In　the　Ongtong　Java　Islands；　which　are　inhabited　by　Polynesians；　the　priests　or　sorcerers　seem　to　wield　great　influence。　Their　main　business　is　to　summon　or　exorcise　spirits　for　the　purpose　of　averting　or　dispelling　sickness；　and　of　procuring　favourable　winds；　a　good　catch　of　fish；　and　so　on。　When　strangers　land　on　the　islands；　they　are　first　of　all　received　by　the　sorcerers；　sprinkled　with　water；　anointed　with　oil；　and　girt　with　dried　pandanus　leaves。　At　the　same　time　sand　and　water　are　freely　thrown　about　in　all　directions；　and　the　newcomer　and　his　boat　are　wiped　with　green　leaves。　After　this　ceremony　the　strangers　are　introduced　by　the　sorcerers　to　the　chief。　In　Afghanistan　and　in　some　parts　of　Persia　the　traveller；　before　he　enters　a　village；　is　frequently　received　with　a　sacrifice　of　animal　life　or　food；　or　of　fire　and　incense。　The　Afghan　Boundary　Mission；　in　passing　by　villages　in　Afghanistan；　was　often　met　with　fire　and　incense。　Sometimes　a　tray　of　lighted　embers　is　thrown　under　the　hoofs　of　the　traveller's　horse；　with　the　words；　You　are　welcome。　On　entering　a　village　in　Central　Africa　Emin　Pasha　was　received　with　the　sacrifice　of　two　goats；　their　blood　was　sprinkled　on　the　path　and　the　chief　stepped　over　the　blood　to　greet　Emin。　Sometimes　the　dread　of　strangers　and　their　magic　is　too　great　to　allow　of　their　reception　on　any　terms。　Thus　when　Speke　arrived　at　a　certain　village；　the　natives　shut　their　doors　against　him；　because　they　had　never　before　seen　a　white　man　nor　the