• 6'4 Traf Is intû tèe INDIES. Part HI/ 
The good Fa- (Jq HO hLirt^aiid ftiGW figns of Piety are extreamly honoured by theGentiles- 
^«/>/honourcd. ^j-^^j ^j^g fiiink they draw down bleiTmgs upon themfelvcs , when they 
afTift thofe whom they call Penitents* Their Penance confifts in forbearing 
to eat for many days , to keep conftantly (landing upon a Stone for feveral 
weeks, or feveral months ^ to hold their Arms a crois behind their head as 
long as they hve, or to bury thêmfelves in Pits for a certain fpace of time. 
^quiys Butiffomeof thefeF<j!^«irj'begood Men 3 there are alfo very Rogues a ' 
mongftthem^ and the Princes are not troubled , when fuch of them 
as tommit violences are killed. 
One may meet with fome of them in the Countrey ftark naked with Co- 
lours and Trumpets, who ask Charity with Bow and Arrow in hand -, and 
when they are the ftrongeft, they leave it not to the difcretion of Travellers 
to give or refufe. Theie wretches have no conlideration even for thofe 
that feed them -, I have feen fome of them in the Carazfanes , who made it 
their whole' bufinefs to play tricks , and to moleft Travellers, though they 
had all their fubliftence from them. Not long fince I was in a. Caravane, 
where fome of tliefe Faquirs were, who took a fancy to fuffer no bodv to 
ileep : All night long they did nothing but Sing and Preach -, and infiead 
of banging them foundly to make them hold their peace (as they ought to 
have been ferved ) the Company prayed them civilly, but they took it ill ^ 
fo that they doubled their Cries and Singing , and they who could not 
Sing, laugh'd and made a mock of the reik o{ the Caravane. 
Thefe Faquirs were fent by their Superiours, into I know not what Coun- 
trey full of Banians., to demand of them Two thoufand Roupies, with a cer- 
tain quantity of Rice and Mans of Butter -, and they had orders not to return 
withont fulfilling their Commiffion. This is their way all over the Indies, 
whereby thdr Mummeries , they have accuftomed the Gentiles to give them 
what they demand, without daring to refufe. There are a great many 
Faquirs among the Mahometans., as well as amongft the Idolaters, who are 
alfo Vagabonds , and worfe than they : and commonly both of them are 
treated alike. 
The Mogtds The Proviuce of Halabas pays the Mogul yearly above fourteen Mil- 
Revenue from lions. 
Hatabas. 
CHAR XL. 
Of the TroZ'ince of Oulefïèr or Bengala, a?id 
of the Ganges. 
The Province 'TPHc Province of Oulejfer , which we call Bengala , and which the Ido'- 
of oulefer, or X latcrs name Jaganat ; becaufe of the famous Idol of the Tagod oijaga- 
Bengala. vat which IS there, is Inhabited by Gentiles no lefs fantaftical in point of 
Jaganat. Religion , than thofe of Halabas ; and this one inftance may ferve for a 
Strange Pe- proof of it. A F amir intending to invent fome new fpell of Devotion 
nance of a Fa- xh^Lt was never feen before, and which might coft him a great deal of pains, 
qmr. rcfolvcd to meafurewith liis Body the whole extent of the A/o^a/^Empire^ 
from Bengala 2LS far as Caboul, which are the limits of it from South Eaft to 
North Weft. The pretext he h|d for fo doing , was, that once in his life 
he might be prefentat the Feaft ôf Houïy , which I have already defcribed, 
aiid he had a kind of novices to wait upon him and ferve him. 
The firft Adion he did when he fet out uj^on his Journey, was to lay 
himfelf at full length on the ground upon his belly, and to order that the 
length of his Bod}^ might be marked there -, that being done, he rofe up , 
and acquainted his followers with his Defign , -which was to take a Jour- 
ney 
