'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎97] (768/1024)

ing up afterwards in the water, and lifting up their eyes and hands to Heaven, muttering
and praying with great devotion, and from time to time taking water with their hands" 3
which they threw up towards the Sun, bowing down their heads very low -moving
and turning their arms and hands fometimes one way, fometimes another, and thus
continuing their piungmg, praying and apifhnefs unto the end of this Eclipfe i at
which time every one retired, cafting fome pieces of Silver aigood way off into the wa
ter, and giving alms to the hrachmans or men of the Law, who failed not to be at that
Ceremony- I took notice, that at their going out of the water, they all took new
cloathes that were laid ready for them folded up on the fand, and that many of the de-
youter fort left there their old garments for the Brachmans. And in this manner did I
fee from my ierranethis great folemnityof the Eclipfe j which was celebrated after
the fame manner in the River Indus and Ganges, and in all the other Rivers as alfo in
the Receivers of water in the Indies, but efpegally in that of the Tanaifer, where Were
met together above an hundred and fifty thoufand perfons, come together from all
parts of the Indies, becaufethe water of it is on that day reputed more holy and effi
cacious than on any other. 1
The great Mogol, though he be a Mahumetan, fuffers thefe Heathens to go on in thefe
ola fup^rflitions, becaufe he will not, or dareth notcrofs them in the exercife of their
Religion, and betides it is not performed without prefenting him, by the hands of the
Bracbmanszs Commiffioners, a Lecque or an hundred thoufand Roupies, which are worth
above fifty thoufand Crowns, for which he returns nothing but a few Vefts and an old
Elephant. Now you (hall fee thofe folid reafons (foifooth) which they alled^e for this
feah, and for the Ceremonies by them obferved in it.
We have (fay they) our four Beths, that is. Books of the Law, Sacred and Divine
Writings, given us by God through,the hands of Brahma. Thefe Books do teach us
that a certain Veuta J which is a kind of corporeal Divinity, very malign and mif-
chievous, very black and very filthy {thefe are their own expreflions in their language)
feizeth on the Sun, blackens it as Twere with ink, and fo darkens it: Ibat this Sun 2
which is alfo a Ueuta, but of the beft and the moft beneficent and perfe& Divinities, is
at that time in very great pains and terrible anguifh, to fee himfelf thus feized on and
mifufed by that black villain : That Tis a general duty to endeavour to deliver him
from this miferable condition j which cannot Be effeded but by the force of prayers,
walkings and alms, and that thefe anions are of a very extraordinary merit to fuch a
degree, that an alms given at that time is worth an hundred given at another. Who
is there, fay they, that would not give cent pour cent ?
Sir, thefe ate the twoEclipfes I fpoke of which I (hall hardly ever forget, and which
miniiter occalion to me to proceed to fome other extravagancies of tbefe Geritils, whence
you may draw what confequerices you (hall pleafe.
In the Town of Jagannat, which is feated upon the Gulf oIBengala, and where is
that famous Temple of the Idol of the fame name, there is yearly celebrated a certain
Feaff which lafls eight or nine days, ifl remember well. There is found an incredible
number of people, as there was antiently in the Temple of Hammon, and as Tis at this
day at Mecca. This number, kisfaid, amounts fometinaes to above an hundred and
fifty thoufand perfons. They make a (lately Engin of wood, as I have feen of them in
Jpany other places of the Indies, with I know not how many extravagant hgures,almoft
fuch as we are wont to paint Monfters with two heads or bodies, half man and half
bead, or gigantiek and terrible heads, Satyrs*; Apes or Devils j which Engin is put up
on fourteen or lixteen wheels, fuch as the Carriages of Cannons may be,which fifty or
nxty perfons more or lefs do draw, or thruft forwardsUpon the middle of if appears
food confpicuouily the \&o\ Jagannat, richly dreffied and adorned, which isthustranf-
ported from one place to another, . / . .
The drd day that they (hew this Idol with Ceremony in the Temple, the crowd is
dually fo great to fee it, that there is not a year, but fome of thofe poor Pilgrims, that
Come afar off, tired, and haraffed, are fuffocated there i all the people bleffingthem
T! r , been fo Happy, as to die on fo holy an occafion. And when this Helliffi
numpham Chariot marcheth, there are found (which is no Fable ) perfons fo fooliffi-
} credulous and fuperditious as to throw themfelves with their bellies under thofe large
3 nd heavy wheels, whicji bruife them to death, having fuffered themfelves to be per
vaded, that there isnoa&ion fo heroick nor fo meritorious as that, and that Jagennat
H at the fame time receive them as his Children, and caufe them to be born again in
a Uate q( ff licity and glory. . Ths