ACCOUNT OF EBUtXn. 147 



liun." They consider Owanchu as the supreme Deity. Laberem bu- 



che, a deity whose image they worship, resembles exactly that of Ram of 

 the Hindoos. Cheraji resembles Krishna. Dawjitan is the same as 



Jagannat'h, but his image was not seen. Amsumem is said to resemble 



the Hindoo Chendi; the above are benevolent deities. Gonj idea's image 

 was not seen : he was said to be malevolent. Besides these there are in- 

 numerable images, sitting in the posture of a jogi, with four hands 

 held up. The images of the deities are' kept in the apartments of the 



Dherma Raja, the Deb Raja, and the Officers of Government. The 

 people of the country often walk round the buildings containing the 

 images, repeating the words " Om niani peine huii." There are also 

 erected in many places stone walls called Chuti, of four or five cu- 

 bits high and indefinite length, upon which the above words are inscribed, 

 and the people in like manner walk round them, repeating the same. 

 They also put up flags with the above words inscribed upon them, and 

 every person passing the place ought to put up another ; but poor people 

 merely attach a rag of two or three inches long, and half an inch broad 

 to the pole of the first flag. The Bhuteas do not bathe before meals, but re- 

 peat the words " Om mani peme hun." Four times a month the Gelums 

 abstain from fish or flesh, viz. on the 8th, 14th, 24th, and 30th of the moon. 

 Some only observe the fast once a month. The Gelums are forbidden to use 

 wine, but drink it secretly. The chief maxim of religions faith amongst 

 the Bhuteas is that of sparing the life of all animals. The fish in 

 the rivers they do not allow any one to kill ; the lice and fleas that in- 

 fest their heads and clothes, they catch and throw away ; bugs they treat 

 in the same manner, and never put any kind of animal to death. The re- 

 ligion of the Bhuteas assimilates in some points with that of the Hindus ; 

 they worship the images of the Deities, count their beads at prayers, and 

 offer clarified butter to the gods by throwing it on the fire : they also re- 

 semble in their prejudices against taking away the life of animals, the 

 game as our byragis, only that the latter refrain from eating the flesh of an 

 . animal, as well as from killing it. They resemble the Bauddhists in of- 



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