the golden bough-第212章

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heir　faces　covered　with　hideous　masks；　and　their　hands　with　the　shell　of　the　tortoise；　went　from　hut　to　hut　making　frightful　noises；　in　every　hut　they　took　the　fuel　from　the　fire　and　scattered　the　embers　and　ashes　about　the　floor　with　their　hands。　The　general　confession　of　sins　which　preceded　the　festival　was　probably　a　preparation　for　the　public　expulsion　of　evil　influences；　it　was　a　way　of　stripping　the　people　of　their　moral　burdens；　that　these　might　be　collected　and　cast　out。

In　September　the　Incas　of　Peru　celebrated　a　festival　called　Situa；　the　object　of　which　was　to　banish　from　the　capital　and　its　vicinity　all　disease　and　trouble。　The　festival　fell　in　September　because　the　rains　begin　about　this　time；　and　with　the　first　rains　there　was　generally　much　sickness。　As　a　preparation　for　the　festival　the　people　fasted　on　the　first　day　of　the　moon　after　the　autumnal　equinox。　Having　fasted　during　the　day；　and　the　night　being　come；　they　baked　a　coarse　paste　of　maize。　This　paste　was　made　of　two　sorts。　One　was　kneaded　with　the　blood　of　children　aged　from　five　to　ten　years；　the　blood　being　obtained　by　bleeding　the　children　between　the　eyebrows。　These　two　kinds　of　paste　were　baked　separately；　because　they　were　for　different　uses。　Each　family　assembled　at　the　house　of　the　eldest　brother　to　celebrate　the　feast；　and　those　who　had　no　elder　brother　went　to　the　house　of　their　next　relation　of　greater　age。　On　the　same　night　all　who　had　fasted　during　the　day　washed　their　bodies；　and　taking　a　little　of　the　blood…kneaded　paste；　rubbed　it　over　their　head；　face；　breast；　shoulders；　arms　and　legs。　They　did　this　in　order　that　the　paste　might　take　away　all　their　infirmities。　After　this　the　head　of　the　family　anointed　the　threshold　with　the　same　paste；　and　left　it　there　as　a　token　that　the　inmates　of　the　house　had　performed　their　ablutions　and　cleansed　their　bodies。　Meantime　the　High　Priest　performed　the　same　ceremonies　in　the　temple　of　the　Sun。　As　soon　as　the　Sun　rose；　all　the　people　worshipped　and　besought　him　to　drive　all　evils　out　of　the　city；　and　then　they　broke　their　fast　with　the　paste　that　had　been　kneaded　without　blood。　When　they　had　paid　their　worship　and　broken　their　fast；　which　they　did　at　a　stated　hour；　in　order　that　all　might　adore　the　Sun　as　one　man；　an　Inca　of　the　blood　royal　came　forth　from　the　fortress；　as　a　messenger　of　the　Sun；　richly　dressed；　with　his　mantle　girded　round　his　body；　and　a　lance　in　his　hand。　The　lance　was　decked　with　feathers　of　many　hues；　extending　from　the　blade　to　the　socket；　and　fastened　with　rings　of　gold。　He　ran　down　the　hill　from　the　fortress　brandishing　his　lance；　till　he　reached　the　centre　of　the　great　square；　where　stood　the　golden　urn；　like　a　fountain；　that　was　used　for　the　sacrifice　of　the　fermented　juice　of　the　maize。　Here　four　other　Incas　of　the　blood　royal　awaited　him；　each　with　a　lance　in　his　hand；　and　his　mantle　girded　up　to　run。　The　messenger　touched　their　four　lances　with　his　lance；　and　told　them　that　the　Sun　bade　them；　as　his　messengers；　drive　the　evils　out　of　the　city。　The　four　Incas　then　separated　and　ran　down　the　four　royal　roads　which　led　out　of　the　city　to　the　four　quarters　of　the　world。　While　they　ran；　all　the　people；　great　and　small；　came　to　the　doors　of　their　houses；　and　with　great　shouts　of　joy　and　gladness　shook　their　clothes；　as　if　they　were　shaking　off　dust；　while　they　cried；　Let　the　evils　be　gone。　How　greatly　desired　has　this　festival　been　by　us。　O　Creator　of　all　things；　permit　us　to　reach　another　year；　that　we　may　see　another　feast　like　this。　After　they　had　shaken　their　clothes；　they　passed　their　hands　over　their　heads；　faces；　arms；　and　legs；　as　if　in　the　act　of　washing。　All　this　was　done　to　drive　the　evils　out　of　their　houses；　that　the　messengers　of　the　Sun　might　banish　them　from　the　city；　and　it　was　done　not　only　in　the　streets　through　which　the　Incas　ran；　but　generally　in　all　quarters　of　the　city。　Moreover；　they　all　danced；　the　Inca　himself　amongst　them；　and　bathed　in　the　rivers　and　fountains；　saying　that　their　maladies　would　come　out　of　them。　Then　they　took　great　torches　of　straw；　bound　round　with　cords。　These　they　lighted；　and　passed　from　one　to　the　other；　striking　each　other　with　them；　and　saying；　Let　all　harm　go　away。　Meanwhile　the　runners　ran　with　their　lances　for　a　quarter　of　a　league　outside　the　city；　where　they　found　four　other　Incas　ready；　who　received　the　lances　from　their　hands　and　ran　with　them。　Thus　the　lances　were　carried　by　relays　of　runners　for　a　distance　of　five　or　six　leagues；　at　the　end　of　which　the　runners　washed　themselves　and　their　weapons　in　rivers；　and　set　up　the　lances；　in　sign　of　a　boundary　within　which　the　banished　evils　might　not　return。

The　negroes　of　Guinea　annually　banish　the　devil　from　all　their　towns　with　much　ceremony　at　a　time　set　apart　for　the　purpose。　At　Axim；　on　the　Gold　Coast；　this　annual　expulsion　is　preceded　by　a　feast　of　eight　days；　during　which　mirth　and　jollity；　skipping；　dancing；　and　singing　prevail；　and　a　perfect　lampooning　liberty　is　allowed；　and　scandal　so　highly　exalted；　that　they　may　freely　sing　of　all　the　faults；　villanies；　and　frauds　of　their　superiors　as　well　as　inferiors；　without　punishment；　or　so　much　as　the　least　interruption。　On　the　eighth　day　they　hunt　out　the　devil　with　a　dismal　cry；　running　after　him　and　pelting　him　with　sticks；　stones；　and　whatever　comes　to　hand。　When　they　have　driven　him　far　enough　out　of　the　town；　they　all　return。　In　this　way　he　is　expelled　from　more　than　a　hundred　towns　at　the　same　time。　To　make　sure　that　he　does　not　return　to　their　houses；　the　women　wash　and　scour　all　their　wooden　and　earthen　vessels；　to　free　them　from　all　uncleanness　and　the　devil。

At　Cape　Coast　Castle；　on　the　Gold　Coast；　the　ceremony　was　witnessed　on　the　ninth　of　October；　1844；　by　an　Englishman；　who　has　described　it　as　follows：　To…night　the　annual　custom　of　driving　the　evil　spirit；　Abonsam；　out　of　the　town　has　taken　place。　As　soon　as　the　eight　o'clock　gun　fired　in　the　fort　the　people　began　firing　muskets　in　their　houses；　turning　all　their　furniture　out　of　doors；　beating　about　in　every　corner　of　the　rooms　with　sticks；　etc。；　and　screaming　as　loudly　as　possible；　in　order　to　frighten　the　devil。　Being　driven　out　of　the　houses；　as　they　imagine；　they　sallied　forth　into　the　streets；　throwing　lighted　torches　about；　shouting；　screaming；　beating　sticks　together；　rattling　old　pans；　making　the　most　horrid　noise；　in　order　to　drive　him　out　of　the　town　into　the　sea。　The　custom　is　preceded　by　four　weeks'　dead　silence；　no　gun　is　allowed　to　be　fired；　no　drum　to　be　beaten；　no　palaver　to　be　made　between　man　and　man。　If；　during　these　weeks；　two　natives　should　disagree　and　make　a　noise　in　the　town；　they　are　immediately　taken　before　the　king　and　fined　heavily。　If　a　dog　or　pig；　sheep　or　goat　be　found　at　large　in　the　street；　it　may　be　killed；　or　taken　by　anyone；　the　former　owner　not　being　allowed　to　demand　any　compensation。　This　silence　is　designed　to　deceive　Abonsam；　that；　being　off　his　guard；　he　may　be　taken　by　surprise；　and　frightened　out　of　the　place。　If　anyone　die　during　the　silence；　his　relatives　are　not　allowed　to　weep　until　the　four　weeks　have　been　completed。

Sometimes　the　date　of　the　annual　expulsion　of　devils　is　fixed　with　reference　to　the　agricultural　seasons。　Thus　among　the　Hos　of　Togoland；　in　West　Africa；　the　expulsion　is　performed　annually　before　the　people　partake　of　the　new　yams。　The　chiefs　summon　the　priests　and　magicians　and　tell　them　that　the　people　are　now　to　eat　the　new　yams　and　be　merry；　therefore　they　must　cleanse　the　town　and　remove　the　evils。　Accordingly　the　evil　spirits；　witches；　and　all　the　ills　that　infest　the　people　are　conjured　into　bundles　of　leaves　and　creepers；　fastened　to　poles；　which　are　carried　away　and　set　up　in　the　earth　on　various　roads　outside　the　town。　During　the　following　night　no　fire　may　be　lit　and　no　food　eaten。　Next　morning　the　women　sweep　out　their　hearths　and　houses；　and　deposit　the　sweepings　on　broken　wooden　plates。　Then　the　people　pray；　saying；　All　ye　sicknesses　that　are　in　our　body　and　plague　us；　we　are　come　to…day　to　throw　you　out。　Thereupon　they　run　as　fast　as　they　can　in　the　direction　of　Mount　Adaklu；　smiting　their　mouths　and　screaming；　Out　to…day！　Out　to…day！　That　which　kills　anybody；　out　to…day！　Ye