and; full o f danger ’“ta ah * European,« feédönïés^
anHndian, pwihg to the ifcatttrSl ' 'sö |^ « i^ d ^ fj$É& . teh b s,'and
his habits from his P aÈm yi His cfrisf ttrrbhilfndf 'i%dë>#dSé
from faöirig tin with' th e ground-shark while- à t' th<f böttoift.'
rCHs animal I fs a eönanbn and terrible i#feaMtaht'Cif f f li 5the
seas in rth^feiatitade^ 1 and is 'a source of perpdtrihk buwmàirièësl
to 1 th è ' adventuibus; Indian. 'Some ctf th e divots»- however, nai^f
so Skilful- as fd'awoid thei shark «veii -Whenr tfeejp : remain %np
dgr w a te rie r w considerable« time; -B a t the rtfS&öitè b iJ fà & h ë
afe- .do r^ntinuMty bqfwe'jvt)hejr eyes3 and- the-: uneèrtaitoty of
- «scaping. Mm ^ -.g i^ a t^ th a i ti^ o r-sn ^ fst^ iQ ls ^pëopte^Seik do#
safely-in supernatural means- Before they beginj diving,1 Ike
priest» or conjurai' is always consulted; anA‘whatever he says
fdk them is received. with th^ meet '®hè'
preparation; which h e , enjoins them ; consists • of1 Certain ■- tjcSroitio-1
Bit's accördipg tb.’ th e cast and sect to whieh -«h«y hdort^
arid; on the exact performance bé thèse they lay' the greatest
steess- Their behef : in the 'efficacy joflcAe^ei SupefBtMdUlftei»
can neven. be : removed» howev er different theï 'pverft niay he
from the predictions of their, delbdbrs:: Government fh[éreförë
yjsely gives way to thei® préjudices»-«riid^ always keeps-in vpfey
some conjucerst to* attend thè dàvers and nerpove didr^feafs. For
thojigh. these: people-are- so skilful and so .much ri&asfërs of
their art^ y e t they will not ort any account descend $fiP the
conjurer h»* performed; his oaramoiries» r Mi£ acbicfes are refi-
giously observed^ and generally hâve ar tendency -.to« preseivé
the ‘health - off th e devotes, Thè divertis usiaally èöjoined ta
abstain from eating before go^s to ! plung^ andi to; bathe
himself in fresh water immediately after his return from the
labours' of the day.
- T h e' ,conjua-eifs are khbwinr - in . the-'/Malabar •’larigflagd by thd
name
of'rtl^jfirfafckyithey], stand on th e shorfe • frtaa. Bib htetningt till
the-boats (returHiiia jih d ; afternoon, j :all'^ih© mntteiriilg
prayers,-.; distorting ctheir /bodies mtecvai?ioti«< string© detfiMdeS^
ftnd'-7pctfbrfflmpg,'-idfeeemoffl'^> ta which no
g e l v e s e 1, can attach . .aaayv miariinMi( jj t$j§§to ^hifef- it
is-. >fieeessapyt'; ‘if&E; Biem. to -abstain frdm - food-, or idrinkjlipther^
ssrises their praydcs< would .'bedo^vnb iavaik /These.1 acts.. p-f a-ab-
stinenco» -vlbwetcly they Sometimes- dispense with, and riegafe
themselves - with toddy?. w/(,§pridiies. of:; teqrrot distilled from fM
palm-treeii tili-Uthey;uare>J -’staffh'-jiSt'/ 'tbei*
dcvotifjns« i
Some M ij4 ] ^ ia c a ^ ! ^ ‘r£xqiLeaitiy boats Wdtli the
divers,', j who, a rc greatly delighted at ^fie- iefda of havlhg the#
preteotoErirsalong with thdmd but in< my dpiai&nj;
protection/ renders the: divers more liable -a&tidentB, • dS*'. it
induces, them/to l venture, too much and without pvopbr’pte'-
caufci(Mas.y ibdfudij«!»i^eflco:;;©d; the* idf^iblyv pbtfeMafr tlwit
guardians. n.,lt must} not »j las/weveri be irtn^iwed -.'that ; these
gpnjurers- .are .alteg@ther<; the< dupes of fh e lr oWn^ri^tS,' er that,
th e y '^ c cm ip a i^ ^& i^ v o ta r ie s i fo: the fiifetfy-rfiei%ly
anxious care; o£ .tiieir ^safety?.;: thsiri' prineipal v jffiff^ipig
thither is^,Jf possible, to ' fileh-’a 1 valuable pcark As‘ thla-- i&
fhc. aase»A,it lis urividpiit that ytMe SripeAnt^idai^j of fififerj*
must; look upon?: the®; voy4g8s> - with a ' jea$oias - :sdSlf; [heb®
ever*,;I is;. the devoted -arifedtenerit of-! their : Votaries,/. • ‘h a t;'6# is
obliged to; pass it oveif in- siteriec, or dt: • least - t o '! 'daKiegal)' .jri'S
suspicions of. -their real intbritiSnS; l;Ce xn%Kjd also: 'iK^fer-' hint
a. doimbt :of their power otfer; the Sharksi, as* this might« relidei*
2 a