364 



since his decease his father had been equally unsuccessful. The 

 court of adawlet decreed him one third of the property. 



Next came two respectable brahmins, a man and his wife, 

 of the secular order; who, having no child, had made several reli- 

 gious pilgrimages, performed the accustomed ceremonies to the 

 linga, and consulted the diviners, and recluse devotees, in hopes by 

 their prayers and sacrifices to obtain the desired blessing. A wo- 

 man skilled in divination promised the wife a son if she would 

 drink a potion composed of the pure essence of jewels. This she 

 consented to, and produced all her pearls, diamonds, and precious 

 stones, which her chemical friend deeming insufficient, persuaded 

 her to borrow more from her relations: these were deposited in a 

 small vase, hermetically sealed, and, with many superstitious cere- 

 monies, placed in a jar of holy water, where it was to remain 

 eight days, without molestation, or the secret being communicated. 

 Two days after this consecration, the woman told the brahmin's 

 wife she was going to a celebrated temple on the banks of the Ner- 

 budda, to perform some additional ceremonies ; if she did not re- 

 turn before the expiration of the time, she might open the vase, 

 and would then discover the jewels under the surface of an, essen- 

 tial oil; which she was immediately to swallow, and in due time 

 her wishes would be accomplished. On the appointed day the 

 deluded wife found only an empty vase in the jar of holy water; 

 and learned that her deceiver had fled to a distant country. The 

 unhappy pair now petitioned that I would write to the rajah to 

 deliver the culprit up tojustice. 



The third in succession was a tandar, or petty officer of a dis- 

 trict; who appeared with a banian merchant who had plunged 



