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rs the Jalno； who throws sixes with unvarying success； while his opponent turns up only ones。 Nor is this so extraordinary as at first sight it might appear； for the Jalno's dice are marked with nothing but sixes and his adversary's with nothing but ones。 When he sees the finger of Providence thus plainly pointed against him； the King of the Years is terrified and flees away upon a white horse； with a white dog； a white bird； salt； and so forth； which have all been provided for him by the government。 His face is still painted half white and half black； and he still wears his leathern coat。 The whole populace pursues him； hooting； yelling； and firing blank shots in volleys after him。 Thus driven out of the city； he is detained for seven days in the great chamber of horrors at the Samyas monastery； surrounded by monstrous and terrific images of devils and skins of huge serpents and wild beasts。 Thence he goes away into the mountains of Chetang； where he has to remain an outcast for several months or a year in a narrow den。 If he dies before the time is out； the people say it is an auspicious omen； but if he survives； he may return to Lhasa and play the part of scapegoat over again the following year。
This quaint ceremonial； still annually observed in the secluded capital of Buddhismthe Rome of Asiais interesting because it exhibits； in a clearly marked religious stratification； a series of divine redeemers themselves redeemed； of vicarious sacrifices vicariously atoned for； of gods undergoing a process of fossilisation； who； while they retain the privileges； have disburdened themselves of the pains and penalties of divinity。 In the Jalno we may without undue straining discern a successor of those temporary kings； those mortal gods； who purchase a short lease of power and glory at the price of their lives。 That he is the temporary substitute of the Grand Lama is certain； that he is； or was once； liable to act as scapegoat for the people is made nearly certain by his offer to change places with the real scapegoatthe King of the Yearsif the arbitrament of the dice should go against him。 It is true that the conditions under which the question is now put to the hazard have reduced the offer to an idle form。 But such forms are no mere mushroom growths； springing up of themselves in a night。 If they are now lifeless formalities； empty husks devoid of significance； we may be sure that they once had a life and a meaning； if at the present day they are blind alleys leading nowhere； we may be certain that in former days they were paths that led somewhere； if only to death。 That death was the goal to which of old the Tibetan scapegoat passed after his brief period of licence in the market…place； is a conjecture that has much to commend it。 Analogy suggests it； the blank shots fired after him； the statement that the ceremony often proves fatal； the belief that his death is a happy omen； all confirm it。 We need not wonder then that the Jalno； after paying so dear to act as deputy…deity for a few weeks； should have preferred to die by deputy rather than in his own person when his time was up。 The painful but necessary duty was accordingly laid on some poor devil； some social outcast； some wretch with whom the world had gone hard； who readily agreed to throw away his life at the end of a few days if only he might have his fling in the meantime。 For observe that while the time allowed to the original deputythe Jalnowas measured by weeks； the time allowed to the deputy's deputy was cut down to days； ten days according to one authority； seven days according to another。 So short a rope was doubtless thought a long enough tether for so black or sickly a sheep； so few sands in the hour…glass； slipping so fast away； sufficed for one who had wasted so many precious years。 Hence in the jack…pudding who now masquerades with motley countenance in the market…place of Lhasa； sweeping up misfortune with a black yak's tail； we may fairly see the substitute of a substitute； the vicar of a vicar； the proxy on whose back the heavy burden was laid when it had been lifted from nobler shoulders。 But the clue； if we have followed it aright； does not stop at the Jalno； it leads straight back to the pope of Lhasa himself； the Grand Lama； of whom the Jalno is merely the temporary vicar。 The analogy of many customs in many lands points to the conclusion that； if this human divinity stoops to resign his ghostly power for a time into the hands of a substitute； it is； or rather was once； for no other reason than that the substitute might die in his stead。 Thus through the mist of ages unillumined by the lamp of history； the tragic figure of the pope of BuddhismGod's vicar on earth for Asialooms dim and sad as the man…god who bore his people's sorrows； the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep。
4。 On Scapegoats in General
THE FOREGOING survey of the custom of publicly expelling the accumulated evils of a village or town or country suggests a few general observations。
In the first place； it will not be disputed that what I have called the immediate and the mediate expulsions of evil are identical in intention； in other words； that whether the evils are conceived of as invisible or as embodied in a material form； is a circumstance entirely subordinate to the main object of the ceremony； which is simply to effect a total clearance of all the ills that have been infesting a people。 If any link were wanting to connect the two kinds of expulsion； it would be furnished by such a practice as that of sending the evils away in a litter or a boat。 For here； on the one hand； the evils are invisible and intangible； and； on the other hand； there is a visible and tangible vehicle to convey them away。 And a scapegoat is nothing more than such a vehicle。
In the second place； when a general clearance of evils is resorted to periodically； the interval between the celebrations of the ceremony is commonly a year； and the time of year when the ceremony takes place usually coincides with some well…marked change of season； such as the beginning or end of winter in the arctic and temperate zones； and the beginning or end of the rainy season in the tropics。 The increased mortality which such climatic changes are apt to produce； especially amongst ill…fed； ill…clothed； and ill…housed savages； is set down by primitive man to the agency of demons； who must accordingly be expelled。 Hence； in the tropical regions of New Britain and Peru； the devils are or were driven out at the beginning of the rainy season； hence； on the dreary coasts of Baffin Land； they are banished at the approach of the bitter Arctic winter。 When a tribe has taken to husbandry； the time for the general expulsion of devils is naturally made to agree with one of the great epochs of the agricultural year； as sowing； or harvest； but； as these epochs themselves naturally coincide with changes of season； it does not follow that the transition from the hunting or pastoral to the agricultural life involves any alteration in the time of celebrating this great annual rite。 Some of the agricultural communities of India and the Hindoo Koosh； as we have seen； hold their general clearance of demons at harvest； others at so