CHRISTIAN RELIGION" IN INDIA. 89 



MuHAMEDj and of the heresy of Manes, in the N. 

 W. p^.rts of Lidia, and also on the coast of Malciharf 

 and Ceylon. Among the Chrlstiam in the Peninsula, 

 be they Protestants^ Reman Catholics, or Nestorians^ 

 there are Brdhmens, who are nearly upon ih'^ >ame 

 footing with the other Brdhmens: and, when ac- 

 quainted With them, such civilities, as are usual 

 amon/ wtll bred people, are never omitted. The 

 Christian Brdhmens most rigorously abstain from 

 beef, and animal food, though they say tiiey can eat 

 of it. The greatest part of the Brdhmens in Persia^ 

 Turan, and near Baku, eat beef, but never of the flesh 

 of the cow, like many of the Egyptians of old. I'here 

 are several of these Brdhmens settled at Benares ; and 

 they are acknowledged as such, though not much 

 respected, being nick-named J^eda brash'tas, or break- 

 ers of the Vedas ; for sl Brahmen i.ay be a heretic 

 without losing his cast^ which is not so much con- 

 riecttd with his creal as might be supposed. In 

 short, the Hiiuhis acknowledge themselves, and it 

 appears from their sacred books, that they ate beef 

 formerly; but they took care to inform me, at the 

 same time, that they never ate of the flesh of the cow. 

 It is declared, that there are no Cshettris now, or in 

 other words, that the second class no longer exists. 

 Yet those, who have been raised to that rank from 

 the lowest classes, are treated as such by every 

 Brdhmen. 



We read in the institutes of Menu, that all the 

 Cliasyas, or those who inhabit the snowy mountains, 

 have lost their cast. Yet they must have recovered 

 it; for there are numerous families of Brahmens in 

 those countries, particularly in Almorah or Comdnh, 

 and much respected at Benares, who by no means 

 consider the bulk of the inhabitants, who are Chasyas, 



