of the sick, one or more of these women take charge of the ceremonies
and for the time being are the religious heads of the community. At such
a time the _ballyan_ wears a blood-red waist,[112] but on other
occasions her dress is the same as that of the other women, and her life
does not differ from their's in any respect.

[112] PEDRO ROSELL, writing in 1885, says that the _ballyan_ then
dressed entirely in red. BLAIR and ROBERTSON, Vol. XLIII, p. 217.

When about to converse with the spirits the _ballyan_ places an offering
before her and begins to chant and wail. A distant stare comes into her
eyes, her body begins to twitch convulsively until she is shivering and
trembling as if seized with the ague. In this condition she receives the
messages of the spirits and under their direction conducts the ceremony.

Rosell gives the following description of the possession of a
_ballyan_.[113] Nothing of this nature was seen by the writer.

[113] BLAIR and ROBERTSON, Vol. XLIII, p. 218.

"They erect a sort of small altar on which they place the _manaugs_ or
images of the said gods which are made of the special wood of the
_bayog_ tree, which they destine exclusively for this use. When the
unfortunate hog which is to serve as a sacrifice is placed above the
said altar, the chief _bailana_ approaches with _balarao_ or dagger in
hand which she brandishes and drives into the poor animal, which will
surely be grunting in spite of the gods and the religious solemnity, as
it is fearful of what is going to happen to it; and leaves the victim
weltering in its blood. Then immediately all the _bailanas_ drink of the
blood in order to attract the prophetic spirit to themselves and to give
their auguries or the supposed inspirations of their gods. Scarcely have
they drunk the blood, when they become as though possessed by an
infernal spirit which agitates them and makes them tremble as does the
body of a person with the ague or like one who shivers with the cold."

SPIRITS.

The following spirits are known to the _ballyan_ of the Mayo district:

I. DIWATA. A good spirit who is besought for aid against the
machinations of evil beings. The people of Mayo claim that they do not
now, nor have they at any time made images of their gods, but in the
vicinity of Cateel Maxey has seen wooden images called _manaog_, which
were said to represent Diwata on earth. According to his account "the
_ballyan_ dances for three consecutive nights befo