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ject; and then, to appease him, the relations and other connections of the afflicted person, especially if he be a chief, run into all the inhuman practices of cutting off their little fingers, beating their faces, and tabooing themselves from certain kinds of food."

"A YOUNG Woman gave us an affecting account of the fate of one of Moomōoe's

sons.

are held supreme. Tane, the Father; Oromattow, the Son; Taroa, the Bird, the Spirit. This stinks of the Methodist. Their other greater gods they call Fwhanow-po, born of night. Among these are the names Orohho, Oehawhow, Tamma, Toaheite, Vaveah. Each family has its Tee, or guardian spirit; he is supposed to be one of their departed relatives, who for his superior excellencies has been exalted to an They suppose this spirit can in

flict sickness or remove it; and preserve them from a malignant deity also called Tee, who has no power but upon earth, and is always employed in mischief.

When the spirit departs from the body, they have a notion it is swallowed by the Eatōoa bird, who frequents their morais, and passes through him, in order to be purified, and be united to the Deity.-Ibid.

Eatooa. The youth, it seems, lived at some distance from Noogollifva, where the father lies sick, and by order of whom he was sent for, under pretence of having his little fingers cut off, a custom common here, and done with a view to appease the anger of the Odooa, that the sick person may recover, but in fact that he might be strangled. Upon the arrival of Colelallo, he was saluted in a cordial manner by his elder brother, Toogahowe, and soon after went to see his father, whose attendants seized upon him with a view to strangle him instantly; when he, guessing their intention, said, if they would use gentler means he would submit to his father's will; but they continuing their violence, he by a great exertion beat them off. Three feejee men were then called, and these being joined by a sister of the unfortunate Colelallo, they accomplished his death.”—Missionary Voyage. The Egyptians had this custom also. Are not all sacrifices vicarious?

"THEY believe the immortality of the soul, which at death, they say, is immediately conveyed in a very large fast sailing canoe to a distant country called Doobludha, which they describe as resembling the Mahometan Paradise. They call the god of this region of pleasure Higgolayo, and esteem him as the greatest and most powerful of all others, the rest being no better than servants to him."-Ibid.

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"In the beginning, Tāne took Tarōa and begat Avye freshwater, Atye the sea, Awa the water-spout, Matãi the wind, Arye the sky, and Po the night, then Mahanna the sun, in the shape of a man called Oerōa Tabōoa. He had by Townoo the thirteen months. Then she returned to earth, and Oerōa embraced a rock called Poppoharra Harreha, which conceived a son named Tetooboo-amata-hatoo, after which the rock returned to its original state, and the father of the months himself died, and went to dust. The son he left embraced the sand of the sea, which conceived the brother and sister Tee and Opeera; then he also returned to earth. Tee and Opeera married; she fell sick at last, and requested her husband to heal her; she would in his illness do the same for him; and thus they should both live for ever. But Tee let her die, and married her and his daughter, OheeraReene-Moonoa. Their children peopled the earth."-Ibid.

OTAHEITE. The general name for Deity in all its ramifications is Eatooa. Three

"THEY believe the stars are the children of the sun and moon. When the sun and

moon are eclipsed, they suppose them in the act of copulation. When a star shoots, it is the Eatooa. They put great confidence in dreams, and suppose in sleep the soul leaves the body under the care of the guardian angel, and moves at large through the region of spirits. Thus they say, my soul was such a night in such a place, and saw such a spirit. When a person dies, they say his soul is harre Po, gone to the night." -Ibid.

"THEY entertain a high idea of the power of spirits. In the beautiful and romantic view of Taloo harbour, the remarkable

peaked mountain is said to be but a part of the original one. Some spirits from Ulietea

had broken off the other half, and were transporting it down the bay in order to carry it away with them, but being overtaken by the break of day, they were obliged to drop it near the mouth of the harbour, where it now stands conspicuous as a rock, -for these spirits walk and work by night." -Ibid.

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"THE Sons of Marichi, and of all the other Richis, who were the offspring of Menu, are called the companies of Pitris or forefathers.

"They are elsewhere called the progenitors of mankind, and the patriarchs inhabiting the moon."—Inst. of Menu.

From the Hindoo Mythology. Sonnerat.
แ "THE Andon is the visible world: it is

[Notions in the Kingdom of Benin.] "LES habitans du Royaume de Benin, en Afrique, reconnoissent un Dieu qui recompense ou punit, selon le bien ou le mal qu'on a fait. Ils croyent que l'ombre du corps est un être réel, qui nous accompagne composed of one sun, one earth, planets, and sans cesse, qui se rend à son gré visible ou invisible, et par qui Dieu est instruit, à notre mort, de nos bonnes et de nos mauvaises actions."-SAINTFOIX.

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[Maldive Ingenuity.]

THE inhabitants of the Maldives-" de l'estoupe du Cocos ils font des chemises entieres avec les manches et les quartiers, d'un mesme tissu, aussi-bien que des demi-vestes." -Anciennes Relations.

stars. The whole is surrounded with a round and very thick shell. The Andons are innumerable, and ranged one upon another, very much in the manner of piling eggs."

"SATIALOGAM is the Paradise of Brahma, the Vaicondon of Vichenou, the Cailason of Eswara."

"THE virtues are divided into two classes, which must not be confounded. The one is called Pravarty, and the other Nivarty.

The first contains two articles, called Ischetam and Bourtam. Ischetam comprehends ail actions done in religious ceremonies; but the building of temples, choultrie,' digging tanks, planting rows of trees, &c. all such good works are called Bourtam. Those who practise them will die at the time that the sun advances towards the south, and the night of a day when the moon is in her second quarter. After their death they will find themselves in the world of the moon, where they will be happy according to their deserts.

“The soul in the state of Nivarty burns with the fire of wisdom. Its power annihilates the action of the senses, and this soul enters into the immensity of the universal being. All men in the state of Nivarty will die at the time that the sun takes his course towards the north, and the morning of the day when the moon is in the first quarter. Raised by the sunbeams, the soul will go to the paradise of Brahma, called Satialogam, where it will enjoy those inexpressible delights possessed by the gods. The matter of which it is composed becomes subtile, and is changed into an universal body, and the faculty of this casual body is destroyed by the wisdom of the soul. From this delightful place it goes to the Sorgon; from whence the followers of Vichenou pass into the Vaicondon, and the followers of Eswara into the Cailason."

"DEVENDREN is king of the Deverkels or demigods. The Sorgon is his paradise. He supports the east part of the universe. He is represented covered with eyes, with four arms, holding a hook, a coulichou, and mounted on a white elephant. Devendren had many wars to sustain against the giants, enemies of the gods. Alternately conqueror and conquered, he has at several times been driven out of the Sorgon; and it was only by the protection of Brahma, Vichenou,

'The Choultry or Madan, is a repository of stone, covered with a vault, adorned on all sides with sculpture, and built in temples to shew the divinity.

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"CHOURIEN, Sandrien, Anguaraguen, Bouda, Barasouadi, Soura, and Sani, are the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, demigods as well as planets; each presiding over one day of the week. Sani is the god who punishes men during their life-time, he approaches only to hurt them. The Hindoos fear him much, and address prayers to him. He is blue, quadrimane, and rides a raven. Two serpents form a circle about him."

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that they get near those who are praying, and endeavour to confound them; that they may omit some of the ceremonies prescribed by their ritual. It is by this means, and not by their own works, that they can find grace before the Lord. When they have collected a sufficient quantity of prayers, they are permitted to change their nature; and then from wandering unfortunate genii they become souls, passing into the bodies of men, and by this change enjoy

"8. Grindouvers, famous for their beauty. They have wings, and love to fly in the airing the happiness promised to the latter. with their wives.

"9. Pidourdevadegals; protectors of the dead. The only tribe that is adored and supplicated."

Each

"THE Calis and Poudaris are tutelary divinities, protectresses of cities. city has its own. They delight in blood, and some of them in human sacrifice. They are not immortal, of giant stature, manyarmed, their heads surrounded with flames. Several fierce animals are also placed under their feet."

In order to prevent such surprise is the reason that the Indians, in beginning the divine service, repeat a prayer, and fling water three times over the left shoulder, which is the only part where the genii can attack them."

"THEY believe also in spirits, attributing the same qualities to them which we give to hobgoblins. They name them Mouni, or Cateri, or Pichache. They have no body, but take what form they please. It is particularly during the night-time that they roam to hurt mankind, endea"Or the giants, or bad genii, are five vouring to lead astray travellers to preci

tribes.

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pices, wells, and rivers; transforming themselves into Will-o'-the-wisps, houses, men, or animals, to conceal the danger into which they are conducting the traveller. To make them propitious, the Indians erect colossal statues to their honour, and pray to them."

"THE wicked will be flung into hell, a place beneath the earth, near the south, called Padalam. Rivers of fire, horrible monsters, destructive arms, infectious insects, and all sorts of evils are concentered in this terrible corner. After the death of these unfortunate people, the Emaguinguilliers, the giant servants of Yamen drag them, tied and bound with cords; they are beat, whipt, and trod under foot; they walk on points of iron; their bodies shall be picked by crows, and gnawn by dogs; and they shall be flung into a burning river. It is not till after these cruelties have been exercised upon them that the ministers of

death will conduct them before Yamen. This incorruptible and severe judge will condemn them according to the faults they have committed. Those who have despised the duties of religion shall be cast on heaps of cutting arms, and suffer this torment as many years as they have hairs on their bodies. Those who insult the Bramins and persons in high office, shall be cut in pieces. Adulterers shall be forced to embrace a statue made hot with fire. Those who fail in their duty, who do not take care of their | family, and who abandon them to roam about, shall be continually torn by the crows. Those who do hurt to men, or who kill animals, shall be cast from precipices to be tormented by wild beasts. Those who have not reverenced their parents, nor the Bramins, shall burn in a fire whose flames shall rise to 10,000 yogenais. Those who have ill-used old men and children shall be cast into furnaces. Those who have slept in the day time with lewd women shall be forced to walk on thorns. Slanderers and calumniators, stretched upon beds of redhot iron, shall be obliged to eat excrements.' Misers shall serve for food to the worms. Those who rob the Bramins shall be sawed through the middle of their bodies. Those who from motives of vanity slay cows and other animals in the sacrifices, shall be beat on an anvil. False witnesses shall be flung from the top of high mountains. Lastly, the sensual, the idlers, and those who have had no pity on the poor and miserable, shall be flung into burning caverns; shall be crushed under mill-stones, and trod under foot by elephants; and their bruised and torn flesh shall serve for food to those animals. All these miserable sinners shall suffer in this manner during many thousand years; and their imperishable bodies, although divided by torments, shall re-unite as soon as quicksilver. They afterwards shall be condemned to a new life, during

See 2 Kings, xviii. 27; Isaiah, xxxvi. 12. It is said that these disgusting expressions are still used.-J. W. W.

which their torments shall be lengthened, and by an effect of the Divine power they shall find themselves again in the seed of man. This seed diffused in the womb, shall be, during a whole night, like mud. The fifth day it shall be like globules of water. In the fourth month, the sinews of the foetus shall be formed. In the fifth, he shall experience hunger and thirst. In the sixth, an epidermis shall cover his body. In the seventh, he shall be sensible of motions. He will inhabit the right side of his mother, and be nourished by the suction of the nourishment she takes. Reduced to flutter in his excrements, the worms shall bite him; the sharp nutriture and warm water which his mother drinks will give him acute pains. He will suffer much in his birth; and when born will be still subject to infinite pains. It is thus that this painful birth shall be renewed, till these unhappy creatures have the courage to give themselves up entirely to the practice of virtue."

"ALL souls whom a violent death hastens to the grave, except those who perish in a war, or in defence of their gods or their country, remain wandering and rambling upon the earth as long a time as they were destined to live in the bodies they lately animated. They can be judged only after this interval."

"IF the destiny of the soul has been so unfortunate, that it is doomed to animate the body of an animal, it will successively pass into different disguises of this kind, except some fortunate circumstance delivers it from this deplorable state; because an animal cannot perform a meritorious act. Those fortunate circumstances are, the sight of a deity, whether in his temples or in the streets during the ceremony of a procession. Sometimes the sight alone of a holy place may operate for the deliverance. At this epocha the soul passes into the body of a man, and thus wanders from body to body till it becomes perfectly pure."

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