rs assemble, and amidst singular and hideous
grimaces, throw up their spears towards the luminary attacked, all the
villagers sounding their gonggongs with the greatest violence, to
frighten away the voracious invader. After some time, their efforts
succeed, and he must betake himself to flight, without effecting his
purpose. Though we endeavoured, in every possible way, to explain to
them how an eclipse was occasioned, and they seemed in some degree to
comprehend it, they only declared us to be the greatest paters that had
ever been on the island, but ascribed the deliverance of the sun or
moon from the fangs of the devil, solely to the skill and power of
their sorcerers, and all we could say to prevail upon them, for once to
be quiet, and observe how the luminary would regain its former
appearance, by those means which God the Creator Himself had ordained,
was in vain.

The expulsion of the devil from a sick person or family, is a ceremony
as singular as it is silly, but as I have frequently been a spectator
of this farcical performance, a description of it may not be
uninteresting to you. I have before observed, that if their medicines,
(many of which are very powerful), or, as they will have it, their
incantations, are of no avail, they then ascribe the illness to the
immediate agency of the infernal spirit, who must be subdued and
caught. The pater, previous to the commencement of his operations,
summons all the young men in the village, to assist him in constructing
a small raft, of light wood. Three poles are fixed upon it, to
represent masts, and some bamboos laid across like oars. The masts are
hung with young white cocoa-leaves. This toy, which they call _Hanmai_,
they place between two palongs, each rowed by a crew of stout young
men, with a piece of rattan, as a towing-rope, fixed to it. Every rower
carries five spears, besides his oar. They now wait with great
eagerness for the pater's further orders. He has meanwhile begun his
work, which he finds either hard or easy of performance, according as
the patients are rich or poor. He is stark naked, and painted all over
with various colours, making as terrific an appearance as possible, to
frighten the devil, and indeed it is enough to terrify any man, to see
him brandishing a short clumsy bludgeon, which he holds up with both
hands, and dancing in the most furious manner. He accompanies his
gesticulations with the most horrible yells and howlings, and at lengt