NATIVES' RELIGION. 43 



we sometimes see as accompaniments to our religious observances. No 

 one comes to tbe temple with a long face, but each is dressed in bis or ber 

 best, and witb a view to enjoying him or berself ; and tbey go away witb a 

 confidence tbat tbeir wisbes will be granted pleasant to see. Sbould tbe 

 result be unpropitious, tbey merely consider tbat sometliing lias been amiss 

 in tbeir offerings, and are no more discouraged than better educated people 

 at tbe failure of tbeir prayers. Wbilst service is going on every one cbatters 

 away witbout restraint, and I was often amused by the scenes I witnessed. 

 Sometimes young married women (tbey generally came in company for 

 mutual countenance), would be rolling round and round tbe temple on tbe 

 soft turf, to move Koombappab to give tliem children. As tbe trackers stood 

 leaning on tbeir long spears, they carried on a running fire of chaff agamst 

 the unfortunate girls, expressing themselves freely (and sometimes in terms 

 which would certainly have aggravated an Engbsb female into giving them a 

 bit of her mind) as to tbeir opinions of the revolvers' points, as, tightly en- 

 veloped in their cloths, all dripping from a purificatory plunge in tbe river, 

 these rolled over and over. 



There is no Government grant to this temple. The people support it 

 amongst themselves, and all give tbe Poojaree a bundle of their crops at 

 harvest, which, together with the established perquisites at the temple, is suffi- 

 cient for his liveliliood. I have heard people exclaim in India against the 

 Government's policy of maintaining grants-in-aid of what they are pleased to 

 call heathenism. The extension of views gained by mixing much with many 

 different people must teach any one who is not an unthinking Christian, that 

 there is good in everything, and as much that is suitable to the intellectual 

 status of the people in their religious institutions as in tbeir costume, food, 

 and manner of life. Is the Government to do away with ancient endow- 

 ments, and to interest itself with those who would force one or other of tbe 

 numerous religious beliefs of a comparatively small portion of the human 

 race upon two hundred and fifty millions ? Personally I have learned to 

 respect the feelings and earnestness of the simple village communities 

 around me. I can say tbat there is not a hypocrite in the country-side, 

 nor one who decries tbe religion of his neighbour — rather a contrast in 

 the latter respect to the jealous wranglers of various denominations wlio 

 do their own causes injury by tbeir intolerance of each other in tbe same 

 mission-field. 



Good-natured and charitable, a pattern of amiability in his family rela- 

 tions, and ever ready to help his needy relatives, the rustic Hindoo is a 

 creature whom one cannot but like greatly, despite his constitutional men- 

 dacity and other little peculiarities that clash witb English notions. 



