'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.' [‎190] (519/1024)

Travels in India.
Part II,
Gold ; which he believes he renders propitious to him, by the great ftore of
/Ims that he diftributes among the poor, and the prefents which he makes to
thePriefts. Then he goes attended by all his Court, and puts to open vje w
the richefl: Ornaments he has. One part of his magnificence confilb in his
train of two hundred Elephants among which there is one that is white
which the King fo highly efteems, that he ftiles himfelf King of the Wi m ]
Elephant, . . .
The fecond time the King appears in publick, is when he goes to another
Pagod five or fix Leagues above the Town, up the River. _ But no perfon
mull: enter into this Pagod, unlefs it be the King and his Pn efts. As for
the people, fo foon as they fee the Door op’n, they mull: prefently fall upon
their Faces to the Earth. Then thfe King appears upon the River with two
hundred Gallies of a prodigious length y four hundred Rowers belonging to
every one of fhe Gallies ; molt of them being guilded and carv’d very richly.
Now in regard this fecond appearance of the King is in the month of Av
'vemher 1 when the waters begin to abate, thePriefts make the people believe
that none but the King can flop the courfe of the waters, by his Prayers
and by his Offerings to this Pagod. and they are fo vain as to think that
the King cuts the waters with his Sabra, or Skain ; thereby commanding it to
retire back into the Sea. * , ,
The King alfo goes, but incognito, to a Pagod in an Wand where the Hoi-
Unders have a Fa&ory. There is at the entry thereof an Idol fitting crofs-
feg’d with one hand upon his knee, and the other arm akimbo. It is above
fixty foot highand round about this Idol are about three hundred others,
of feveral forts and lives. All thefe Idols are guilt. And indeed there are a
prodigiptis number of Pagods in this Country i for every rich Siomer caufes
one to be built in memory of himfelf. Thofe Pagods have Steeples and Bells,
and the Walls within are painted and guilded ; but the Windows are fo nar
row that they give but a very dim light. The two Pagods to which the
King goes publickly, are adorn’d with feveral tall Pyramids, well guilded.
And to that in the Hollanders. Ifland there belongs a Cloyfter, which is a
very neat Structure. In the middle of the Pagod is a fair Chappel, all guid
ed within fide ; where they find a Latt^J, and thtee Wax Candles continually
burning before the Altar, which is all over cover’d with Idols, fome of Maffie
Gold, others of Copper guilt. In the Pagod in the midft of the Town,
and in one of thofe tx> which the King goes once a year, there are above four
thoufand Idols ; and for that which is fix Leagues from Siam, it is furround-
ded with Pyramids, whofe beauty makes the induftry of that Nation to be
aurmr u-. f „
When the King appears, all the Doors and Windows of the Houfesmiiit
be tat •, and all the people proftrate themfelves upon the ground, not da-
ring to lift up their eyes. And becaufe no perfon is to be in a higher place
than the King, they that are within doors, are bound to keep their loweit
Rooms. When he cuts his hair, one of his Wives performs that office, tot
he will not fuffer a Berber to come near him.
This Prince has a Paflionate kindnefs for his Elephants ^ which he looKs upon
as his, Favourites, and the Ornaments of his Kingdom. If there be any o
them that fall fick, the Lords of the Court are mighty careful to pleate their
Soveraign } and if they happen to dye, they are buried with the fame lunerai
Pomp as the Nobles of the Kingdom j which are thus perform’d .* They let up
a kind of Maufoleum, or Tomb of Reeds, cover’d with Paper j m the mioi
whereof they lay as much fweet wood as: the body weighs, and after the Prie s
have mumbl’d certain Orfons, theyfetit a-fire, and burn it to aihes, vv i
the rich preferve in Gold or Silver Urnsy but the poor fcatter in the v\in
for offenders, they never burn, but bury them. .' •/t
’Tis thought that in this Kingdom there are above two hundrea
which they call which are highly reverenc’d as well at Court as a
the people. The King himfelf has fuch a value for fome of them, as to
ble himfelf before them. This extraordinary refpedf makes them ° P ’
that fome of them have afpir’d to the Throne. But when the King 1