Chap. VIII. of Mônfieur Tavernier. 



i 



They neither burn nor bury their dead , but carry the Corps without the City, 

 into a waird place, where are abundance of Stakes feven or eight Foot high , fix'd 

 in the ground , and tye the dead Corps to one of the Stakes , with his Face toward 

 the Eaft. They that accompany the Corps fall to their Prayers at a diftance, 'till 

 the Crows come $ for thole Cemitaries draw the Crows to them. If the Crow chances 

 to fatten upon the right Eye of the deceas'd , then they believe the perfon to be 

 happy, and for joy they give large Alms , and make a Feaft ui the field. But if the 

 Crow fixes upon the left Eye , then they take it for an ill Omen y return home fad „ 

 without fpeaking to one another -, give no Alms , nor eat nor drink. 



Of their Adoration of Fire. 



THe Gaurs would not be thought to give Honour to Fire under the title of Ado- 

 ration. For they do not account themfelves Idolaters, faying that they acknow- 

 ledge but only one God , Creator of Heaven and Earth , whom they only adore. As 

 for the Fire, they preferve it and reverence it, in remembrance of the great Miracle, 

 by which their Prophet was delivered from the Flames. One day being at Kerman, 

 I defir'd to lee that Fire , but they aniwer'd me, they could not permit me. For fay 

 they, one day the Kan of Kerman being defirous to lee the Fire , not daring to do 

 otherwife , they fhew'd it him. He it feems expected to fee fome extraordinary 

 Brightnefs} but when he faw no more then what he might have feen in a Kitchin 

 or a Chambër-fire, fell a fwearing and fpitting upon't as if he had been mad: Where- 

 upon the Sacred Fire being thus profan'd , flew away in the form of a white Pigeon. 

 The Priefts confidering then their misfortune, which had happen'd through their own 

 indifcretion , fell to their Prayers with the People , and gave Alms -, upon which, at 

 the fame time , and in the fame form thè Sacred Fire return'd to its place : which 

 makes them fo fhy to fhew it again. . When they put any perfons to their Oaths, they 

 Swear them before this Fire •, for they think no perfon fo impious, as to fwear falfe 

 before that Sacred Fire, which they take for the Witnefs of their Oath. Their 

 Priefts put them in dread of very great punifhments, and threat'n them that the hea- 

 venly Fire will forfake them , if they prove fo wicked as to fwear falfely before it. 



Of their Manners and Cufioms, 



THe Language of the Gaurs is different from the Perpans, as is their Character and 

 manner of Writing. They love to feaft, and to eat and drink well, being very 

 profufe of their Wine and Strong-water. They never eat Hares, becaufe they have 

 their monthly Purgations , like Women : for the fame reaibn they never eat Mulber- 

 ries , believing that they partake of the nature of Women and Hares. 



If, when they comb their Hair or their Beards 5 aRy one hair happ'ns to fall upon their 

 cloaths, thofe cloaths muft be wafh'd in the ftale of a Cow or an Ox to purifie them 

 again. If by chance they happ'nto touch any ordure or naftinefs, when they come 

 home they muft wafh themfelves in the famellrin. If one of their Priefts meet a dead 

 Corps in tfie High-way, and chances to fee it, he is oblig'd to wafh himlelf in Cows- 

 Pifs, which they hold to be a good Purification : an Opinion held in fome parts of 

 India alfa Ï askM one of their Priefts how they came to underftand the virtue of this 

 Uriir, who anfwer'd me , that a certain perfon who was contemporary "with the firffc 

 Man, having his Arm bruis'd and very black, by reafon of fome accident that befel him 

 through the malice of the Devil, fell afleep in the fields, and as he lay, an Ox ftaling,, 

 a drop of the Urin Sew upon his Arm, and prefently heal'd that part which it wet, and 

 reftorM it to its former whitenefs : which the man perceiving when he wak'd , pre- 

 fently folbw'd the Ox, and ftaid by him 'till he ftal'd again , and then receiving the 

 Pifs upon the whole wound, was perfectly curd. They aîfo preferve it, and compound 

 it with a Water , which they caufe them to drink who have committed any Sin, after 

 they have been at Confeflîon for it. They call that Water the Caz.?s Water \ which 

 ilrin ought to be preferv'd forty days, with an infufion of Willow-Bark, and certain 

 Herbs. When any peïfon is confefs'd- ©f his Sin if, it be a crying Sin, the party is 

 bound to flay ten days in the Gtz?s Houfe, and not to ,eat or drink but what the 

 Prieft gives them. And m order to Abfoîution, the frieft ftrips him naked, and 

 tyes a little Dog to his right great Toe, which hé lémtvM him about thcCaus 



Rbufe 



