﻿OF THE HINDUS, &C. 245 



At nio^ht if the corpse were burnt by day, or in 

 the day time if the ceremony were not completed 

 until night; or in case of exiQ;ency, whenever the 

 priest approves, the nearest relation of the deceased 

 takes up water in a new earthen jar, and returns to 

 the town preceded by a person bearing a staff*, and 

 attended by the rest walking in procession, and led 

 by the youngest. Going to the door of his own 

 house, or to a place of worship, or to some spot near 

 water, he prepares the ground for the oblation of a 

 funeral cake, by raising a smaJl altar of earth, and 

 marking lines on it as is practised for other oblations. 

 Then taking a brush of cusd grass in his right hand, 

 he washes therewith the ground, over which ciisd 

 grass is spread, saying, " such a one (naming the 

 deceased, and the family from which he sprung) ! 

 may this oblation be acceptable to thee." Next, 

 making a ball of three handfulls of boiled rice mixed 

 with tilarff fruits of various sorts, honey, milk, but- 

 ter, and similar things, such as sugar, roots, pot- 

 herbs, &c. (or if that be impracticable with tila at least) 

 he presents it on the spot he had purified, naming the 

 deceased, and saying, "may this first funeral cake, 

 which shall restore thy head, be acceptable to thee." 

 Again purifying the spot in the same manner as before, 

 and with the same words addressed to the deceased, 

 he silently puts fragrant flowers, resin, a lighted 

 lamp, betel leaves, and similar things, on the funeral 

 cake, and tlien presents a woollen yarn, naming the 

 deceased, and saying, "may this apparel, made of 

 woollen yarn, be acceptable to thee.'' He next offers 

 an earthen vessel full of tila and water near the fu- 

 neral cake, and says, "may this vessel of tila and 

 water be acceptable to thee." 



It is customary to set apart, on a leaf, some food 

 for the crows, after which the cake and other things 



R 3 whicli 



* The purpose of hU carrying a staff Is to scare evil spirits and 

 ghosts. 



t Sesamum indicum Linnc 



