'{Hamilton’s account of the east indies*

families were put on board of flapping, and fent to fea, w ithout compafs or pilot; andthey fleering their courfe eaflward (in the fouth-wefl monfoons) from Jafques, inabout twenty days, fell in with the coaft of India in the night, and the firfl thing theyfaw was a fire afhore, which the exiles fleered towards, ana accidentally fleered intothe river of Nunfaree, about feven leagues to the fouthward of Surat , and were wel-comed to land by the crowing of a cock. Zoroafler was their founder, and taughtthem to adore the fun and fire, that produced and maintained all fublunary beings.Their feeing the fire on their approaching the land, confirmed their belief, in theopinion that adoration was due to it, for which reafon they never extinguifh fire by itsoppofite element water; and even if their houfes arc burning, they will ufe no water toquench the flames, but throw earth or dull to put it out. And becaufe the cock fa-luted them firfl, after they had pafl through a dangerous fea, and were fecure in ariver, they will neither kill, nor eat the flefh of a cock.

When they came afhore, the charitable Indians flocked about them, and there beingfome among them that could fpeak fome Indian languages, related what hard ufage' theyhad metwith in their owm country;and that Providence having dire&ed them to the Indiancountry, they beg leave to fettle among them, and by their behaviour they would fhew theirgratitude for relieving diflrefl flrangers,who were then become their fupplicants. The ge-nerous Indians granted their requefl, and allowed them land to manure, and feed to fowthe ground, upon the fame conditions and tenure they enjoyed their own farms. Andthere they fettled firfl, and remain in and about that country to this day. They nevermarry into foreign families, which makes them retain their native fair complexion,little inferior to us Europeans, only their often wafhing and anointing, which is a partof the exercifes of religion takes divay the beautiful frefh Tuddinefs that adorns ours.Their rites of marriage are performed like the other Gentiles, in oflentation and ex-pence ; but their burials are quite different, for they enclofe a finall piece of ground,with a wall about four yards high, and place feveral benches for the corps to fit on,that the four elements may each have a fhare of the matter their bodies are compofedof. The fun or fire exhales the putrid effluvias. The water or rain carries the pu-trified flefh and bones to the earth, that gives burial to them, and the voracious fowlscarry what they can pick into the air in their maws. They watch the corps all day,till one of the eyes is picked out. If the bird begins with the right eye, they rejoiceand feaft, but if with the left eye, they mourn and lament for the ill fortune of the de-fund’s foul, for they, attribute future happinefs to the right eye, and mifery to theleft. They build thefe charnel places far from any town or village, left the ftinkihould annoy them.

They are very induflrious and diligent in their vocation, and are bred to trades andmanuring groufid. They are good carpenters or fhip- builders, exquifite in the wea-ver’s trade and embroidery, which may be feen in the rich Atlaffes, Bottadaars and Je-mewaars made by them, as well as fine Baroach and Nunfaree Baftas that come fromtheir manufactories. They work well in ivory and agate, and are excellent cabinet-makers. They diflil flrong waters, but that they do clandeflinely, becaufe that tradeis prohibited by the government they live under ; yet fome of them get a good liveli-hood by it.

The fields about Surat are all plain, and the ground very fertile towards the country,but towards the fea, it is fandy and flerile. They have excellent beef, mutton, andfowl, daily expofed to fale in the city, reasonably cheap. Beef is about three farthingsa pound, when the bones are kept with the flefh, and about a penny with the bones out.Mutton is about three halfpence, and good large.fowls at feven. pence halfpenny

apiece*