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his father's ghost, and was in consequence extolled by the whole

city.

The Nuwab made no remark on this story of the poor tailor, but arose, intimating his intention of being present next day to hear another tale; and in consequence Moyedin summoned all the remaining persons of the palace; and the lot falling upon Tambadass, the coppersmith, he on the following day appeared, and commenced his narrative as follows.

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CHAPTER V.

THE COPPERSMITH'S STORY.

IN the Island of Bombay lived an inoffensive Brahmin called Donga Sette. At this period the island was entirely in the possession of the Portuguese, who, bigoted to their own religion, strained every nerve to make proselytes of their Hindú and Mahommedan subjects. The tyranny they exercised for the accomplishment of their purpose baffles all description. Their first attacks were on Brahmins and Moolahs; conceiving, could their conversion be effected, the lower orders would unhesitatingly tread in their footsteps. The rainy season had just terminated, and produced a verdure delightful to the eye throughout the island. The cocoanut trees, which almost touched the walls of the fort, gracefully waved their verdant branches in the refreshing breeze; the cattle with avidity sought out each green spot to graze upon, and the cultivator joyfully anticipated his coming harvest of rice and other grain.

At such a period the surrounding country appeared enchanting the dusky brown of the mountains, those barriers of the Maharatta country, on the opposite side of the harbour, was changed to the lively green, o'er which wildly skipped the joyful

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goats; whilst the anxious mariner, preparing his favourite bark again to plough the ocean, were scenes which ought to have inspired delight in every heart. Unfortunately a fever raged through the island, which served the Portuguese as a pretext for prosecuting their plans of converting all classes to Christianity, declaring the fever to be a judgment from Heaven on the idolatrous Hindús and perverse followers of Mahommed.

In this idea they sent their officers to all parts of the island to summon the principal inhabitants, whom they threatened with ruin and destruction if they refused to change their religion. Firm, however, to the faith of their forefathers, almost all openly avowed their horror of the religion offered them in exchange for their own. Consequently the work of ruin commenced: the lands of the Brahmins were confiscated, and the merchandise of the Mahommedans was subjected to enormous duties, which threatened to annihilate trade, whilst many principal men were sentenced to imprisonment. Notwithstanding Donga Sette had been included in the list of sufferers, he lived as if regardless of the tyranny practised upon him; and not only existed, but appeared to thrive, whilst others were reduced to actual starvation.

Donga Sette was a stout broad-shouldered man, inclined to corpulency, which, to the mortification of his persecutors, seemed rather to increase than to diminish. Several hundreds of the poorer classes, unable to weather the storm of cruel tyranny, compelled to external appearance to renounce their tenets, became Portuguese Christians; whilst many Brahmins and learned Moolahs, reduced to beggary, laid down and died, cursing with their last breath their bigoted unrelenting government. In this

state of affairs-when disease and starvation with giant strides stalked through the little island, when trade became stagnant, and in consequence provisions were almost impossible to procurehow Donga Sette Brahmin contrived to grow fat and maintain his dignity, became a subject of no small wonder to the Governor and his counsellors.

The council were in full debate on this extraordinary man, when a Jew, known by the name of Ismael Yahoodee, solicited an interview with the Governor. His request being granted, he was admitted to the council-board, and there proposed that a strict search should be made in the Brahmin's house, where doubtless vast treasure was concealed. Ismael had more than once advanced large sums to the government, and to the Governor himself: he was therefore honourably received, and requested to be seated. At this period, money being much wanted by the government, they scrupled not to approve and put in practice Ismael's plan. A large body of police, accompanied by the Jew, therefore, sallied from the fort to the humble dwelling of their victim.

The Brahmin's house was situated amidst the cocoa-nut trees in the small village of Geergaum-those trees once his property, that soil once his own. Here he lived with his wife in peace, employed in study and in charity, beloved by all who knew him. When evening spread her shade around, the worthy Brahmin might be seen instructing a herd of urchins, to whom he preached most wholesome lessons of morality; then, having dismissed his youthful audience, he would sally out and search for objects of compassion, on whom, with heartfelt pleasure, he be

stowed his charity. His evening lecture had but just concluded, when the Portuguese police, followed by the Jew, surrounded his humble dwelling. Accustomed to such unceremonious visits, the Brahmin, folding his arms, stood aloof, casting a look of ineffable contempt on this Christian rabble, gathering up his garments, fearing lest they should be polluted by a touch.

There was something truly dignified in this reception of the Brahmin's unwelcome guests; the proud manly look of an innocent, injured man, inspired the myrmidons of tyranny with an awe which effectually shielded the person of the Brahmin from violence or insult. Even Ismael, the Jew, shrunk from the penetrating eye of the worthy Brahmin, and the leader of the party stood for sometime motionless ere he produced his search-warrant. The Brahmin, casting his eye over the paper, pointed to the interior of his dwelling, but deigned not to utter a word, sedulously covering his mouth with his shawl, to evince to the Portuguese his dread of contamination from their breath. It was by such signs of contempt and horror of the presence of the Christians, which Donga Sette seized every opportunity to display, that caused him in particular to be remarked as the most obnoxious to the govern

ment.

The searching party, obedient to their instructions, ransacked the whole house; and although aided by the crafty Ismael, whose shrewd piercing eye allowed no corner to escape his observation, they discovered naught save a few old books and manuscripts in the Sanscrit language, and therefore abandoned the search. Donga Sette was quietly seated in his verandah, and allowed the party to leave his dwelling, maintaining the same silence with which he

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