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lel to the rule observed by some peoples of not allowing sick people to sleep； for in sleep the soul is projected out of the body； and there is always a risk that it may not return。
As with shadows and reflections； so with portraits； they are often believed to contain the soul of the person portrayed。 People who hold this belief are naturally loth to have their likenesses taken； for if the portrait is the soul； or at least a vital part of the person portrayed； whoever possesses the portrait will be able to exercise a fatal influence over the original of it。 Thus the Esquimaux of Bering Strait believe that persons dealing in witchcraft have the power of stealing a person's shade； so that without it he will pine away and die。 Once at a village on the lower Yukon River an explorer had set up his camera to get a picture of the people as they were moving about among their houses。 While he was focusing the instrument； the headman of the village came up and insisted on peeping under the cloth。 Being allowed to do so； he gazed intently for a minute at the moving figures on the ground glass； then suddenly withdrew his head and bawled at the top of his voice to the people； He has all of your shades in this box。 A panic ensued among the group； and in an instant they disappeared helterskelter into their houses。 The Tepehuanes of Mexico stood in mortal terror of the camera； and five days' persuasion was necessary to induce them to pose for it。 When at last they consented； they looked like criminals about to be executed。 They believed that by photographing people the artist could carry off their souls and devour them at his leisure moments。 They said that； when the pictures reached his country； they would die or some other evil would befall them。 When Dr。 Catat and some companions were exploring the Bara country on the west coast of Madagascar； the people suddenly became hostile。 The day before the travellers； not without difficulty； had photographed the royal family； and now found themselves accused of taking the souls of the natives for the purpose of selling them when they returned to France。 Denial was vain； in compliance with the custom of the country they were obliged to catch the souls； which were then put into a basket and ordered by Dr。 Catat to return to their respective owners。
Some villagers in Sikhim betrayed a lively horror and hid away whenever the lens of a camera； or the evil eye of the box as they called it； was turned on them。 They thought it took away their souls with their pictures； and so put it in the power of the owner of the pictures to cast spells on them； and they alleged that a photograph of the scenery blighted the landscape。 Until the reign of the late King of Siam no Siamese coins were ever stamped with the image of the king； for at that time there was a strong prejudice against the making of portraits in any medium。 Europeans who travel into the jungle have； even at the present time； only to point a camera at a crowd to procure its instant dispersion。 When a copy of the face of a person is made and taken away from him； a portion of his life goes with the picture。 Unless the sovereign had been blessed with the years of a Methusaleh he could scarcely have permitted his life to be distributed in small pieces together with the coins of the realm。
Beliefs of the same sort still linger in various parts of Europe。 Not very many years ago some old women in the Greek island of Carpathus were very angry at having their likenesses drawn； thinking that in consequence they would pine and die。 There are persons in the West of Scotland who refuse to have their likenesses taken lest it prove unlucky； and give as instances the cases of several of their friends who never had a day's health after being photographed。
Chapter 19。 Tabooed Acts。
1。 Taboos on Intercourse with Strangers
SO much for the primitive conceptions of the soul and the dangers to which it is exposed。 These conceptions are not limited to one people or country； with variations of detail they are found all over the world； and survive； as we have seen； in modern Europe。 Beliefs so deep…seated and so widespread must necessarily have contributed to shape the mould in which the early kingship was cast。 For if every person was at such pains to save his own soul from the perils which threatened it on so many sides； how much more carefully must he have been guarded upon whose life hung the welfare and even the existence of the whole people； and whom therefore it was the common interest of all to preserve？ Therefore we should expect to find the king's life protected by a system of precautions or safeguards still more numerous and minute than those which in primitive society every man adopts for the safety of his own soul。 Now in point of fact the life of the early kings is regulated； as we have seen and shall see more fully presently； by a very exact code of rules。 May we not then conjecture that these rules are in fact the very safeguards which we should expect to find adopted for the protection of the king's life？ An examination of the rules themselves confirms this conjecture。 For from this it appears that some of the rules observed by the kings are identical with those observed by private persons out of regard for the safety of their souls； and even of those which seem peculiar to the king； many； if not all； are most readily explained on the hypothesis that they are nothing but safeguards or lifeguards of the king。 I will now enumerate some of these royal rules or taboos； offering on each of them such comments and explanations as may serve to set the original intention of the rule in its proper light。
As the object of the royal taboos is to isolate the king from all sources of danger； their general effect is to compel him to live in a state of seclusion； more or less complete； according to the number and stringency of the rules he observes。 Now of all sources of danger none are more dreaded by the savage than magic and witchcraft； and he suspects all strangers of practising these black arts。 To guard against the baneful influence exerted voluntarily or involuntarily by strangers is therefore an elementary dictate of savage prudence。 Hence before strangers are allowed to enter a district； or at least before they are permitted to mingle freely with the inhabitants； certain ceremonies are often performed by the natives of the country for the purpose of disarming the strangers of their magical powers； of counteracting the baneful influence which is believed to emanate from them； or of disinfecting； so to speak； the tainted atmosphere by which they are supposed to be surrounded。 Thus； when the ambassadors sent by Justin II。； Emperor of the East； to conclude a peace with the Turks had reached their destination； they were received by shamans； who subjected them to a ceremonial purification for the purpose of exorcising all harmful influence。 Having deposited the goods brought by the ambassadors in an open place； these wizards carried burning branches of incense round them； while they rang a bell and beat on a tambourine； snorting and falling into a state of frenzy in their efforts to dispel the powers of evil。 Afterwards they purified the ambassadors thems