The Mahometan religion was established in Celebc in the end of the sixteenth or beginning of the seven teenth century, and the inhabitants thence entertain a great abhorrence against Christians. There is a high priest, who in one district was, of late years, a foreigner from a distant island, to whom much deference was shown. A rajah desirous of making war, consults the priest on its probable success, who. after a pretended reference to a book. declares his opinion : if unfavourable, the rajah prefers submitting to an indigni ty: if the reverse, he prepares for it by pros iding him self with a charm from the priest, which he believes re » eters him invulnerable.. But the charm, which is only a square piece of paper inscribed with certain characters. remains no more than six months in force.
The inhabitants of Celebes do not adhere strictly to the Mahometan law in their man imonial alliances. If a man can afford to maintain four wives, he may marry th,t number, but not otherwise. 'Toe marriages of the high er ranks are attended with many ceremonies. and arc al ways preceded by presa•nts. Three swivels and twenty pieces of white cloth arc considered a libm al donation when, on a recent occasion, the children of two chick were united. here the man had accidentally vlsited Celebes in a piratical vessel from another island ; and on the clay appointed, his father, the commander, together with his crew, came on shore, armed as if for battle. The high-priest then attired him in a pair of long silk trowsers, and also in five or six silk gowns of different colours, with a wrapper over the whole : lie put a cap on his head, which was surmounted by a turban. A pro cession towards the town, which was the residence of the woman's fattier, ensued : the bridegroom being guarded by twenty of his own men armed with spears and shields, on whose approach a number of men armed in the same manner issued from the town, when a sham fight well supported began. The townsmen, however, gradually retreated until they reached the gate, when a piece of chintz stretched across prevented their entrance. It was withdrawn on the defender's receiving a present of a lit tle beetle-nut, but replaced elsewhere, while the sham fight continued with much apparent vehemence, until the donation was repeated. This ceremony was succes sively renewed, the townsmen always retreating until the roan reached the house of the bride's residence. Imme diately upon his entrance, he seated himself beside her, and the high-priest performed the marriage ceremony, enjoining mutual regard, and telling the bride she must forsake all other men for her husband's sake, be atten tive to him and acknowledge his superiority. The priest
then began to sing a lively tune, at the close of which all the guests joined in chorus.
Youths arc circumcised at about the age of fifteen, and a year after undergo the ceremony of having their teeth Blackened, which last operation is performed on girls also, and is considered an ornament. Different festivals are celebrated on the island, which vary according to the period, and the parties that participate in them. One is held at the close of harvest, when a large tree full of branches, but stripped of the leaves, is brought into the middle of the town, and stuck in the ground. The ends of the branches being cut off, are replaced by the ex tremities of sago or cocoa-nut branches, so disposed that the leaves hang clown, and baskets containing boiled rice or Indian corn are suspended from them. When the is thus completely decorated, C1 cry person in the town contributes a dish of something, such as fish or fowl, for a feast at sun-set, and collect to dance about it. An exterior circle is formed by the old people, an interior one by the war-men and their wipes, and within that is another of youths and girls. Dancing is protracted un til midnight, when they partake of the feast, beside a large lire, and by the light of lamps. The dance is then resumed; and the tree afterwards, with great tumult, in which all engage, is despoiled of the baskets of rice. This done, the actors again return to the feast, which is now finished.
The principal diversion of the people is cock-fighting, which is practised every afternoon, and is very well un derstnod among them. The whole men in a town collect to participate of the sport, and spend hall the night in gambling with cards and dice when it is over.
The natives of Celebes entertain an idea, that if a sick person can cat he will recover ; and employ incantations in endeavouring to operate many of their cures. Their principal specific is betel-nut, and the rajah is a chid operator. IIis taking a piece into his mouth, and blow ing on the part affected, is considered a sovereign re medy. If the complaint be a fever, a drum is beat by two men, one at each end, without intermission, until the patient either dies or recovers.