OBSERVATIONS ON THE SEEKS, &C. 2$) 



Obfervations on the Seeks and their College. 



T FOUND the CollegeoftheiSWifituatedinoneofthe 

 ■*■ narrow ftreets of Patna, at no very considerable dis- 

 tance from the Cuftom-houfe. I was permitted to enter 

 the outward gate ; but as foon as I came to the ftep.s 

 which led up into the Chapel, or public hall, I was 

 civilly accofted by two of the Society. I afked them if 

 I might afcend into the hall. They faid it was a place 

 of worth ip, open to me and to all men ; but, at the 

 fame time, intimated, that I mult take off my fhocs* 

 As I confidered this ceremony in the fame light as un- 

 cc*tfering my head upon entering any of our temples 

 dedicated to the Deity, I did not heiitate to comply ; 

 and I was then politely conducted into the hall, and feated 

 upon a carpet in the midit of the aflembly, which was fo 

 numerous as almoft to fill the room. The whole build- 

 ing forms a fquare of about forty feet, raifed from the 

 ground about fix or eight fteps. The hall is in the 

 center, divided from four other apartments by wooden 

 arches, upon pillars of the fame materials, all neatly 

 carved. This room is rather longer than it is broad. 

 The floor was covered with a neat carpet, and furnifhed 

 with fix or feven low defks, on which Hood as many 

 of the books of their law ; and the walls, above the 

 arches, were hung with European looking-glaffes in 

 gold frames, and pictures of Mujpuhnan Princes and 

 Hindoo Deities. A little room, which, as you enter, is 

 fituated at the left-hand end of the hall, is the chancel, 

 and is furnifhed with an altar covered with a cloth of 

 gold, upon which was laid a round black ihield over a 

 long broad-fword, and on either fide a chowry of pea- 

 cock's feathers, mounted in a filver handle. The altar 

 was raifed a little above the ground, in a declining por- 

 tion. Before it flood a low kind of throne, plated with 

 filver; but rather too fmall to be ufeful : about it were fe-. 



vera! 



