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the Mantra, and doomed me lo destruction. Secret as they had en- 

 deavoured to keep their machinations, some had transpired ; and he 

 produced not only oral reporls, but written proofs of their inten- 

 tions. One of the latter documents was almost literally the divi- 

 nation mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel, on the approach of the 

 Chaldean army. " The king of Babylon stood at the parting of 

 " the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He 

 " made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked on 

 " the liver. At the right hand was the divination to appoint cap- 

 " tains, to open the mouth in slaughter, to lift up the voice 

 " with shouting; to appoint two ways, and choose a place for de- 

 " struction." 



My venerable friend sincerely lamented my incredulity, assur- 

 ing me the holy writings of the brahmins, and their constant expe- 

 rience in these matters, established the truth of his assertions; that 

 the Mantra, or malediction from the brahminieal soothsayers and 

 diviners, was not to be slighted. It was dreaded throughout Hin- 

 dostan, not only by Hindoos but Mahomedans ; and even some of 

 my own countrymen paid attention to the predictions and incan- 

 tations of the brahmins, and were in some measure guided by their 

 calculations. This I knew to be true in more than one instance, 

 although it had no effect upon me. But during my absence with 

 the brahmin in the interior of the durbar, I found something; which 

 had passed in the outer court had made a deep impression on my 

 servants ; they appeared to be extremely alarmed, and entreated 

 me to postpone my journey. They laid great stress upon the 

 Mantra denounced by the Mandwa brahmins and seers. It seemed 

 to be as terrific as the anathema in the plenitude of papal power. 



