ABRACADABRA. 
539 
As the Gentoos burn their dead, one would imagine that the Per- 
sees, who have such a veneration for fire, would be desirous of having 
their bodies consumed by that element; but instead of this, they 
expose their dead bodies to be devoured by birds, of prey, because, 
say they, as a living man is composed of all the elements, it is but 
reasonable, after he is dead, that every element should receive its own 
again. On the top of Malabar-hill, about two miles from the town of 
Bombay, there are two round buildings for receiving the dead bodies 
of the Persees, which remain there till the bones are clean picked by 
the birds. This is certainly an abominable custom, and affords 
shocking spectacles ; however, a guard is always placed at a little 
distance, to prevent people from prying too narrowly into those mat- 
ters, or, as Mr. Ives says, to ensure the vultures of their repast with- 
out any disturbance. 
Mr. Grose says, that on his going to look into one of these reposi- 
tories, a Persee advised him in a friendly manner to let it alone, as 
no person, who was not a party concerned, wo.uld long survive sucff 
curiosity. He tells also, that the person appointed to look after the 
dead, carefully observes which eye is first picked out by the birds, 
and thence judges of the situation of the soul of the deceased, a state 
of happiness being indicated by the right eye being first picked out. 
Mr. Ives observes, that by reason of the heat of the sun, much less 
noxious vapour is emitted by these bodies than might be expected, the 
flesh being soon shrivelled up, and the bones turned quite black.- At 
the extreme point of Malabar-hill there is a rock on (he descent to 
the sea, flat on the top, in which there is a natural crevice, which 
communicates with a hollow terminating at an interior opening to the 
sea. This place is used by the Gentoos as a purifier from their sins. 
This purification is effected by their going in at the opening, and 
coming through the crevice, though it seems too small for people of 
any corpulence to pass. 
Abracadabra. 
This was the name of a god worshipped by the Syrians, and was 
recommended by Serenus Samonicus, as a magical antidote against 
agues and several other diseases. It was to be written upon a piece 
of paper as many times as it contains letters, omitting the last letter 
of the former every time, thus : 
Abracadabra 
Abracadabr 
Abracadab 
Abracada 
A b r a c a d 
A b r a c a 
A b r a c 
A b r a 
A b r 
A b 
A 
This was to be repeated in the same order, and then suspended about 
the neck by a linen thread. This was considered as a continual invo- 
