the golden bough-第230章

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　every　scratch　would　leave　a　scar。　For　eight　months　after　reaching　maturity　she　may　not　eat　any　fresh　food；　particularly　salmon；　moreover；　she　must　eat　by　herself；　and　use　a　cup　and　dish　of　her　own。

In　the　Tsetsaut　tribe　of　British　Columbia　a　girl　at　puberty　wears　a　large　hat　of　skin　which　comes　down　over　her　face　and　screens　it　from　the　sun。　It　is　believed　that　if　she　were　to　expose　her　face　to　the　sun　or　to　the　sky；　rain　would　fall。　The　hat　protects　her　face　also　against　the　fire；　which　ought　not　to　strike　her　skin；　to　shield　her　hands　she　wears　mittens。　In　her　mouth　she　carries　the　tooth　of　an　animal　to　prevent　her　own　teeth　from　becoming　hollow。　For　a　whole　year　she　may　not　see　blood　unless　her　face　is　blackened；　otherwise　she　would　grow　blind。　For　two　years　she　wears　the　hat　and　lives　in　a　hut　by　herself；　although　she　is　allowed　to　see　other　people。　At　the　end　of　two　years　a　man　takes　the　hat　from　her　head　and　throws　it　away。　In　the　Bilqula　or　Bella　Coola　tribe　of　British　Columbia；　when　a　girl　attains　puberty　she　must　stay　in　the　shed　which　serves　as　her　bedroom；　where　she　has　a　separate　fireplace。　She　is　not　allowed　to　descend　to　the　main　part　of　the　house；　and　may　not　sit　by　the　fire　of　the　family。　For　four　days　she　is　bound　to　remain　motionless　in　a　sitting　posture。　She　fasts　during　the　day；　but　is　allowed　a　little　food　and　drink　very　early　in　the　morning。　After　the　four　days'　seclusion　she　may　leave　her　room；　but　only　through　a　separate　opening　cut　in　the　floor；　for　the　houses　are　raised　on　piles。　She　may　not　yet　come　into　the　chief　room。　In　leaving　the　house　she　wears　a　large　hat　which　protects　her　face　against　the　rays　of　the　sun。　It　is　believed　that　if　the　sun　were　to　shine　on　her　face　her　eyes　would　suffer。　She　may　pick　berries　on　the　hills；　but　may　not　come　near　the　river　or　sea　for　a　whole　year。　Were　she　to　eat　fresh　salmon　she　would　lose　her　senses；　or　her　mouth　would　be　changed　into　a　long　beak。

Amongst　the　Tlingit　（Thlinkeet）　or　Kolosh　Indians　of　Alaska；　when　a　girl　showed　signs　of　womanhood　she　used　to　be　confined　to　a　little　hut　or　cage；　which　was　completely　blocked　up　with　the　exception　of　a　small　air…hole。　In　this　dark　and　filthy　abode　she　had　to　remain　a　year；　without　fire；　exercise；　or　associates。　Only　her　mother　and　a　female　slave　might　supply　her　with　nourishment。　Her　food　was　put　in　at　the　little　window；　she　had　to　drink　out　of　the　wing…bone　of　a　white…headed　eagle。　The　time　of　her　seclusion　was　afterwards　reduced　in　some　places　to　six　or　three　months　or　even　less。　She　had　to　wear　a　sort　of　hat　with　long　flaps；　that　her　gaze　might　not　pollute　the　sky；　for　she　was　thought　unfit　for　the　sun　to　shine　upon；　and　it　was　imagined　that　her　look　would　destroy　the　luck　of　a　hunter；　fisher；　or　gambler；　turn　things　to　stone；　and　do　other　mischief。　At　the　end　of　her　confinement　her　old　clothes　were　burnt；　new　ones　were　made；　and　a　feast　was　given；　at　which　a　slit　was　cut　in　her　under　lip　parallel　to　the　mouth；　and　a　piece　of　wood　or　shell　was　inserted　to　keep　the　aperture　open。　Among　the　Koniags；　an　Esquimau　people　of　Alaska；　a　girl　at　puberty　was　placed　in　a　small　hut　in　which　she　had　to　remain　on　her　hands　and　feet　for　six　months；　then　the　hut　was　enlarged　a　little　so　as　to　allow　her　to　straighten　her　back；　but　in　this　posture　she　had　to　remain　for　six　months　more。　All　this　time　she　was　regarded　as　an　unclean　being　with　whom　no　one　might　hold　intercourse。

When　symptoms　of　puberty　appeared　on　a　girl　for　the　first　time；　the　Guaranis　of　Southern　Brazil；　on　the　borders　of　Paraguay；　used　to　sew　her　up　in　her　hammock；　leaving　only　a　small　opening　in　it　to　allow　her　to　breathe。　In　this　condition；　wrapt　up　and　shrouded　like　a　corpse；　she　was　kept　for　two　or　three　days　or　so　long　as　the　symptoms　lasted；　and　during　this　time　she　had　to　observe　a　most　rigorous　fast。　After　that　she　was　entrusted　to　a　matron；　who　cut　the　girl's　hair　and　enjoined　her　to　abstain　most　strictly　from　eating　flesh　of　any　kind　until　her　hair　should　be　grown　long　enough　to　hide　her　ears。　In　similar　circumstances　the　Chiriguanos　of　South…eastern　Bolivia　hoisted　the　girl　in　her　hammock　to　the　roof；　where　she　stayed　for　a　month：　the　second　month　the　hammock　was　let　half…way　down　from　the　roof；　and　in　the　third　month　old　women；　armed　with　sticks；　entered　the　hut　and　ran　about　striking　everything　they　met；　saying　they　were　hunting　the　snake　that　had　wounded　the　girl。

Among　the　Matacos　or　Mataguayos；　an　Indian　tribe　of　the　Gran　Chaco；　a　girl　at　puberty　has　to　remain　in　seclusion　for　some　time。　She　lies　covered　up　with　branches　or　other　things　in　a　corner　of　the　hut；　seeing　no　one　and　speaking　to　no　one；　and　during　this　time　she　may　eat　neither　flesh　nor　fish。　Meantime　a　man　beats　a　drum　in　front　of　the　house。　Among　the　Yuracares；　an　Indian　tribe　of　Eastern　Bolivia；　when　a　girl　perceives　the　signs　of　puberty；　her　father　constructs　a　little　hut　of　palm　leaves　near　the　house。　In　this　cabin　he　shuts　up　his　daughter　so　that　she　cannot　see　the　light；　and　there　she　remains　fasting　rigorously　for　four　days。

Amongst　the　Macusis　of　British　Guiana；　when　a　girl　shows　the　first　signs　of　puberty；　she　is　hung　in　a　hammock　at　the　highest　point　of　the　hut。　For　the　first　few　days　she　may　not　leave　the　hammock　by　day；　but　at　night　she　must　come　down；　light　a　fire；　and　spend　the　night　beside　it；　else　she　would　break　out　in　sores　on　her　neck；　throat；　and　other　parts　of　her　body。　So　long　as　the　symptoms　are　at　their　height；　she　must　fast　rigorously。　When　they　have　abated；　she　may　come　down　and　take　up　her　abode　in　a　little　compartment　that　is　made　for　her　in　the　darkest　corner　of　the　hut。　In　the　morning　she　may　cook　her　food；　but　it　must　be　at　a　separate　fire　and　in　a　vessel　of　her　own。　After　about　ten　days　the　magician　comes　and　undoes　the　spell　by　muttering　charms　and　breathing　on　her　and　on　the　more　valuable　of　the　things　with　which　she　has　come　in　contact。　The　pots　and　drinking…vessels　which　she　used　are　broken　and　the　fragments　buried。　After　her　first　bath；　the　girl　must　submit　to　be　beaten　by　her　mother　with　thin　rods　without　uttering　a　cry。　At　the　end　of　the　second　period　she　is　again　beaten；　but　not　afterwards。　She　is　now　clean；　and　can　mix　again　with　people。　Other　Indians　of　Guiana；　after　keeping　the　girl　in　her　hammock　at　the　top　of　the　hut　for　a　month；　expose　her　to　certain　large　ants；　whose　bite　is　very　painful。　Sometimes；　in　addition　to　being　stung　with　ants；　the　sufferer　has　to　fast　day　and　night　so　long　as　she　remains　slung　up　on　high　in　her　hammock；　so　that　when　she　comes　down　she　is　reduced　to　a　skeleton。

When　a　Hindoo　maiden　reaches　maturity　she　is　kept　in　a　dark　room　for　four　days；　and　is　forbidden　to　see　the　sun。　She　is　regarded　as　unclean；　no　one　may　touch　her。　Her　diet　is　restricted　to　boiled　rice；　milk；　sugar；　curd；　and　tamarind　without　salt。　On　the　morning　of　the　fifth　day　she　goes　to　a　neighbouring　tank；　accompanied　by　five　women　whose　husbands　are　alive。　Smeared　with　turmeric　water；　they　all　bathe　and　return　home；　throwing　away　the　mat　and　other　things　that　were　in　the　room。　The　Rarhi　Brahmans　of　Bengal　compel　a　girl　at　puberty　to　live　alone；　and　do　not　allow　her　to　see　the　face　of　any　male。　For　three　days　she　remains　shut　up　in　a　dark　room；　and　has　to　undergo　certain　penances。　Fish；　flesh；　and　sweetmeats　are　forbidden　her；　she　must　live　upon　rice　and　ghee。　Among　the　Tiyans　of　Malabar　a　girl　is　thought　to　be　polluted　for　four　days　from　the　beginning　of　her　first　menstruation。　During　this　time　she　must　keep　to　the　north　side　of　the　house；　where　she　sleeps　on　a　grass　mat　of　a　particular　kind；　in　a　room　festooned　with　garlands　of　young　coco…nut　leaves。　Another　girl　keeps　her　company　and　sleeps　with　her；　but　she　may　not　touch　any　other　person；　tree　or　plant。　Further；　she　may　not　see　the　sky；　and　woe　betide　her　if　she　catches　sight　of　a　crow　or　a　cat！　Her　diet　must　be　strictly　vegetarian；　without　salt；　tamarinds；　or　chillies。　She　is　armed　against　evil　spirits　by　a　knife；　which　is　placed　on　the　mat　or　carried　on　her　person。

In　Cambodia　a　girl　at　puberty　is　put　to　bed　under　a　mosquito　curtain；　where　she　should　stay　a　hundred　days。　Usually；　however；　four；　five；　ten；　or　twenty　days　are　thought　enough；　and　even　this；　in　a　hot　climate　and　under　the