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then allowed B. to hold the ^girl's wrist, a sign of wedlock, (sect. ) and congratulated him on his future domestic happiness. Of course B. was asked to make his newly married wife a present, anything indeed in the way of tobacco, food etc and then directed to go back to his own hearth to sleep - she would soon follow! The other spectators were then ordered to take their departure from around this particular hut where all the séance had been taking place, and in the darkness of the night, the alleged spirits made their escape, sharing of course the plunder with the intermediary : they were miles away in the morning". Hislop subsequently discovered that two boys and two girls gins carried on the deception ; they used to travel from tribe to tribe, take one or two of its members into their confidences to play the "intermediary" and then share the spoil. A variation of the "confidence trick" - nothing more nor less : this used to be carried on in the Normanby District many years ago, but only made its appearance here about two years back.
16. Fetishism: for anything approaching this, see sect. 13, for spirits attaching themselves to certain objects. They cannot be actually "conjured" into anything, except by the allegations of the older and more "acute" of the men.
17. Idolatry absent in any shape of form.
18. Spirits and Demons. The "world" is full of them, both good and evil, especially the latter : their friend's spirits of course constitute the former. There is no special time for their coming, and are only recognised by their effects, or by their "whistling". No one is specially attended by any.
19. Nature-spirits.The big rock at the waterfall on Baird's selection (sect. 14) has already been mentioned : so also have the "yerroo" (sect. 14) who live both in the ground and in water. There is no worship of plants and animals, nor are tribes in any way named after animals etc.
20. 21. Polytheism, Monothesim^Worship etc. There is no worship pf gods, or anything - no idea of a God in any form, or of a Creator of all things : the old men will make up any version (ever varying) if ques-tioned [questioned] on these matters. No "god" connected with war.