THE ACHEHNESE - Acehbooks.org

Objects the
wearing of
which ensuresinvulnerability.
Peugawe.
36
that a transgression of this pantang regulation would result in the death
of the heedless disciple who disregarded it.
In the night following the first day of the treatment, the patients
complain of a heavy feeling in the neck, the idea being that the
quicksilver has not yet fully dispersed and collects beneath the back
TEUKU NE' OF MEURA'SA.
of the head when the
patient assumes a recum­
bent attitude. The remedy
for this intolerable feeling
is the repetition of a rajah
or exorcising formula by
the instructor.
To give some notion of
the energy with which the
mercury is rubbed in, we
may mention the popular
report that Teuku Ne'
of Meura'sa absorbed 10
katis (about 13 lbs.) of
quicksilver into his body
through the skin ').
The "introduction of
quicksilver" is, however
not the only method em­
ployed to produce in­
vulnerability. There are
certain objects which have
only to be worn on the
body to render it proof
against wounds.
One class of such ob­
jects is known •aspeugawe.
These have the outward appearance of certain living creatures, such as
insects, caterpillars, lizards etc., but are in fact composed of iron or
some still harder metal, which a knife cannot scratch. They are only
to be met with by some lucky chance on the roadside or in the forest.
1) Massage with mercury appears to be also regarded as a specific to secure invulnerability
among the Malays of the Padang highlands.