from the ordinary marks of spear butts, for they are much smaller and
deeper. This belief seems to show that the Potsos are regarded as
coming in material form. The objects brought by the Potsos are
generally believed to be taken back by them, but Niroyo village claim
that some of their rice is from seed rice given to a ratsen by a Potso.
A typical instance of this curious belief that these beings from
another world sometimes visit the earth is the supposed visit of Potsos
to the ratsen ’Nchemo of Illimyo in April 1919. ’Nchemo reported that
two Potsos came with fourteen attendants and brought with them reeds,
meaning sunny weather, part of a railway carriage (!), meaning
elephants would give trouble, two loads of dark blue thread, meaning
that someone would die “apotia,” and a broom, meaning that wind would
damage the crops. The day after a village is visited by Potsos is kept
as an emung both by the village to which they came and by its
neighbours. Formerly if any village was visited in this way all Lhota
villages, however distant, kept one day’s emung when they heard the
news. Apart from special ceremonies performed to appease or gain the
favour of the Rangsis, Sityingo and such-like godlings, it is to the
Potsos that prayers are offered in sacrifices. Just as in England huge
circular depressions in the hills are often called Devil’s Punchbowls,
so the Lhota tends to assign big or curious things to the Potsos. For
instance, the polished stone celts which are sometimes found in the
fields are regarded as thunderbolts and are called “Potso’s axes”
(Potsophü). The long flat seed-case, too, of a certain tree is called
“Potso’s weaving-sword” (Potsotsitam). [127]