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194

ANIMISM.

a vampire into a bottle containing some of the filthy food that the demon loves; as soon as he is fairly inside he is corked down, the bottle is thrown into the fire, and the vampire disappears for ever.[1]

As to the savage visionary and the phantoms he beholds, the Greenlander preparing f6r the profession of sorcerer may stand as type, when, rapt in contemplation in his desert solitude, emaciated by fasting and disordered by fits, he sees before him scenes with figures of men and animals, which he believes to be spirits. Thus it is interesting to read the descriptions by Zulu converts of the dreadful creatures which they see in moments of intense religious exaltation, the snake with great eyes and very fearful, the leopard creeping stealthily, the enemy approaching with his long assagai in his hand — these coming one after another to the place where the man has gone to pray in secret, and striving to frighten him from his knees.[2] Thus the visionary temptations of the Hindu ascetic and the mediæval saint are happening in our own day, though their place is now rather in the medical handbook than in the record of miracle. Like the disease-demons and the oracle-demons, these spiritual groups have their origin not in fancy, but in real phenomena interpreted on animistic principles.

In the dark especially, harmful spirits swarm. Round native Australian encampments, Sir George Grey used to see the bush dotted with little moving points of fire; these were the firesticks carried by the old women sent to look after the young ones, but who dared not quit the firelight without a brand to protect them from the evil spirits.[3] So South American Indians would carry brands or torches for fear of evil demons when they ventured into the dark.[4]

  1. ↑ J. V. Grohmann, 'Aberglauben aus Böhmen,' &c., p. 24; Calmet, ' Diss. sur les Esprits,' vol. ii.; Grimm, 'D. M.' p. 1048, &c.; St. Clair and Brophy, 'Bulgaria,' p. 49; see Ralston, 'Songs of Russian People,' p. 409.
  2. ↑ Cranz, 'Grönland,' p. 268. Callaway, 'Rel. of Amazulu,' p. 246, &c.
  3. ↑ Grey, 'Australia,' vol. ii. p. 302. See also Bonwick, 'Tasmanians,' p. 180.
  4. ↑ Southey, 'Brazil,' part i. p. 238. See also Rochefort, p. 418; J. G.
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