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g a bamboo full of water over the grave； there is a small hole in the lower end of the bamboo； so that the water drips from it continually。 The bamboo is always refilled with water until rain drenches the ground。 Here； as in New Caledonia； we find religion blent with magic； for the prayer to the dead chief； which is purely religious； is eked out with a magical imitation of rain at his grave。 We have seen that the Baronga of Delagoa Bay drench the tombs of their ancestors； especially the tombs of twins； as a raincharm。 Among some of the Indian tribes in the region of the Orinoco it was customary for the relations of a deceased person to disinter his bones a year after burial； burn them； and scatter the ashes to the winds； because they believed that the ashes were changed into rain； which the dead man sent in return for his obsequies。 The Chinese are convinced that when human bodies remain unburied； the souls of their late owners feel the discomfort of rain； just as living men would do if they were exposed without shelter to the inclemency of the weather。 These wretched souls； therefore； do all in their power to prevent the rain from falling； and often their efforts are only too successful。 Then drought ensues； the most dreaded of all calamities in China； because bad harvests； dearth； and famine follow in its train。 Hence it has been a common practice of the Chinese authorities in time of drought to inter the dry bones of the unburied dead for the purpose of putting an end to the scourge and conjuring down the rain。
Animals； again； often play an important part in these weather…charms。 The Anula tribe of Northern Australia associate the dollar…bird with rain； and call it the rain…bird。 A man who has the bird for his totem can make rain at a certain pool。 He catches a snake； puts it alive into the pool； and after holding it under water for a time takes it out； kills it； and lays it down by the side of the creek。 Then he makes an arched bundle of grass stalks in imitation of a rainbow； and sets it up over the snake。 After that all he does is to sing over the snake and the mimic rainbow； sooner or later the rain will fall。 They explain this procedure by saying that long ago the dollar…bird had as a mate at this spot a snake； who lived in the pool and used to make rain by spitting up into the sky till a rainbow and clouds appeared and rain fell。 A common way of making rain in many parts of Java is to bathe a cat or two cats； a male and a female； sometimes the animals are carried in procession with music。 Even in Batavia you may from time to time see children going about with a cat for this purpose； when they have ducked it in a pool； they let it go。
Among the Wambugwe of East Africa； when the sorcerer desires to make rain； he takes a black sheep and a black calf in bright sunshine； and has them placed on the roof of the common hut in which the people live together。 Then he slits the stomachs of the animals and scatters their contents in all directions。 After that he pours water and medicine into a vessel； if the charm has succeeded； the water boils up and rain follows。 On the other hand； if the sorcerer wishes to prevent rain from falling； he withdraws into the interior of the hut； and there heats a rock…crystal in a calabash。 In order to procure rain the Wagogo sacrifice black fowls； black sheep； and black cattle at the graves of dead ancestors； and the rain…maker wears black clothes during the rainy season。 Among the Matabele the rain…charm employed by sorcerers was made from the blood and gall of a black ox。 In a district of Sumatra； in order to procure rain； all the women of the village； scantily clad； go to the river； wade into it； and splash each other with the water。 A black cat is thrown into the stream and made to swim about for a while； then allowed to escape to the bank； pursued by the splashing of the women。 The Garos of Assam offer a black goat on the top of a very high mountain in time of drought。 In all these cases the colour of the animal is part of the charm； being black； it will darken the sky with rain…clouds。 So the Bechuanas burn the stomach of an ox at evening； because they say； The black smoke will gather the clouds and cause the rain to come。 The Timorese sacrifice a black pig to the Earth…goddess for rain； a white or red one to the Sun…god for sunshine。 The Angoni sacrifice a black ox for rain and a white one for fine weather。 Among the high mountains of Japan there is a district in which； if rain has not fallen for a long time； a party of villagers goes in procession to the bed of a mountain torrent； headed by a priest； who leads a black dog。 At the chosen spot they tether the beast to a stone； and make it a target for their bullets and arrows。 When its life…blood bespatters the rocks； the peasants throw down their weapons and lift up their voices in supplication to the dragon divinity of the stream； exhorting him to send down forthwith a shower to cleanse the spot from its defilement。 Custom has prescribed that on these occasions the colour of the victim shall be black； as an emblem of the wished…for rain…clouds。 But if fine weather is wanted； the victim must be white； without a spot。
The intimate association of frogs and toads with water has earned for these creatures a widespread reputation as custodians of rain； and hence they often play a part in charms designed to draw needed showers from the sky。 Some of the Indians of the Orinoco held the toad to be the god or lord of the waters； and for that reason feared to kill the creature。 They have been known to keep frogs under a pot and to beat them with rods when there was a drought。 It is said that the Aymara Indians often make little images of frogs and other aquatic animals and place them on the tops of the hills as a means of bringing down rain。 The Thompson Indians of British Columbia and some people in Europe think that to kill a frog will cause rain to fall。 In order to procure rain people of low caste in the Central Provinces of India will tie a frog to a rod covered with green leaves and branches of the n？m tree （Azadirachta Indica） and carry it from door to door singing：
Send soon； O frog； the jewel of water！ And ripen the wheat and millet in the field。
The Kapus or Reddis are a large caste of cultivators and landowners in the Madras Presidency。 When rain fails； women of the caste will catch a frog and tie it alive to a new winnowing fan made of bamboo。 On this fan they spread a few margosa leaves and go from door to door singing； Lady frog must have her bath。 Oh！ rain…god； give a little water for her at least。 While the Kapu women sing this song； the woman of the house pours water over the frog and gives an alms； convinced that by so doing she will soon bring rain down in torrents。
Sometimes； when a drought has lasted a long time； people drop the usual hocus…pocus of imitative magic altogether； and being far too angry to waste their breath in prayer they seek by threats and curses or even downright physical force to extort the waters of heaven from the supernatural being who has； so to say； cut them off at the main。 In a Japanese village； when the guardian divinity had long been deaf to the peasants' prayers for rain； they at last threw down his image and； with curses loud and long； hurled it head foremost into a stinking rice…field。 There； they said； you may stay yourself for a while； to see how you will feel after a few days' scorching in this broiling sun that is burning the life from our cracking fields。 In the like circumstances the Feloupes of Senegambia cast down their fetishes and drag them about the fields； cursing them till rain falls。
The Chinese are adepts in the art of taking the kingdom of heaven by storm。 Thus； when rain is wanted they make a huge dragon of paper or wood to represent the rain…god； and carry it about in procession； but if no rain follows； the mock…dragon is execrated and torn to pieces。 At other times they threaten and beat the god if he does not give rain； sometimes they publicly depose him from the rank of deity。 On the other hand； if the wished…for rain falls； the god is promoted to a higher rank by an imperial decree。 In April 1888 the mandarins of Canton prayed to the god Lung…wong to stop the incessant downpour of rain； and when he turned a deaf ear to their petitions they put him in a lock…up for five days。 This had a salutary effect。 The rain ceased and the god was restored to liberty。 Some years before； in time of drought； the same deity had been chained and exposed to the sun for days in the courtyard of his temple in order that he might feel for himself the urgent need of rain。 So when the Siamese need rain； they set out their idols in the blazing sun； but if they want dry weather； they unroof the temples and let the rain pour down on the idols。 They think that the inconvenience to which the gods are thus subjected will induce them to grant the wishes of their worshippers。
The reader may smile at the meteorology of the Far East； but precisely similar modes of procuring rain have been resorted to in Christian Europe within our own lifetime。 By the end of April 1893 there was great distress in Sicily for lack of water。 The drought had lasted six months。 Every day the sun rose and set in a sky of