Three new Malay skirts or sarongs were added, (one to each basket), and everything being ready, the various receptacles described above were entrusted to five female bearers (Penjawat), who descended from the house, with the Pawang at their head, and set out for the rice-field. Before they had gone many yards they were joined by the owner of the field, who walked in front of them bearing what was called the junjongan padi. This was the stem and leaves of a dark red kind of sugar-cane, which was used in substitution for the black or "raven" variety (tebu gagak) which, the Pawang explained, would have been used in preference if it had been obtainable. Meanwhile the procession passed on, and the Pawang repeated as we went the following prayer to the spirits:-- "In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, Peace be with thee, O Prophet 'Tap, in whose charge is the Earth, I know the origin of the Rice, S'ri Gading, Gemala Gading, That (dwelleth at) the end of the clearing, and that (dwelleth at) the beginning (top) of the clearing; That is scattered broadcast, that is cast headlong, That is over-run (!) by the ants called Silambada. Ho, Dang 'Pok, Dang Meleni, [421] (and) Dang Salamat, who carriest the pole slung on thy back, Gather together and press hitherwards your attendants. May safety and our daily bread be granted us by God." On reaching the rice the procession filed through a lane already made in the rice, until the "mother-sheaf" was reached from which the Rice-soul was to be taken. But immediately on arriving at the spot, and before depositing the rice-baskets on the ground, the Pawang repeated these lines:-- "Herons from all this region, Roost ye upon the shaft of my bow; Retire ye, O Spectral Reapers, That we may deposit our baskets upon the ground." Here the baskets were deposited, and the Pawang took up her station in front of the mother-sheaf, of which mention has just been made. Covering her head with a flowing white cloth of which the ends fell upon her shoulders, the Pawang now stood up facing the sheaf, and waved the ends of this cloth thrice upward to the right, thrice upward to the left, and finally thrice upward to the right again. Then for a few moments she stood still, close to the sheaf with her head bent forward and buried among the ears, after which she reseated herself and dabbled the tepong tawar thrice upon the roots of the sheaf. One of the female bearers now planted the stem of the sugar-cane upright in the centre of the sheaf, [422] whilst the Pawang sprinkled it with the tepong tawar, and then holding the sharpened end of it over the incense, fumigated it, saying:-- "Peace be with thee, O Prophet 'Tap! Lo, I plant this Sugar-cane For you to lean against, Since I am about to take away this Soul of yours, S'ri Gading, And carry it home to your palace, Cluck, cluck, soul! cluck, cluck, soul! cluck, cluck, soul!"