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ng about the streets and crying； March is come。 They say that the witches roam about in March； and the ceremony is repeated every Friday evening during the month。 Often； as might have been anticipated； the ancient pagan rite has attached itself to church festivals。 In Albania on Easter Eve the young people light torches of resinous wood and march in procession； swinging them； through the village。 At last they throw the torches into the river； crying； Ha； Kore！ we throw you into the river； like these torches； that you may never return。 Silesian peasants believe that on Good Friday the witches go their rounds and have great power for mischief。 Hence about Oels； near Strehlitz； the people on that day arm themselves with old brooms and drive the witches from house and home； from farmyard and cattle…stall； making a great uproar and clatter as they do so。
In Central Europe the favourite time for expelling the witches is； or was； Walpurgis Night； the Eve of May Day； when the baleful powers of these mischievous beings were supposed to be at their height。 In the Tyrol； for example； as in other places； the expulsion of the powers of evil at this season goes by the name of Burning out the Witches。 It takes place on May Day； but people have been busy with their preparations for days before。 On a Thursday at midnight bundles are made up of resinous splinters； black and red spotted hemlock； caperspurge； rosemary； and twigs of the sloe。 These are kept and burned on May Day by men who must first have received plenary absolution from the Church。 On the last three days of April all the houses are cleansed and fumigated with juniper berries and rue。 On May Day； when the evening bell has rung and the twilight is falling； the ceremony of Burning out the Witches begins。 Men and boys make a racket with whips； bells； pots； and pans； the women carry censers； the dogs are unchained and run barking and yelping about。 As soon as the church bells begin to ring； the bundles of twigs； fastened on poles； are set on fire and the incense is ignited。 Then all the house…bells and dinner…bells are rung； pots and pans are clashed； dogs bark； every one must make a noise。 And amid this hubbub all scream at the pitch of their voices：
Witch flee； flee from here； or it will go ill with thee。
Then they run seven times round the houses； the yards； and the village。 So the witches are smoked out of their lurking…places and driven away。 The custom of expelling the witches on Walpurgis Night is still； or was down to recent years； observed in many parts of Bavaria and among the Germans of Bohemia。 Thus in the B？hmer…wald Mountains all the young fellows of the village assemble after sunset on some height； especially at a cross…road； and crack whips for a while in unison with all their strength。 This drives away the witches； for so far as the sound of the whips is heard； these maleficent beings can do no harm。 In some places； while the young men are cracking their whips； the herdsmen wind their horns； and the long…drawn notes； heard far off in the silence of night； are very effectual for banning the witches。
Another witching time is the period of twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany。 Hence in some parts of Silesia the people burn pine…resin all night long between Christmas and the New Year in order that the pungent smoke may drive witches and evil spirits far away from house and homestead； and on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve they fire shots over fields and meadows； into shrubs and trees； and wrap straw round the fruit…trees； to prevent the spirits from doing them harm。 On New Year's Eve； which is Saint Sylvester's Day； Bohemian lads； armed with guns； form themselves into circles and fire thrice into the air。 This is called Shooting the Witches and is supposed to frighten the witches away。 The last of the mystic twelve days is Epiphany or Twelfth Night； and it has been selected as a proper season for the expulsion of the powers of evil in various parts of Europe。 Thus at Brunnen； on the Lake of Lucerne； boys go about in procession on Twelfth Night carrying torches and making a great noise with horns； bells； whips； and so forth to frighten away two female spirits of the wood； Strudeli and Str？tteli。 The people think that if they do not make enough noise； there will be little fruit that year。 Again； in Labruguière； a canton of Southern France； on the eve of Twelfth Day the people run through the streets； jangling bells； clattering kettles； and doing everything to make a discordant noise。 Then by the light of torches and blazing faggots they set up a prodigious hue and cry； an ear…splitting uproar； hoping thereby to chase all the wandering ghosts and devils from the town。
Chapter 57。 Public Scapegoats。
1。 The Expulsion of Embodied Evils
THUS far we have dealt with that class of the general expulsion of evils which I have called direct or immediate。 In this class the evils are invisible； at least to common eyes； and the mode of deliverance consists for the most part in beating the empty air and raising such a hubbub as may scare the mischievous spirits and put them to flight。 It remains to illustrate the second class of expulsions； in which the evil influences are embodied in a visible form or are at least supposed to be loaded upon a material medium； which acts as a vehicle to draw them off from the people； village； or town。
The Pomos of California celebrate an expulsion of devils every seven years； at which the devils are represented by disguised men。 Twenty or thirty men array themselves in harlequin rig and barbaric paint； and put vessels of pitch on their heads； then they secretly go out into the surrounding mountains。 These are to personify the devils。 A herald goes up to the top of the assembly…house； and makes a speech to the multitude。 At a signal agreed upon in the evening the masqueraders come in from the mountains； with the vessels of pitch flaming on their heads； and with all the frightful accessories of noise； motion； and costume which the savage mind can devise in representation of demons。 The terrified women and children flee for life； the men huddle them inside a circle； and； on the principle of fighting the devil with fire； they swing blazing firebrands in the air； yell； whoop； and make frantic dashes at the marauding and bloodthirsty devils； so creating a terrific spectacle； and striking great fear into the hearts of the assembled hundreds of women； who are screaming and fainting and clinging to their valorous protectors。 Finally the devils succeed in getting into the assembly…house； and the bravest of the men enter and hold a parley with them。 As a conclusion of the whole farce； the men summon courage； the devils are expelled from the assembly…house； and with a prodigious row and racket of sham fighting are chased away into the mountains。 In spring； as soon as the willow…leaves were full grown on the banks of the river； the Mandan Indians celebrated their great annual festival； one of the features of which was the expulsion of the devil。 A man； painted black to represent the devil； entered the village from the prairie； chased and frightened the women； and acted the part of a buffalo bull in the buffalo dance； the object of which was to ensure a plentiful supply of buffaloes during the ensuing year。 Finally he was chased from the village； the women pursuing him with hisses and gibes； beating him with sticks； and pelting him with dirt。
Some of the native tribes of Central Queensland believe in a noxious being called Molonga； who prowls unseen and would kill men and violate women if certain ceremonies were not performed。 These ceremonies last for five nights and consist of dances； in which only men； fantastically painted and adorned； take part。 On the fifth night Molonga himself； personified by a man tricked out with red ochre and feathers and carrying a long feather…tipped spear； rushes forth from the darkness at the spectators and makes as if he would run them through。 Great is the excitement； loud are the shrieks and shouts； but after another feigned attack the demon vanishes in the gloom。 On the last night of the year the palace of the Kings of Cambodia is purged of devils。 Men painted as fiends are chased by elephants about the palace courts。 When they have been expelled； a consecrated thread of cotton is stretched round the palace to keep them out。 In Munzerabad； a district of Mysore in Southern India； when cholera or smallpox has broken out in a parish； the inhabitants assemble and conjure the demon of the disease into a wooden image； which they carry； generally at midnight； into the next parish。 The inhabitants of that parish in like manner pass the image on to their neighbours； and thus the demon is expelled from one village after another； until he comes to the bank of a river into which he is finally thrown。
Oftener； however； the expelled demons are not represented at all； but are understood to be present invisibly in the material and visible vehicle which conveys them away。 Here； again； it will be convenient to distinguish between occasional and periodical expulsions。 We begin with the former。
2。 The Occasional Expulsion of Evils in a Material Vehicle
THE VEHICLE which conveys away the demons may be of various kinds。 A c