lyo 



"Travels in India. Part. II 



Gold j which he believes he renders propitious to him, by the great ftore of 

 Alms that he diftributcs among the poor, and the prints which he makes to 

 the Priefts. Then he goes attended by all his Court, and puts to open view 

 the richeft Ornaments. he has. One part of his magnificence confilts in his 

 train of two hundred Elephants ; among which there is one that is white 

 which the King Co highly eftecms , that he ftiles himfelf King of the Wbitt 

 Elephant. 



The fecond time the King appears in publick, is when he goes to another 

 Pagod five or fix Leagues above the Town, up the River. But no perfon 

 mutt enter into this Pagod, unlefs it be the King and his Priefts. As for 

 the people, fo foon as they fee the Door op'n, they mult presently fall upon 

 their faces to the Earth. Then' the King appears upon the River with two 

 hundred Gallies of a prodigious length j four hundred Rpwers belonging to 

 every one of the Gallies j molt of them being guilded and carv'd very richly. 

 Now in regard this fecond appearance of the King is in the month of No- 

 vember, when the waters begin to abate, the Priefts make the people believe 

 that none but the King can ftop the courfe of the waters* by his Prayers 

 and by his Offerings to this Pagod. And they are fo vain as to think that 

 the King cuts the waters with his Safoa, or Skainj thereby commanding it to 

 retire back into the Sea. 



The King alfo goes, but incognito, to a Pagod in an Ifland where the Hol- 

 landers have a Factory. There is at the entry thereof an Idol fitting crofs- 

 leg'd, with one hand upon his knee, and the other arm akimbo. It is above 

 fixty foot high j and round about this Idol are about three hundred others, 

 of feveral forts and fizes. All thefe Idols are guilt. And indeed there are a 

 prodigious number of Pagods in this Countrey } for every rich Stimer caufes 

 one to be built in memory of himfelf. Thofe Pagods have Steeples and Bells, 

 and the Walls within are painted and guilded ; but the Windows are fo nar- 

 row that they give but a very dim light. The two Pagods to which the 

 King goes publkkfy, are adorn'd with feveral tall Pyramids, well guilded. 

 And to that in the Hollanders Ifland there belongs a Cloyfter, which is a 

 very neat Structure. In the middle of the Pagod is a fair Chappel, all guild- 

 ed within fide j where they find a Lamb, and three Wax Candles continually 

 burning before the Altar, which is all over cover'd with Idols, fbme of maffic 

 Gold , others of Copper guilt. In the Pagod in the midlt of the Town, 

 and one in of thofe to which the King goes once a year, there are above four 

 thoufand Idols ; and for that which is fix Leagues from Siant, it is furround- 

 ed with Pyramids, whofc beauty makes the induftry of that Nation to be 

 admir'd. 



When the King appears, all the Doors and Windows of the Houfes muft 

 be fhutj and all the people proftrate themfelves upon the ground, not da- 

 ring to lift up their eyes. Andbecaufe no perfon is to be fn^a higher place 

 than the King, they that are within doors , are bound to keep their loweft 

 Rooms." When he cuts his hair, one of his Wives performs that office, for 

 he will not fuffer a Barber to come near him. 



This Prince has a paffionate kindnefs for his Elephants * which he looks upon 

 as his Favourites, and the Ornaments of his Kingdom. If there be any of 

 them that fall fick , the Lords of the Court are mighty careful to pleafe 

 their Soveraign 5 and if they happen to dye, they are buried with the fame 

 Funeral Pomp as the Nobles of the Kingdom ; which are thus performed : 

 They fet up a kind of Maufoleum, or Tomb of Reeds, cover'd with Paper j 

 in the midft whereof they lay as much fweet wood as the body weighs, and 

 after the Priefts have mumbl'd certain Orifons, they fet it a-fire, and burn it to 

 afhes ; which the rich preferve in Gold or Silver Urns, but the poor fcatter 

 in the wind. As for offenders, they never burn, but bury them. 



Tis thought that in this Kingdom there are above two hundred Priefts, 

 which they call Bonz.es, which are highly reverene'd as well at Court as among 

 the people. The King himfelf has fuch a value for fome of them, as to hum- 

 ble himfelf before them. This extraordinary refpect makes them fo proud, 

 that fome of them, have afpir'd to the Throne. But when the King difcovers 



' any 



