Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 2) (London, 1832)

FISH. 51

The Natives are herbalists in their medical
practice. The properties of minerals are chiefly
studied with the view to become the lucky dis-
coverer of the means of transmuting metals ;
seldom with reference to their medicinal quali-
ties. Quicksilver, however, in its unchanged
state, is sometimes taken to renew the consti-
tution. One gentleman, whom I well knew,
commenced with a single grain, increasing the
number progressively, until his daily dose was
the contents of a large table-spoon ; he cer-
tainly appeared to have benefited by the prac-
tice, for his appetite and spirits were those of
a man at thirty, when he had counted eighty
years.

" Muchullee" (Fish).—Fish of several kinds
are caught in the rivers and tanks ; the flavour I
can hardly describe, for, since I knew the
practice of the Hindoos of throwing their dead
bodies into the rivers the idea of fish as an
article of food was too revolting to my taste.
The Natives, however, have none of these
qualms, even the Hindoos enjoy a currie of
fish as a real delicacy, although it may be

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