Chap, it V. 
the Eaft-India Pagans, 
90 1 
for the Barber, who having cleansM the 
Houfe with Milk and Cowpifs, and the 
Perfons belonging to it,they gather up the 
Afhes of thedeceas'd Perfon, after the 
Expiration of the i % days ^ and having 
put the fame into an Urn, they throw it 
with great Lamentations into the River, 
the Sea, or any other Water : This done, 
they purify the Place where the Corps 
was burnt, and plant there a Fig-tree. 
A-fterwards changing their Clothes, and 
being cleans'd by repeated Wafliings,they 
put an end to the Mourning, except the 
next Heir, who continues in Mourning a 
whole Year, during which he abftains 
from FleQi, Filh, Eggs, Wine, nay even 
from their beloved Betel. No Perfon muft 
touch his Head, neither muft he cohabit 
with his Wife t Befides which, he is obli- 
ged tcT perform daily the following Cere- 
mony ^ He takes a fmall quantity of boil'd 
Rice, made up in form of a little Ball, 
this he lays upon a Figleaf fpread upon 
the Ground without the Houfe-door, and 
taking part of another Figleaf, he bends 
it together, fancying all the while, that 
theDeceas'd is there prefent to eat the 
Riceball ^ then taking a little Rice mix'd 
with Butter in both his Hands, he turns 
his Face about, as if he were looking to 
put it into the Mouth of the dcceas'd 
Perfon. This done, the Slanders by 
clap their Hands together, a Signal to 
the Crows (of which there are vaft 
Numbers in Malabar) to come to take 
the Ball of Rice, prepar'd for the de- 
ceased Perfon ^ which if the Crows do, ^'y^' 
the Heir is at Liberty to go to his Dinner, 
but if they don't, it is look'd upon as an 
ill Omen, and the whole Ceremony con- 
fider'd as fruitlefs. 
At the Conclufion of the Mourning, 
the Relations of the deceased are invited 
to a fplendid Feaft, where however they 
muft not eat either Flelfb, Fifii or Eggs, 
and none but the richer fort are invited 
to partake of it. Xbis they repeat once 
a Year, on the fame day the deceas'd di- 
ed, to the Memory of their Friend. I 
will not enlarge my felf in this Place up- 
on that moft barbarous Cultora of fome 
of thefe Pagans, for the Wives to burn 
themfelves alive with the deadCarcafes 
of their Husbands, a thitlg ftill practised 
in the moft populous City of Pandi ; for 
when the Funeral Ceremony bf hmpi 
Naigne^ the Prince of the Country, was 
folemniz'd with great Pomp, 300 of his 
Wives did precipitate themfelves alive 
(under the Sound of Drums and Trum- 
pets) into the fame Hole fili'd with burn- 
ing Oil, Butter, and other combuftible 
Matter, which burn'd both his and their 
Bodies to Allies. We conclude with a 
hearty Wilh, that thefe poor Wretches^ 
quite entangled in the Darknefs of Paga- 
nifra, may thro his Mercy, and with the 
Affiftance of fuch Magiftrates as ouglit 
to keep a watchful eye over their Adi- 
ons,be in time brought to the true Know'- 
ledgof theGofpel. 
FINIS. 
VohllL «A THE 
