the golden bough-第70节

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ge；　the　natives　shut　their　doors　against　him；　because　they　had　never　before　seen　a　white　man　nor　the　tin　boxes　that　the　men　were　carrying：　'Who　knows；'　they　said；　'but　that　these　very　boxes　are　the　plundering　Watuta　transformed　and　come　to　kill　us？　You　cannot　be　admitted。'　No　persuasion　could　avail　with　them；　and　the　party　had　to　proceed　to　the　next　village。

The　fear　thus　entertained　of　alien　visitors　is　often　mutual。　Entering　a　strange　land　the　savage　feels　that　he　is　treading　enchanted　ground；　and　he　takes　steps　to　guard　against　the　demons　that　haunt　it　and　the　magical　arts　of　its　inhabitants。　Thus　on　going　to　a　strange　land　the　Maoris　performed　certain　ceremonies　to　make　it　common；　lest　it　might　have　been　previously　sacred。　When　Baron　Miklucho…Maclay　was　approaching　a　village　on　the　Maclay　Coast　of　New　Guinea；　one　of　the　natives　who　accompanied　him　broke　a　branch　from　a　tree　and　going　aside　whispered　to　it　for　a　while；　then　stepping　up　to　each　member　of　the　party；　one　after　another；　he　spat　something　upon　his　back　and　gave　him　some　blows　with　the　branch。　Lastly；　he　went　into　the　forest　and　buried　the　branch　under　withered　leaves　in　the　thickest　part　of　the　jungle。　This　ceremony　was　believed　to　protect　the　party　against　all　treachery　and　danger　in　the　village　they　were　approaching。　The　idea　probably　was　that　the　malignant　influences　were　drawn　off　from　the　persons　into　the　branch　and　buried　with　it　in　the　depths　of　the　forest。　In　Australia；　when　a　strange　tribe　has　been　invited　into　a　district　and　is　approaching　the　encampment　of　the　tribe　which　owns　the　land；　the　strangers　carry　lighted　bark　or　burning　sticks　in　their　hands；　for　the　purpose；　they　say；　of　clearing　and　purifying　the　air。　When　the　Toradjas　are　on　a　head…hunting　expedition　and　have　entered　the　enemy's　country；　they　may　not　eat　any　fruits　which　the　foe　has　planted　nor　any　animal　which　he　has　reared　until　they　have　first　committed　an　act　of　hostility；　as　by　burning　a　house　or　killing　a　man。　They　think　that　if　they　broke　this　rule　they　would　receive　something　of　the　soul　or　spiritual　essence　of　the　enemy　into　themselves；　which　would　destroy　the　mystic　virtue　of　their　talismans。

Again；　it　is　believed　that　a　man　who　has　been　on　a　journey　may　have　contracted　some　magic　evil　from　the　strangers　with　whom　he　has　associated。　Hence；　on　returning　home；　before　he　is　readmitted　to　the　society　of　his　tribe　and　friends；　he　has　to　undergo　certain　purificatory　ceremonies。　Thus　the　Bechuanas　cleanse　or　purify　themselves　after　journeys　by　shaving　their　heads；　etc。；　lest　they　should　have　contracted　from　strangers　some　evil　by　witchcraft　or　sorcery。　In　some　parts　of　Western　Africa；　when　a　man　returns　home　after　a　long　absence；　before　he　is　allowed　to　visit　his　wife；　he　must　wash　his　person　with　a　particular　fluid；　and　receive　from　the　sorcerer　a　certain　mark　on　his　forehead；　in　order　to　counteract　any　magic　spell　which　a　stranger　woman　may　have　cast　on　him　in　his　absence；　and　which　might　be　communicated　through　him　to　the　women　of　his　village。　Two　Hindoo　ambassadors；　who　had　been　sent　to　England　by　a　native　prince　and　had　returned　to　India；　were　considered　to　have　so　polluted　themselves　by　contact　with　strangers　that　nothing　but　being　born　again　could　restore　them　to　purity。　For　the　purpose　of　regeneration　it　is　directed　to　make　an　image　of　pure　gold　of　the　female　power　of　nature；　in　the　shape　either　of　a　woman　or　of　a　cow。　In　this　statue　the　person　to　be　regenerated　is　enclosed；　and　dragged　through　the　usual　channel。　As　a　statue　of　pure　gold　and　of　proper　dimensions　would　be　too　expensive；　it　is　sufficient　to　make　an　image　of　the　sacred　Yoni；　through　which　the　person　to　be　regenerated　is　to　pass。　Such　an　image　of　pure　gold　was　made　at　the　prince's　command；　and　his　ambassadors　were　born　again　by　being　dragged　through　it。

When　precautions　like　these　are　taken　on　behalf　of　the　people　in　general　against　the　malignant　influence　supposed　to　be　exercised　by　strangers；　it　is　no　wonder　that　special　measures　are　adopted　to　protect　the　king　from　the　same　insidious　danger。　In　the　middle　ages　the　envoys　who　visited　a　Tartar　Khan　were　obliged　to　pass　between　two　fires　before　they　were　admitted　to　his　presence；　and　the　gifts　they　brought　were　also　carried　between　the　fires。　The　reason　assigned　for　the　custom　was　that　the　fire　purged　away　any　magic　influence　which　the　strangers　might　mean　to　exercise　over　the　Khan。　When　subject　chiefs　come　with　their　retinues　to　visit　Kalamba　（the　most　powerful　chief　of　the　Bashilange　in　the　Congo　Basin）　for　the　first　time　or　after　being　rebellious；　they　have　to　bathe；　men　and　women　together；　in　two　brooks　on　two　successive　days；　passing　the　nights　under　the　open　sky　in　the　market…place。　After　the　second　bath　they　proceed；　entirely　naked；　to　the　house　of　Kalamba；　who　makes　a　long　white　mark　on　the　breast　and　forehead　of　each　of　them。　Then　they　return　to　the　market…place　and　dress；　after　which　they　undergo　the　pepper　ordeal。　Pepper　is　dropped　into　the　eyes　of　each　of　them；　and　while　this　is　being　done　the　sufferer　has　to　make　a　confession　of　all　his　sins；　to　answer　all　questions　that　may　be　put　to　him；　and　to　take　certain　vows。　This　ends　the　ceremony；　and　the　strangers　are　now　free　to　take　up　their　quarters　in　the　town　for　as　long　as　they　choose　to　remain。

2。　Taboos　on　Eating　and　Drinking

IN　THE　OPINION　of　savages　the　acts　of　eating　and　drinking　are　attended　with　special　danger；　for　at　these　times　the　soul　may　escape　from　the　mouth；　or　be　extracted　by　the　magic　arts　of　an　enemy　present。　Among　the　Ewe…speaking　peoples　of　the　Slave　Coast　the　common　belief　seems　to　be　that　the　indwelling　spirit　leaves　the　body　and　returns　to　it　through　the　mouth；　hence；　should　it　have　gone　out；　it　behoves　a　man　to　be　careful　about　opening　his　mouth；　lest　a　homeless　spirit　should　take　advantage　of　the　opportunity　and　enter　his　body。　This；　it　appears；　is　considered　most　likely　to　take　place　while　the　man　is　eating。　Precautions　are　therefore　adopted　to　guard　against　these　dangers。　Thus　of　the　Bataks　it　is　said　that　since　the　soul　can　leave　the　body；　they　always　take　care　to　prevent　their　soul　from　straying　on　occasions　when　they　have　most　need　of　it。　But　it　is　only　possible　to　prevent　the　soul　from　straying　when　one　is　in　the　house。　At　feasts　one　may　find　the　whole　house　shut　up；　in　order　that　the　soul　may　stay　and　enjoy　the　good　things　set　before　it。　The　Zafimanelo　in　Madagascar　lock　their　doors　when　they　eat；　and　hardly　any　one　ever　sees　them　eating。　The　Warua　will　not　allow　any　one　to　see　them　eating　and　drinking；　being　doubly　particular　that　no　person　of　the　opposite　sex　shall　see　them　doing　so。　I　had　to　pay　a　man　to　let　me　see　him　drink；　I　could　not　make　a　man　let　a　woman　see　him　drink。　When　offered　a　drink　they　often　ask　that　a　cloth　may　be　held　up　to　hide　them　whilst　drinking。

If　these　are　the　ordinary　precautions　taken　by　common　people；　the　precautions　taken　by　kings　are　extraordinary。　The　king　of　Loango　may　not　be　seen　eating　or　drinking　by　man　or　beast　under　pain　of　death。　A　favourite　dog　having　broken　into　the　room　where　the　king　was　dining；　the　king　ordered　it　to　be　killed　on　the　spot。　Once　the　king's　own　son；　a　boy　of　twelve　years　old；　inadvertently　saw　the　king　drink。　Immediately　the　king　ordered　him　to　be　finely　apparelled　and　feasted；　after　which　he　commanded　him　to　be　cut　in　quarters；　and　carried　about　the　city　with　a　proclamation　that　he　had　seen　the　king　drink。　When　the　king　has　a　mind　to　drink；　he　has　a　cup　of　wine　brought；　he　that　brings　it　has　a　bell　in　his　hand；　and　as　soon　as　he　has　delivered　the　cup　to　the　king；　he　turns　his　face　from　him　and　rings　the　bell；　on　which　all　present　fall　down　with　their　faces　to　the　ground；　and　continue　so　till　the　king　has　drank　。　His　eating　is　much　in　the　same　style；　for　which　he　has　a　house　on　purpose；　where　his　victuals　are　set　upon　a　bensa　or　table：　which　he　goes　to；　and　shuts　the　door：　when　he　has　done；　he　knocks　and　comes　out。　So　that　none　ever　see　the　king　eat　or　drink。　For　it　is　believed　that　if　any　one　should；　the　king　shall　immediately　die。　The　remnants　of　his　food　are　buried；　doubtless　to　prevent　them　from　falling　into　the　hands　of　sorcerers；　who　by　means　of　these　fragments　might　cast　a　fatal　spell　over　the　monarch。　The　rules　observed　by　the　neighbouring　king　of　Cacongo　were　similar；　it　was　thought　that　the　king　would　die　if　any　of　his　subjects　were　to　see　him　drink。　It　is　a　capital　offence　to　see　the　king　of　Dahomey　at　his　meals。　When　he　drinks　in　public；　as　he　does　on　extraordinary　occasions；　he　hides　himself　behind　a　curtain；　or　handkerchiefs　are　held　up　round　his　head；　and　all　the　people　throw　themselves　with　their　faces　to　the　earth。　When　the　king　of　Bunyoro　in　Central　Africa　went　to　drink　milk　in　the　dairy；　every　man　must　leave　the　royal　enclosure　and　all　the　women　had　to　cover　their　heads　till　the　king　returned。　No　one　might　see　him　drink。　One　wife　accompanied　him　to　the　dairy　and　handed　him　the　milk…pot；　but　she　turned　away　her　face　while　he　drained　it。

3。　Taboos　on　Showing　the　Face

IN　SOME　of　the　preceding　cases　the　intention　of　eating　and　drinking　in　strict　seclusion　may　perhaps　be　to　hinder　evil　influences　from　entering　the　body　rather　than　to　prevent　the　escape　of　the　soul。　This　certainly　is　the　mo