Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/373

Rh evil spirits, and some among them profess to be able by incantations to cast out devils from the possessed. While under the influence of the devil, (as they affirm,) the possessed person raves, dances in a furious manner, foams at the mouth, distorts his countenance, and falls into convulsions. What they say at such times is held to be said by the spirit, and is received as an oracle by the lookers-on. The English and American missionaries, though they think that the devil may have a special power over persons who thus give themselves into his hand and invoke his coming, do not look upon such cases as actual possessions, in the scriptural sense. Some of the German brethren, however, deem them actual possessions.

Although the Shanars have received into their belief some of the opinions of the Brahmins, and have much in common with the more northern nations of India, they are undoubtedly of a different race from the mass of the Hindus. They are probably the first inhabitants of this part of India; and, though subject to the authority of the more modern Hindus, they retain, to a great degree, their ancient manners and religion.

A race inhabiting the same part of India,