Aurungzebe. During a journey from Ahmedabad to Agra, he witnessed a shocking tragedy which roused all the feelings of his benevolent heart, nor has he suppressed a manly indignation in the recital. A young Hindoo widow, attended by five females, surrounded by Brahmins, was advancing towards the funeral pile of her husband: when the usual ceremonies were over, he beheld the young and beautiful victim kindle the combustible altar on which she had placed herself near her husband's corpse: the flames were increased by the oil of sandal, poured in by the ministering priests: and when the pyre burnt furiously, the five infatuated attendants rushed into the midst of the fire, and shared the fate of their mistress. The amiable Bernier, indignant at this horrid spectacle, passionately exclaims against a religion which could permit such a sacrifice, and still more so against "les demons de Brahmens," who not only encouraged these deluded females, but were the most active persons throughout the infernal tragedy.

Religious prejudices are very powerful, but how they can thus destroy the feelings of humanity, is rather paradoxical: the cruelties of the inquisition and other mis-named Christian tribunals proceed from a different cause they were originally actuated by the spirit of Christianity; although bigotry may have strangely perverted its benevolent influence. In the sacrifice of a Hindoo widow, (and some thousands are annually sacrificed,) Religion herself inculcates the horrid deed; the laws of Menu approve it; and the priests of Brahma, who affect to shudder at the death of an insect, assist at the destruction of this most lovely part of the creation.

HINDOO DEVOTION.

183

Although mingled with other sensations, it is pleasing to see the inhabitants of Pulparra, and most other towns and villages on the banks of the Tappee, Narbudda, and principal rivers of Hindostan, repair to the water to perform their devotions; no morning dawns, no evening closes without this pious ceremony. That the Hindoos worship the Ganges there is, I believe, no doubt, because a peculiar sanctity is annexed to its stream in an inferior degree they seem to venerate other rivers; and generally enter them twice a-day, not only to perform their devotions, but to purify their bodies, and wash their garments: both sexes assemble for the same purpose, and shift their clothes in the water, without the least idea of infringing the laws of decency.

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After performing their religious ablutions, the Hindoos receive on their forehead the mark either of Visnoo or Siva; this mark, affixed by a Brahmin, varies in form and colour, according to the sect they profess; the one being horizontal, the other perpendicular: it is made from a composition of sandal-wood, turmeric, and cow-dung; the latter is deemed peculiarly sacred. The mark on the forehead is frequently alluded to in the Sacred Scriptures, as characteristic of the righteous and the wicked: we read of those who had the mark of the beast; and of those blessed and happy beings, who were admitted to the pure river of the water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, whose name was written on their foreheads; and who had not received the mark of the beast upon their foreheads, nor on their hands. This is a holy ceremony which has been adopted in all ages by the eastern nations, however differing in religious

Japti

professions. Among the Hindoos of both sexes, and all descriptions, among the castes permitted to attend the temple worship, it is daily practised. To the Jews it was well known, as also to the Mahomedans.

The sacred groves of Pulparra, are the general resort for all the Yogees, Senassees, and Hindoo pilgrims who visit Surat, from the most remote regions of Hindostan; the whole district is holy, and the Tappee in that part has a more than common sanctíty: all ablutions in a river are thought to be more efficacious than an immersion in stagnant water; the Levitical law enjoined the leper to bathe in the running stream; the Hindoos annex to it a greater degree of purity than in any tank at their temples. These devotees are great travellers; they wander, either collectively or individually, from the confines of Russia to Cape Comorin; and from the borders of China to Malabar-hill on the island of Bombay, where there is a fane of much celebrity. Plutarch mentions one of them, named Calanus, who followed Alexander from India: being seized with a dysentery at Pasagardus, he prepared his own funeral pile; and, after performing some religious ceremonies, laid himself on it with great composure, until burnt to death. Diodorus describes the immolation of an Indian widow two thousand years ago, in the army of Eumenes, who burnt herself on the funeral pile of her husband, in the manner I have just related.

SAIL FROM BOMBAY.

185

CHAPTER XI.

Voyage from Bombay to Anjengo-Geographical Division of the Malabar Coast-Goa-Monkish Convents-Commerce-Portugueze Domination-Carwar-Mirzee and Barcelore, the ancient Musiris and Barace-Fortified Island-Onore-Malabar Frontier-Mangulore-Gigantic Statue at Kurkul-Cannanore -Tellicherry-Cardamom-Dumapatam Island-Coffee Plantations-Ordeal Trials in Malabar-Mucuars at TellicherryMahie-Sacrifice Rock-Edible Bird-Nests-Calicut-Vapura -Grand Appearance of the Gaut Mountains-Cochin-Mattancherry-Jews-town-Porca, Calliquilone-Quilone-EddovaAnjengo-Catamaran-Hippocampus.

Soon after leaving Surat, I was appointed a member of the Council at Anjengo, the most southern of the English settlements on the Malabar coast, about six hundred miles from Bombay, in the latitude of 8° 39' north. We sailed from that island the beginning of February, 1772, and in a fortnight arrived at Anjengo, after a delightful voyage, during which we stopped at most of the principal places on the coast.

A favourable breeze soon carried us past Fort Victoria; the next day, sailing along the mountainous shores of the Concan, we had a distinct view of Rutrah-Gheriah, and several other Mahratta fortresses; we then looked into the harbour of Gheriah, the chief sea-port on the Malabar coast, defended by a

strong fortification, and surrounded by a rich territory. Gheriah is in the latitude of 16° 37′ north, twenty-three leagues from Goa; in which distance are the forts of Raree and Augustus, conquered by the English, from the Malwans, in 1765, then lately ransomed: still nearer to Goa is Vingorla, a small town in a hilly country, where the India Company had at that time a factory, and collected a small revenue.

The mountainous shore of the Concan is improperly called a part of the Malabar coast; but as the western side of the Indian peninsula, almost from Surat to Cape Comorin, is generally included under that denomination, I will briefly describe the existing boundaries of the kingdoms and provinces in that part of the globe called by geographers the Hither-India.

The most northern district was the Deccan; bounded on the north by Guzerat, east by Golconda and Berar, south by Visiapoor, and west by the Indian ocean : Aurungabad, Satarra, and Poonah, were the principal inland cities: Poonah, from an obscure village, became, after the Brahmin usurpation, the capital of the Mahratta empire. The sea-ports were Tull, Dundee, Dabul, and Choule, once belonging to the Portuguese, but then to the Mahrattas, who possessed the whole coast: Bombay, Salsette, and all the contiguous islands, were included in this division.

The next was the kingdom of Visiapoor, extending north and south, from Gheriah to the spot called the Malabar frontier, near Mangulore: this division was bounded on the east by the Gaut mountains, on the west by the Indian ocean; Visiapoor was the chief inland city; Gheriah, Goa, Carwar, Barcelore, and Onore, the principal sea-ports: the Mahrattas, and a