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ition； curiously enough the same baseless dread； the same false notion of causation； has indirectly strengthened the moral bonds of hospitality； honour； and good faith among men who entertain it。 For it is obvious that no one who intends to harm a man by working magic on the refuse of his food will himself partake of that food； because if he did so he would； on the principles of sympathetic magic； suffer equally with his enemy from any injury done to the refuse。 This is the idea which in primitive society lends sanctity to the bond produced by eating together； by participation in the same food two men give； as it were； hostages for their good behaviour； each guarantees the other that he will devise no mischief against him； since； being physically united with him by the common food in their stomachs； any harm he might do to his fellow would recoil on his own head with precisely the same force with which it fell on the head of his victim。 In strict logic； however； the sympathetic bond lasts only so long as the food is in the stomach of each of the parties。 Hence the covenant formed by eating together is less solemn and durable than the covenant formed by transfusing the blood of the covenanting parties into each other's veins； for this transfusion seems to knit them together for life。
Chapter 20。 Tabooed Persons。
1。 Chiefs and Kings tabooed。
WE have seen that the Mikado's food was cooked every day in new pots and served up in new dishes； both pots and dishes were of common clay； in order that they might be broken or laid aside after they had been once used。 They were generally broken； for it was believed that if any one else ate his food out of these sacred dishes； his mouth and throat would become swollen and inflamed。 The same ill effect was thought to be experienced by any one who should wear the Mikado's clothes without his leave； he would have swellings and pains all over his body。 In Fiji there is a special name （kana lama） for the disease supposed to be caused by eating out of a chief's dishes or wearing his clothes。 The throat and body swell； and the impious person dies。 I had a fine mat given to me by a man who durst not use it because Thakombau's eldest son had sat upon it。 There was always a family or clan of commoners who were exempt from this danger。 I was talking about this once to Thakombau。 'Oh yes；' said he。 'Here； So…and…so！ come and scratch my back。' The man scratched； he was one of those who could do it with impunity。 The name of the men thus highly privileged was Na nduka ni； or the dirt of the chief。
In the evil effects thus supposed to follow upon the use of the vessels or clothes of the Mikado and a Fijian chief we see that other side of the god…man's character to which attention has been already called。 The divine person is a source of danger as well as of blessing； he must not only be guarded； he must also be guarded against。 His sacred organism； so delicate that a touch may disorder it； is also； as it were； electrically charged with a powerful magical or spiritual force which may discharge itself with fatal effect on whatever comes in contact with it。 Accordingly the isolation of the man…god is quite as necessary for the safety of others as for his own。 His magical virtue is in the strictest sense of the word contagious： his divinity is a fire； which； under proper restraints； confers endless blessings； but； if rashly touched or allowed to break bounds； burns and destroys what it touches。 Hence the disastrous effects supposed to attend a breach of taboo； the offender has thrust his hand into the divine fire； which shrivels up and consumes him on the spot。
The Nubas； for example； who inhabit the wooded and fertile range of Jebel Nuba in Eastern Africa； believe that they would die if they entered the house of their priestly king； however； they can evade the penalty of their intrusion by baring the left shoulder and getting the king to lay his hand on it。 And were any man to sit on a stone which the king has consecrated to his own use； the transgressor would die within the year。 The Cazembes of Angola regard their king as so holy that no one can touch him without being killed by the magical power which pervades his sacred person。 But since contact with him is sometimes unavoidable； they have devised a means whereby the sinner can escape with his life。 Kneeling down before the king he touches the back of the royal hand with the back of his own； then snaps his fingers； afterwards he lays the palm of his hand on the palm of the king's hand； then snaps his fingers again。 This ceremony is repeated four or five times； and averts the imminent danger of death。 In Tonga it was believed that if any one fed himself with his own hands after touching the sacred person of a superior chief or anything that belonged to him； he would swell up and die； the sanctity of the chief； like a virulent poison； infected the hands of his inferior； and； being communicated through them to the food； proved fatal to the eater。 A commoner who had incurred this danger could disinfect himself by performing a certain ceremony； which consisted in touching the sole of a chief's foot with the palm and back of each of his hands； and afterwards rinsing his hands in water。 If there was no water near； he rubbed his hands with the juicy stem of a plantain or banana。 After that he was free to feed himself with his own hands without danger of being attacked by the malady which would otherwise follow from eating with tabooed or sanctified hands。 But until the ceremony of expiation or disinfection had been performed； if he wished to eat he had either to get some one to feed him； or else to go down on his knees and pick up the food from the ground with his mouth like a beast。 He might not even use a toothpick himself； but might guide the hand of another person holding the toothpick。 The Tongans were subject to induration of the liver and certain forms of scrofula； which they often attributed to a failure to perform the requisite expiation after having inadvertently touched a chief or his belongings。 Hence they often went through the ceremony as a precaution； without knowing that they had done anything to call for it。 The king of Tonga could not refuse to play his part in the rite by presenting his foot to such as desired to touch it； even when they applied to him at an inconvenient time。 A fat unwieldy king； who perceived his subjects approaching with this intention； while he chanced to be taking his walks abroad； has been sometimes seen to waddle as fast as his legs could carry him out of their way； in order to escape the importunate and not wholly disinterested expression of their homage。 If any one fancied he might have already unwittingly eaten with tabooed hands； he sat down before the chief； and； taking the chief's foot； pressed it against his own stomach； that the food in his belly might not injure him； and that he might not swell up and die。 Since scrofula was regarded by the Tongans as a result of eating with tabooed hands； we may conjecture that persons who suffered from it among them often resorted to the touch or pressure of the king's foot as a cure for their malady。 The analogy of the custom with the old English practice of bring