carries about with her for the purpose. I could get no information as
to the way in which the sorcerer would use the excrement or urine as
a medium for hostile purposes; though there is apparently no process
similar to that of the fire used in connection with the inedible food
remnants of the adult.

It will have been noticed that the mode of rendering the inedible
food remnants of a grown-up person immune from sorcery, and one
of the methods of making the infants' excrement immune, is that of
throwing them into the river; and even as regards infants' urine,
which apparently is not, and as a rule hardly could be, actually
thrown into the river, the protection is obtained by pouring water
upon it. I think that the belief among the islands of the Pacific in
the power of water to protect against the machinations of spirits or
ghosts is not confined to the Mafulu natives, or indeed to those of
New Guinea. Dr. Codrington mentions its existence as regards human
excrement in Melanesia. [113] I would also refer to a custom of the
Mafulu women after childbirth of throwing the placenta into the river,
a practice which is similar to that of the Koita women, who drop the
placenta into the sea. [114] Probably these practices relating to
placenta are also based upon some idea of protection from sorcerers
and spirits, although I was informed that among the Mafulu there is
no superstitious fear connected with the matter now. If the custom
is in fact superstitious in origin, the list of media for the use of
sorcery already given by me requires enlarging. [115]

Serious illness or death of either an adult or an infant, if not
caused by visible accident, is by the Mafulu, as by other natives,
generally attributed, subject to limitations, to the sorcerers. The
belief of the Mafulu as to this arises if the victim, being an ordinary
person, is comparatively young, or in the strength of life, say under
forty or forty-five, or if the victim, being a chief or a member of
a chief's family or a person of very high position, is even over that
age, unless he is very old, and old age is recognised as the natural
cause of his illness or death.

If the belief arises that the calamity, especially that of death,
has been brought about by spiritualistic influence, the family will
probably go to some person who is believed to be in touch with spirits
and able to designate the culprit. I cannot say whether or not the
person so employed is regarded as be