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XV. A SHOUT Account of the Sauds. By JVilliau Henry Trant, 



Esq., M.P. 



Read February 5, 1825. 



In March 181C, I went with two other gentlemen from Fatahghar, oii 

 the invitation of the principal persons of the Saud sect, to witness an assem- 

 blage of them, for the purpose of religious worship, in the city of Farruk- 

 hdbdd, the general meeting of the sect for t^iat year being there. 



The assembly took place within the court-yard of a large house, where 

 the number of men, women, and children was considerable. 



We were received with great attention ; and chairs were placed for us in 

 front of the hall. After some time, when the place was quite full of 

 people, the ceremony commenced, which consisted simply in the chaunting 

 of a hymn ; this being the only mode of public worship used by the 

 Sauds. 



At subsequent periods I made particular enquiries relative to the reli- 

 gious opinions and practices of this sect, and I was frequently visited by 

 Bhawani Das, the principal person of the sect in the city of Farridhdbdd. 



The following is the substance of the account given by Bhawani Das of 

 the origin of this sect. 



" About the year lOOO of the era of Vicramadjtya, corresponding with 

 A.D. 1544, a person named Birbhan, inhabitant of Bhjasir, near Namoul, 

 in the province of Delhi, leceived a miraculous communication from 

 Udaya Das, teaching him the particulars of the religion now professed by 

 the Sauds. Udaya Das, at the same time, gave to Birbhan marks hy which 

 he might know him on his re-appearance. 



" 1. That whatever he foretold, should happen. 



" 2. That no shadow should be cast iiom his figure. 



" 3. That he would tell him his tlioughts. 



" 4. That he would be suspended between heaven and earth. 



" 5. That he would bring the dead to life." 



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