408 ORME-ORIENTAL SPORTS. Patna, in Bengal. Diameter, 363 to 375. Circumference of shadow at noon, 1116 feet. Circumference of the several stems, in number fifty or sixty, 921 feet. Under this tree sat a naked Fakir, who had occupied that situation for twenty-five years; but he did not continue there the whole year through, for his vow obliged him to lie during the four cold months up to his neck in the waters of the Ganges. [Brahmin's Expiatory Surfeit.] "A VERY strange custom prevails in some parts of India: a Brahmin devotes himself to death, by eating until he expires with the surfeit. It is no wonder that superstition is convinced of the necessity of cramming the Priest, when he professes to eat like a cormorant through a principle of religion."-ORME's Fragments. [Indian Chaun, or, Congreve Rocket, or Lattie.] "THE Chaun, or rocket, is a hollow cylinder of iron, of about ten inches or a foot long, and from two to three inches in diameter, closed at the fore end, and at the other having only a small aperture left, for the purpose of filling with a composition, similar to what is used for making serpents, &c. These cylinders are tied very strongly to latties, or wild bamboo staves, of about six or seven feet long. Thus they are firmly fixed parallel to the thickest end of the lattie, when the fuse at the vent being lighted, and a direction given by the operator, as soon as the fire gains sufficient force, a slight cast of the hand commences its motion, and the dangerous missile, urged by its encreasing powers, proceeds in the most furious manner to its destination! The panic it occasions among cavalry is wonderful! It would doubtless be the most formidable of all destructive inventions, if its course and distance could be brought under tolerable regulation. When it does light where intended, its effect is inconceivable; all fly from the hissing, winding visitor; receiving perhaps some smart strokes from the lattie, which gives direction to the tube, often causing it to make the most sudden and unexpected traverse. So delicate, indeed, is the management of this tremendous weapon, that without great precaution, those who discharge them are not safe; and it requires much practice not only to give them due elevation, whereby their distance is proportioned, but to ensure that they shall not, in the very act of discharging, receive any improper bias, which would infallibly produce mischief among their own party."-Oriental Sports, vol. 1, p. 230. [Easy Way of raising Water in India.] "Ir is pleasant to see with what ease a large quantity of water is raised in some parts of India; a palmira or cocoa tree being scooped out, and the butt-end closed with a board, &c. is fixed on a pivot on a level with the place to which the water is to be raised; a man having a pole to sustain him, throws his weight towards the butt-end, which thus sinks into the water, when the balance being again changed to the other end, the water is raised as the butt-end ascends, and shoots into a channel or reservoir made for the purpose. The quickest method, however, is by means of an osier scoop, about three feet square, and having a raised ledge on every side, except that which is immersed into the water. "Two men place themselves on the opposite sides of the reservoir, whence the water is to be raised, and by means of four ropes, one at each corner of the scoop, and passing to the men's hands respectively, the water is raised by a swinging motion to about four or five feet above its former level. "All these methods are excellent. They lift immense quantities, and are exempt from the expenses attendant on all machinery."-Oriental Sports, vol. 2, p. 192. R. D. EMANUEL-PIETRO MARTIRE - HERIOT. [Nabob-the mearing of.] "THE Persic word Nawab, which the English have corrupted to Nabob, is, grammatically speaking, the plural of Naib, which signifies a deputy or lieutenant-governor; an officer in rank and consequence inferior to the subadar, and subordinate to him. But Nawab or Nabob, the plural of this term, is likewise an hereditary title of honour, which was always conferred on the subadars, frequently on the nâibs, and sometimes on the emirs or nobles of the empire, as the reward of eminent public service, or as a signal mark of royal favour."-Asiat. An. Reg. 1805. Characters, p. 45. Malacca-[Fruit.] "THEY say," says DAMIAM DE GOES, "that they have in this land a fruit in shape like an artichoke, and of the size of the citron, which they call durioens, and which are of so delicate and sweet a taste, that many strangers choose to remain there for the sake of that fruit, though the country be so sickly."-Chron. del R. D. EMANUEL, p. 3, c. 1. www Malacca. Or these Chinese, DAMIAM DE GOES says oddly, that "they supped with Alboquerque, and were well entertained after the manner of Flanders and Germany, for their customs are such as if they were of those very provinces."-P. 3, c. 17. [Custom of Succession in Malabar.] "THE same mode of succession as in Malabar prevailed among the original inhabitants of St. Domingo. They leave the inheritance of their kingdoms to the eldest son of their eldest sister. If she fail, to the eldest of the second sister, and so of the third, if the second also fail: for they are out of doubt that those children come of 409 their blood, but the children of their own wives they count to be not legitimate. If there remain none of their sisters' children, they leave the inheritance to their brothers'; and if they fail, it descendeth to their own sons."— PIETRO MARTIRE. Dec. 3, c. 9. "So also among the Natchez. "The government was hereditary, but the sons of the reigning chief did not succeed their father; the sons of his sister, the first princess of the blood, were his declared successors. This policy was founded on the knowledge which they had of the libertinism of their wives. They were not certain, said they, that the children of their wives were of the blood royal; whereas the sons of the sister of the Grand Chief were at least so by the side of their mother."— HERIOT'S Hist. of Canada, vol. 1, p. 509. [Brahmin's Notion of Benares not pertaining to this Earth, shook by an Earthquake.] "THE Brahmins say that Benares is not a part of this sinful earth; but that it is on the outside of the earth. An earthquake, however, which was lately felt there, has rather nonplussed them, as it proves that what shakes the earth, shakes Benares too." -Baptist Periodical Accounts, vol. 2, p. 483. [Head-Dress of the Sophis.] “THE head-dress of the Sophis is described by DAMIAM DE GOES, from one which had been sent among the Persian presents to Emanuel. Sam huns carapuçoens de feltro altos, que se pregam, abrem, et fecham quomo hum folle, fazendo de cada banda seis pregas que fazem assi doze em memoria dor doze filhos de Hocem." - Chron. del R. D. EMANUEL, vol. 3, p. 67. [Extraordinary Creeper of Sumatra.] "THESE fibres, that look like ropes attached to the branches, when they meet 410 WILLIAM MARSDEN-WILKS-THEVENOT. with any obstruction in their descent, conform themselves to the shape of the resisting body, and thus occasion many curious metamorphoses. I recollect seeing them stand in the perfect shape of a gate, long after the original posts and cross-pieces had decayed and disappeared; and I have been told of their lining the internal circumference of a large bricked well, like the worm in a distiller's tub; there exhibiting the view of a tree turned inside out, the branches pointing to the centre, instead of growing from it. It is not more extraordinary in its manner of growth, than whimsical and fantastic in its choice of situations. ments, and overcoming, as their size enlarges, the most powerful resistance, split with the force of the mechanic wedge, the most substantial brick-work. When the consistence is such as not to admit the insinuations of the fibres, the root extends itself along the outside, and to an extraordinary length, bearing not unfrequently to the stem, the proportion of eight to one, when young. I have measured the former sixty inches, when the latter, to the extremity of the leaf, which took up a third part, was no more than eight inches. I have also seen it wave its boughs at the apparent height of two hundred feet, of which the roots, if we may term them such, occupied at least one hundred; forming, by their close combination, the appearance of a venerable gothic pillar. It stood near the plains of Brakap, but, like other monuments of anti wwwwww [Narsinga.] "From the side of a wall, or the top of a house, it seems to spring spontaneously. Even from the smooth surface of a wooden pillar, turned and painted, I have seen it shoot forth, as if the vegetated juices of the seasoned timber had renewed their circula-quity, it had its period of existence, and is tion, and begun to produce leaves afresh. I now no more.”— Hist. of Sumatra, p. 163, have seen it flourish in the centre of a hol- by WILLIAM MARSDEN.. low tree, of a very different species, which, however, still retained its verdure, its branches encompassing those of the adventitious plant, whilst its decayed trunk enclosed the stem, which was visible, at interstices, from nearly the level of the plain on which they grew. This, in truth, appeared so striking a curiosity, that I have often repaired to the spot, to contemplate the singularity of it. How the seed, from which it is produced, happens to occupy stations seemingly so unnatural, is not easily determined. Some have imagined the berries carried thither by the wind, and others, with more appearance of truth, by the birds; which, cleansing their bills where they light, or attempt to light, leave in those places the seeds, adhering by the viscous matter which surrounds them. However this be, the jawi-jawi growing on buildings without earth or water, and deriving from the genial atmosphere its principle of nourishment, proves in its increasing growth, highly destructive to the fabric where it is harboured; for the fibrous roots, which are at first extremely fine, penetrate common ce "THE last of thirteen Rajas of the house of Hurryhur, who were followers of Seeva, the sect of Veeshnoo, the founder of a new was succeeded in 1490 by Narsing Raja of dynasty, whose empire appears to have been called by Europeans Narsinga, a name which being no longer in use has perplexed geographers with regard to its proper position. Narsing Raja seems to have been the first King of Vijeyanuggur, who extended his conquests into Dranveda, and erected the strong forts of Chandragherry and Vellore."-WILKS's South of India, vol. 1, p. [Cunning Robbers of Dehly.] "THE cunningest robbers in the world are in the province of Dehly. They use a certain slip with a running noose, which they cast with so much sleight about a man's neck, when they are within reach of him the temple had never been seen by any but a genuine Hindoo. The reciprocal interests of the Brahmins and the successive governments had compromised this forbearance by the payment of a large revenue which the Brahmins exacted from the pilgrims. COLONEL WILKS says he was on duty for eighteen months in the woods of that neighbourhood, and frequently climbed to the summit of the neighbouring hills, without being able to get even a distant glimpse of the pagoda."-South of India, vol. 1, p. 399. that they never fail; so that they strangle | or Christian feet, but even the exterior of him in a trice. They have another cunning trick also to catch travellers with: They send out a handsome woman upon the road, who with her hair dishevelled, seems to be all in tears, sighing and complaining of some misfortune which she pretends has befallen her. Now as she takes the same way that the traveller goes, he easily falls into conversation with her, and finding her beautiful, offers her his assistance, which she accepts; but he hath no sooner taken her up behind him on horseback, but she throws the snare about his neck and strangles him, or at least stuns him until the robbers (who lie hid) come running in to her assistance and compleat what she hath begun. But besides that, there are men in those quarters so skilful in casting the snare, that they succeed as well at a distance as near at hand; and if an ox or any other beast belonging to a caravan run away, as sometimes it happens, they fail not to catch it by the neck."THEVENOT. [The Worship of Kali.] [Snakes of the Guzerat Lakes.] "MANY snakes in the Guzerat lakes are of beautiful colours; and their predatory pursuits are extremely curious. They watch the frogs, lizards, young ducks, water rats, and other animals when reposing on the leaves of the lotus, or sporting on the margin of a lake, and at a favourable opportunity seize their prey, and swallow it whole, though often of a circumference much larger than themselves. These in their turn, become food to the larger aquatic fowl, which frequent the lakes; who also swallow them, and their contents entire: thus it sometimes happens that a large duck not only gulps down the living serpent, but one of its own brood still existing "KALI is worshipped under the name of Chamoundee, on the hill of Mysoor, in a temple famed at no very distant period for human sacrifices. The Mysorreans never failed to decorate her with a wreath composed of the noses and ears of their cap-in its maw. Standing with some friends on tives."-WILKS, vol. 1, p. 34. [The Pagoda of Tripeti.] "THE pagoda of Tripeti, the resort of pilgrims from the farthest limits of the Hindoo religion, is situated in an elevated bason, surrounded by a circular crest of hills; and during the successive revolutions of the country, these sacred precincts, guarded by four Polegars or Cawilkars, who are its hereditary watchmen, had not only never been profaned by Mahommedan the side of a tank, watching the manœuvres of these animals, we saw a Muscovy drake swallow a large snake, which had just before gorged itself with a living prey. The drake came on shore to exercise himself in getting down the snake, which continued for some hours working within the bird's craw; who seemed rather uneasy at its troublesome guest. It is therefore most probable there were three different creatures alive at the same time in this singular connection."-FORBES, vol. 3, p. 336. 412 [Luxury of Cold Water in India.] FORBES. "THE greatest luxury I enjoyed during this sultry season was a visit to the English factory, where the resident had one room dark and cool, set apart entirely for the porous earthen vessels containing the water for drinking; which were disposed with as much care and regularity as the milk-pans in an English dairy; on the surface of each water-jar were scattered a few leaves of the Damascus rose; not enough to communicate the flavour of the flower, but to convey an idea of fragrant coolness when entering this delightful receptacle to me a draught of this water was far more grateful than the choicest wines of Schiraz, and the delicious sensations from the sudden transition of heat, altogether indescribable."Ibid. vol. 2, p. 30. [Halcarras—or, Indian News-Messengers.] "IN Ahmebed, as in most other large oriental cities, are a sort of news-writers, or gazetteers who at midnight record all the transactions of the preceding day, and send them off by express Halcarras, or messengers to their correspondent, in distant provinces. During the splendour of the Mogul government, in the capital of every district, the emperor maintained a gazetteer, an historiographer, and a spy, to collect and record the occurrences of the day and immediately to transmit them to a public officer at the imperial court, who laid such as were of importance before his sovereign."-Ibid. vol. 3, p. 130. [Palanquin-Bearers, and the Round of Beef.] "I KNEW a gentleman who having formed a party for a little excursion into the country, provided a round of beef as a principal dish in the cold collation: as he was going on horseback he desired the beef might be covered with a cloth and put into his palanquin to keep it cool: the bearers re fused to carry a vehicle which contained such a pollution. The gentleman on finding that neither remonstrances, entreaties, or threatenings were of any avail, cut off a slice of the meat, and eating it in their presence, desired them to carry him to the place of rendezvous. This produced the desired effect. The bearers were the first to laugh at their folly, and exclaimed, 'master come wise-man, with two eyes, while poor black man come very foolish with only one' and taking up the palanquin with the beef they set off towards the tents in great good humour."-Ibid. vol. 2, p. 139. [The Parsee Tribe and the Everlasting Fire.] "SOME of the Parsee tribe still reside in Persia, near the city of Baku, on the shores of the Caspian sea, about ten miles from the everlasting fire which they hold in such veneration. This fire issues from the cleft of a rock, five or six feet in length and three in breadth, appearing like the clear flame over burning spirits; sometimes it rises to the height of several yards, at others only a few inches above the aperture. It has continued thus for ages without intermission, and the rock is said not to be in the least affected, either by the fire consuming its substance, or changing its colour. Travellers mention, that if a hollow tube is put a few inches into the ground, for some hundred yards around this rocky opening, a similar flame issues through the orifice: the poorer people who live in the neighbourhood, frequently cook their victuals over the flame."—Ibid. vol. 1, p. 111. [The Mowah Tree.] "THE mowah (bassia butyracea) attains the size of an English oak, grows in almost any soil, and from the beauty of the foliage makes a conspicuous appearance in the landscape. Its timber is very desirable, from being proof against the destructive |