DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2374#0087
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR. 7$
Brahmans, and their followers, to mark their foreheads. Some of it chapter
is, for this purpose, sent even to Kdsi, or Benares. Some Vaishna- ^^^^
yarns work it by digging the whole substance out of the beds in August 30.
which it lies, and throwing it into large vessels of water. It is
well stirred about; and, while the mica swims, the fragments of
quartz remain at the bottom, and are taken out by the hand. The
mica is then allowed to subside, and forms into a mass, which is
divided into small pieces, and afterwards made into balls by being
moistened in water. These are sold for use, and are perfectly
white.
3lst August.—In the morning my interpreter informed me,, that August 31.
last night, until a" late hour, he had attended the council of Brah- theBrdkmanl-
mans at the temple. After a long deliberation, it was^ determined m com.mum-
r ° 7 eating mior-
that they would give him a verse, or Slolcam containing the era that mation.
I wanted to know, enigmatically expressed,, as is usual in these verses.
They also explained the enigma to him in the vulgar language, and
gave him a copy of this, which he might show;, but they enjoined
him by no means to expose to profane eyes the Slbkam, a request
that he treated with great contempt. It was also determined, that
they would neither copy any part of the book, nor permit it to be
seen, under pretence of its having been carried away by the Ma-
rattahs. What could induce them to adopt such an excuse, I cannot
tell. Before a hundred people at my tent, and these the chief in-
habitants of the place, a man venerated for his years, his learning,-,
and his piety, declared himself possessed of the book, and received
money to defray the expense of copying a part of it; and now he
was not ashamed to declare, that thirty years ago he had been
robbed of it. To do him justice, he offered to refund the money;
but my interpreter refused it, having no orders to rescind the bar-
gain. It had, indeed, been by his advice that I had made the ad-
vance. He alleged, that in his cast no promises of reward are
looked upon as good for any thing \ but that the immediate view of
Brahmans, and their followers, to mark their foreheads. Some of it chapter
is, for this purpose, sent even to Kdsi, or Benares. Some Vaishna- ^^^^
yarns work it by digging the whole substance out of the beds in August 30.
which it lies, and throwing it into large vessels of water. It is
well stirred about; and, while the mica swims, the fragments of
quartz remain at the bottom, and are taken out by the hand. The
mica is then allowed to subside, and forms into a mass, which is
divided into small pieces, and afterwards made into balls by being
moistened in water. These are sold for use, and are perfectly
white.
3lst August.—In the morning my interpreter informed me,, that August 31.
last night, until a" late hour, he had attended the council of Brah- theBrdkmanl-
mans at the temple. After a long deliberation, it was^ determined m com.mum-
r ° 7 eating mior-
that they would give him a verse, or Slolcam containing the era that mation.
I wanted to know, enigmatically expressed,, as is usual in these verses.
They also explained the enigma to him in the vulgar language, and
gave him a copy of this, which he might show;, but they enjoined
him by no means to expose to profane eyes the Slbkam, a request
that he treated with great contempt. It was also determined, that
they would neither copy any part of the book, nor permit it to be
seen, under pretence of its having been carried away by the Ma-
rattahs. What could induce them to adopt such an excuse, I cannot
tell. Before a hundred people at my tent, and these the chief in-
habitants of the place, a man venerated for his years, his learning,-,
and his piety, declared himself possessed of the book, and received
money to defray the expense of copying a part of it; and now he
was not ashamed to declare, that thirty years ago he had been
robbed of it. To do him justice, he offered to refund the money;
but my interpreter refused it, having no orders to rescind the bar-
gain. It had, indeed, been by his advice that I had made the ad-
vance. He alleged, that in his cast no promises of reward are
looked upon as good for any thing \ but that the immediate view of