t hurricanes that frequently invade
the forest, bringing destruction and fear in their course are the
vehicles used by this Evil Spirit to declare open warfare against the
frightened savages.

When the clouds begin to gather thick and ominously, and first with a
distant roar and then with the fury and the voice of a hurricane, the
wind sweeps fiercely on, howling and whistling over the great green sea
that is quickly strewn with wreckage; when the colossal champions of the
forest are struck by lightning and the fall of their huge branches and
gigantic trunks increase the general uproar, whilst the boom of Heaven's
artillery thunders around their huts, then the trembling Sakais throng
together. They paint themselves in a manner to scare the devil himself
(which is however their intention) and shoot out from their blow-pipes a
volley of poisoned arrows, directed against the tumultuous messengers of
the awful Being they fear; the women, keeping their children close at
their side as if to defend them, throw pieces of burning wood into the
air, and beat their big bamboo sticks till the noise is insupportable,
at the same time screaming to the wind:

"Go away and leave us alone! We have not harmed thee, so do not harm
us!".

So they implore and imprecate, turning themselves into the ugliest and
fiercest creatures they can, to frighten the evil spirits that they
believe have come against them on the outspread wings of the storm.

To the wild cries, arrow shots and loud noise of the bamboos, the
mothers add an exorcism. They burn locks of their little ones' hair and
disperse the ashes to the wind whilst the _Ala_ energetically spits.

And in civilized Italy is there not a superstition very like this of the
poor savages? I refer to the odd custom still observed in the country,
or at least in some of the villages (and which not so very long ago was
put into practice also in towns) of trying to arrest a heavy thunder
storm, by the tocsin, the deep noted ringing increasing the general
alarm amongst the timid of the place. The women too, will go to the door
and rattle together the shovel and tongs just as their Sakai sisters
beat their bamboos, and olive branches (that previously have received
the priest's benediction) are burnt with incense that the smoke may
rise up to appease the fury of the elements just as over there locks of
the children's hair are burnt for the same purpose.

These are superstitions that vary a little i