538 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1700-1, 



They hold in general the Ptolemaic system of the universe, and say that there 

 are 8 or g heavens, counting the air and earth, every one exceeding another in 

 beauty and glory. 



Their religion consists of nothing, that I could ever see or learn, but the 

 leading of a pure life, the washing away of their sins in the river Ganges, 

 muttering divers prayers, and doing strange and incredible penances. They say, 

 that God is such a one, that whoever seeks him, let it be after what manner he 

 pleases, whether by thinking that the sun is he, or the moon, or the like, if 

 they do it but sincerely and honestly, with a right affected heart, they shall be 

 accepted of him. They report, that on a time a mussulman seeing a Hindoo 

 or pagan priest in heaven, he asked God how that infidel came to have ad- 

 mittance there, whom Mahomet so often calls by the name of bitter roots r To 

 whom God answered. What if a bitter root bring forth sweeter fruit than any of 

 you, why should I not receive it ? Upon which the mussulman had no more to 

 say. They hold, that such as suffer not their minds to wander after the lusts of 

 the world are perfect j ogees, or saints, and hold that God is always present with 

 them in all their actions. 



It is to be found in many of their books, that there was a time, a good while 

 ago, in which God took upon him the shape of a man, and spent many years 

 in reforming the world, and giving better rules to walk by than had been before : 

 but at length having left them, they soon forgot him and his rules, and returned 

 to their former courses ; upon which he told them, that he would leave them to 

 their ways, and never undertake any such thing again. 



The religious at certain seasons of the year come to the river Ganges, which 

 they call the holy river, in vast multitudes, even from many parts of Tartary, to 

 wash away their sins, and make expiation for their faults. This Ganges is a de- 

 licate fine river, chiefly on account of its very sweet, clear water, which has got 

 it the greatest esteem of any river in the East. I have often sailed many miles 

 up it, and have found it in some places not above a mile broad, in others not 

 half so much, and in one or two places not above one-eighth of a mile. In 

 April, when the water is at the lowest, it is almost dry in many places ; but 

 when it is at the highest, which is commonly about the middle of September, it 

 is very deep, and many miles broad. When the people are gathered together 

 here, they have a great many strange customs and ceremonies, and pay a kind 

 of divine honour and worship to the river, too long here to mention. The Hin- 

 doos and Bramins preach then every day to the people, teaching them their du- 

 ties and ordering them to say such and such prayers ; but above all things to 

 be charitable to the poor and needy. 



It is reported, that on the hills of Casimir there are men that live some hun- 



