LITERATURE OF THE BURIVIAS. 185 



'•' from them during their whole lives ; and many, 

 *' after having performed them six or seven times, 

 *' become, as if it were, perfect men and lioly, who 

 *' have overcome all their passions, and all the de- 

 *' sires of their minds. For these reasons in this 

 *' island no one weeps, no one grieves at the death 

 *' of another: but as soon as a person dies, the body 

 " is deposited in a certain place, Avhere very large 

 ** birds, destined by fate for that purpose, carry it 

 " away to another part of the island, and there de- 

 *' vour it. Although these islanders are thirteen 

 " cubits high, they are very handsome, especially the 

 *' women, who excel in softness, suppleness, and 

 ** elegance of limbs. They are of a golden colour, 

 ^' of which, as we have said, the whole island parti- 

 " cipates, from its being opposite to the golden side 

 ' ' of Alienmo. 



" This northern island, besides, is of all others 

 *' the most agreeable. In it there is neither hot, 

 '' nor cold, nor rainy season, nor is there any in- 

 '' temperance in the air. It contains no ferocious 

 *' beasts, no serpents, nor poisonous insects, that 

 *' infest the lifeof maii. Its happy inhabitants re- 

 *' quire no houses, but live their whole lives safe 

 '* and tranquil in the open air. Every where it 

 *' abounds with the most beautiful trees, of a golden 

 " colour, from whence hang, in profusion and va- 

 *' riety, the most delicious fruits, and the sweetest 

 *' scented flowers. The same trees pour forth most 

 *' shining gums, which serve the natives for per- 

 "' fumed ointments. The whole island flows with 

 " streams of sandal- wood water, in which the na- 

 * ' lives sport and swim. But although these northern 

 " islanders thus excel the others in happiness; they 

 ^* are inferior to those of the south in courtesy, pru- 

 " dence, and cunning." Cunning among all the 

 worshippers of Bouddha is esteemed a great virtue; 

 and 1 much suspect, from the practise, that the .doc- 

 trine of the simple Pandits, as Sir W. Jones is 

 pleased to call them, has not in this point tended to 

 jiniprove the morals of their Hindu converts. 



'' XII. 



