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the Court of Sessions. One of those Hindoo visionaries, whom I 

 have frequently described, lived in the cocoa-nut woods at Bombay, 

 in the neighbourhood of several Hindoo and Mahotnedan families: 

 he was a man of an amiable character, in the prime of life, mar- 

 ried, and the father of four young children. Although the Chris- 

 tian sabbath is not held sacred by the Indians, yet in compliance 

 with the English laws no shops are opened, and no business trans- 

 acted among the natives; becoming consequently a leisure day, 

 they consider it a holiday, and generally retire to their country- 

 houses and gardens ; or walk on a sandy beach near the sea, called 

 Back-bay, a pleasant spot two or three miles in extent, bounded 

 on one side by the sea, on the other by the cocoa-nut woods where 

 this Hindoo resided. One Sunday afternoon he desired his wife 

 to prepare herself and the children for a walk on the beach; from 

 whence he intended to accompany them on a longer journey: on 

 inquiring whither, he informed her he had received an invitation 

 from the deity to go to heaven, and lake his family with him; 

 that ihey were to proceed by water, and depart from Back-bay. 

 Thither the parents repaired with the children ; the two eldest walked 

 before them to the sea-side, and each carried an infant: in this 

 manner they walked into the water. Hitherto there was nothing 

 extraordinary in their conduct had there been strangers on the 

 beach, because the Hindoos are more or less in the water through- 

 out the day in their usual attire, performing ablutions and religious 

 ceremonies, especially the females. What arguments or influence 

 this Hindoo used to induce his wife to comply with his singular 

 desire, is foreign to the subject; it is certain the infatuated parents 

 drove their two eldest children into the sea, and saw them carried 

 off" by the waves. After plunging the helpless infants into the same 



