From the almost motionless crowd came a slender brown boy of about sixteen. With his eyes closed and his head thrown back he tore off his clothes and danced naked before the image-a frenzied, jerky dance with many odd poses. As he danced he grew wilder, screaming again and again like a terrified jungle animal. A bearded priest took up a goblet of water, filled his mouth, and spat full force into the boy's face. The boy shivered violently. Slowly his eyes opened. With great effort he picked up his clothes and staggered toward the crowd. Another youth, slightly older, rushed out and threw his arms about the boy. He held him gently for a moment, then helped him dress.

Two men brought a struggling goat to the altar. One held its head, the other its legs. A priest, who had been lying prostrate upon the ground, sprang to his feet with a chilling shriek and, with a heavy curved blade, slashed the goat's head from its body.

Now was the time for the fire walking. From behind the temple came two barefoot Indian boys with an emaciated priest between them. Each clasped one of his hands. There was not a trace of fear on their faces as they approached the fiery carpet and calmly walked onto it. Their feet sank in deep. Unhurriedly they crossed to the other side, leaving footprints alive with leaping tongues of flame. Drums roared and cymbals clashed to indicate the blessing of the Nine Emperor God. He was pleased.

A dozen laughing women followed. They held their saris high to keep them from scorching. Then a bulky

one

woman, built much like a Judo wrestler, threw back her head with a yell and waddled forth. She sank in the hot coals up to her ankles, but she continued to laugh and wave to the crowd, which shouted and waved back.

I glanced at Kerley. In the strong blaze of the morning sun his whiteness stood forth against the wide field of black and brown human beings. His expression did not change once as he watched the proceedings, not even when a mother carrying a child across the pit stumbled, dropping the screaming babe onto the heat. It was immediately rescued and the mother pulled to safety.

Five men, their eyes wide with fear, stopped at the very edge. The priests shrieked at them, but they did not move. Seizing whips, the priests lashed them across the backs. The men cowered, but the priests did not stop the lashing. At last, with agonized faces, they dashed across the fire and off into the crowd.

A young man stepped forth alone, clad in a saffron-colored loin cloth. His beauty was so striking that it made an impression almost stronger than all else I had seen to this point. His dark brown body could have been a masterpiece sculped by Rodin, so perfect were strong lines of his graceful virility as he paused there immobile at the edge of the coals. His rich black hair gleamed like onyx. Suddenly I recalled having seen his face before, and I looked swiftly toward Kerley. He, too, was rigid enough to have been a statue--but one with terrified eyes and teeth clamped into his lower lip.

16