The vessel in the case of an important person is occasionally of great size and excellent finish--indeed, local tradition has it that an exceptionally large and perfect specimen (which was launched upon the Klang river in Selangor some years ago, on the occasion of an illness of the Tungku 'Chik, eldest daughter of the late Sultan), was actually towed down to sea by the Government steam launch `Abdul Samad. When all is ready the lanchang is loaded with offerings, which are of an exactly similar character to those which are deposited on the sacrificial tray or anchak [673] already described. Then one end of a piece of yellow thread is fastened to the patient's wrist (the other end being presumably made fast to the spirit-boat, or lanchang); incense is burnt and a charm recited, the purport of it being to persuade the evil spirits which have taken possession of the patient to enter on board the vessel. This, when they are thought to have done so, is then [674] taken down to the sea or river and set adrift, invariably at the ebb tide, which is supposed to carry the boat (and the spirits with it) "to another country." One of the charms used at this stage of the ceremony even mentions the name of the country to which the devils are to be carried, the place singled out for this distinction being the Island of Celebes! The passage in question runs as follows:-- "Peace be unto you, Devils of the sea, and Demons of the sea, Neither on cape, nor bay, nor sandbank be ye stuck or stranded! This vessel (lanchang) is that of Arong, [675] Do you assist in guarding this offering from his grandchildren, And vex not this vessel. I request you to escort it to the land of Celebes, To its own place. By the grace of," etc. This same charm is used mutatis mutandis for the Balei (Spirit-hall). A common form of the "Lanchang" charm runs as follows:-- "Ho, elders of the upper reaches, Elders of the lower reaches, Elders of the dry land, Elders of the river-flats, Assemble ye, O people, Lords of hill and hill-foot, Lords of cavern and hill-locked basin, Lords of the deep primeval forest, Lords of the river-bends, Come on board this Lanchang, assembling in your multitudes, So may ye depart with the ebbing stream, Depart on the passing breeze, Depart in the yawning earth, Depart in the red-dyed earth. Go ye to the ocean which has no wave, And the plain where no green herb grows, And never return hither. But if ye return hither, Ye shall be consumed by the curse. At sea ye shall get no drink, Ashore ye shall get no food, But gape (in vain) about the world. By the grace of," etc. Sometimes the crocodile-spirit is requested to act as the forwarding agent in the transaction; thus we find a short lanchang-charm running as follows:--