Hamilton’s account of the east indies. 361
thefe crofs pieces were about four feet long, and, at the other end had a rope faftenedto it. And this was the vehicle for the a&ors to hang on for a mile or two.
The actors preferring themfelves to the priefts, being four in number, dreiTed as thepriefts were; only on their heads, crowns were made round their temples, of fugar-cane leaves, open at the top, like ducal crowns. The priefts brought two tenter-hooks, fuch as the butchers in Britain hang their meat on, for each ador, and, afterfome ridiculous ceremony, hooked them on each fide of the back-bone, a little abovethe kidnies. Tbofe hooks had cords fall to them, fo they went dancing round theftone, and the prieft holding their firings fall, and, after two minutes dancing, theycame tamely' to the end of the tree, v/here the crofs pieces were faftened, and one wastied up to each end of the crofs pieces, and the mob was ready to hale down theother end, and faftened it to the end of the fcaffold, and the foolilh fellows were hungup by the back, above ten yards from the ground. The populace broke fome oldcocoa-nuts on the fcaffold, and fome hundreds of them got hold, of the ropes faftenedto the fcaffold, and hauled it over ploughed ground, above a mile, to another grove;and the girl with the pot of fire on her head, walking all the way before. When theycame to the end of their journey they were let down, and going into the grove,where was placed another black ftone paged, the girl fet her fire before it, and runTtark mad for a minute or two, and then fell in a fwoon, and in that fhe lay fweatingand foaming at the mouth prodigioufly. When fire grew mad, the men fell flat onthe ground before the image, and then arofe after fhe fell in her trance. She con-tinued immoveable about a quarter of an hour, and then awoke, and feemed to be veryfick. The priefts interrogated her about what Ihe had feen and heard from the ter-reftrial gods, and Ihe gave them a fatisfactory anfwer, on which they all bowed tothe image, and put their hand on a cow that was there ready, dedicated to the image;and fo all departed fatisfied.
On fight of the new moon in Auguft they have another piece of fuperftition, in afeaft dedicated to the fea, for the profperous navigation of the enfuing feafon. Theyhave the effigies of the god Gunnies, which is a man’s body, with an elephant’s head,clapped cleverly on his fhoulders, and carried in proceflion to a river’s fide, and throwninto the river, upon which, all rivers who have bars are opened for navigation.
This Gunnies was fon to Ram, another god, who had a great war many years witha certain fort of gigantick devils, that infulted the land, and carried away all the vir-gins they could lay their paws on; at length Ram overcame them in a bloody battle,for which fuccefs, he fwore he would make a facrifice of the firft living creature hefhould meet in his own dominions, to the great god of heaven; ’’and poor GunniesWas the firft objedt that prefented himfelf; for being a good loving fon, came onpurpofe to meet and welcome his father from his fatigues in war: you may judgewhat a pack of troubles Ram was in, but there was no remedy, but Gunnies muftdie; and, with great regret, he was about to have his head ftruck off, when a cleverfellow of a Brahman doctor came, and told Ram, that by his art he could faveGunnies’s life, if his advice might be followed, which Ram promifed to do, on whichthe doftor ordered a young elephant to be brought; and when the father whippedoff his fon’s head, the dodtor very fkilfully cut off the elephant’s at one ftroke, andnimbly fet it on Gunnies’s fhoulders, to the great admiration of all the beholders ; andfrom that day to this, Gunnies has wore an elephant’s head.
There are a fet of Brahmans in this country called Buts, they ftudy aftrology, andare in great repute for their exemplary innocent lives, and fkill in prophefying. . Inthe year 1684, one Moam But told fome things very furprifing, when Mr. WalfelWas chief for the Englifh at Carwar.
von. VIII. 3 A
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