EyS ON THE RELIGION AND 



founders generally build houfes for the accommoda- 

 tion of ftrangers and travellers. Thefe houfes are 

 commonly very good defences againft the weather; nay, 

 many of them are very handfome. Any perfon may there 

 pafs the day or night, and he is fure of being kindly 

 received by the Rahans, and of being by them fup- 

 plicd with provifions. Befides this virtue, the Rahans 

 are very humane, and in confequence have often dif- 

 putes with the magiftrates. It is a law, that no crimi- 

 nal can be executed within the gates of a city : nor can 

 he be put to death, Ihould a Rdhan touch him when 

 leading to the place of execution. This privilege 

 the PJ'ihans often exert; and although they no doubt 

 are fometimes bribed thus to fave a bad man, yet I 

 believe they much oftener interfere to prevent injuf- 

 tice. Another great virtue of the Rahans is tolera- 

 tion. From the difcourfe of the Zarado, it is evi- 

 dent, that they wifh to make converts to the religion 

 of GoDAMA, and that they think their religion intend- 

 ed to fave all men who are willing to believe: but I 

 never faw nor heard of any attempt by the Rahans to 

 ufe violence in this converlion; or to hinder any man 

 from worfhipping God in whatever manner he thought 

 proper; we every where faw tolerated the church, the 

 molque, and the pagoda: and their pricfts publickly 

 permitted to ufe their peculiar dreffes, and even to 

 affume in their houfes thofe kinds of roofs which arc 

 appropriated to ofHcers of confiderable rank. Reli- 

 gious proceiTions are publickly made by foi'eigners; 

 and many infidels are admitted to hold publick offices, 

 and places of fome diftinftion: nay, fome of thefe 

 officers are allowed to prefide at games inftituted in 

 honour of religious feftivals. 



As far as I could learn, the Rahans do not at all 

 officiate in the temples, like the pariffi prieds or fecu- 

 lar z\Qxgy c^ Europe. Very few of them wereprefent 

 at any of the religious ceremonies or procellions that 

 I faw; not even in thofe made at the confecration of a 

 young priell. Neither did I fee many of them at the 



temples 



