9 



a way for them; and when they had come up to the throne, they 

 fell down before him that sat thereon and worshipped. And the 

 multitude again sent forth a voice, " like the sound of a great 

 thunder." But the voices I now heard were not those of melody, 

 or of joyful acclamation. Their number indeed brought to my 

 mind the countless multitude of the Revelations; but their voices 

 gave no tuneful Hosanna or Halleluia: it was rather a yell of ap- 

 probation ! 



' f The throne of the idol was placed on a stupendous car, 

 about sixty feet in height, resting on wheels which indented the 

 ground deeply as they turned slowly under the ponderous machine. 

 Attached to it were six cables, of the size and length of a ship's 

 cable, by which the people drew it along. Upon the tower were 

 the priests and satellites of the idol, surrounding his throne. The 

 idol is a block of wood, having a frightful visage painted black, 

 with a distended mouth of a bloody colour; his arms are of gold, 

 and he is dressed in gorgeous apparel. The other two idols are of a 

 white and yellow colour. Five elephants preceded the three towers, 

 bearing lofty flags, dressed in crimson caparisons, and having 

 bells hanging thereto, which sounded musically as they moved. 



" I went on in the procession, close by the tower of Moloch; 



which, as it was drawn with difficulty, grated on its many wheels harsh 



as thunder: after a few minutes it stopped; and now the worship 



of the god began. A high priest mounted the car in front of the 



idol, and pronounced his obscene stanzas in the ears of the people; 



who responded, at intervals, in the same strain. " These songs," 



said he, " are the delight of the god; his car can only move when 



he is pleased with the song/' The car moved on a little way, and 

 vol. in. c 



