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RELIGIOUS RITES.

purpose,'the nut being placed on the ground, arelation of the sick person determines that, ifthe nut, when again at rest, points to such aquarter, the east for example, that the sick manwill recover: he then prays aloud to the patrongod of the family, that he will be pleased to di-rect the nut, so that it may indicate the truth :the nut being next spun, the result is attendedto with confidence, at least with a full convic-tion that it will truly declare the intentions ofthe gods at the time. The other occasions inwhich the spinning of a cocoa-nut is used, ischiefly for amusement, and then no prayer ismade, and no degree of credit is attached tothe result. The women often spin a cocoa-nutto decide some dispute at a game.