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uth…eastern Bolivia hoisted the girl in her hammock to the roof； where she stayed for a month： the second month the hammock was let half…way down from the roof； and in the third month old women； armed with sticks； entered the hut and ran about striking everything they met； saying they were hunting the snake that had wounded the girl。
Among the Matacos or Mataguayos； an Indian tribe of the Gran Chaco； a girl at puberty has to remain in seclusion for some time。 She lies covered up with branches or other things in a corner of the hut； seeing no one and speaking to no one； and during this time she may eat neither flesh nor fish。 Meantime a man beats a drum in front of the house。 Among the Yuracares； an Indian tribe of Eastern Bolivia； when a girl perceives the signs of puberty； her father constructs a little hut of palm leaves near the house。 In this cabin he shuts up his daughter so that she cannot see the light； and there she remains fasting rigorously for four days。
Amongst the Macusis of British Guiana； when a girl shows the first signs of puberty； she is hung in a hammock at the highest point of the hut。 For the first few days she may not leave the hammock by day； but at night she must come down； light a fire； and spend the night beside it； else she would break out in sores on her neck； throat； and other parts of her body。 So long as the symptoms are at their height； she must fast rigorously。 When they have abated； she may come down and take up her abode in a little compartment that is made for her in the darkest corner of the hut。 In the morning she may cook her food； but it must be at a separate fire and in a vessel of her own。 After about ten days the magician comes and undoes the spell by muttering charms and breathing on her and on the more valuable of the things with which she has come in contact。 The pots and drinking…vessels which she used are broken and the fragments buried。 After her first bath； the girl must submit to be beaten by her mother with thin rods without uttering a cry。 At the end of the second period she is again beaten； but not afterwards。 She is now clean； and can mix again with people。 Other Indians of Guiana； after keeping the girl in her hammock at the top of the hut for a month； expose her to certain large ants； whose bite is very painful。 Sometimes； in addition to being stung with ants； the sufferer has to fast day and night so long as she remains slung up on high in her hammock； so that when she comes down she is reduced to a skeleton。
When a Hindoo maiden reaches maturity she is kept in a dark room for four days； and is forbidden to see the sun。 She is regarded as unclean； no one may touch her。 Her diet is restricted to boiled rice； milk； sugar； curd； and tamarind without salt。 On the morning of the fifth day she goes to a neighbouring tank； accompanied by five women whose husbands are alive。 Smeared with turmeric water； they all bathe and return home； throwing away the mat and other things that were in the room。 The Rarhi Brahmans of Bengal compel a girl at puberty to live alone； and do not allow her to see the face of any male。 For three days she remains shut up in a dark room； and has to undergo certain penances。 Fish； flesh； and sweetmeats are forbidden her； she must live upon rice and ghee。 Among the Tiyans of Malabar a girl is thought to be polluted for four days from the beginning of her first menstruation。 During this time she must keep to the north side of the house； where she sleeps on a grass mat of a particular kind； in a room festooned with garlands of young coco…nut leaves。 Another girl keeps her company and sleeps with her； but she may not touch any other person； tree or plant。 Further； she may not see the sky； and woe betide her if she catches sight of a crow or a cat！ Her diet must be strictly vegetarian； without salt； tamarinds； or chillies。 She is armed against evil spirits by a knife； which is placed on the mat or carried on her person。
In Cambodia a girl at puberty is put to bed under a mosquito curtain； where she should stay a hundred days。 Usually； however； four； five； ten； or twenty days are thought enough； and even this； in a hot climate and under the close meshes of the curtain； is sufficiently trying。 According to another account； a Cambodian maiden at puberty is said to enter into the shade。 During her retirement； which； according to the rank and position of her family； may last any time from a few days to several years； she has to observe a number of rules； such as not to be seen by a strange man； not to eat flesh or fish； and so on。 She goes nowhere； not even to the pagoda。 But this state of seclusion is discontinued during eclipses； at such times she goes forth and pays her devotions to the monster who is supposed to cause eclipses by catching the heavenly bodies between his teeth。 This permission to break her rule of retirement and appear abroad during an eclipse seems to show how literally the injunction is interpreted which forbids maidens entering on womanhood to look upon the sun。
A superstition so widely diffused as this might be expected to leave traces in legends and folk…tales。 And it has done so。 The old Greek story of Danae； who was confined by her father in a subterranean chamber or a brazen tower； but impregnated by Zeus； who reached her in the shape of a shower of gold； perhaps belongs to this class of tales。 It has its counterpart in the legend which the Kirghiz of Siberia tell of their ancestry。 A certain Khan had a fair daughter； whom he kept in a dark iron house； that no man might see her。 An old woman tended her； and when the girl was grown to maidenhood she asked the old woman； Where do you go so often？ My child； said the old dame； there is a bright world。 In that bright world your father and mother live； and all sorts of people live there。 That is where I go。 The maiden said； Good mother； I will tell nobody； but show me that bright world。 So the old woman took the girl out of the iron house。 But when she saw the bright world； the girl tottered and fainted； and the eye of God fell upon her； and she conceived。 Her angry father put her in a golden chest and sent her floating away （fairy gold can float in fairyland） over the wide sea。 The shower of gold in the Greek story； and the eye of God in the Kirghiz legend； probably stand for sunlight and the sun。 The idea that women may be impregnated by the sun is not uncommon in legends； and there are even traces of it in marriage customs。
4。 Reasons for the Seclusion of Girls at Puberty
THE MOTIVE for the restraints so commonly imposed on girls at puberty is the deeply engrained dread which primitive man universally entertains of menstruous blood。 He fears it at all times but especially on its first appearance； hence the restrictions under which women lie at their first menstruation are usually more stringent than those which they have to observe at any subsequent recurrence of the mysterious flow。 Some evidence of the fear and of the customs based on it has been cited in an earlier part of this work； but as the terror； for it is nothing less； which the phenomenon periodically strikes into the mind of the savage has deeply influenced his life and institutions； it may be well to illustrate the subject with some further examples。
Thus in the Encounter Bay tribe of South Australia there is； or used to be； a superstition which obliges a woman to separate herself from the camp at the time of her monthly illness； when if a young man or boy should approach； she calls out； and he immediately makes a circuit to avoid her。 If she is neglectful upon this point； she exposes herself to scolding； and sometimes to severe beating by her husband or nearest relation； because the boys are told from their infancy； that if they see the blood they will early become grey…headed； and their strength will fail prematurely。 The Dieri of Central Australia believe that if women at these times were to eat fish or bathe in a river； the fish would all die and the water would dry up。 The Arunta of the same region forbid menstruous women to gather the irriakura bulbs； which form a staple article of diet for both men and women。 They think that were a woman to break this rule； the supply of bulbs would fail。
In some Australian tribes the seclusion of menstruous women was even more rigid； and was enforced by severer penalties than a scolding or a beating。 Thus there is a regulation relating to camps in the Wakelbura tribe which forbids the women coming into the encampment by the same path as the men。 Any violation of this rule would in a large camp be punished with death。 The reason for this is the dread with which they regard the menstrual period of women。 During such a time； a woman is kept entirely away from the camp； half a mile at least。 A woman in such a condition has boughs of some tree of her totem tied round her loins； and is constantly watched and guarded； for it is thought that should any male be so unfortunate as to see a woman in such a condition； he would die。 If such a woman were to let herself be seen by a man； she would probably be put to death。 When the woman has recovered； she is painted red and white； her head covered with feathers； and returns to the camp。
In Muralug； one of the Torres Straits Islands；