man.

THE HINDOOS.

It is admitted by all writers that the civilization of the Hindoos will be promoted by intercourse with the English. But this only applies to that small portion of the natives, who live in the vicinity of Europeans, and mix with them. As for the bulk of the population, they scarcely ever see an EnglishIt becomes then of importance "to ascertain what have been the actual effects of Christianity in those interior provinces of Hindostan, where it has been introduced by the Christian Missionaries;" and to compare them with such of their countrymen as remain in their pristine idolatry. It was a chief object of the author's tour through India, to mark the relative influence of Paganism and Christianity. In order then that the English nation may be able to form a judgment on this subject, he will proceed to give some account of the Hindoos of Juggernaut, and of the native Christians in Tanjore. The Hindoos of Juggernaut have as yet had no advantages of Christian instruction: and continue to worship the idol called Juggernaut. The native Christians of Tanjore, until the light of Revelation visited them, worshipped an idol also, called the great Black Bull of Tanjore. And, as in this brief work the author proposes to state merely what he himself has seen, with little comment or observation, it will suffice to give a few extracts from the journal of his tour through these Provinces.

Extracts from the Author's Journal in his Tour to the Temple of Juggernaut in Orissa, in the year

1806.

"Buddruck in Orissa, May 30th, 1806. We know that we are approaching Juggernaut (and yet we are more than fifty miles from it) by the

human bones which we have seen for some days strewed by the way. At this place we have been joined by several large bodies of pilgrims, perhaps 2000 in number, who have come from various parts of northern India. Some of them, with whom I have conversed, say that they have been two months on their march, travelling slowly in the hottest season of the year, with their wives and children.Some old persons are among them who wish to die at Juggernaut. Numbers of pilgrims die on the road, and their bodies generally remain unburied. On a plain by the river, near the pilgrim's caravansera at this place, there are more than an hundred skulls. The dogs, jackalls, and vultures, seem to live here on human prey. The vultures exhibit a shocking tameness. The obscene animals will not leave the body sometimes till we come close to them. This Buddruck is a horrid place. Wherever I turn my eyes, I meet death in some shape or other.Surely Juggernaut cannot be worse than Buddruck."

In sight of Juggernaut, 12th June.

-Many thousands of pilgrims have accompanied us for some days past. They cover the road before and behind as far as the eye can reach. At nine o'clock this morning, the temple of Juggernaut appeared in view at a great distance. When the mul titude first saw it, they gave a shout, and fell to the ground and worshipped. I have heard nothing today but shouts and acclamations by the successive bodies of pilgrims. From the place where I now stand I have a view of a host of people like an army, encamped at the outer gate of the town of Jugger. naut; where a guard of soldiers is posted to prevent their entering the town, until they have paid the pilgrim's tax. I passed a devotee to-day who laid himself down at every step, measuring the road to Juggernaut, by the length of his body, as a penance of merit to please the god."

"Outer Gate of faggernaut, 12th June.

A disaster has just occurred. As I approached the gate, the pilgrims crouded from all quarters around me, and shouted as they usually did when I passed them on the road, an expression of welcome and respect. I was a little alarmed at their number, and looked round for my guard. A guard of soldiers had accompanied me from Cuttack, the last military station; but they were now about a quarter of a mile behind, with my servants and the baggage., The pilgrims cried out that they were entiled to some iudulgence, that they were poor, that they could not pay the tax; but I was not aware of their design. At this moment, when I was within a few yards of the gate, an old Sanyassee (or holy man) who had travelled some days by the side of my horse, came up and said, "Sir, you are in danger; the people are going to rush through the gate when it is opened for you." I immediately dismounted, and endeavored to escape to one side; but it was too late.The mob was now in motion, and with a tumultuous shout pressed violently towards the gate. The guard within seeing my danger opened it, and the multitude rushing through, carried me forward in the torrent a considerable space; so that I was literally borne into Juggernaut by the Hindoos themselves. A distressing scene followed. As the number and strength of the mob increased, the narrow way was choaked up by the mass of people; and I apprehended that many of them would have been suffocated, or bruised to death. My horse was yet among them. But suddenly one of the side posts of the gate, which was of wood, gave way and fell to the ground. And perhaps this circumstance alone prevented the loss of lives. Notice of the event was immediately communicated to Mr. Hunter, the superintendant of the temple, who repaired to the spot, and sent an additional guard to the inner gate, lest the people should force that also; for there is an outer and an

inner gate to the town of Juggernaut; but both of them are slightly constructed. Mr. Hunter told me that similar accidents sometimes occur, and that many have been crushed to death by the pressure of the mob. He added, that sometimes a body of pilgrims (consisting chiefly of women and children and old men) trusting to the physical weight of their mass, will make, what he called, a charge on the armed guards, and overwhelm them; the guards not being willing in such circumstances, to oppose their bayonets."

"Fuggernaut, 14th June.

I have seen Juggernaut, The scene at Buddruck is but the vestibule to Juggernaut. No record of ancient or modern history can give, I think, an adequate idea of this valley of death; it may be truly compared with the "valley of Hinnom.". The idol called Juggernaut, has been considered as the Moloch of the present age; and he is justly so named, for the sacrifices offered up to him by self-devotement, are not less criminal, perhaps not less numerous, than those recorded of the Moloch of Canaan. Two other idols accompany Juggernaut, namely, Boloram and Shubudra, his brother and sister; for there are three Deities worshipped here. They receive equal adoration and sit on thrones of nearly equal height."

"This morning I viewed the Temple; a stupendous fabric, and truly commensurate with the extensive sway of "the horrid king." As other temples are usually adorned with figures emblematical of their religion; so Juggernaut has representations (numerous and various) of that vice, which constitutes the essence of his worshisp. The walls and gates are covered with indecent emblems, in massive and durable sculpture. I have also visited the sand plains by the sea, in some places whitened with the bones of the pilgrims; and another place a

little way out of the town, called by the English, the Golgotha, where the dead bodies are usually cast forth, and where dogs and vultures are ever seen.*

taste.

"The grand Hindoo festival of the Rutt Jattra, takes place on the 18th instant, when the idol is to be brought forth to the people. I reside during my stay here at the house of James Hunter, Esq. the Company's collector of the tax on pilgrims, and superintendant of the temple, formerly a student in the College of Fort-William; by whom I am hospitably entertained, and also by Capt. Patton and Lieut. Woodcock, commanding the military force. Mr. Hunter distinguished himself at the college by his proficiency in the Oriental language. He is a gentleman of polished manners, and of classical The agreeable society of these gentlemen is very refreshing to my spirits in the midst of the present scenes. I was surprised to see how little they seemed to be moved by the scenes of Juggernaut.They said they were now so accustomed to them, they thought little of them. They had almost forgot their first impressions. Their houses are on the sea shore, about a mile or more from the temple. They cannot live nearer, on account of the offensive effluvia of the town. For independently of the enormity of the superstition, there are other circumstances which render Juggernaut noisome in an extreme degree. The senses are assailed by the squalid and ghastly appearance of the famished pilgrims; many of whom die in the streets of want or of disease; while the devotees with clotted hair and painted flesh, are seen practising their various austerities, and modes of self-torture. Persons of both sexes, with

The vultures generally find out the prey first; and begin with the intestines; for the flesh of the body is too firm for their beaks immediately after death. But the dogs soon receive notice of the circumstance, generally from seeing the Jurries or corpse carriers returning from the place. On the approach of the dogs, the vultures retire a few yards, and wait till the body be sufficiently torn for easy deglutition. The vultures and dogs often feed together; and sometimes begin their attack before the pilgrim be quite dead. There are four animals which are sometimes seen about a carcase, the dog, the jackal, the vulture, and the Hurgeela, or Adjutant, called by Pennant, the Gigantic Crane.