Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra13141884roya).pdf/290

 that the earth is round like an orange, and not only revolves on its own axis, but round the sun also. Our merriment was, however, interrupted by the ravings of the fever-stricken patient, who had become delirious. Thereupon the entire company rose and adjourned to the long and broad verandah, when a most curious "function" was performed. Damar torches were lighted, and all the men squatted down in a circle outside the door of the patient's room. In the centre sat her brother, back to back with another relation. A tremendous din was then struck up by the beating of numerous gongs, hanging along the walls, in a kind of measured cadence, varied at intervals by a loud shout raised by all the men present. A youngish woman then commenced to dance with a slow measured step and swaying to and fro of her body, round the inside of the circle. In her left hand she held a stick, furnished at one extremity with a curious arrangement of black feathers. In her right she held a naked sword. With this latter she continually made passes, bringing the blade down edgeways between the heads of the two sitting men, and then striking the feathered stick with it. This continued for some time. She then touched the heads of all present with her "fetish" rod, which was then discarded and a sarong taken up in its place. With this she danced slowly round and round, holding it out extended in front of her. All this time the shouts were being vigorously given forth at intervals, while the clanging of gongs was deafening. The woman then made up the sarong into a turban which she slowly brought down over the head of the sick woman's brother, letting it rest there for a few seconds. She then removed it and laid it gently down behind her, and the ceremony was over. A torch-light procession of travelling natives, passing the verandah just at this juncture, lent an additionally weird effect to the conclusion of this curious ceremony, whose strange rites and obscure origin may perhaps be admitted to warrant my description of it. Doubtless the idea is the casting of the evil spirit out of the sick person, and the good effects of the pills administered to the patient were probably set down to the credit of the ceremony.

A remarkable thing in this district is the neatness and