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ith a special kind of string to a particular part of the house； lest the souls of the children should leave their bodies and go into the corpse which is passing。 The children are kept tied in this way until the corpse is out of sight。 And after the corpse has been laid in the grave； but before the earth has been shovelled in； the mourners and friends range themselves round the grave； each with a bamboo split lengthwise in one hand and a little stick in the other； each man thrusts his bamboo into the grave； and drawing the stick along the groove of the bamboo points out to his soul that in this way it may easily climb up out of the tomb。 While the earth is being shovelled in； the bamboos are kept out of the way； lest the souls should be in them； and so should be inadvertently buried with the earth as it is being thrown into the grave； and when the people leave the spot they carry away the bamboos； begging their souls to come with them。 Further； on returning from the grave each Karen provides himself with three little hooks made of branches of trees； and calling his spirit to follow him； at short intervals； as he returns； he makes a motion as if hooking it； and then thrusts the hook into the ground。 This is done to prevent the soul of the living from staying behind with the soul of the dead。 When the Karo…Bataks have buried somebody and are filling in the grave； a sorceress runs about beating the air with a stick。 This she does in order to drive away the souls of the survivors； for if one of these souls happened to slip into the grave and to be covered up with earth； its owner would die。
In Uea； one of the Loyalty Islands； the souls of the dead seem to have been credited with the power of stealing the souls of the living。 For when a man was sick the soul…doctor would go with a large troop of men and women to the graveyard。 Here the men played on flutes and the women whistled softly to lure the soul home。 After this had gone on for some time they formed in procession and moved homewards； the flutes playing and the women whistling all the way； while they led back the wandering soul and drove it gently along with open palms。 On entering the patient's dwelling they commanded the soul in a loud voice to enter his body。
Often the abduction of a man's soul is set down to demons。 Thus fits and convulsions are generally ascribed by the Chinese to the agency of certain mischievous spirits who love to draw men's souls out of their bodies。 At Amoy the spirits who serve babies and children in this way rejoice in the high…sounding titles of celestial agencies bestriding galloping horses and literary graduates residing halfway up in the sky。 When an infant is writhing in convulsions； the frightened mother hastens to the roof of the house； and； waving about a bamboo pole to which one of the child's garments is attached； cries out several times My child So…and…so； come back； return home！ Meantime； another inmate of the house bangs away at a gong in the hope of attracting the attention of the strayed soul； which is supposed to recognise the familiar garment and to slip into it。 The garment containing the soul is then placed on or beside the child； and if the child does not die recovery is sure to follow； sooner or later。 Similarly some Indians catch a man's lost soul in his boots and restore it to his body by putting his feet into them。
In the Moluccas when a man is unwell it is thought that some devil has carried away his soul to the tree； mountain； or hill where he （the devil） resides。 A sorcerer having pointed out the devil's abode； the friends of the patient carry thither cooked rice； fruit； fish； raw eggs； a hen； a chicken； a silken robe； gold； armlets； and so forth。 Having set out the food in order they pray； saying： We come to offer to you； O devil； this offering of food； clothes； gold； and so on； take it and release the soul of the patient for whom we pray。 Let it return to his body； and he who now is sick shall be made whole。 Then they eat a little and let the hen loose as a ransom for the soul of the patient； also they put down the raw eggs； but the silken robe； the gold； and the armlets they take home with them。 As soon as they are come to the house they place a flat bowl containing the offerings which have been brought back at the sick man's head； and say to him： Now is your soul released； and you shall fare well and live to grey hairs on the earth。
Demons are especially feared by persons who have just entered a new house。 Hence at a house…warming among the Alfoors of Minahassa in Celebes the priest performs a ceremony for the purpose of restoring their souls to the inmates。 He hangs up a bag at the place of sacrifice and then goes through a list of the gods。 There are so many of them that this takes him the whole night through without stopping。 In the morning he offers the gods an egg and some rice。 By this time the souls of the household are supposed to be gathered in the bag。 So the priest takes the bag； and holding it on the head of the master of the house； says； Here you have your soul； go （soul） to…morrow away again。 He then does the same； saying the same words； to the housewife and all the other members of the family。 Amongst the same Alfoors one way of recovering a sick man's soul is to let down a bowl by a belt out of a window and fish for the soul till it is caught in the bowl and hauled up。 And among the same people； when a priest is bringing back a sick man's soul which he has caught in a cloth； he is preceded by a girl holding the large leaf of a certain palm over his head as an umbrella to keep him and the soul from getting wet； in case it should rain； and he is followed by a man brandishing a sword to deter other souls from any attempt at rescuing the captured spirit。
Sometimes the lost soul is brought back in a visible shape。 The Salish or Flathead Indians of Oregon believe that a man's soul may be separated for a time from his body without causing death and without the man being aware of his loss。 It is necessary； however； that the lost soul should be soon found and restored to its owner or he will die。 The name of the man who has lost his soul is revealed in a dream to the medicine…man； who hastens to inform the sufferer of his loss。 Generally a number of men have sustained a like loss at the same time； all their names are revealed to the medicine…man； and all employ him to recover their souls。 The whole night long these soulless men go about the village from lodge to lodge； dancing and singing。 Towards daybreak they go into a separate lodge； which is closed up so as to be totally dark。 A small hole is then made in the roof； through which the medicine…man； with a bunch of feathers； brushes in the souls； in the shape of bits of bone and the like； which he receives on a piece of matting。 A fire is next kindled； by the light of which the medicine…man sorts out the souls。 First he puts aside the souls of dead people； of which there are usually several； for if he were to give the soul of a dead person to a living man； the man would die instantly。 Next he picks out the souls of all the persons present； and making them all to sit down before him； he takes the soul of each； in the shape of a splinter of bone； wood； or shell； and placing it on the owner's head； pats it with many prayers and contortions till it descends into the heart and so resumes its proper place。
Again； souls may be extracted from their bodies or detained on their wanderings not only by ghosts and demons but also by men； especially by sorcerers。 In Fiji； if a criminal refused to confess； the chief sent for a scarf with which to catch away the soul of the rogue。 At the sight or even at the mention of the scarf the culprit generally made a clean breast。 For if he did not； the scarf would be waved over his head till his soul was caught in it； when it would be carefully folded up and nailed to the end of a chief's canoe； and for want of his soul the criminal would pine and die。 The sorcerers of Danger Island used to set snares for souls。 The snares were made of stout cinet； about fifteen to thirty feet long； with loops on either side of different sizes； to suit the different sizes of souls； for fat souls there were large loops； for thin souls there were small ones。 When a man was sick against whom the sorcerers had a grudge； they set up these soul…snares near his house and watched for the flight of his soul。 If in the shape of a bird or an insect it was caught in the snare； the man would infallibly die。 In some parts of West Africa； indeed； wizards are continually setting traps to catch souls that wander from their bodies in sleep； and when they have caught one； they tie it up over the fire； and as it shrivels in the heat the owner sickens。 This is done； not out of any grudge towards the sufferer； but purely as a matter of business。 The wizard does not care whose soul he has captured； and will readily restore it to its owner； if only he is paid for doing so。 Some sorcerers keep regular asylums for strayed souls； and anybody who has lost or mislaid his own soul can always have another one from the asylum on payment of the usual fee。 No blame whatever attaches to men who keep these private asylums or set traps for passing souls； it is their profession； and