CHINGHOOR. 
153 
meritorious. The Pingli Brahmins being in possession of the civil 
power, performed the. ceremonies with great splendour. Mooraba, 
being poor, could not approach for the crowd of richer suppliants- 
At this he was severely mortified, but at length retired to the foot 
ofaNaipte tree, which still exists there, performed his Pooja, and 
left his offerings. In the evening he, as usual, returned to Chinchoor. 
In the course of the night the offerings were transposed^ Mooraba s 
being placed before the Deity, while the Pingh's were found at the 
foot of the tree. The Poojanie Brahmins, astonished and alarmed, 
inquired to whom the accepted offerings belonged, and learned that 
a Gokan Brahmin had been there the day before, had performed 
his devotion at the foot of the tree, and had since disappeared. 
On Mooraba's appearance the following day, the event was in- 
stantly communicated to the Pingli, who ordered him to be brought 
before them. On their interrogating him respecting the whole 
business, he simply related what had passed. They then demanded 
where he lived ; he replied " below the Gauts, but the place has no 
name : you may come along, and see where it is, if you please." 
Believing this to be impossible from the distance, unless he were a 
sorcerer, they immediately ordered him to be driven across the 
river, and forbad his return under pain of punishment. 
Mooraba was now completely heart-broken. He laid himself 
down at the foot of a Mimosa, and humbling himself before the 
Deity, deprecated his wrath ; and declared his willingness to give 
up his life to him, which he conceived necessary, as he could not 
eat till he had performed his devotions, and he was now completely 
debarred from the possibility of doing so. On looking up he 
perceived a Brahmin standing before him, who was, in reality, 
