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TAVERNIER - SIR W. JONES-INST. OF MENU.

from its scaly structure, caused by the falling of the precedent branches."-FRYER.

[Tavernier's Entertainment by Cha Sefi.] WHEN Tavernier was entertained by Cha Sefi the ceremony of eating was as follows. "On étendit devant nous selon la coûtume un grand Sofra de brocart d'or qui sert de nape, et sur le Sofra un cuir de même longueur et largeur de ces sortes de cuirs qui sont façonnez. Puis on étendit sur le cuir une sorte de pain qui etoit aussi de la longueur du Sofra: car si le Sofra avoit dix aunes de long, comme cela arrive souvent, le pain auroit la même longueur. Ce pain n'est guère plus épais qu'une feuille de papier, et on le plie comme nous plions une serviette. Il se fait avec le rouleau, et on le cuit sur des platines de cuivre étamé. Ce n'est pas qu'on mange ce pain-la, mais comme on ne sert point d'assiettes en Perse, ce pain est en guise de nappe pour ferrer tout ce qui tombe des plats, et ce qui reste de viandes devant chacun, et on envelope le tout dans le cuir pour estre donné aux pauvres."-TAVernier.

[The Musk of Khoten.]

"THE city of Khoten is famous for producing very fine musk, equal to that of Tibet. A Persian poet, quoted by Golius in one of his manuscripts, alludes to the musk of this country in the following passage: When thy charming letter was brought to me, I said; Is it the zephyr that breathes from the gardens, or is the sky burning wood of aloes on the censer of the sun? or is a caravan of musk coming from Khoten. To understand these verses, we must know, that the Asiaticks have a custom of perfuming their letters, which they tie up in little bags of satin or damask."-SIR W. JONES. Hist. of Nadir Shah.

[Bhrahmitic Oblations.]

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"In his domestic fire for dressing the food of all the Gods, after the prescribed ceremony, let a Brahmin make an oblation each day to these following divinities. First, to Agni the God of fire, and to the Lunar God, severally; then to both of them at once; next to the assembled Gods, and afterwards to Dhanwantari, God of Medicine; to Cuhu, Goddess of the day, when the new moon is discernible; to Anumati, Goddess of the day after the opposition; to Prajapati, the Lord of creatures; to Dyava and Prithivi, Goddesses of sky and earth; and lastly, to the fire of the good sacrifice. Having thus with fixed attention offered clarified butter in all quarters, proceeding from the east in a southern direction to Indra, Yama, Varuna and the God Soma, let him offer his gift to all animated creatures; saying, I salute the Winds, let him throw dressed rice near the door; saying, I salute the Water Gods, in water; and on his pestle and mortar, saying, I salute the Gods of large trees. Let him do the like in the north east, or near his pillow, to Sri, the Goddess of abundance; in the south-west, or at the foot of his bed, to the propitious Goddess Bhadracali; in the centre of his mansion to Brahma and his household God. To all the Gods assembled let him throw up his oblation in the open air, by day to the spirits who walk in light, and by night to those who walk in darkness. In the building on his house top, or behind his back, let him cast his oblation for the benefit of all creatures, and what remains let him give to the Pitris with his face toward the south. The share of dogs, of outcasts, of dog feeders, of sinful men punished with elephantiasis or consumption, of crows and of reptiles, let him drop on the ground by little and little. A Brahmin who thus each day shall honour all beings, will go to the highest region in a straight path, in an irradiated form. When he has performed his duty of making oblations, let him cause his guest to take food before himself."-Inst. of Menu.

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[Nadir Shah's New Palace.]

"I WENT to see the new palace which Nadir Shah had built in this city (Casbin) adjoining the old one. The entrance of it is formed by an avenue of lofty trees near three hundred yards long, and fifteen or twenty broad. The wall round it is about an English mile and a half in circumference; it is thick and lofty, having only one entrance, which is an arched gate; the top of this gate projects, and is formed into many small squares. Within are four large squares, with lofty trees, fountains, and running water, which make the place awful and majestic. The apartments are raised about six feet from the ground; the aivan, or open hall, is in the centre, and shuts in with falling doors. The rooms are ornamented in an Indian taste, and the ceilings formed into small squares, embellished with writings of moral sentences in very legible characters. Most of the windows are of thick coloured glass, made transparent, and painted with such art, and in such proper shades, that the glass seems cut into the several figures it is designed to represent. Many of the floors are only of hard earth, others of a composition of beaten stone: the seeming defect in this instance is made up by the constant use of carpets.

"The Harram is magnificent, consisting of a square within its own wall of brick, about thirty feet high, and two and a half thick there are four distinct apartments, in some of which are fountains, which serve to moderate the heat of summer; by giving the air a refreshing coolness. The rooms are lined with stocco painted in the Indian taste, with birds and flowers of different magnitudes, the colours beautiful, and set off with gilt edgings. These apartments have small chimney pieces in a mean taste, and some are ornamented with looking glasses in small squares, of many different dimensions, set into the walls. There are some few rooms below ground, admirably contrived for coolness."-IIANWAY.

- INST. OF MENU.

[Monuments of Thieves.]

"FROM the plains of Dedumbah to Lhor, both in the highways and on the high mountains, were frequent monuments of thieves immured in terror of others who might commit the like offence, they having literally a stone-doublet, whereas we say metaphorically, when any one is in prison, he has a stone1 doublet on; for these are plastered up all but their heads, in a round stone tomb, which are left out, not out of kindness, but to expose them to the injury of the weather and assaults of the birds of prey, who wreak their rapin with as little remorse as they did devour their fellow subjects."-FRYER. New Account of East India and Persia; being nine years Travel, begun 1672, and finished 1681.

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[The Student's Directions.] "LET the student, having performed his ablution, always eat his food without distraction of mind; and having eaten, let him thrice wash his mouth completely, sprinkling with water the six hollow parts of his head, and his eyes, ears, and nostrils. Let a Brahmin at all times perform the ablution with the pure part of his hand denominated from the Veda, or with the part sacred to the Lord of creatures, or with that dedicated to the Gods; but never with the part named from the Pitris. The pure part under the root of the thumb is called Brahma, that at the root of the little finger Caya, that at the tips of the fingers Daiva, and the part between the thumb and index Pitrya. Let him first sip water thrice, then twice wipe his mouth, and lastly touch with water the six before mentioned cavities, his breast and his head. He who knows the law and secks purity will ever perform his ablution with the pure part of his hand, and with water neither hot nor frothy, standing in a lonely place, and turning to the east or the north."-Inst. of Menu.

Aaivov ooo XIT@va. HOMER, Iliad.-J. W. W.

STAVORINUS

LOUIS MARACCI― BHAGVAT GEETA.

[Offering of the Amboynese Christians to the Evil Spirit.]

"WHEN the Amboynese Christians go in their vessels past a certain hill on the south coast of Ceram, they make an offering to the Evil Spirit, which they believe resides

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In this manner those who, longing for the accomplishment of their wishes, follow the religion pointed out by the three Veds, obtain a transient reward."-Bhagvat Geeta.

Sea.]

there, in order that he may not do any [Hindoo Offering for the Return of those at harm to them, or to their vessels. This offering is made in the following manner. They lay a few flowers, and a small piece of money, into empty cocoa nut shells, which they set a-floating in the water; if it be in the evening, they put oil into them with little wicks which they set alight."STAVORINUS.

[Shower of Stones.]

"WHEN the Hindoos have a friend at sea, and would offer vows for his return, they light in the evening some small lamps filled with oil of cocoa, and placing them in earthen dishes, which they adorn with garlands, they commit them in the same manner to the stream: the river is sometimes covered with these lights. If the dish sinks speedily, it is a bad omen for the object of their vows; but they abandon themselves

to the most pleasing hopes, if they observe their lamp shining at a distance, and if it goes so far as to be at length out of sight without any accident happening to extin

"In bello foveæ obtinuit suis precibus seu imprecationibus Eurum ventum tam vehementem contra hostes, ut inversæ fuerint pronæ in ora olla eorum, et eversa tentoria eorum; quæ cum in aerem elevaren-guish it, it is a sure token, that their friend tur, ipsos quoque will return in safety."-GRANDPRÉ. elevabant. Aliqui addunt, hunc ventum magnam secum grandium lapidum copiam advexisse, quibus ingens hostium strages facta est."-LOUIS MARACCI.

[The Juice of Som, and its Effects.] "THE followers of the three Veds, who drink of the juice of the Som,' being purified of their offences, address me in sacrifices and petition for heaven. These obtain the regions of Eendra, the prince of celestial beings; in which heaven they feast upon celestial food and divine enjoyments, and when they have partaken of that spacious heaven for awhile, in proportion to their virtues, they sink again into this mortal life, as soon as their stock of virtue is expended.

1 Som is the name of a creeper, the juice of which is commanded to be drunk at the conclusion of a sacrifice by the person for whom, and at whose expense it is performed, and by the Brahmins who officiate at the altar.

[Mahomet and the Bird's Nest.]

"VENIT quidam ad Mahumetum afferens secum nidum in quo erat pullus, quem parentes ejus sequebantur, et resederunt super manum viri illius. Conversus autem Mahumetus ad adstantes, dixit, magis misericors est Dominus vester vobiscum, quam aves istæ cum pullo suo. Quid hic est miraculi, vel miri, aut novi,"-exclaims MARACCI, for this is recorded among the miracles of Mohammed!

"QUIDAM ingressus in sylvam, abstulit inde nidum, in quo erant ova; secutaque est eum avis, quæ ova pepererat, volitans supra caput Mahumeti, et sociorum ejus. Ille vero prohibuit ne læderent eam; et jussit restitui nidum in locum suum."-MA

RACCI.

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GRANDPRE-MARACCI — TOURNEFORT.

[The Malay Krist.]

"THE Malays are generally armed with a poniard which they call krist or krick, the blade of which is half an inch broad and about eight inches long; it is made in a serpentine form, and leaves a wound at least two inches wide, which it is hardly practicable to probe, on account of the sinuosities occasioned by the instrument. This weapon is the more terrible from being poisoned. Its blade is always covered with grease, in which it is supposed they boil the green wood of the mancenilier. The effect of this poison is so sure that it is impossible to escape; a wound made with it is certain death. They carry this krist in a wooden sheath, the blade being secured so as to avoid all friction, and preserve the poison with which it is covered, and which time, the general destroyer, seems to improve; at least, the older it grows the more rapidly it

acts.

"To form an idea of the rage and fury with which this opinion inspires them, we should see them in their combats on board pirate vessels, receive a lance through their bodies, and not being able to draw it out, take hold of it and plunge it further in, to be able to get at their enemy, and stab him with their krist; a species of ferocity that obliges ships in danger of falling in with them to provide themselves with lances that have a guard through the middle of the shaft, by means of which they keep them off and suffer them to die at the end of the weapon, without daring to draw it out till these furious beings have breathed their last."-GRANDPRÉ.

[Mahomet's Assurance.]

"CUм esset Mahumetus supra montem Ohod, una cum Abubacro, Omare et Othmane, commotus est, et contremuit mons sub eis, ille vero percutiens eum pede, dixit, Quiesce! non enim habes super te, nisi Prophetam, Justum, et duos Martyres.

Abubakar cognominabatur Justus, Omar vero, et Othman occisi fuerunt in bello."MARACCI.

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[The Ceiling of Mahomet Beys Seraglio.]

"THE ceilings of Mahomet Beys seraglio were gilded after the Turkish taste, that is, with ornaments so small and trifling, that they were more proper for pieces of embroidery than for a hall. These halls are wainscotted neatly enough, and instead of pictures are set round with Arabic sentences taken out of the Alcoran. But whatever care is taken of the decorations of these places, the ceilings are too low, which is the common fault of the buildings in the Levant, where proportion is never observed. This fault appears on the outside; for the roofs are so low, that one would think they must fall in upon the houses, and indeed they deprive them of half their light. Though the rooms have two rows of windows, they are ne'er the lighter. Those windows are usually square, with another smaller window, which is arched over each."-TOUR

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[Asem and the Hadilenses.] "PROMISERAT Deo quidam Moslemus nomine Asem se nunquam tacturum ullum infidelem, neque passurum se tangi ab ullo. Cum autem occisus fuisset ab Hadilensibus infidelibus, et hi vellent caput ejus abscindere, ut venderent Salacæ, filiæ Saad, quæ voverat, si habere potuisset caput ejus, se bibituram in cranio ejus, misit Deus examen apum, quæ constiterunt inter cadaver Asemi et Hadilenses, ita ut non possent ad illud accedere. Deinde misit Deus torrentem, qui abstulit et avexit ab eis idem cadaver."-MARACCI.

[Form of the Mosques.]

"LA forme de toutes les Mosquées est presque ronde. La plupart des Mosquées,

LUCAS-GRANDPRE

celles sur-tout qui ont été bâties par des sultans, sont revêtues de marbre et soûtenues de belles colomnes de granite, de porphire et meme de verd antique; les autres ne sont que blanchies, sans aucun ornement au-dedans, car leur loi leur defend le culte des images, comme une idolâtrie, et ils assurent que ces representations de figures humaines demanderont leurs ames au jour du jugement à ceux qui les auront faites. On ne voit sur les murailles des Mosquées que quelques mots Arabes qui marquent quelque atribut de la divinité, comme, Il n'y a qu'un Dieu et Mahomet est son Prophete; Il n'y a personne qui puisse connoître les grandeurs de Dieu, &c. Il y a plusieurs lampes suspendues au lambris, qu'on allume au tems de la prière. On voit ordinairement sur les lampes des œufs d'autruche comme une espece d'ornement; la pavé est couvert de nattes ou de tapis. A un des bouts de la Mosquée, du côté du midi, il y un niche où se met l'Iman, qui est le Curé de la Mosquée; a gauche s'éleve un Pupitre, sur lequel on recite l'Office les Vendredis, et vis-a-vis est un lieu destiné pour placer les Dervis, qui répondent a l'Iman ou qui lisent l'Alcoran : chaque Mosquée a ordinairement un ou plusieurs Minarats, qui sont des tours faites en pointe et à plusieurs étages, où un Marabon monte pour indiquer l'heure de la prière, en se tournant aux quatre coins du monde, commençant toujours du côté du midi, qui est le lieu qui regarde la Meque. On sçait que les Turcs ne se servent point de cloches ni d'horloges publiques, et ils ne se reglent que sur le signal qui se fait avec une exactitude extraordinaire; les Marabons se reglant eux-mêmes, ou sur le cours du soleil ou sur une horloge de sable."-LUCAS, Troisième Voyage.

[Earth of Mahe for Filtering Water.] "A LIGHT kind of earth is found at Mahe, on the coast of Malabar, which serves to filter water; and which the natives have the

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art of making so thin and fine, that many of them, particularly women in the habit of thus regaling themselves, do not hesitate to eat it."-GRANDpré.

[The Great Tree of the Island of Johanna.]

"IN the island of Johanna there is a tree famed for being fourteen fathom compass, it resembles most a small ivy leaf, the body seems to be many smaller incorporated into one huge one, of no other use than to be admired, Hederâ formosior elbâ, unless in opposition to the heathen, who adore it, they throw the dead bodies of their slaves under it, when justice is executed on them, to expose them for terror to others, many bones of human bodies lying there at this time."-FRYER.

[Egyptian Disappointment.]

"Ar present, the riches of nature produce not in Egypt the fruits which might be expected. In vain may travellers celebrate the gardens of Rosetta and of Cairo. The Turks are strangers to the art of gardening, so much cultivated by polished nations, and despise every kind of cultivation. Throughout the empire their gardens are only wild orchards, in which trees are planted without care or art, yet have not even the merit of pleasing irregularity. In vain may they tell us of the orange trees and cedars, which grow naturally in the fields. Accustomed as we are to combine the ideas of opulence and culture with these trees, since with us they are necessarily connected with them, we do not discover the deception. In Egypt, where they are frequent, and, as I may say, vulgar, they are associated with the misery of the huts they cover, and recal only the idea of poverty and desolation. In vain do they describe the Turk softly reposing under their shade, and happy in smoking his pipe without reflection. Ignorance and folly, no doubt, have

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