Book! Travels in India. 



io 



Stall. As for the Oxen that carry the Luggage, as foon as ever they come to 

 the River fide, and that they have unladed rhem, they only drive them into 

 the River, and, they will fWim over of themfelves. There are four men 

 that ftand upright at the four Corners of. the Boat, and row it along with 

 broad pieces of Wood, made like Shovels. If they do not all ftrike their 

 ftroakes together, but that any of the four mifies, the Boat will turn round 

 two or three times ; and the ftream carries it a great way lower than where 

 they intended to land. 



The eighteenth, after five hours travel we arriv'd at Morlmal. 



The nineteenth, we travel'd nine Leagues, and lay at Santefela. 



The twentieth, we travel'd nine Leagues more, and lay at Goremeda. 



The one and twentieth, after fix hours travel^ we fpent the night at Kant an, 

 •a Frontier Town in the Kingdom of Gokonda, till the Conqueft of Carnatica by 

 M-irgimola. . j 



The two and twentieth, we travel'd feven Leagues, and came to lye at Erne- 

 .lipata. When we were about half the way, we met above four thoufand pér- 

 fons, men and women ; and above twenty P alleles, in every one whereof was. 

 an Idol. They were adorn'd with Coverings of Sattin, purfled with Gold, and 

 Velvets with Gold and Silver Fringe. Some of thefe Pallekfs were born by 

 four men ; others by eight, and fome by twelve, according as the Idols were 

 in bignefs and weight. ,On each fide of the Pallekte, walk'd a man, with a large 

 Fan in his hand, five Foot in compafs, made of Oftriches and Peacocks Feathers, 

 of various colours. The Handle of the Fan was five or fix foot long, laid all 

 over with Gold and Silver, about the thicknefs of a French Crown. Every one 

 was officious to carry one of thofe Fans, to keep the Flies' from the Idols 

 Face. There was another Fan which was carried clofe by the Idol, fomewhat 

 larger than the former, without a handle, and was born ;uft like a Tar.get. It 

 was adorn'd with Feathers of feveral colours, and little Bells of Gold and Sil- 

 ver, round about the edges. He that carried it, went always near the Idol upon 

 the fame fide, to fnade the Idol -, for to have fhut the Curtains would have 

 Keen too hot. Ever and ànon, he that carried that fort of Fan, brandifh'd it 

 in the air, to make the Bells ring ; which they prefum'd to be a kind of Paftime 

 to the Idol. All thefe people with their Idols came from Brampour, and the 

 adjacent parts, and were going to vifit their great Ram, that is to fày, their 

 chief Godj who ftands in a Pagod in the Territories of the King of Camanca. 

 They had been about thirty days upon the Road, and were to travel fourteen 

 or fifteen more, before they came to this Pagod. One of my Servants, who 

 was a Native of Brampour, and of the fame Superftition, beg'd me to give him 

 leave to bear his Gods company, telling me withall, that he had made a Vow 

 long fince to go this Pilgrimage. I was conftraind to let him go. For had I 

 not given him leave, I knew he would have taken it, by reafon he had much 

 acquaintance and kindred among the Rabble. About two months after, he re- 

 turn'd again to us to Surat, and becaufe he had faithfully ferv'd Monfieur jardin 

 and my felf, we made no fcruple to take him again. Asking him fpme queftions 

 about his Pilgrimage, he related to me this following paffage : Six days after 

 he left me, all the Pilgrims had made an account to go and lye at fuch a Vil- 

 lage, to which before they came they were to crois a River, that has but little 

 Water in Summer, fo that it is eafily fordable. But when it rains in India, the 

 Water falls with, fuch a *force., that it feems to be a perpendicular deluges and 

 in leis than an hour or two, a fmall River fhall fwell three or four foot high. 

 The Rains having overtaken thofe Pilgrims, the River was fwell'd in that man- 

 ne^ that it was impoffible to pais it that day. Now becaufe it is not neceflàry 

 for Travellers in India to carry provifions, efpecially for the Idolaters, who never 

 eat any thing that ever had life; in regard that in the leaft Village you may 

 meet with abundance of Rice, Meal, Butter, Milk Meats, Lentils, and other 

 Pulfe, befides Sugar, and Sweet-Meats, dry and moift. The people were very 

 much furpriz'd, having no Victuals, when they came and fàw the River fWell'd, : 

 In fhort, they had nothing to give their Children to eat ; which caus'd great 

 lamentations among them. In this extremity the chiefeft of their Priefts fat himfelf 

 down in the midft of them, and covering himfelf with a ftieet,began to cry out that 



