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eruption had not taken place, he would have endeavoured to faci- 

 litate and render it easy, but that now it was too late. On ask- 

 ing Choby what his process was, he said, " From the matter of 

 the pustule on the cow, I keep a thread drenched, which enabled 

 me, at pleasure, to cause an easy eruption on any child; adoring, 

 at the same time, Bowannee (who is otherwise called Debec, Mata, 

 and Sebla, and who has the direction of this malady) as well in 

 my own person, as by causing the father of the child to perform 

 the like ceremonies; after which I run the drenched string into a 

 needle, and drawing it through between the skin and flesh of the 

 child's upper arm, leave it there, performing the same operation 

 in both arms, which always ensures an easy eruption; on the first 

 appearance of which, the child's father or guardian renews his 

 worship to Bowannee; and as the animal this goddess rides on is 

 an ass, it is customary for such parent or guardian to fill his lap 

 with grain, which an ass is sent to eat up. These observances 

 ensure the propitious direction of Bowannee, so that only a very 

 few pustules make their appearance ; nor docs any one die under 

 this process." Thus far did I learn from Alep Choby. 



" Upon referring on this subject to a native, well versed in the 

 learning and customs of the Hindoos, he told me that the prac- 

 tice thus described by Choby was not general among them, but 

 confined to those who were attached to the worship of Bowannee, 

 and adored her with implicit faith; and upon my asking the per- 

 son whether he was aware how the matter of the pustule got from 

 the cow, and whether all cows had such pustules, or only those of 

 a certain description ; he answered, that on these points he pos- 

 sessed no information, but had certainly understood that the cows 



