( 6ao )
thc'Studioüs and Learned among thcm. Iask’d oneof the most Eminentamong them in this Place, how long it was since the seid Language wa*Lost; who answer’d, that it was spoke in the Age of theGods, or whenthey Liv’d upon Earth ; which by their Calculation continu’d many Thou-sand Years, and Endcd so many Years past, as we reckon from the Flood,or thereabouts : but they have little knowledge in Chrotsology. It is Evidentthat several of the Languages now spoke in Indsa, are deriv’d from theSanfireet, and one of the Eramints writ a Book to sliew that the prefentHmdostan, or, Language spuken by the Moors, in particular, is deriv’d fromthence.
1 have enquir’d of Two of the most knowing Bramines in this Town, andthey both Agree, that our Sunday in tvery Week was a Ho\y-Day, or Dayof Rest, with them, and for rear they stiould abuse me, 1 have ask’d aMsrwla, or Mahometan Priest, a Native of India, and one that alwayrLiv’d amongst them, and he gave me the fame Account. Besides this,they have their Monthiy Holy Days, for the 8 tb Day after the Change of theMoon is always a Day of Devotion , as also the 14 tb ; and the nth Day fromthe Change, a strict Faß , call’d jaka Dafie , or Taka Dafie ; fb likewise the8 tb Day from the Fuä-Mom, and the 14 *h are Days of Devotion, and the1 \ th a Taka Dafie, Besides these, they have throughout the Year several'Feßival'Days and Times , as in other Religtons.
Upon the Deatb of any Person, the next of Kin, efpecially a Husband fora Wife, a Father for aChild, & viet verfia, as also a Brother for a Brotheror Bister, Deceas’d, do Monrn 1 5 Days, during which time they Eat onlyRice and Water, and are not either to Eat Berle, or Mark their Foreheads,but usc several Wafhings, and variety of other Ceremonies; as carryingVictuals to Gardens, Groves, and Tanquqs; to Distribute, and iriake severasPrayers that God would Grant the Deceas’d Party a good Place in the otherWorld, Forgivehim hisSins, be Favourable untohim, &c. and upon thei 6 tb Dsy they make a Eeaß to all their Friends and Relations and those oftheir own Coast, as they are able, and likewise Yearly upon the Day ofhis Death they give Alms\ i. e, Victuals to mcre or lefs Poor People, asthey are able, with whom they make Prayers for the Dead,
mservations in XXXI. i. The Japonefi doubt not at all of their Country’s being an Ißand,^ough it beseparated from the Continent by such Narrow Channels, that no989, Veffel of any considerable Burthen can pasi them.
2. The Air is very Salubrious : but of another Temper on this, thanon that side of the Mountains , which divide Japan. The Plagtte bathnever been heard of there: but the Small Fox and Fluxe s are very fre-quent.
3. Their Mountains are Fertile almost to the very Top.
4 There are found almost all European sorts of Fruit: Peaches, Apri-tjock r, Cherries, Trums, Apples, Pears ; and particularly Pippins,Bon Chretten-Pears, B.sides these there is an infinity of other Fruit: but almost none,but what is found in sorae part or other of Indio.
5- Silvtr