-¥993- the Indian coitage, a tale. 37 
_ eurselves to be as often wafhed by the hand of a brahmin in cow’s 
urine.” All the Indians cried out, “ No we will not enter the abode 
_ ofa paria.” ‘ How did you know, said the doctor to his flambeau 
bearer, that your countryman was a paria, that is without faith or 
law.’ “* Because, replied the flambeau bearer, when I opened the 
door of his hut I saw, that along with his dog, he was lying on the 
same mat with his wife, and was offering her something to drink in a 
cew’shorn.” All the people attending the doctor repeated their for- 
"mer refusal, “No we will not énter the abode of a paria !’* ‘ Stay 
thenhere if you please, said the Englifhman: for my part all the casts of 
the Indies are ?*#ke to me, when I have no other concern with them 
bat only to fhelter myself from the rain.’ Saying these words he des- 
cended from his palanquin; and taking under his arm his book of 
questions with his night gown, and in his hand his pistols and his 
pipe, he came away from them quite alone to the door of the hut. 
Scarce had he knocked, when a man of a very mild physiognomy 
came to open it, and immediately started back, saying, “‘I am oniy, 
Sir, a poor paria, and am not worthy to receive you; but if you think 
proper to fhelter yourself in my hut, you will do me very great ho- 
nour.” ‘ Brother replied the Englifhman, I gladly accept your hospi- 
tality.’ 
Meanwhile the paria went out with a torch in his hand, a burden 
of dry sticks on his back, and a bafket full of cocoanuts and bananas 
under his arm. He went towards the doctor’s attendants, who were 
at some distance under a tree, and said to them, “ Since you will not 
do me the honour to enter my hut, here are nuts in their fhells, which 
you can-eat without being polluted ; and here is some fire to dry you 
and to save you from the tygers. May God preserve and blefs you.” 
He immediately returned into his hut, and said to the doctor, “ Sir, I 
repeat it to you, I am only a poor paria; but, as I see from your co- 
lour and drefs that you are not an Indian, I hope you will feel no re- 
pugnance against the victuals that your poor servant will set before 
you.” At the same time he laid down upon a mat, some roasted 
potatoes, bananas done upon the gridiron, and a pot of rice, with su~ 
gar, and milkof the cocoanut; after which he withdrew to his mat 
beside his wife, and his child which was asleep hard by in its cradle. 
* Virtuous man, said the doctor, you are much better than Iam, since 
you do good to those who despise you. If you honour me not with 
your presence upon the same mat, I fhall think that you take me for 
‘a bad man, and I willgo out of yourcottage instantly, though I fhould 
$e drowned by the rain, or devoured by the tygers,’. 
“) 
