WEST AFRICAN VIEWS OF THE SOUL.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sra,—Your article in the Spectator of March 20th on "West African Views of the Soul" was very interesting. Perhaps the following story may interest some. I should premise that the Santh6,lis are an aboriginal people of Dravidian origin, who migrated in the last century from Central India, and took possession of a tract of country in Upper Bengal, stretching from Bhigalpur to Nawadi. They left in possession of the Raj Mahal Hills a still more ancient and aboriginal people, stunted and round-headed, calling themselves Matto, or "the people," just as on the extreme north-east frontier of Assam we find an important race called the Singpho, which also means "the people," or "the men." A reading- book and dictionary of the Malto language was published by Mr. Droese, a German in English orders, who worked for forty years as a Church Missionary Society missionary. It is to be feared that since his death few concern themselves
with the Malto, but the Santhalis are a vigorous people, who cannot be ignored. Now for my story.
Two Santinilis were on their travels, and at mid-day rested under a tree. One fell asleep, and on awakening told his companion a terrible dream. "In my dream I was thirsty and went to the well to draw water, but I slipt and fell in, and it was hours before I managed to clamber out again." Said his companion : "This was no dream. Whilst you slept I saw your soul, in the shape of a lizard, issue from your mouth. It ran to the long-necked water-bottle, climbed up, and fell in. It was a very long while before it got out again. Then it hurried to your body, made its way to your mouth, re-entered, and so got home."—I am, Sir, Sze.,
CHARLES DOWDING.
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