44 DR. HOOKER’S MISSION TO INDIA. 
correspond with the wreck of Buddhism throughout India, in the 11th 
century. They are, in some sort, a transition sect between Buddhists 
and Hindoos, differing from the former in acknowledging castes, and 
from both in their worship of Paras-Nath’s foot, instead of that of 
Munja-gosha of the Boodhs, or Vishnu's of the Hindoos. As a sect of 
Boodhists their religion is generally considered purer and free from 
the obscenities so conspicuous in Hindoo worship; whilst, in fact, 
it is perhaps more theoretically unchaste; but the symbols are fewer, 
and indeed almost confined to the feet of Paras-Nath, and the priests 
jealously conceal their erotie doctrines. 
The temples are, though small, well built, and carefully kept. No 
persuasion could induce the Brahmins * to allow us to proceed beyond 
the vestibule without taking off our shoes, a mark of homage to which 
we would not consent. The bazaar was large for so small a village, 
and crowded to excess with natives of all castes, colours, and provinces 
of India, very many from the extreme W. and N.W., Rajpootana, the 
Madras Presidency, and Central India. Numbers had come in good 
buggies, well attended, and appeared men of wealth and consequence ; 
while the quantities of conveyances of all sorts standing about, rather 
reminded me of an election, or of a Chiswick fête, than anything I had 
ever seen in India. 
The natives of the place were a more Negro-looking race than the 
Bengalees to whom I had previously been accustomed ; and the curiosity 
and astonishment they displayed at seeing (probably very many of 
them for the first time) a party of Englishmen, was sufficiently amusing. 
Our coolies with provisions not having come up, and it being 
2 o'clock in the day, I having had no breskt; and being ignorant 
of the exclusively Jain population of the village, sent my servant to the 
bazaar, for some fowls and eggs ; but he was mobbed for asking for these 
articles, and parched rice, beaten flat, with some coarse sugar, were 
all we could obtain; together with a kind of sweetmeat, so odiously 
flavoured with various herbs, and sullied with such impurities, that 
we quickly made it over to the elephants. 
Not being able to ascend the mountain and return to-day, Mr. 
Williams and his party returned to the road, leaving Mr. Haddon and 
myself, who took up our quarters under a noble Tamarind-tree: 
* Jains allow Brahmins to officiate in their temples, 
