"in order to frighten the spirit away," and then the
medium gives the last message of the dead man to his family. This is,
except for very rare exceptions, the only time that the spirits of the
deceased communicate with mortals; and it is, so far as the writer has
been able to learn, the only occasion when the medium repeats messages
given to her. At other times she is possessed by natural spirits,
[103] who then talk directly with mortals.

As a last preparation for the grave, a small hole is burned in each
garment worn by the dead person, for otherwise the spirit Ibwa will
envy him his clothing and attempt to steal them. The corpse is then
wrapped in a mat, and is carried from the house. [104] The bearers
go directly to the _balaua,_ [105] and rest the body in it for a
moment. Unless this is done, the spirit will be poor in its future
life and unable to build _balaua_.

The body is deposited full length in the grave, the stone slabs are
relaid, the chinks between them filled in with damp clay, and the
grave is refilled. [106] As the last earth is pushed in, a small pig
is killed, and its blood is sprinkled on the loose soil. Meanwhile
Selday is besought to respect the grave and leave it untouched. The
animal is cut up, and a small piece is given to each guest, who will
stop on the way to his home, and place the meat on the ground as an
offering, meanwhile repeating a _diam_. Should he fail to do this,
sickness or death is certain to visit his home or village.

As a further protection against evily disposed spirits, especially
Ibwa, an iron plough-point is placed over the grave, "for most evil
spirits fear iron;" and during this night and the nine succeeding,
a fire is kept burning at the grave and at the foot of the
house-ladder. [107]

That night the men spend about an hour in the house of mourning,
singing _sang-sangit_, a song in which they praise the dead man,
encourage the widow, and bespeak the welfare of the family. The wailers
still remain in the dwelling to protect the widow, and a male relative
is detailed to see that the fire at the foot of the ladder is kept
burning brightly.

Early the next morning, the widow, closely guarded by the wailers,
goes to the river, throws her headband into the water, and then goes
in herself. As she sinks in the water, an old man throws a bundle
of burning rice-straw on her. "The water will wash away some of
the sorrow, and the fire will make her thoughts clear." Upon h