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JOURNAL OF THE EMBASSY 
twenty feet in length. A bed and pillow had been hewn for 
him out of the rock ; and here he lay on his right side, with 
his right hand supporting his head. His hair was frizzled like 
that of a negroe ; and his serene and placid countenance 
was dawbed all over with red paint. The inside of the tem- 
ple was rudely painted with streaks of red and black. It was 
attended by two priests, who permitted us to enter without 
any difficulty ; nor did they insist on our taking off our 
shoes, a custom which they generally oblige visitors to ob- 
serve. Their duty was to wait at the temple, and never to 
allow the lamp burned before the image to be extinguished. 
Another reason perhaps operated as powerfully as the 
rules of their order to enforce their constant attendance ; 
which was, to receive the offerings of the votaries who con- 
tinually flock to this temple. Our detachment afforded 
very welcome visitors, as every one who went thither always 
left some money, fruit, or rice, for the service of the god. 
The natives who repair hither for the purposes of devotion 
are constantly obliged to contribute either money, rice, 
cloth, or some other commodity of value. From the numer- 
ous votaries who frequent this temple, the priests are re- 
puted to possess great riches ; and the king, who never fails 
to come in for his share of every thing, accordingly taxes 
them very highly. I doubt not that his Majesty would be 
well-pleased that his priests should frequently have such libe- 
ral visitors as they found our troops during our stay at Ilua- 
Aelli. Adjoining the temple where the image was placed. 
