258 Mr. Mawnspacn’s Description of the 
but as to what they have heard, it has as much effect upon their mind as the 
passing sea-breeze at Pooree, although perhaps a missionary, bent upon conver- 
sion, may, from their professions, believe that he has made some impression 
upon them, for you of course must know what adepts the natives are in the 
meanest dissimulation, and how very perfect in flattery. I assure you I have 
seen a Hindu from the Upper Provinces most devoutly listen to a discourse 
held by a missionary in the public street at Jagganndi’ha, beg a tract, and 
upon the missionary’s retiring, run to the temple-gate, throw it away at the 
threshold of the temple door, and fall down with his forehead on the floor : 
this is what I have seen, and needs no comment from a simple person 
like me. 
In conclusion, I shall offer a short sketch of the Ra?’h festival, such as 
celebrated at this most famous place of Hindu worship. On the new moon 
of the month of A’shdr this grand festival is celebrated, and three large 
Rat’hs, or cars of wood, are prepared for the occasion, of which the first 
has sixteen wheels, each six feet in diameter; the platform to receive the idol 
JAGGANNAT’HA is twenty-six feet square, and the whole car is fully forty feet 
high from the ground. The wood-work is ornamented with images of dif- 
ferent idols and painted, and the car has a lofty dome covered with English 
woollens of the most gaudy colours, which are bought at the import ware- 
house in Calcutta; a large wooden image is placed on one side as a cha- 
rioteer or driver of the car, and several wooden horses are suspended in 
front of the car with their legs in the air. Six strong cables are fastened to 
the Rath, by which it is dragged on its journey. The concourse of pilgrims 
is always very great, and every precaution is taken by the authorities to 
prevent accidents ; and I am happy to add that the humane exertions of the 
officiating commissioner and the magistrate have been amply rewarded, as 
not one accident has occurred in my time by the admission of the pilgrims 
to the temple: and as only Hindus are admitted within the temple, it is 
necessary to trust to the priests so far as regards the management and pre- 
cautions inside. A loud shout from the multitude announces the approach 
of the idol JaccannAt’na, who is carried from the temple by a number of 
priests appointed for that purpose by the high priest, and generally called 
Dytas. Ashort time after, the Rajah of Khurda, as hereditary high priest, 
makes his appearance in a state-palankeen of a strange construction, and 
followed by large state elephants, and generally alights near the Ra?h of 
the idol BaLasnapra, which, together with the idol SuBuaprA, are placed 
