a cause of triumph till the next new year shall come. One of their favourite amusements is to break cocoa-nuts. A person places a nut on the ground, and any individual is at liberty to dash another upon it: should he succeed in breaking the former, he carries it off; if he fail, he loses his own.

11.-" Thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your

hand."

When people take a journey, they have always their loins well girded, as they believe that they can walk much faster and to a greater distance. Before the palankeen bearers take up their load, they assist each other to make tight a part of the sāli or robe round the loins. When men are about to enter into an arduous undertaking, bystanders say, "Tie your loins well up." (Luke xii. 35. Eph. vi. 4. 1 Pet. i. 13.)

The sect called Urechamanar, who are Sanyasis or Yogees, eat their food standing, having their sandals on their feet, and a staff, or a bunch of peacock feathers, in their hands. (See Perreya Purana.)

XIII. 18.- - "Went up
harnessed out of the land of
Egypt." The Margin has "by five in a rank," and
the Tamul translation has it, "Went up by ranks."

21.. -"By day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night."

From this it appears that the children of Israel travelled partly by night and partly by day, which is the favourite way of travelling in the East. Thus, a person who starts at two A. M. can walk till eight, and again starting at four P. M., can travel till eight. Those who journey in this way have always lighted torches to keep off the wild beasts.

The Lord, as a guide and defence, went before Israel as a

"pillar of fire." It is recorded in the Scanda Purana, that the triad were once disputing about their superior powers; when Siva assumed the appearance of a pillar of fire. Brama took the form of a swan to find out its top, but could not. He, however, declared, when he came down, that he had seen it; and for this falsehood no offerings and no temples are dedicated to him. Vishnoo changed himself into a boar, and by his tusk and snout descended into the lower regions, but could not find out the foundation: he therefore ascended, and gave praise to Siva, who was still standing as a pillar of fire.

XV. 25." The Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet."

This water, which was bitter or brackish (Dr. Shaw says the latter), was thus made sweet by the casting in of the tree. Some suppose it was a bitter wood, such as quassia, which corrected the water.

Water is often brackish in the neighbourhood of salt pans or the sea, and the natives correct it by throwing in it the wood called Perru-Nelli, Phylanthus Emblica. Should the water be very bad, they line the well with planks cut out of this tree.

In swampy grounds, or when there has not been rain for a long time, the water is often muddy, and very unwholesome, But Providence has again been bountiful by giving to the people the Teatta Maram, Strychnos Potatorum.

All who live in the neighbourhood of such water, or who have to travel where it is, always carry a supply of the nuts of this tree. They grind one or two of them on the side of an earthen vessel: the water is then poured in, and the impurities soon subside.

every

XVI. 16. "For
the poll or head.”

man." Hebrew has this, "By

A man, when offering money to the people to induce them to do something for him, says, "To every head, I will give one fanam." In time of sickness or sorrow, it is said, "Ah! to every head there is now trouble." "Alas! there is nothing left for any head." Yes, yes, he is a good master: to every head he has givena cow." "What did you pay your coolies?"-"To every head one fanam."

66

"Ah!

XIX. 4.-"I bear you on eagles' wings." Thus did Jehovah deliver and support his people. how great was their danger! the enemies fought and prevailed, but the God came (Maga Vishnoo) and took them on his wings." "O that god would come, and take me on his wings!" says the man who is in great trouble.

15.-When people fast, when an atoning sacrifice has to be made, when the ubatheasum, or priestly instruction, is whispered in the ear, when the Scanda Purāna or Pulliar Purāna is heard read (which takes up twenty-one days), or when medicine is taken, the Hindoos abstain in the same way.

XX. 5.-"Visiting the iniquity of the father." It is universally believed that children suffer for the iniquities of their ancestors, through many generations.

"I wonder why Tamban's son was born a cripple?" "You wonder! why, that is a strange thing; have you not heard what a vile man his grandfather was?" "Have you heard that Valen has had a son, and that he is born blind?" "I did not hear of it, but this is another proof of the sins of a former birth." "What a wicked wretch that Venasi is! alas for his posterity, great will be their sufferings." "Evil one, why are you going on in this way; have you no pity for your seed?" "Alas! alas! I am now suffering for the sins of my fathers."

When men enjoy many blessings, it is common to say of them, "Yes, yes, they are enjoying the good deeds of their

fathers."

"The prosperity of my house arises from the virtues of my forefathers."

In the Scanda Purana it is recorded, "The soul is subject to births, deaths, and sufferings. It may be born on the earth, or in the sea. It may also appear in ether, fire, or air. Souls may be born as men, as beasts or birds, as grass or trees, as mountains or gods."

"Who

By these we are reminded of the question, did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents."

26.

"Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar."

Some of the altars are said to be from ten to fifteen feet in height; consequently the priests have to ascend by steps.

XXII. 5.—" Shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field."

Nothing is more common than for people to drive their cattle into the fields of others; nay, they are so unprincipled as often to let them go amongst the tender corn. Passers by see this, but make not the least effort to turn them out.

18.-"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

Amongst the Hindoos there are females who profess to tell to tell where things are, which have been lost, or by whom they have been stolen. They also affect to deal with familiar spirits. One great qualification for this, is to have a peculiar eye, especially if like that of the cat.

Women often declare that they are possessed with a devil. They then rage and tear themselves in the most dreadful way. They do not, like the Sibyls, write their prophecies on leaves, to be scattered by the winds; but all their incoherent declarations are most carefully remembered.

26." If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment

to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:"

27.-"For that is his covering only, it is his raiment

for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall

come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will

hear; for I am gracious."

The clothes which the Orientals wear by day, serve them as bed-clothes for the night.

Does a man wish to retire to rest, he needs not to trouble himself about the curtains, he requires not the bed-steps, he does not examine whether his bolsters or pillows are in order, he is not very particular about the adjustment of his sheets and counterpane; he throws a mat on the floor, places his little travelling bag or turban for a pillow, takes off his cloth (which is generally about nine yards long), puts one end under him; then covers his feet, and folds the rest round his body, leaving the upper end to cover his face.

Thus may be seen coolies in the morning, stretched side by side, having, during the night, defied all the stings of their foes, the musquitos.

XXIII. 4. "If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or his

ass, going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to

him again."

Amongst the Hindoos, malice often finds its victim in a dumb animal. If the wretch cannot revenge himself on the man, he will on his beast. The miscreant watches till the cattle go astray, or the owner shall be out of the way, when he pounces upon the innocent ox or cow, and cuts off the tail. Hence may be seen, in every village, cattle which thus proclaim the diabolical passions of man.

S." The gift blindeth the wise." Hebrew, "seeing."
The Tamul has it "blindeth the sight."