e inhabitants of this country have many fabulous stories, which shall
be briefly mentioned. They acknowledge three deities as rulers of the
world, who are respectively named Batara-guru, Sori-pada, and
Mangalla-bulang. The first, say they, bears rule in heaven, is the father
of all mankind, and partly, under the following circumstances, creator of
the earth, which from the beginning of time had been supported on the
head of Naga-padoha, but, growing weary at length, he shook his head,
which occasioned the earth to sink, and nothing remained in the world
excepting water. They do not pretend to a knowledge of the creation of
this original earth and water, but say that at the period when the latter
covered everything, the chief deity, Batara-guru, had a daughter named
Puti-orla-bulan, who requested permission to descend to these lower
regions, and accordingly came down on a white owl, accompanied by a dog;
but not being able, by reason of the waters, to continue there, her
father let fall from heaven a lofty mountain, named Bakarra, now situated
in the Batta country, as a dwelling for his child; and from this mountain
all other land gradually proceeded. The earth was once more supported on
the three horns of Naga-padoha, and that he might never again suffer it
to fall off Batara-guru sent his son, named Layang-layang-mandi
(literally the dipping swallow) to bind him hand and foot. But to his
occasionally shaking his head they ascribe the effect of earthquakes.
Puti-orla-bulan had afterwards, during her residence on earth, three sons
and three daughters, from whom sprang the whole human race.

The second of their deities has the rule of the air betwixt earth and
heaven, and the third that of the earth; but these two are considered as
subordinate to the first. Besides these they have as many inferior
deities as there are sensible objects on earth, or circumstances in human
society; of which some preside over the sea, others over rivers, over
woods, over war, and the like. They believe likewise in four evil
spirits, dwelling in four separate mountains, and whatever ill befalls
them they attribute to the agency of one of these demons. On such
occasions they apply to one of their cunning men, who has recourse to his
art, and by cutting a lemon ascertains which of these has been the author
of the mischief, and by what means the evil spirit may be propitiated;
which always proves to be the sacrificing a buffalo, hog, goat, or
what