A General Collection of Voyages and Travels from the Discovery of America to Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, Volume 23

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R. Phillips & Company, 1810

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Page 258 - Virika ; and to their memory have small, temples and images erected, where offerings of cloth rice, and the like, are made to their manes. If this be neglected, they appear in dreams, and threaten those who are forgetful of their duty. These temples consist of a heap, or cairn of stones, in which the roof of a small cavity is supported by two or three flags ; and the image is a rude shapeless stone, which is occasionally oiled, as in this country all other images are.
Page 340 - A good man, according to them, is he who labours properly at his business, and who is kind to his family. The whole are of such known honesty, that on all occasions they are entrusted with provisions by the farmers; who are persuaded, that the Curubaru would rather starve, than take one grain of what was given to them in charge.
Page 174 - Saduc, the favourite of the Sultan, fell in attempting to get through the gates. He is supposed to have been killed by the hands of Tippoo's soldiery, and his corpse lay for some time exposed to the insults of the populace, none of whom passed without spitting on it, or loading it with a slipper ; for to him they attributed most of their sufferings in the tyrannical reign of the Sultan.
Page 239 - When a woman is from 15 to 20 years of age, and has borne some children, terrified lest the angry deity should deprive her of her infants, she goes to the temple, and, as an offering to appease his wrath, cuts off one or two of her fingers of the right hand.
Page 151 - ... then scorched up by a powerful sun, yet containing little waste land ; for the soil, being fine, produces a very good crop of rice, provided, in the wet season, the usual quantity of rain falls. In some places, the industry of the natives causes a verdure that is highly refreshing, by watering a few fields, that are near tanks, or reservoirs of water. These fields are now covered with rice, approaching to maturity ; and in the rainy season they will yield another crop.
Page 154 - It must be observed, that there are two .distinct kinds of buildings confounded by Europeans under the common name Choultry. The first is that called by the natives Chaturam, and built for the accommodation of travellers. These, like that of Vira...
Page 230 - BrahmS, from whence proceeded Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma; which still, however, are all the same god. His sect pray to Siva and Vishnu, with many of their wives, children, and attendants, among whom are the Saktis, or destructive powers. Siva, however, is the principal object of their worship; for they consider him as the most powerful mediator with Ndrdyana, who is rather too much elevated to attend to their personal requests.
Page 66 - Hindoo women of distinction, by ancient as well as existing usage, were not debarred the sight of men. When a female of the chittery, or royal race, was marriageable, or supposed to possess a discriminating choice, she was conducted to an apartment where many youths of her own tribe were assembled ; and, being desired to select from them her future husband, she distinguished the object of her partiality by throwing over his neck a wreath of flowers*.
Page 377 - I was conducted by Mr. Hodgson to a grand dinner which was given, on the occasion, to all the European ladies and gentlemen in the place. We were received by the Biby in her bed-room, and the ladies were admitted into the chamber of her grand-daughter. The diningroom was very large, and well lighted ; and the dinner was entirely after the English fashion. The quantity of meat put on the table, as usual in India, was enormous, and the wines and liquors were very good. The young chief, with the father...
Page 10 - ... of this place that Cassum Ali, joined by Shujah-ud-Dowlah, with the whole of that Prince's army, made his last effort against the arms of the English. The superior numbers of the enemy who crowded the plains of Buxar, availed them little, when opposed to the small, but well arranged, and determined body of the English ; who, after a smart action of two hours, completely routed the combined forces, and captured the whole of their artillery. This action, heretofore so amply described, had not perhaps...

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