342 Mr. Ranking on the Origin 



The kingdom of East Bengalla, the capital of which stood 

 on the east shore of the mouth of the Ganges, but is now sub- 

 merged (described in Wars and Sports, ch. vii.) was conquered 

 by Kublai in 1272, and sent the tribute in ships to Fokein. 

 As the writer of these notes lived many years at Dacca, on the 

 west bank of the river, he is enabled to give some identifications 

 from personal knowledge. 



The American Indians suspend themselves by the arms, legs, 

 or sides, to show their devotion. A boy drew two bufFalos' 

 heads a few hundred yards by cords fixed in the fleshy part of 

 his sides. (Brackenridge, Missouri, 160.) — JVote. The writer . 

 found one of his own servants, a torch-bearer, suspended by a 

 hook through the flesh of his back, (to better his condition in 

 the next life, he said.) He has seen the Hindoos run along 

 with a tightly-stretched cord, fastened to posts, inserted in the 

 flesh of each side ; these were the shoemaker cast. 



The American Indians use golden thread ; they have shoes 

 of hart skin, with white soles, and sewed with golden wire, with 

 a blue and white stone of looking-glass. (Peter Martyr, Dec. 

 iv. ch. ix.) — Note. These describe the well-known slippers of 

 India ; the writer possesses a pair. 



The eating of fire, swallowing daggers, raising the dead, and 

 other tricks, have been witnessed by many, and related by those 

 who were deceived by their own credulity and the sleight of the 

 juggler. (Remarks on the Ind. of JV. Amer. p. 5.) — Note. 

 A Calmuc must prove his innocence by carrying a red-hot 

 hatchet or bit of iron, on the ends of his fingers, several toises 

 distance. I am told that many of them perform the ordeal so 

 adroitly as not to burn themselves. (Pallas, i. 533) 



The fire and dagger tricks have been exhibited in England, 

 The writer saw the Indians at Madras swallow long daggers, 

 as it is called, but drew them back ; — he was told that children 

 from early age were accustomed to put blunt sticks down their 

 throats, to train their stomachs. Resuscitating the dead is a 

 common trick among the Lamas. - (De Guignes, ii. 236.) 

 Erlic Han has the power to raise the dead ; it is from them 

 that they receive what knowledge they have of hell and future 

 existence. (Pallas, vol. i. 554.) 



