178 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
ceased to ascend, and then the venerable priests with 
hair dishevelled, with wild and harassed looks, appeared 
before the multitude. “ Children,” cried the chief of 
them, with triumph beaming in his aged countenance ; 
“ My Children, by extraordinary exertions, by means 
of potent charms and obscure rites which we have 
received from the gods themselves, by fearful penance, 
and the most painful self-inflictions, we have at last com- 
pelled the unwilling spirit to make known to us the cause 
of his terrible perturbation ; hut this we are unable to 
reveal ; and all that it concerns you to know is, how to 
appease the wrath of the offended saint, and gain for 
yourselves the favour of his protection and support. Let 
every man who is anxious to obtain this advantage to his 
soul, and a similar advancement in his worldly welfare, 
on the evening of each successive new moon advance 
boldly to the entrance of the Jaod Bhae, and cast 
within the chamber a piece of pure silver coin, no mat- 
ter how small ; and this his offering to the saint will 
be repaid to him by the gods a thousand-fold. Our 
blessing too upon those who give heed to our words, 
but dire curses will assuredly overtake those who 
shall dare to defy his revealed commands.” 
These mysterious occurrences created uneasy fears 
in the hearts of the former worshippers of the saint, 
which were strengthened by the strange tales of noises 
and apparitions from time to time encountered 
in the neighbourhood of the Jaod Bhae; so that the 
place was altogether avoided by the people, except 
