The Hiflory of Book II. 



tain, and upon this pleafant verdure that the people ftood, 

 while the Priefts of the Sun performed the divine fervice. 



The place which ferv'd them for a Temple, is a large and 

 fpacious Grott, or Cave, which is naturally cut in the Rock, 

 on the Eaft-lide of the Mountain : It hath a vaft and large 

 mouth, as the entrance of a magnificent Temple.- As foon as 

 the Sun is rifen, he darts his rays on that entrance, which hath 

 before it a fair and fpacious fquare place,which a man would fay 

 were made by art in the Rock / And there it is that the Jaouas^ 

 the Priefts of the Sun,ftay expecting his rifing to begin their or- 

 dinary Ceremonies on Feftival days. This Cave within is 

 oval, two hundred foot in length, and proportionably broad .* 

 The Vault, which is naturally cut in the Rock, rifes up circu- 

 larly from the ground to about a hundred foot high .* There is 

 juft in the midft of it a great hole, or Lanthorn, which en- 

 lightens it from the top of the Mountain .* This Lanthorn is 

 encompafs'd with great ftones, laid clofe together to prevent 

 peoples falling in i The Vault on the infide is perfectly white, 

 and the furface cover'd with a certain S alt-peter 0 which a man 

 might take for white Coral diverfy'd into feveral different 

 figures $ the whole compafs of it is of the fame luftre .* The 

 floor of it is alfo extreamly eaven and fmooth, as if it were all 

 of one piece of marble. In fine, the greateft ornament of this 

 Temple confiftsin its perfed whitenefs «* At the bottom of it 

 there is a great Bafin or Ciftern, juft over againft the entrance, 

 which is full of a very clear water,which perpetually diftilling 

 out of the Rock, is receive! into that place. Juft in the mid- 

 dle of this Temple, directly under the Lanthorn which en- 

 lightens it, there is a great Altar all of one ftone, of a round 

 figure, three foot in height from the floor, and fuftain'd by a 

 fhort pillar, which Altar and the Pedeftal feem to have been 

 cut out of the place where it ftands, that beipg in all probabi- 

 lity a piece of a Rock which jutted out upon the floor of that 

 miraculous Cave. 



The Sacrifices which the Jaouas offered to the Sun,confifted 

 not in the effufion of mansblood,or that of fome certain beafts:, 

 for they were of a perfwafion, that the Sun, giving life to all 

 things, would not be pleas'd with a fervice that fliould deprive 

 thofe creatures of the life which he had beftow'.d on them ; 

 but the Sacrifice confifted only in Songs, which they had com- 

 pos'd in honour of him, as alfo in the perfumes of certain aro- 

 matical drugs, which they appointed to be burnt. on his Altar, 

 and in the offerings of garments, which the.rich prefented by 

 the hands of the Priefts, to be afterwards diftributed among 

 the poorer fort of people. 



All this Ceremony, which was performed four timesa year, 

 lafted from Sun-rifing till noon, at which time the Aflembly 

 was difmifs'd ." The Priefts went up to the Mountain on the 



Eve 



