Book III Travels in India. i 



necefllties they have other Faquirs in their company always ready to affift 

 them. 



Numb. 9, is the pofture of another Penitent, who every day for lèverai hours 

 ftands upon one foot, holding a Chafing-difh in his hand, into which he pours In- 

 cenfe, as an Offering to his God, fixing his eyes all the while upon the Sun. 



Numb, ioand n, are the figures of two other Penitents fitting with their 

 hands rais'd above their heads in the air. 



, Numb. 12, is the pofture wherein the Penitents fleep, without ever refting 

 their arms ; which is certainly one of the greateft torments the body of man can 

 fufter. 



Numb. 13, is the pofture of a Penitent, whofe arms, through weaknefs, 

 hang flagging down upon his moulders, being dry'd up for want of nourifh- 

 ment. 



There are an infinite number of other Penitents j fome who in a pofture quite 

 contrary to the motion and frame of nature, keep their eys always turn'd toward 

 the Sun. Others who fix their eyes perpetually upon the ground, never fo much 

 as fpeaking one word, or looking any perfon in the face. And indeed there is fuch 

 an infinite variety of them, that would render the farther difcourfe of them more 

 then tedious. 



True it is, that I have hid thofe parts which modefty will not fufFer to be ex- 

 pos'd to view. But they both in City and Countrey go all as naked as they came 

 out of their Mothers wombs s and though the Women approach them to take 

 them by the fingers-ends, and to kifs thofe parts which modefty forbids to namej 

 yet fhall you not obferve inihem any motion of fenfuality ; rather quite contrary, 

 feeing them never to look upon any perfon, but rowling their eyes in a moft fright- 

 ful manner, you would believe them in an extafie. 



CHAP. VIL 



Of the Idolaters belief touching the eftate of the Soul after death, 



'HT 1 1 S an Article of the Idolaters Faith, that the Souls of Men departing out of 

 -L the body, are prefented to God ; who according to the lives which they 

 lead, orders them another body to inhabit. So that one and the fame perfon is 

 born feveral times into the World. And that as for the Souls of wicked and vi- 

 cious perfons, God difpofes them into the bodies Of cohtempt'ble Beafts, fuch as 

 Afies,Dogs, Cats, and the like ; to do Penance for their crimes in thofe infamous 

 frifons. But they believe that thofe Souls that enter into Cows are happy j pre- 

 fuming that there is a kind of divinity in thofe creatures. For if a man dye with a 

 Cows- tail in his hand, they fay it is enough to render him happy in the other 

 World. 



The Idolaters believing thus the tranfmigration of the Souls of men into the 

 bodies of other creatures, they abhor to kill any creature whatever, for fear they 

 fhould be guilty of the death of fome of their kindred or friends doing Penance 

 in thofe bodies. v 



If the Men in their life-time are famous for their vertuous deeds, they hold 

 that their Souls pafs into the bodies of fome Potent Raja's : where they enjoy 

 the pleafures of this life in thofe bodies, as the reward of thofe good works which 

 they did. 1 . , 



1 This is the reafon why the Faquirs put themfelves to fuch horrible Penances. 

 But becaufe that all are not able to endure lb much torment in this World, they 

 labour to fupply the defect of that cruel Penance by good works. And befides, 

 they charge their Heirs in their Wills to give Alms to the Bramins y to the end thaç 

 by the powerful efteft pf their Prayers, their God may affign them the body of 

 fome Noble Perfonage, 



In 



