PAGODA AT PERWUTTUM. 30/ 



fpeculum, was brought from the Rajpoot amuldars 

 houfe. It was round, about two feet in diameter, mid 

 fixed to a brafs handle, ornamented with figures of 

 cows ; the polifhed iide was convex, but lb foul that 

 it could not reflect the fun beams ; another was there- 

 fore brought, rather fmaller and concave, furrounded 

 by a narrow rim and without a handle. Directly op- 

 posite to the gate of the Pagoda is a ftone buildings 

 raifed on pillars, enclofmg a well, and ending in a 

 point ; and, being at the diftance of twelve or fourteen 

 feet, darkens the gateway by its fhadow, until the fun 

 rifes above it : this, no doubt, has been contrived on 

 purpofe to raife the expectation of the people, and by 

 rendering the fight of the idol more rare, to favour 

 the impofition of the Brahmens. The moment being- 

 come, I was permitted to ftand on the fteps in front of 

 the threlnold without, (having put off my fhoes, to 

 pleafe the directors of the ceremony, though it would 

 not have been infilled on,) while a crowd furrounded 

 me, impatient to obtain a glimpfe of the aweful figure 

 within. A boy, being placed near the door- way, waved 

 and played the concave mirror, in fuch a manner, as 

 to throw gleams of light into the Pagoda, in the deepelr. 

 recefs whereof was difcovered, by means of thefe co~ 

 rufcations, a fmall, oblong, roundifh white frone, with 

 dark rings, fixed in a filver cafe. I was permitted to 

 go no farther, but my curiofity was now fufricientlv 

 Satisfied. It appears, that this god Malllcarjee is no 

 other than the Linga??i y to which fuch reverence is paid 

 by certain caits of the Gentoos; and the reafon why he 

 is here reprefented by floncs un wrought, may be un- 

 derflood from the Brahmens' account of the origin of 

 this place of worftiip. My interpreter had been ad- 

 mitted the day before into t&s fanftum Janftomm, and 

 allowed to touch the ftone, which he fays is fmooth, 

 and ihining, and that the dark rings or ftreaks are 

 painted on it ; probably it is an agate, or fome other 

 ftone of a lilicious kind, found near fome parts of the 

 Kifhna., and of an uncommon fize. The fpeculums were 

 of a whitifh metal, probably a mixture of tin and brafs. 



Thefe 



