First came the Lagu Pemanggil, or Invocation, a peculiar air performed on the instruments and accompanied by the Pawang. The latter heaped incense on a brazier in front of him, and "waved" in the incense first the fiddle (rebab) and then the masks, wooden daggers, and other "properties" of the company, until they were well fumigated. He next lighted three tapers, which he charmed and took between the closed palms of his hands (held in front of him), with the fingers straight and the thumbs crossed. He then proceeded to "wave" these tapers, pointing them first to the right, then in front of him, and finally to the left, and then distributed the tapers, putting the first on the rebab, and the second on the big gong, and the third on the edge of a brazen ring in front of the place where he is sitting. He now reached for the betel-leaf box (which should be close by), and dipping the tip of his finger into the moist lime which it contained, smeared the metal all round with it, and made the sign of the cross inside the ring. Next he shrouded his head with a black cloth, and taking a handful of rice in his closed fist held it in the incense, sprinkled some of it over the brazier and "charmed" it, holding it close to his mouth. Then he suddenly scattered it first to the right, then in front, and lastly to the left, the scattering being in each case accompanied by a single boom of the big gong. The distribution of the rice being completed, he took four "chews" of betel and handed one to each of the two drummers (juru-gendang); the third he threw on to the top of the ceiling-cloth (or roof in the case of a shed, bumbong bangsal), and the fourth he buried underneath the bottom mat. [726] With his head still shrouded he now placed the tip of his right thumb within the metal ring, in the very centre of the cross, called the Heart of the Earth (pusat bumi or hati tanah), and pressing downwards with it, worked it round to the left and back again repeatedly whilst he recited the necessary charm. After this he leaned in turn on the upper end of each of the drums, which he inclined over the brazier and "charmed," concluding in each case with three loud taps on the drum which he was "charming," each tap being accompanied by similar taps on the other two drums. Finally, the Pawang put the flageolet (serunei) to his lips, and the other instruments accompanied him in the performance of the tune called taboh. [727]