he original inhabitants of the country, and that
they have been subjected to degradation by a succession of conquerors.
Their invaders found them with a creed, and certain customs to avert
diseases, with which they have never interfered. Hence the present
practice. After the Goobbe procession had waited a long time, fifteen
buffaloes and a few sheep were brought and sacrificed near the idol.
This having been done, the weeping goddess was satisfied, as shown by
her shedding no more tears. The people took this as a very favourable
indication that the cholera would cease from that moment. They
proceeded to the tank, threw the idol into it, and returned to their
homes rejoicing. Daniel, who had witnessed all these proceedings, had
his curiosity excited, and thought there must be some deception in the
matter of the idol shedding tears. And in this sceptical mood he went
home to Singonahully perplexed, but resolving to get at the truth if
possible. The idol had not been thrown into deep water, and he
determined to rise early next morning, go to the tank, and examine the
head and eyes of the idol. He did so, and the following is his own
account: "Before daybreak I ran from my father's house to the place
where I had seen the idol thrown into the water, and I found it, just as
it had been left the previous evening. I saw many plantains,
cocoa-nuts, and other things, which had been offered to the idol,
scattered about on the ground. Such as were not spoiled, I collected in
order to take them home with me. Having done this, I commenced my
examination of the image. I broke its head, and the whole mystery was
revealed at once. I found in the head an earthen vessel, round as a
ball, with two small holes in it; these corresponded with the eyes of
the image; and I perceived that when the vessel had a good quantity of
water in it, if those who carried the image made it lean forward a
little, a small quantity of water would ooze out of these holes, and
trickle down the face of the image like tears. I rejoiced greatly that
I had found out the trick by which the people had been deceived; and,
chuckling, I took up the fruit which I had collected, and went back to
Singonahully without anyone knowing what I had done. I was afraid to
take my load of cocoa-nuts and plantains to my father's house, lest I
should be questioned as to where I had been and what I had done; so I
hid all my booty in a hollow banyan tree outside the village