Chap. VI II. of Monfieur Tavernier. 165 



fcarlefly into it •, and as he went in , lb he came out without the leaft harm. Then 

 the Kin^ 5 and all the people that were prefent ador'd him for a real Prophet , and 

 gave him the name of Zer-Ateucht , or Wajtidin Silver. 



& The Prophet perceiving that ail the people had him in fo much veneration , with- 

 drew himfclf , and would not be feen any more. Nor do they juftly know what 

 became of him j which makes the greateft part of the Gaurs believe , that he was 

 tak'n up into Paradifc both Soul and Body together. Others fay , that having found 

 an Iron Coffin upon the Road near Bagdat , he put himfelf into it , and was carry'4 

 into Heav'n by the Angels. 1 hey allow their Prophet three Children , who are not 

 yet come into the world , though their names be already giv'n them. They fay 

 that this Prophet Sbrahim walking one time upon the River without a Boat, three 

 chops of his nature fell from him upon the water , which arc ftill prefervM there. 

 That their God will fend a Virgin, very much belov'd by him , upon the fame River , 

 who by the reception of the firft drop (hall become big of the firft Child , whom 

 they call beforehand Ouchider. He (hall come into the world with authority , and 

 /hall caui'e his Fathers Law to be recciv'd, and confirm it , not only by his eloquent 

 pleaching , but by many miracles. The fecond , whofc name is Otichidcrma , (hall 

 be conccVd after the fame fafhion •, he (hall alTjil his Brother, and by caufing the 

 Sun to (land ftill ten years, (hall convince all the world of the Truth of his Doctrine. 

 The third (hall be conceived by the fame Mother, and (hall be call'd Senoiet-hotiw .- 

 He (nail come with more authority than his two Brothers , and (hall perfectly reduce 

 all people to the Religion of their Prophet. After which (hall be the univerfal 

 Rcfurrcction , at what time all the Souls , either in Paradife or Hell , (hall return 

 to take poffeffion of their Bodies. Then fay they , (hall all the Mountains , and all 

 the Minerals in the world be melted , and (hall fill up the great Chaos of Hell , 

 whereby the Manfion of the Devils (hall be utterly deftroy'd ? After this the 

 world (hall be levell'd , and be made fit to inhabit , and men (hall have every one 

 their apartment anfwerable to the degree and quantity of the good which they did in 

 their life time: but that their chief delight (hall be to behold and praife God and 

 Ebrahim their Prophet. They add that before the Refurrection , thole that are in 

 Paradife do not behold the face of God , no not the Angels themlelves, except only . 

 one , who is always attendant on him to receive and execute his commands. They 

 alio' fay that God will have pity upon the Damn'd, and that they (hall go into 

 Paradife, as having fuffer'd enough already for their fins. By which it-appears, 

 that the Paradife of the Gaurs is lefs remote fromfenfe than that of Mahomet's in- 

 vention •, and that they have a confusM knowledge of the myfteries of Chriftian 

 Religion. ' 



Of the Books of the Gaurs. 



EBrahim~z.er-Atencht being taken up into Paradife, they receiv'd by his means 

 (even Books of Laws , which God of his goodnefs fent them to inftruct them 

 in the way of their Salvation. They alfo receiv'd feven others , containing an inter- 

 pretation of all the Dreams that could be Dream'd. Laftly feven others , wherein 

 were written all the fecrets of Phyfick , and all the pofTible means for the long prefer- 

 vation of health. They fay that fourteen of thefe Books, which contain'd the expli- 

 cation of Dreams and fecrets of Phyfick are loft •, for that AlUx under the Great carry'd 

 them away , as cfteeming them a vaft trcafure ^ and for the Books of their Religion, 

 becaufe they were written in a language that none but the Angels underftood , Alex- 

 ander for madnefs caus'd them to be burnt: for which ralhneis of his, God punim'd 

 him , and afflicted him with that terrible ficknefs whereof he Dy'd. Some Doctors 

 and Priefts that had hid themlelves in the Mountains to fave their lives from his But- 

 chery, after Alexander was Dead, met again together, and composed one Book 

 by the ftrcngth of their memories. I faw that Book which is a good large one, and 

 written in a different Character, either from the Arabian , Ferfian , or Indian. 

 Their Priefts thcmfelves that read in that Book hardly underftand what they 

 read, but they have other Books that explain what, is contain'd therein. M/hen 

 they read in that Book, as alio when they pray, : they tye a .Handkerchief about 

 their mouths , as if they were afraid their words fhouJd mix with the Air and receive 

 any impurity. 



Of 



