208 ON' THE RELIGION ANi> 



" fhines like this with gold, pearls, and jewels. It is 

 " furrounded by the thirty-two thrones of the in- 

 ^' ferior Nat princes, and behind thefe fit the other 

 " Nat^ each in his proper place. In this grand con- 

 " vention are alfo prefent the four chiefs of the Nat 

 *' Zadumaharit. At the time in which the Nat thus 

 " crowd round the great emperor to do him honour, 

 *' they touch their mufical inftruments, and fing me- 

 " lodioudy. The four Zadumaharit princes then call 

 *' the Nat under their jurifdi6lion, and fend them into 

 " this fouthern ifland Zabudiba, commanding them 

 *' to enquire diligently, if its inhabitants obferve the 

 " holy days and laws, and exercife charity; or if, on 

 *' the contrary, they violate the laws, and negle6l their 

 *' duty. At this command, quicker than the winds, 

 " the Nat pafs through all the parts of this ifland; 

 *' and having carefully noted, in a golden book, the 

 *' good and bad a8ions of men, they immediately re- 

 *' turn to the hall, and deliver their writing into the 

 *' hands of the four Zadumaharit princes, who pafs it 

 *' to the lefler princes Tavatcinza^ and thefe forward it, 

 *' till at length it reaches the great emperor. He, 

 *• opening the book, reads aloud, and his voice, if it 

 *' be natural and even, is heard to the diftance of 

 " twenty-two jifz^nfl : but if it be raifed, founds over 

 " the whole habitation Tavateinza. If the Nat hear 

 " that there are many men who obferve the law, 

 " praftife good works, and beftow alms, they ex- 

 " claim, " Oh! now the infernal regions will be 

 '* empty, and our abode will be full of inhabitants." 

 " If, on the contrary, there have been found few good 

 " nien, " O wretches, (fay they fmiling,) men and fools, 

 " who fealling for a fhort life, for a body four cubits 

 " in length, and for a belly not larger than a fpan, 

 *' have heaped on themfelves fin, on account of 

 *' which they mult be miferable in futurity." Then 



" the 



hereditary governors of provinces, or trihutarv princes, are yellow. Thofe 

 of governors of royal provinces, calicd Myoozouns, are blue. Lower 

 officers have black umbieiUs. but fupportcd by very long {hafts. People 

 who have no rank, uk Liatk wnbrcllai -.vith ii.afis of modciate k-ngih. 



