'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.' [‎168] (209/1024)

f
168
The Persian Travels
Book IV
Houfc wherever he goes, fometimes a whole day, fometimes lom
— —J, longer arrnJ'
to the hainoufnefs of the crime. In that pofture he defires the Cazi ^ m'TlH
telling him that for his part he believes himfelf to be purifi’d.The Prieft make ^ S
that it is the Dog that muft purifie him, and not .he. After that he dowk i an Wet
.andfo
»d in
pounded water feven times upon his head, then gives him a draught to drink'
he is abfolv’d. This Penitence cofls the criminal Sawce, who is afterwards bo *
feaft all his friends at the Cazis Houfe. Being furpriz’d at this fuperftition v
whether the women were (hrifted thus by the Cazi i but I found that the f ?
Wives confefs and abfblve the women and maids.
One more ftrange cuftom they have, that when a man is upon the point of ,1
they take a little Dog and fet it upon the expiring parties bred. When [ ' ^
breathing his laft, they put the mouth of the Dog to the mouth of the pe r f ^ ^
and caufe him to bark twice in thatpofiure, that the Soul of the deceas’d —
into the Dog, who they fay will deliver it into the hands of the Angel w ^
to receive it. Moreover when any Dog happ’ns to dye, they carry him oofT^
City, and pray to God for the Carrion, as if the Beaft receiv’d any kindneff
death by their Prayers.
Of the Beajis y which they love or hate.
T Here are fome Beafts which the Gaurs do mightily refpetSf, and to whicU »
give a great deal of Honour. There are others which they as much abh
and which they endeavour’d to defiroy as much as in them lies, believing thattl! 1
were not created by God, but that they came out of the body of the Devil whf
ill nature they retain.
The Beafts which they principally admire are the Cow, the Oxe and flv
Dog. They are exprcfly forbid to eat of the flefti of a Cow or an Oxe, or to kill
them. The reafon why they fo efteem thefe Creatures is, becaufe the 6xc labo
for man, and Ploughs the Ground that produces his food. As for the Cow tb
more dearly affed her for the Milk (he gives, but efpecially for the purifying ou?
lity of her Urine. ; 84
The Creatures which they abhor are Adders, Serpents, Lizards, Toads Frogs
Creyfifh, Rats, Mice, but above all the reft Cats ^ which they fay are thereto
blance of the Devil, who gave them fo much firength that a man can hardly kil!
them i fo that they rather fuffer the inconveniency of Rats and Mice, than ever to
keep a Cat in their Houfes.
# As for the other Animals before-mention’d, if any of the Gaurs fall fick, tb
hire poor people to go and find thofe Creatures out and kill them *, which they reck’n
in the number of thofe good works that comfort fhe Souls of the deceas’d. The rea
fon why they hate them fo, is, becaufe they believe the Devils make ufe of them
to torment the Damn’d * and therefore they do a Work of charity that deftroy them,
whereby they mitigate the pains and torments of Souls in Hell.
The laft Kingof thefe was Sba-Iejherd, who was driv’n out of his Country
by Omar the fecond, fucceftbr to Mabmet.