392 ON THE TRIAL 



quantity of it : as foon as they have chewed it, they are 

 to throw it on fome leaves of pippal, or, if none be at 

 hand, on fome bliurja patra, or bark of a tree from 

 Nepal or Qajhmir. The man from whofe mouth the 

 rice comes dry, or flamed with blood, is holden guilty ; 

 the reft are acquitted. 



VII. The ordeal by hot oil is very fimple : when it is 

 heated fufficiently, the accufed thrufts his hand into it; 

 and if he be not burned, is held innocent. 



VI J I. In the fame manner they make an iron ball, or 

 the head of a lance, red hot, and place it in the hands of 

 the perfon accufed; who, if it burn him not, is judged 

 guiltlefs. 



I X . To perform the ordeal by dharmdrch, which is the 

 name of the Jloca appropriated to this mode of trial, 

 either an image, named Dharma, or the Genius of 

 Juftice, is made of filver, and another, called Adharma, 

 of clay or iron, both of which arc thrown into a large 

 earthen jar j and the accufed, having thruft his hand into 

 it, is acquitted if he bring out the filver image, but con- 

 demned if he draw forth the iron. Or the figure of a 

 deity is painted on white cloth, and another on black ; 

 the firft of which they name Dharma, and the fecond, 

 Adharma. Thefe are feverally rolled up in cow-dung, 

 and thrown into a large jar, without having ever been 

 fhown to the accufed ; who muft put his hand into the 

 jar, and is acquitted or convi&ed, as he draws out the 

 figure on white or on black cloth. 



It is written in the comment, on the Dherma So/lra, 

 that each of the four principal cafts has a fort of ordeal 



appropriated 





