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Rh CHAPTER XIV.

SUPERSTITIONS AND DISEASES.

investigating the superstitions of the aborigines, every care has been taken to exclude any superstituous notions which might have been impressed on their minds since they came in contact with the white race; and those from whom information was obtained were fully aware of the necessity of adhering strictly to the beliefs they entertained before they knew of the existence of Europeans.

It was ascertained that they believe in supernatural beings—celestial, infernal, and terrestrial.

The good spirit, Pirnmeheeal, is a gigantic man, living above the clouds; and as he is of a kindly disposition, and harms no one, he is seldom mentioned, but always with respect. His voice, the thunder, is listened to with pleasure, as it does good to man and beast, by bringing rain, and making grass and roots grow for their benefit. But the aborigines say that the missionaries and government protectors have given them a dread of Pirnmeheeal; and they are sorry that the young people, and many of the old, are now afraid of a being who never did any harm to their forefathers.

The bad spirit, Muuruup, sometimes called 'Wambeen neung been-been aa,' 'maker of bad-smelling smoke,' is always spoken of with fear and bated breath, as the author of every misfortune. He visits the earth in the form of lightning, knocking trees to pieces, setting fire to wuurns, and killing people by 'striking them on the back.' At times he assumes the form of a large ugly man, frequenting scrubs and dense thickets; and, although not provided with wings, like the white man's devil, he flits and darts from place to place with the rapidity of lightning, is very mischievous, and hungers for the flesh of children. The natives are not much afraid of Muuruup in the daylight, but have a great dread of him in the dark. They say that he employs the owls to watch and give notice when he may pounce upon any unfortunate straggler from the camp. Hence their hatred of owls, as birds of evil omen. When one of these birds is heard screching [sic] or hooting, the children immediately crawl under their grass mats. If children are troublesome at any time, they are hushed by their mother