Book ITI fravelTln~i 



NDIA. 



among the poor, referring only five or fix for himfelf. The Cloth he cut into 

 little pieces, and gave away, keeping only to himfelf enough to cover bis own 

 fjakednefs ; and having made this diftribution, he difappear'dof afudden, and op 

 body knew what became of him, though diligent Search was made after him 



When a Chmefe lies at the point of death, all his Kindred and Friends gather 

 about him, and ask him whether he intends to go 5 they tell him alfo, that jf 

 he want any thing, he need but only ask and have, let it be Gold, Silver, or .a 

 Woman. When they are dead they perform many Ceremonies at their Funerals, 

 which confifts chiefly in artificial fires, wherein the Chmefes are the molt expert 

 in the world 5 fo that he muft be a very poor man that has no fire-works at 

 his Funeral. Befides that, they put Money in a little Box, and bury it by tlje 

 deceas'd j and leave good (tore of victuals upon the Grave, out of an opinion, 

 that they rife and eat. Which the Souldiers of B*tavi* obferving, us'd to $1 

 their Bellies at thefe Graves every time they walk'd their rounds. But wbW 

 the Chinefes perceiv'd it, they poyfon'd the victuals to fpoil the Dutchmen* feaft- 

 ing. The Townsmen of Batavia taking the Souldiers part, accus'd the Cb- 

 nefes for poyfoning feveral of the Dutch. But the CJ*i»efis pleaded, that, if the Sol- 

 diers had over-eat themfelves, or furfeted themfelves upon what was left for the 

 dead to eat, 'twas none of their fault j for that they did not leave their, vi<$uals jpr 

 the Souldiers ; and befides that, among all the multitudes which they hai £'u- 

 ried, they never had heard the leaft complaint before of any one that ever cajsne 

 by any harm by eating their food. Thus the bufinefs was huflfd pver -, nor did 

 the Souldiers dare to pilfer any more. 



»« * *» 



CHAP. IX. 



Of the mofi celebrated Pa gods of the Idolaters in India. 



TH E Indian Idolaters have a great number of Temples, fmall and great, 

 which they call Pagods, where they pray to their Gods, and make their 

 Offerings. But the poor people that live in the Woods and Mountains, and re- 

 mote from Towns, are contented only with fame ftone, whereon they make a 

 rude kind of Nofe, and paint it with forae Vermilion colour, which ierves all 

 the whole neighbourhood to worfhip. 



The four moft celebrated Pagods, are fagrenate, Sonorous, Matur*, and Tri- 

 pti. 



fagrenate is one of the mouths of Ganges, whereupon is built the Great Pa- 

 -god, where the Atck Bramm, or chief Prieft among the idolaters keeps his 

 refidence. The great Idol that ftands upon the Altar in the innermoft part.of 

 the Pagod, has two Diamonds for his Eyes, and another that hangs about his 

 neck, the leaft of thofe Diamonds weighing about forty Carats. .About fars 

 Arms he wears Bracelets fometimes of Pearls, and fometimes of Rubies 5 and 

 this magnificent Idol is calPd Refora. The Revenues of this Pagod are fuffi- 

 cient to feed fifteen or twenty thoufand Pilgrims every .day j which is a num- 

 ber often feen there, that Pagod being the greateft place of devotion in all Jb~ 

 4i*. But you muft take notice, that no Goldfmith is fuffer'd to enter this Pagod, 

 becaufe that one of them being Iock'd in all night Jong, ftole a Diamond, put 

 of one of the Idols eyes. As he was about to go out, when the, Pagod was 

 open'd in the morning, he idy'd at the 'door ; their God,, as tfiey affirm, re- 

 venging his ownfacriledg. That which renders this Pago4, which is a large build- 

 ing, the moft confidence in all Indians, because it ,*$ fituated upon the Gan- 

 ges; the Idolaters believing that the wafers ;pf that River have a particular 

 quality to cleanfe them i from; iter fins. That which. makes it fo rich (for it 

 maintains above twenty, rthoufind Cows}) is!*he vaft Alms that are continually 

 bfcftow'd I>y fo incredible a multitude asveomes from aill parts. Which ..Aims, 

 arc not fo Mauoh-arthe difcretion .of the . Doaor, as at the.will.of the chief 



Ptieit,' 



173 



