'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎200] (237/562)

[ 200 ]
ftruck the ground. The Tingle body however, or trunk of the tree at Bomhay »
of much larger dimenfions than any one of the many bodies or trunks beW.
ing to thofe near Fort St. David and Gombroon. Under that on the Coromandel
coaft, are the ruins of fome houfes; and it is commonly related (in order
to make the tree appear the more marvellous) that this one tree once fhaded
a whole town. At a fmall diftance from this tree near Gombroon, there is a
Pagoda or temple, in a very ruinous condition, except a fmall part, which
is kept in good repair, and much frequented by the Gentoos in their devo
tions. The Gentoos likewife worfhip under the (hade of thofe trees which
grow near Fort St. David and Bombay, but with this material difference
that at the two laft places they have no f Pagodas built with mens hands'
any more than the Druids of old had, who under their confecrated oak wor-
fliipped one fupreme God, immenfe and infinite, and could not think of
confining their adoration to the narrow limits of a temple, which they
deemed would be quite inconfiftent with thofe attributes. In like manner
the Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. tree is held facred by the Gentoos, who are almoft as fenfibly
hurt by your cutting or lopping off one of its fuperfluous branches, as if you
were to mutilate or deftroy a cow, between whofe facred horns they often
place their hand, when they make their moft folemn oaths, and appeals to
the Deity.
Our countryman Mr. Tickel has taken notice of this tree in the follow-
nr 11 npo
ing lines.
" Like the fam'd Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. tree, whofe pliant fhoot
" To earthward bending, of itfelf takes root,
" Till like their mother plant, ten thoufand ftand
" In verdant arches on the fertile land;
" Beneath her (hade the tawny Indians rove.
Or hunt at large through the wide echoing grove.
1
'We here found the afs a very ufeful creature; I rode twice on one to
Flaii ban, and my brother travellers made ufe of the fame conveyance in a
jaunt to The road to this laft place is over a chain of barren, inhof-
pitable mountains, where are not only many dreadful precipices, which
)ou mult neceffarily pafs over, but alfo large pieces of cragged rocks, which
hang over your head, and feem to threaten you with immediate deftrudion.
t Herodotus tells us, that the ereded neither ftatues, temples, nor altars to their
^;. b ^^n ^p r i^ nfiCeS e 0pen air ' and g enerall y on the tops of hills, orh$»
k t0 ha u € u 66 ." thr0Ugh the advice and inftigation of the Mm, that to
{hut n temples, efteeming it injurious to the majefty of god to
be reckon pH Un r' t0 ^ a things are open, and to whom the whole world mould
LfllmmX tL'nl ^ 6 ^ His WOrds are thefe: " Audoribus Magis Xerxes
rent effe natentla r farietihiu includerunt deos, quibus omnia debe-
, i / aC llbera, ^ uorum( l ue hie mundus omnis templum effet & domus. Cic./.
2. de Legibus,
From