1841.] Report on the Island of Chedooba. 431 



propitiation to its spirit which had been dislodged so roughly, pleading 

 at the same time the orders of the strangers for the work. In clearing the 

 top of the South Hill, the Chupprassie, whom I had sent to see it 

 done, though attended to the summit with the labourers all ready pre- 

 pared, was forced to take a dan, and fell the first tree himself, before a 

 Mug would make a stroke, and was considered to hear all the odium of 

 the work with the disturbed spirits, till our arrival relieved him of the 

 burden. On such occasions, with their customary cheerfulness, the 

 whole body would join in the laugh at the folly of their own superstitious 

 fears, of which they latterly seemed half ashamed. Several of the circles 

 are without any priest at all, and and those who are found on the Island 

 do not suffice for the instruction of the children, a subject complained of, 

 and offering an opening of favour to these simple people, which has only 

 to be afforded in order to be appreciated and embraced. Any person of 

 any religion has only to assume the dress and follow the observances of 

 the sacred book, and he is at once acknowledged a bona fide priest. 



At Meugbreng an old priest paid me a visit, and begged alms, the only 

 case I ever met with, and not only unnational, but most unpriestly ; he 

 avoided the prohibition to touch money by taking it through his yellow 

 gown, and then handed it to an attendant pupil ; he had been a Soogree 

 in one adjoining circle, and gave up his office in order to get worshipped 

 as he said. He was nearly 80 years old. No distinction of caste is re- 

 cognized by their religion, and the priest both eats, and will accept the 

 offering of all and every class. There exists however on the Mainland, 

 some distinction of this sort, observed among the laity ; they are the re- 

 mains of the political quarrels and dissensions of the Mug Raj, and are 

 fast wearing out. They consist in feelings of prejudice against the 

 eating and drinking with those who are descendants from the captives of 

 former wars, to whom the most menial offices were assigned ; they have 

 no existence on Chedooba, nor will have shortly elsewhere among the 

 Mugs. The priests are forbidden even to look at women, even their eyes 

 may not wander above a limited distance beyond their feet, lest they 

 should light on the forbidden image ; he may not eat after midday, when 

 his second meal is taken, his first having preceded it about 6 hours. 

 The dead are burnt, the bodies of priests with great pomp and cere- 

 mony, after being preserved a considerable time, and the bodies of all 

 with decency; this constitutes a very meritorious deed when performed 

 with the remains of a stranger. 



CheJooba as observed, has not many strict votaries of Boodhism ; but 

 its effect in the neighbouring countries where acted on in strictness, is 



