t, she wears a ring with a
tiny mirror and looks at her own face in this as a substitute.

If a woman desires to procure a miscarriage she eats a raw _papaya_
fruit, and drinks a mixture of ginger, sugar, bamboo leaves and milk
boiled together. She then has her abdomen well rubbed by a professional
_masseuse_, who comes at a time when she can escape observation. After
a prolonged course of this treatment it is said that a miscarriage is
obtained. It would seem that the rubbing is the only treatment which
is directly effective. The _papaya_, which is a very digestible fruit,
can hardly be of assistance, but may be eaten from some magical idea of
its resemblance to a foetus. The mixture drunk is perhaps designed to
be a tonic to the stomach against the painful effects of the massage.

13. Pregnancy rites

As regards pregnancy Mr. Marten writes as follows: [62] "A woman
in pregnancy is in a state of taboo and is peculiarly liable to the
influence of magic and in some respects dangerous to others. She is
exempt from the observance of fasts, is allowed any food she fancies,
and is fed with sweets and all sorts of rich food, especially in the
fifth month. She should not visit her neighbour's houses nor sleep
in any open place. Her clothes are kept separate from others. She
is subject to a large number of restrictions in her ordinary life
with a view of avoiding everything that might prejudice or retard her
delivery. She should eschew all red clothes or red things of any sort,
such as suggest blood, till the third or fourth month, when conception
is certain. She will be careful not to touch the dress of any woman
who has had a miscarriage. She will not cross running water, as it
might cause premature delivery, nor go near a she-buffalo or a mare
lest delivery be retarded, since a mare is twelve months in foal. If
she does by chance approach these animals she must propitiate them
by offerings of grain. Nor in some cases will she light a lamp,
for fear the flame in some way may hurt the child. She should not
finish any sowing, previously begun, during pregnancy, nor should her
husband thatch the house or repair his axe. An eclipse is particularly
dangerous to the unborn child and she must not leave the house during
its continuance, but must sit still with a stone pestle in her lap and
anoint her womb with cowdung. Under no circumstances must she touch any
cutting instrument as it might cause her child to be born mutilate