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's foot as a cure for their malady。 The analogy of the custom with the old English practice of bringing scrofulous patients to the king to be healed by his touch is sufficiently obvious； and suggests； as I have already pointed out elsewhere； that among our own remote ancestors scrofula may have obtained its name of the King's Evil； from a belief； like that of the Tongans； that it was caused as well as cured by contact with the divine majesty of kings。
In New Zealand the dread of the sanctity of chiefs was at least as great as in Tonga。 Their ghostly power； derived from an ancestral spirit； diffused itself by contagion over everything they touched； and could strike dead all who rashly or unwittingly meddled with it。 For instance； it once happened that a New Zealand chief of high rank and great sanctity had left the remains of his dinner by the wayside。 A slave； a stout； hungry fellow； coming up after the chief had gone； saw the unfinished dinner； and ate it up without asking questions。 Hardly had he finished when he was informed by a horror…stricken spectator that the food of which he had eaten was the chief's。 I knew the unfortunate delinquent well。 He was remarkable for courage； and had signalised himself in the wars of the tribe； but no sooner did he hear the fatal news than he was seized by the most extraordinary convulsions and cramp in the stomach； which never ceased till he died； about sundown the same day。 He was a strong man； in the prime of life； and if any pakeha ＇European＇ freethinker should have said he was not killed by the tapu of the chief； which had been communicated to the food by contact； he would have been listened to with feelings of contempt for his ignorance and inability to understand plain and direct evidence。 This is not a solitary case。 A Maori woman having eaten of some fruit； and being afterwards told that the fruit had been taken from a tabooed place； exclaimed that the spirit of the chief； whose sanctity had been thus profaned； would kill her。 This was in the afternoon； and next day by twelve o'clock she was dead。 A Maori chief's tinder…box was once the means of killing several persons； for； having been lost by him； and found by some men who used it to light their pipes； they died of fright on learning to whom it had belonged。 So； too； the garments of a high New Zealand chief will kill any one else who wears them。 A chief was observed by a missionary to throw down a precipice a blanket which he found too heavy to carry。 Being asked by the missionary why he did not leave it on a tree for the use of a future traveller； the chief replied that it was the fear of its being taken by another which caused him to throw it where he did； for if it were worn； his tapu （that is； his spiritual power communicated by contact to the blanket and through the blanket to the man） would kill the person。 For a similar reason a Maori chief would not blow a fire with his mouth； for his sacred breath would communicate its sanctity to the fire； which would pass it on to the pot on the fire； which would pass it on to the meat in the pot； which would pass it on to the man who ate the meat； which was in the pot； which stood on the fire； which was breathed on by the chief； so that the eater； infected by the chief's breath conveyed through these intermediaries； would surely die。
Thus in the Polynesian race； to which the Maoris belong； superstition erected round the persons of sacred chiefs a real； though at the same time purely imaginary barrier； to transgress which actually entailed the death of the transgressor whenever he became aware of what he had done。 This fatal power of the imagination working through superstitious terrors is by no means confined to one race； it appears to be common among savages。 For example； among the aborigines of Australia a native will die after the infliction of even the most superficial wound； if only he believes that the weapon which inflicted the wound had been sung over and thus endowed with magical virtue。 He simply lies down； refuses food； and pines away。 Similarly among some of the Indian tribes of Brazil； if the medicine…man predicted the death of any one who had offended him； the wretch took to his hammock instantly in such full expectation of dying； that he would neither eat nor drink； and the prediction was a sentence which faith effectually executed。
2。 Mourners tabooed。
THUS regarding his sacred chiefs and kings as charged with a mysterious spiritual force which so to say explodes at contact； the savage naturally ranks them among the dangerous classes of society； and imposes upon them the same sort of restraints that he lays on manslayers； menstruous women； and other persons whom he looks upon with a certain fear and horror。 For example； sacred kings and priests in Polynesia were not allowed to touch food with their hands； and had therefore to be fed by others； and as we have just seen； their vessels； garments； and other property might not be used by others on pain of disease and death。 Now precisely the same observances are exacted by some savages from girls at their first menstruation； women after childbirth； homicides； mourners； and all persons who have come into contact with the dead。 Thus； for example； to begin with the last class of persons； among the Maoris any one who had handled a corpse； helped to convey it to the grave； or touched a dead man's bones； was cut off from all intercourse and almost all communication with mankind。 He could not enter any house； or come into contact with any person or thing； without utterly bedevilling them。 He might not even touch food with his hands； which had become so frightfully tabooed or unclean as to be quite useless。 Food would be set for him on the ground； and he would then sit or kneel down； and； with his hands carefully held behind his back； would gnaw at it as best he could。 In some cases he would be fed by another person； who with outstretched arm contrived to do it without touching the tabooed man； but the feeder was himself subjected to many severe restrictions； little less onerous than those which were imposed upon the other。 In almost every populous village there lived a degraded wretch； the lowest of the low； who earned a sorry pittance by thus waiting upon the defiled。 Clad in rags； daubed from head to foot with red ochre and stinking shark oil； always solitary and silent； generally old； haggard； and wizened； often half crazed； he might be seen sitting motionless all day apart from the common path or thoroughfare of the village； gazing with lack…lustre eyes on the busy doings in which he might never take a part。 Twice a day a dole of food would be thrown on the ground before him to munch as well as he could without the use of his hands； and at night； huddling his greasy tatters about him； he would crawl into some miserable lair of leaves and refuse； where； dirty； cold； and hungry； he passed； in broken ghost…haunted slumbers； a wretched night as a prelude to another wretched day。 Such was the only human being deemed fit to associate at arm's length with one who had paid the last offices of respect and friendship to the dead。 And when； the dismal term of his seclusion being over； the mourner was about to mix with his fellow