CHAPTER XVII

The Indians’ magico-religious system--The Good Spirit and the Bad Spirit--Names of deities--Character of Good Spirit--His visit to earth--Question of missionary influence--Lesser subordinate spirits--Child-lifting--No prayer or supplication--Classification of spirits--Immortality of the soul--Land of the After-Life--Ghosts and name tabu--Temporary disembodied spirits--Extra-mundane spirits--Spirits of particularised evils--Spirits of inanimate objects--The jaguar and anaconda magic beasts--Tiger folk--Fear of unknown--Suspicions about camera--Venerated objects--Charms--Magic against magic--Omens 218