400 A DISSERTATION ON SEMIRAMIS, 



soon produces fire, which is used for all religious 

 purposes, and also for dressing food. Every Brahmen 

 ought to have an Aram ; and when they cannot pro- 

 cure one from the SAMi'-tree, which is rather scarce 

 in this part of India, they make it with the wood of 

 the Asvatl'ba, or Pippala-tree. This is also a sacred 

 tree, and they distinguish two species of it ; the Pi 'p- 

 fala> called in the vulgar dialects Pipal y and the Cbalat- 

 palasha. The leaves of this last are larger, but the 

 fruit is smaller, and not so numerous as in the former 

 species. It is called Cbalat-palasba % from the tremu- 

 lous motion of its leaves. It is very common in the 

 hills, and the vulgar name for it is Popala ; from 

 which I suppose is derived the Latin word Populus ; 

 for it is certainly the trembling Poplar or Afpen-tree. 

 The festival of Sim ir amis falls always on the 

 tenth day of the lunar month of Aswina, which this 

 r coincided with the fourth of October. ' On this 

 day lamps arc lighted in the evening under the Sarnie 

 tree ; pfFerings are made of rice and flowers, and 

 sometimes strong liquors ; the votaries sing the praise 

 of S a m i L R a m a'-devi' and the Sami?tttG ; and having 

 worshipped them, carry away some of the leaves of 

 the tree, and earth from the roots, which they keep 

 carefully in their houses till the return of the festival 

 of Semi ram is in the ensuing year. 



ON 



