topped to listen to or talk with
the spirits, drank _basi_, and then went about their work.

Early the second morning, the mediums went to a bound pig in the house,
and after placing betel-nut on its back, they poured water into its
ear. This caused the animal to shake its head; and, as the water was
thrown out, one of the mediums caught it in her hand, and applied it to
the sick woman, at the same time chanting, "Go away sickness, be thrown
out like this water; let this person be well, for she is now following
the custom." As soon as she had finished, two men carried the animal to
the river bank, where they killed and singed it. Upon their return to
the house, they removed and carefully examined its liver; for, by the
markings on it, the people were assured that the spirits were pleased
with the manner in which the ceremony was being conducted, and hence
the prospects for the patient's recovery were very bright. _Gipas_,
the dividing, followed. An old man divided the pig with the medium,
but by sly manipulation managed to get a little more than she did. A
betel-nut, beeswax, and a lead net-sinker were tied together with
a string, and were divided, but again the old man received a little
more than his share. Betel-nut was offered to the pair. Apparently
each piece was the same, but only one was supplied with lime, and
the mortal secured that. He then challenged the medium to see whose
spittle was the reddest. Both expectorated on the head-axe, but since
the spittle of the medium was not mixed with lime, it was uncolored. In
all instances the human being came out victor over the spirit, who
sought to take the woman's life. Hence her recovery was assured.

A new spirit possessed the medium, and under her directions the
family was placed beneath a blanket, and a coconut was cut in two over
their heads. In addition to the fluid of the nut, water was emptied
over them, "so that the sickness would be washed away." As soon as
the family emerged from the blanket, they went to their _balaua_,
[130] and offered food, after which the medium again summoned several
spirits. From this time until well into the evening, the guests danced
_tadek_, stopping only to be served with food and drink.

The morning of the third and last day was spent in preparing food and
other offerings, which were placed on a mat and left, for a time, to be
used by the immortals. Later the offerings were consumed by the guests,
and the medium summoned the s