Royal Societv. 501 
upon which he told them, that he would leave them to their 
ways, and never undertake any fuch thing again. 
The religious, at Ibme certain leafons of the year come to the 
river Ganges (which they call the holy river) in vaft multitudes, 
even from many parts of Tartary^ to ivafh away their fins, ami 
make expiation for their faults 5 this GatJges i? a delicate fine 
river, chiefly on account of its very fweet, pure, and clear water, 
which has got it the greatefl efteem of any river m theeaft^ 
Mr. Alarfral failed feveral times up this river, and found it in 
Ibme places not above a mile broad, in others not half ib much, 
and in one or two places not above an eighth of a mile • in Aprils 
when the water is at the lowell, it is almoft dry in feveral 
places 5 but when it is at the highefl:, which is commonly about 
the middle of September^ it is very deep, and feveral .miles 
broad : When the people are gathered together here, they have a 
great many ftrange cull oms, and ceremonies, and pay a kind of 
divine honour and worHiip to the river, too long to mention 5 the 
Hindoos and Sramines preach then every day to the people, 
teaching them their duty, and ordering them to lay luch and fuch 
prayers 5 but above all things to be charitable to the poor and 
needy. 
It IS reported, that on the hills of Cafmere there are men that 
live ibme hundred of years, and can hold their breath, and lie in 
trances for feveral years together, if they be but kept warm; and 
that every year fpme of them come down to the people at the 
Ganges^ and perform feveral cures ; for whom they have fuch a 
veneration, that they frequently drink the water they wafh their 
fweaty feet in: The penances and aufterities that rhey undergo 
are almoft incredible; moft of them, thro' rheir continual fall- 
ings, and lying upon the parching hot land in the heat of the 
fun, are fo lean, dried and withered, that they look like flcele- 
tons or.fliadows, and one can fcarce perceive them breathe, or 
feel their pulle beat ; when any great man dies am.ongft them, 
but efpeci Jly any of their jfogees^ or faints, they make great 
preparations for his funeral ; the corpie is laid on its belly,' and 
fait and rice fet round about it, at every corner on the ground • 
then the neareft relations to the party deceafed carry a pot of 
water on their fhoulders feveral times about the funeral-pile; then 
breaking the pot in pieces, they fpiU the watery which ceremo- 
ny being ended, they fet fire to the pile, and then all the relations 
begin to howl, and embrace one another; then wa filing them- 
felves in fbme neighbouring river, they depart every one to his 
home 3 and as to the remaining afhes, if he is rich, they gather 
them 
