by a number of alligators which visit this spot: the infant is cast into the jaws of this voracious animal by its infatuated mother; and thus the religion of Brumha transforms the mother into a monster, and tears asunder the tenderest ties of nature. Ruins and pools still exist on the island, which prove that, though now the haunt of wild beasts, it was once inhabited.

Uyodhya, (Oude,) the ancient capital of Ramů, situated by the river Suruyoo, is still inhabited. The pilgrims are generally Ramats. Mit'hila, (Tirhoot,) the birth-place of Sēēta, and the capital of her father Junŭků, is resorted to by pilgrims; as well as Mut'hoora, the birth-place of Krishnů; and Vrinda-vůně, the scene of the revels of this licentious deity, whose followers visit many sacred retreats, the resort of Krishnŭ and the milkmaids. Gokoola, the place where Krishnŭ was educated, is also visited by pilgrims, who are shewn the various spots which have been consecrated by the gambols of their favourite god.

The forest of Noimishu, near Lucknow, is celebrated as the place where Sōōtů, the sage, read the pooranus to 60,000 disciples.

Voidyunat'hu, a place in Birboom, contains a celebrated image called Ramŭ-lingă. Some pilgrims, afflicted with incurable distempers, fast here till they die: others make vows, sometimes in some such words as these ;—' Oh ! Voidyŭnat'hŭ, give me a wife, and I will bring a pan of water from the Ganges and bathe thee;' or, "I will present thee a mŭn of milk, for frumenty.'

At Vukréshwuru, another place in Birboom, an image of the sage Ushtavŭkrů is set up, where several warm springs

attract the attention of devotees, who bathe in their waters, not to heal their bodies, but their souls.

Kooroo-kshůtrů, a place near Delhi, where the dreadful battle betwixt Yoodist hiru and Dooryodhůnů was fought. Here Purushoo-ramŭ also is said to have filled five pools with the blood of the kshétriyŭs, from which he offered a libation to his deceased father'.

Hingoola, a cave or excavated rock on the sea-shore. Offerings are presented to the regents of the place on a stone in the cave.

Ekamru-kanunu, a place on the borders of Orissa, containing 6,000 temples dedicated to Shivů. Not less than 70 or 80,000 people are said to visit this place at the drawing of the car of Jugŭnnat'hŭ, when all casts eat together.

Huree-dwaru, (from Hŭree, a name of Vishnoo, and dwarŭ, a door,) or the mouth from which the Ganges issues. An account of this place, inserted in the 6th volume of the Asiatic Researches, declares, that 2,500,000 people assembled here at a festival in 1796.

Kanchee, a town in Telinga, divided into two parts, Shivu-Kanchee and Vishnoo-Kanchee. At a festival held here in the month Choitrů, the disciples of Shivă and Vishnoo quarrel, and often murder one another.

1 To satisfy his revenge. There is nothing revolting to the feelings of the Hindoos in this dreadful act of revenge: which has made Koorookshůtrů a holy place. When a Hindoo is describing a dreadful quarrel, he says, 'It was a perfect Kooroo-kshůtrů.'

Multitudes of other places in India are venerated and visited by pilgrims. When I was writing this account, on describing Bristol Hot-wells, with all its gilt crutches hanging in the pump-room, to the learned bramhun who assisted me, he confessed that it would make a famous holy place, and attract immense crowds of pilgrims. It is a deplorable circumstance, that such a waste of time, of life, and of property, should be incurred, through the fatal deception, that the sight of a holy place will be accepted by the Judge of heaven and earth, instead of repentance and conversion, instead of a contrite heart and a holy life.

SECT. XXXVI.-Ceremonies at Death.

A SICK person, after his removal to the banks of the Ganges, if he possess sufficient strength, directs quantities of food, garments, &c. to be presented to the bramhuns. That he may not be compelled to cross Voiturůnēē, whose waters are hot, in his way to the seat of judgment, he presents to a bramhŭn a black cow. When about to expire, the relations place the body up to the navel in the river, and direct the dying man to call aloud on the gods, and assist him in doing so.

The burning of the body is one of the first ceremonies which the Hindoos perform for the help of the dead in a future state. If this ceremony have not been attended to, the shraddhu, türpunu, &c. cannot be performed. If a person be unable to provide wood, cloth, clarified butter, rice, water pans, and other things, beside the fee to the priest, he must beg among his neighbours. If the body be thrown into the river, or burnt, without the accustomed ceremo

nies, (as is sometimes the case,) the ceremonies may be performed over an image of the deceased made of kooshu

grass.

Immediately after death, the attendants lay out the body on a sheet, placing two pieces of wood under the head and feet; after which they anoint the corpse with clarified butter, bathe it with the water of the Ganges, put round the loins a new garment, and another over the left shoulder, and then draw the sheet on which the body lies over the whole. The heir-at-law next bathes himself, puts on new garments, and boils some rice, a ball of which and a lighted brand he puts to the mouth of the deceased, repeating incantations. The pile having been prepared, he sets fire to it, and occasionally throws on it clarified butter and other combustibles. When the body is consumed, he washes the ashes into the river; the attendants bathe, and, presenting a drink-offering to the deceased, return home: before they enter the house, however, each one touches fire, and chews some bitter leaves, to signify that parting with relations by death is an unpleasant task.

SECT. XXXVII.-Rites for the Repose of the Soul,
(Shraddhŭ.) ·

THE Hindoo shastrus teach, that after death the soul becomes prétům, viz. takes a body about the size of a person's thumb, and remains in the custody of Yumu, the judge of the dead. At the time of receiving punishment the body becomes enlarged, and is made capable of endur

A departed ghost.

ing sorrow. The performance of the shraddhŭ delivers the deceased, at the end of a year, from this state, and translates him to the heaven of the Pitrees, where he enjoys the reward of his meritorious actions; and afterwards, in another body, enters into that state which the nature of his former actions assign to him. If the shraddhŭ be not performed, the deceased remains in the prétů state, and cannot enter another body. We are here strongly reminded of the 325th and six following lines of Virgil, in the 6th book of his Æneid, as well as of the 28th ode of the 1st book of Horace.

The offerings made in a person's name, after his decease, and the ceremonies which take place on the occasion, are called his shraddhů, which the Hindoos are very anxious to perform in a becoming manner. The son who performs these rites obtains great merit: and the deceased is hereby satisfied", and, by gifts to the bramhuns in his name, obtains heaven.

There are three shraddhŭs for the dead: one, eleven days after death; another, every month; and another at the close of a year after a person's decease. During the ten° days of mourning, the relations hold a family council, and consult on the means of performing the shraddhŭ; on the last of these days, after making an offering for the dead by the side of the river, they are shaved. This offering consists of boiled rice, sugar, curds, sweetmeats, milk, plantains, &c. made into ten balls, and presented with prayers.

n Munoo says, 'What sort of oblation, given duly to the manes, is capable of satisfying them for a long time, or for eternity, I will now declare, without omission.'

• Bramhŭns are unclean for ten days after the death of a relation; kshůtriyus, twelve; voishyus, fifteen; and shōōdrus, thirty.