66 
A Defcripion of the Coaftf^ &c. 
Baldam. Pilate and of the Pharifees and Jews in 
^^--v^ general. The Mahometans are to this 
*Mac. 27. jiay jjo(. free from that Superftition, the 
24. ch.25. y^g^er of the Ganges being fold among 
Mark 7.5. them in Bottles at a very good Price, 
as we do our Spaw- Waters *, and they 
pay a confiderable Cuftom for it. 
Hence it is, that the Perfians look upon 
it as a Crime to do ones need into the 
River, or to throw Carrion into it, nay 
even tofpit into it ; and that they have 
attributed fuch furprizing Qualities eo the 
Waters of many Rivers. When the Wa- 
ter of the Nile is carried in order to be 
facrific'd upon the Altar, the People pay 
their Reverence to the Veflel that contains 
it, by proftrating themfelves upon the 
Ground in the fame manner as the Mala- 
bars do to the Water of Ramefwara^ near 
the Pagode call'd Ramanakoil, to which 
they attribute likewife a peculiar Virtue 
of purging them from their Sins. 
Kircher puts the Source of the River 
Ganges in the Mount Thebeth^ where he 
fays is a large Sea, whence arife the four 
Capital Rivers of India^ njtz. the Indus, 
Ganges^ Ravi, and ^thec. The Indian 
Pagans deduce its Origin from De- 
wendre^ or the Heavens, from whence 
it defcends into the Dewendre Locon, 
OF fublunary Worlds and thence into 
the Earth, as may be feen in the be- 
forefaid Abraham Rogerius. They farther 
believe, that if they caft the Bones of 
their deceas'd Friends into the Ganges^ 
their Souls will enjoy theBlifsof Dewen- 
dre for as many thoufand Years as the 
Bones remain fmgle Years in that River 5, 
it being their Opinion, that tho this Wa- 
ter has not the Power to introduce them 
to future Blifs, yet it is a Guide to Hea- 
ven thro the feven fublunary Worlds, 
which they believe every one muft pafs thro 
before he can enter the Heavens. They 
have each its proper Name, but are com- 
prehended under one general Name, 
viz. Dewendre Locon ; and among them 
that of Bramma Locon, or the Place where 
Bramma governs, is next to Heaven ; and 
none are fufFer'd to enter there, except 
fuch as are pafs'd from Heaven to the 
Earth, and thence again thro the before- 
mention'd fublunary Worlds. It is be- 
yond all doubt that many both among the 
Jews and Gentiles have affign'd certain Pla- 
ces for the Souls to dwell in, befides Hea- 
ven and Hell ; in which they are imitated 
by the Purgatory- mongers, and fuch as 
believe a feparate Place for the Antient 
Fathers and Innocent Children. 
Before the River Ganges puts a ftop to 
our Voyage, and the Defcription of the 
Places mention'd in this Treatife, w«i 
muft add fomething concerning the Ma-^ 
labar Language. 
