IN THE ISLAND OF BALI; 137 



year, fometimes near two. A fortunate day mufl; be fixed upon by 

 the Brahmans before the body can be confumed. During this time it 

 is embalmed, and kept in apartments confl;ru£ted for the purpofe. A 

 relation of the raja died fome months before our arrival on Bali ; and 

 his body had then not been confumed. My curiofity was excited 

 refpeding it, as four women had giv^en, out their intention of burning 

 themfelvee with it. I therefore interrogated the ambaSadors, who 

 came to Jam four months thereafter, refpefling it ; and found that it 

 bad not yet been burnt, the Brakmam not having b?cj5 able to deter-« 

 ,Biine on a fortunate hour for this importaot purpofe. 



The Balinefe efleem the burning of the dead body, a facrifice to 

 ,^RAHi^A, whoCe emblem they fay that element i;*, agreeably to which 

 Brahma, in their language and in that o^ Javz, has become an appella- 

 tion fpr fire.* 



How the Buddhl/ls olBali treat thedead, Ihavenofbeen able to learn; 

 When Hinduifm prevailed on Java, a fedl on that ifland expofed the 

 bodies ©f the dead to the open air, as is now done by the inhabitants of 

 Tibet and parts >of Tartary, and by the Perfan worfhippers of fire. 

 This mode of treating the dead was termed Setra.; and confidered in 

 the light of an oblation, to the deity .of the Sun (Surya). Gold trinkets 

 and beads are now and theo found. on Java, and faid to have been the 

 .ornaments worn by the dead on fuch occalions. It is probable that 

 the fed which treated the dead in this manner were Buddhifls. The 

 Brahmans of Bali do not perform the ordinary rites of religion in the 

 temples. This is left to perfons of inferior rank generally IVifiyas or 

 Sudras, who are termed Mamarrianku or guardians of thofe templess 



• Proper namea i.n Sanfcrlt, as far as I can jiulgc, are often ufcd as apffel'IatWr!) in the laiiguages of t^cfl 

 ^^■indi. Thus, Brahma '%■ fire ; Cot// a river ; Ganga water; and Martita and Pavaf;a, the wind. 



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