'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.' [‎173] (502/1024)

Book HI. Travels in India.
among the poor, referving only five or fix for himfelf. The Cloth he cut into
little pieces, and gave away, keeping only to himfelf enough to cover his own
nakednefs} and having made this diltribution,he difappearM of a fuddeh,ai}d no
body knew what became of him, though dilligent fearch was made after him.
When a Ch'mfe lies at the point of death, all his Kindred and Friends gather
about him, and ask him whither he intends to go-, they tell him alfo, that if
he want any thing, he need but only ask and have, let it be Gold, Silver, or a
Woman. When they are dead they perform many Ceremonies at their Funerals,
which confifts chiefly in artificial fires,wherein the Chinefes are the molt expert
in the world} fo that he muft be a very poor man that has no fire-works at
his Funeral. Befides that, they put Money in a little Box, and bury it by the
deceas’d; and leave good ftore of vi&uals upon the Grave, out of an opinion
that they rife and eat. Which the Souldiers of Batavia obferving, us’d to fill
their Bellies at thefe Graves every time they walk’d their rounds. But when
the Chinefes perceiv’d it, they poyfon’d the victuals to fpoil the Dutchmens feaft-
ing. The Townsmen oi Batavia taking the Souldiers part, accus’d the Chi
nefes for poyfoning feveral of the Batch. But the Chinefes pleaded,that if the Sol
diers had over-eat themfelves,or forfeited themfelves upon what was left for the
dead to eat,’twas none of their fault ^ for that they did not leave their viduals for
the Souldiers; and befides that, among all the multitudes which they had bu
ried, they never had heard the leaft complaint before of any one that ever came
by any harm by eating their food. Thus the bufinefs was hulh’d over} nor did
the Souldiers dare to pilfer any more.
f . ■ ■ ■ r. . ' .. >i > . ; -
- ot
CHAP. IX.
/
Of the mojl celebrated Pagods of the Idolaters in India.
/ v- - ;■ • - 31 : V-. / ; : V -- .
H E Indian Idolaters have a great number of Temples, fmall and great
which they call Bagods, where they pray to their Gods, and make their
Offerings. But the poor people that live in the Woods and Mountains,and re
mote from Towns, are contented only with lome Hone, whereon they make a
rude kind of Nofe, and paint it with Ibme Vermillion colour, which ferves all
the whole neighbourhood to worfhip.’
The four moll: celebrated Pagods, are Jagrenate, Banarons- Matara^ and Tri-
im. ^ * ,
Jagrenate is one of the mouths of Ganges, whereupon is built the Great Pa-
god, where the Arch Bramin^ or chief Priefl: among the Idolaters keeps his
refidence. The great Idol that Hands upon the Altar in the innermofi: part of
the Paged, has two Diamonds for his Eyes, and another that hangs about his
Keck, the leaf!; of thofe Diamonds weighing about forty Carats. About his
Arms he wears Bracelets fometimes of Pearls, and fometimes of Rubies ; and
this magnificent Idol is call’d Refora. The Revenues of this Pagod are fuffi-
cient to feed fifteen or twenty thoufahd Pilgrims every day } which is a' nura-
oer often feen there, that Pagod being the greatelt place of devotion in all In--
ut. But you mult take notice, that no Goldfmith is fuffer’d to enter this Pagod,
becaule that one of them being lock’d in all night long, Hole a Diamond out
o one of the Idols eyes. As he was about to go out, when the Pagod was
opend in the morning, he dy’dat the door; their God, as they affirm, re-
enging his own facriledg.That which renders this Pagod, which is a large build-
8 molt confiderable in all India, is, becaufe it is fituated upon the Gan-
the Idolaters believing that the waters of that River have a particular
4 ity p) cleanfe them from their fins. That which makes it fo rich ( for it
twent 7 thoufand Cows ) is the vafi: Alms that are continually
oeitow d. by fo incredible a multitude as comes from all parts. Which Alms
^enotio much^at the diferetion of the Donor, the Will of the chief
Pricft,