RELIGION OF BAH. 245 an exact account of the barbarous ceremonies prac- tised in this place on such occasions as we were eye-witnesses to. The body was drawn out of a large aperture made in the wall to the right hand side of the door, in the absurd opinion o^ cheat" ing the devil, whom these islanders believe to lie in wait in the ordinary passage. * The female slaves destined to accompany the dead went before, ac- cording to their ranks, those of lowest rank tak- ing the lead, each supported from behind by an old woman, and carried on a Badi, skilfully con- structed of bamboos, and decked all over with flowers, t There were placed before, a roasted pig, some rice, some beteh and other fruits, as an offeringto their gods, and these unhappy victims of the most direful idolatry are thus carried in triumph, to the sound of different instruments, to the place where they are to be in the sequel poignarded and con- sumed by fire. Each there found a particular scaf- fold prepared for her, nearly in the form of a trough, raised upon four short posts, and edged on two sides with planks. After moving three
- It IS almost unnecessary to say, that this cannot have been
the true account of the superstitious practice in question. Early European voyagers are in the constant habit of ob- truding their own mythological opinions upon us as those of the natives. t The Badi is a kind of litter. I
