~ 
2860 
towards the interior from two to three 
month’s journey, and abound in beautiful 
cities; whilst the Sovereign of Kalicut 
possesses but a few places along the 
coast, as far as tne Cape, situated oppo- 
site the island of Senerib, or Ceylon. 
All this country is, in ceneral, called Ma- 
labar. 
Different cargoes of merchandize are 
sent from Kalikut to Mecca, especially 
pepper. The inhabitants are bold and 
entcrprizing at sea; for which reason 
their vessels are not ‘attacked by the pi- 
yates. All kinds of commodities may be 
found in; their ports. 
cow, and the eating of its flesh, are con- 
idotedl by them as most heinous crimes, 
and death is the punishment attending the 
perpetration of them. In such venera- 
tion do they hold. the cow, that they be- 
smear their foreheads with the dung of 
that animal. The curse of God * * 
upon such infidels! 
Abdulrizak having embarked at Ka.. 
kut, passed by Bendanch*, a port. situ- 
ated at the entrance into Malabar, and 
srrived at Menejgur}, the first maritime 
place belonging to the King of Bisnagor. 
There he remained two or three days.’ 
As he thence proceeded by land, he per- 
ceived at the distance of three farsangs 
(abeut twelve miles) from Menelgur, an 
adol temple, such as no other region of 
the world.exhibits. It is an equilateral 
square, of about ten cubits each side, 
and five in height, worked in porcelain 
and cast metal. There are four ledges, 
or sofas, on which is placed an idol of 
the human figure and size, made of solid 
gold, with eyes formed of two rubies, so 
admirably contrived that the image ap- 
pears to look at, and to see obj ‘ects. 
Continuing his journey, ie passed, 
every second day, through a large town 
well inhabited, until he came to a moun- 
tain, the ie of which would cast a shade 
on the disk of the sun. The lower part 
of this mountain was so thickly plauted 
with great trecs, and thorny bushes so 
considerable, that the obscurity they 
caused could not he illuminated by the 
brightest sun-beams. Having passed this 
forest, Abdulrizak arrived at a place call- 
ed Bevlour: the houseg of which resem- 
bled palaces, and the lovely females were 
like the Houris of Paradise. Amongst 
' the public buildings, there is an idol- 
* JM. Langlés supposes this a mistake ef 
the transcriber for Cananor. 
+ Mangalore, on the coast of Malabars 
where the Postuguese had once a factory. © 
Zz * 
Abduirizak’s Travels from Persia to India. 
The killing of a- 
[May 1, 
temple, so lofty that it is seen at a dis< 
tance of many farsangs. ' 
Of this temple it is not possible to give 
an exact or adequate description. How- 
ever, a few words must he said on the 
subject. There is in the midst of the 
village an even spot, of about ten jeribs*, 
like the delightful garden of Irem+, co- 
vered with the most fragrant roses, anda 
thousand other flowers, and surrounded 
with an enclosure of stone. In the cen- 
tre of this space is a raised terrace, about 
the height of a man, and faced with 
stones so admirably joined together, that 
they seem to form, but one solid mass. 
In the middle of this terrace is a magni~ 
ficent dome of biue stones, highly po- 
lished, and so lofty as to reach the stars. 
The dome is adorned with three rows of 
pictures, and the whole edifice, from the 
base to the summit, is-filled with bass- 
reliefs and idols. The temple itself is 
thirty cubits in length, twenty in breadth, 
and about fifty in height. Besides this, 
which is the principal, there. are many 
lesser temples of different sizes, painted 
and filled with images. Every morning 
and evening superstitious ceremonies are 
performed in these places, followed by 
games, concerts of musical instruments, 
dances, singing, and various sports; and 
the inhabitants of the village support 
themselves on the presents which are 
brought by the people of the most distant 
towns, as giits ep the accomplishing of 
these vows which they had made. 
After remalmuay two or three days in 
this place, A bdulrizak continued his j jour- 
ney; and arrived at the city of Bisnagor 
the last day ef the month Zul Hadjah 
(April 80, 14 48}. The King had sent 
persons to meet him, and he was.con- 
ducted toa dn agreeable and commodi- 
ous dwelling, 
Chap. iV.—Abdulrizak found ee; city 
of Bisnagor to ee a place of considerable 
extent, well built,. and containing a nu- 
merous population. It is the capital of 
a great kingdom, extending from the 
island of Ceylon as far as Kalberkahf, 
and from Bengal to the coast of Malabar, 
a space of above a thousand farsangs. 
a a a 
* Jerib, a measure of land containing 
5,600 guz, or cubits, each, according to the 
Ayeen Akbery, of forty-one fingers, 
‘4 frem, a fabulous gafden, resembling 
Paradise. 
{ Cx Kalberga, as described by Mr. Orme, 
a fort dependant on Viziapour, ee ina 
plain, and surrounded with good di 
The Hindoos had once here a fine te 
which the Musulmans destroyed, 
