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especially by the women。 The crowd danced round the post to music； and addressing the earth； said； O God； we offer this sacrifice to you； give us good crops； seasons； and health； then speaking to the victim they said； We bought you with a price； and did not seize you； now we sacrifice you according to custom； and no sin rests with us。
On the last morning the orgies； which had been scarcely interrupted during the night； were resumed； and continued till noon； when they ceased； and the assembly proceeded to consummate the sacrifice。 The victim was again anointed with oil； and each person touched the anointed part； and wiped the oil on his own head。 In some places they took the victim in procession round the village； from door to door； where some plucked hair from his head； and others begged for a drop of his spittle； with which they anointed their heads。 As the victim might not be bound nor make any show of resistance； the bones of his arms and； if necessary； his legs were broken； but often this precaution was rendered unnecessary by stupefying him with opium。 The mode of putting him to death varied in different places。 One of the commonest modes seems to have been strangulation； or squeezing to death。 The branch of a green tree was cleft several feet down the middle； the victim's neck （in other places； his chest） was inserted in the cleft； which the priest； aided by his assistants； strove with all his force to close。 Then he wounded the victim slightly with his axe； whereupon the crowd rushed at the wretch and hewed the flesh from the bones； leaving the head and bowels untouched。 Sometimes he was cut up alive。 In Chinna Kimedy he was dragged along the fields； surrounded by the crowd； who； avoiding his head and intestines； hacked the flesh from his body with their knives till he died。 Another very common mode of sacrifice in the same district was to fasten the victim to the proboscis of a wooden elephant； which revolved on a stout post； and； as it whirled round； the crowd cut the flesh from the victim while life remained。 In some villages Major Campbell found as many as fourteen of these wooden elephants； which had been used at sacrifices。 In one district the victim was put to death slowly by fire。 A low stage was formed； sloping on either side like a roof； upon it they laid the victim； his limbs wound round with cords to confine his struggles。 Fires were then lighted and hot brands applied； to make him roll up and down the slopes of the stage as long as possible； for the more tears he shed the more abundant would be the supply of rain。 Next day the body was cut to pieces。
The flesh cut from the victim was instantly taken home by the persons who had been deputed by each village to bring it。 To secure its rapid arrival； it was sometimes forwarded by relays of men； and conveyed with postal fleetness fifty or sixty miles。 In each village all who stayed at home fasted rigidly until the flesh arrived。 The bearer deposited it in the place of public assembly； where it was received by the priest and the heads of families。 The priest divided it into two portions； one of which he offered to the Earth Goddess by burying it in a hole in the ground with his back turned； and without looking。 Then each man added a little earth to bury it； and the priest poured water on the spot from a hill gourd。 The other portion of flesh he divided into as many shares as there were heads of houses present。 Each head of a house rolled his shred of flesh in leaves； and buried it in his favourite field； placing it in the earth behind his back without looking。 In some places each man carried his portion of flesh to the stream which watered his fields； and there hung it on a pole。 For three days thereafter no house was swept； and； in one district； strict silence was observed； no fire might be given out； no wood cut； and no strangers received。 The remains of the human victim （namely； the head； bowels； and bones） were watched by strong parties the night after the sacrifice； and next morning they were burned； along with a whole sheep； on a funeral pile。 The ashes were scattered over the fields； laid as paste over the houses and granaries； or mixed with the new corn to preserve it from insects。 Sometimes； however； the head and bones were buried； not burnt。 After the suppression of the human sacrifices； inferior victims were substituted in some places； for instance； in the capital of Chinna Kimedy a goat took the place of the human victim。 Others sacrifice a buffalo。 They tie it to a wooden post in a sacred grove； dance wildly round it with brandished knives； then； falling on the living animal； hack it to shreds and tatters in a few minutes； fighting and struggling with each other for every particle of flesh。 As soon as a man has secured a piece he makes off with it at full speed to bury it in his fields； according to ancient custom； before the sun has set； and as some of them have far to go they must run very fast。 All the women throw clods of earth at the rapidly retreating figures of the men； some of them taking very good aim。 Soon the sacred grove； so lately a scene of tumult； is silent and deserted except for a few people who remain to guard all that is left of the buffalo； to wit； the head； the bones； and the stomach； which are burned with ceremony at the foot of the stake。
In these Khond sacrifices the Meriahs are represented by our authorities as victims offered to propitiate the Earth Goddess。 But from the treatment of the victims both before and after death it appears that the custom cannot be explained as merely a propitiatory sacrifice。 A part of the flesh certainly was offered to the Earth Goddess； but the rest was buried by each householder in his fields； and the ashes of the other parts of the body were scattered over the fields； laid as paste on the granaries； or mixed with the new corn。 These latter customs imply that to the body of the Meriah there was ascribed a direct or intrinsic power of making the crops to grow； quite independent of the indirect efficacy which it might have as an offering to secure the good…will of the deity。 In other words； the flesh and ashes of the victim were believed to be endowed with a magical or physical power of fertilising the land。 The same intrinsic power was ascribed to the blood and tears of the Meriah； his blood causing the redness of the turmeric and his tears producing rain； for it can hardly be doubted that； originally at least； the tears were supposed to bring down the rain； not merely to prognosticate it。 Similarly the custom of pouring water on the buried flesh of the Meriah was no doubt a rain…charm。 Again； magical power as an attribute of the Meriah appears in the sovereign virtue believed to reside in anything that came from his person； as his hair or spittle。 The ascription of such power to the Meriah indicates that he was much more than a mere man sacrificed to propitiate a deity。 Once more； the extreme reverence paid him points to the same conclusion。 Major Campbell speaks of the Meriah as being regarded as something more than mortal； and Major Macpherson says； A species of reverence； which it is not easy to distinguish from adoration； is paid to him。 In short； the Meriah seems to have been regarde