of the Old World. 121 



nerosity of the sahib log (gentlemen), he hoped to live 

 well in future, and not to be obliged to make such 

 meals as he had done that morning, the nature and 

 quality of which he proceeded to show us ; for, striking 

 his chin with his wand, and opening his mouth, he pro- 

 duced some pounds' weight of pebbles, followed up by 

 a quantity of small shells, then long strings of paper of 

 different colours, and finishing off by ejecting a huge 

 black scorpion all alive, round which he danced, testi- 

 fying his joy, as he proceeded gravely to explain to\ 

 us that this bold reptile having got into his stomach 

 in some water which he had drank from a well on 

 which the Evil Eye had fallen, he had had no peace 

 ever since, as it devoured all the food he put into 

 his stomach, and prevented his appetite ever being 

 satisfied. 



He now handed round for our inspection a dry 

 mangoe-stone, which he afterwards buried in the 

 ground, muttering imprecations against all evil spirits 

 as he did so, and pouring a little water over the 

 spot, which he assured us came from the blessed 

 Ganges. 



He then produced a small stone image of the 

 goddess Bowanee,* to which he prayed that he might 

 live to eat of the fruit of the tree of which he had 

 just planted the seed. Immediately afterwards he 

 dug up the stone, and finding it in the same state as 



* Bowanee or Kalee the Hindoo goddess of destruction, the 

 deity of the Thugs. 



