of their curious, yet beautiful, religious rites.
The sacrifices are communal in character; they are offered in times of
sickness and when dangers threaten the clan. Priestesses assist at all
sacrifices and the male officiants act only as their agents. The
household sacrifices are always performed by women.

[75] An incantation used in addressing this god begins: "O
Father, _Thaulang_, who hast enabled me to be born, who hast
given me my stature and my life." This is very certain proof
that the maternal system among the Khasis has no connection
with uncertainty of paternity.

Consider what this placing of their goddesses rather than their
gods--of the priestess rather than priest--in the forefront of their
worship signifies! Very plainly it reflects honour on the sex to which
the supreme deities belong. We need no clearer proof of the high
status of women among this people. Such customs are certainly
survivals[76] from the time of a more primitive matriarchate, when the
priestess was the agent for the performance of all religious
ceremonies. In one state a priestess still performs the sacrifices on
the appointment of a new Siem, or ruler. Another such survival is the
High Priestess of Nongkrem, in the Synteng district, who "combines in
her person sacerdotal and regal functions." In this state the
tradition runs that the first High Priestess was _Ka Pah Synten_, "the
flower-lured one." She was a beautiful maiden, who had her abode in a
cave at Marai, near Nongkrem whence she was enticed by means of a
flower. She was taken by her lover to be his bride, and she became not
only the first High Priestess of Nongkrem, but also the mother of the
Siems of Nongkrem.

[76] This is the opinion of Sir Charles Lyell and Mr. Gurdon.
We may compare the remark of Prof. Karl Pearson: "According
to the evidence not only the seers but the sacrificers among
the early Teutons were women."

It must be noted that the Siems or rulers of the states are always
men. They are chosen from the eldest sister's children. Possibly the
case of the High Priestess of Nongkrem, who is the nominal head of the
state, points to an earlier period of rule by women; but to-day the
temporal power is delegated to one of her sons or nephews, who becomes
the Siem. I need not labour this question overmuch; it is actualities
I wish to deal with. As I have repeatedly said, there is no sure
ground for believing that the maternal s