They have many experts in an art which they call Physiognomy, by which
they discern a man's character and qualities at once. They also know the
import of meeting with any particular bird or beast; for such omens are
regarded by them more than by any people in the world. Thus if a man is
going along the road and hears some one sneeze, if he deems it (say) a
good token for himself he goes on, but if otherwise he stops a bit, or
peradventure turns back altogether from his journey.[NOTE 16]
As soon as a child is born they write down his nativity, that is to say
the day and hour, the month, and the moon's age. This custom they observe
because every single thing they do is done with reference to astrology,
and by advice of diviners skilled in Sorcery and Magic and Geomancy, and
such like diabolical arts; and some of them are also acquainted with
Astrology.
[All parents who have male children, as soon as these have attained the
age of 13, dismiss them from their home, and do not allow them further
maintenance in the family. For they say that the boys are then of an age
to get their living by trade; so off they pack them with some twenty or
four-and-twenty groats, or at least with money equivalent to that. And
these urchins are running about all day from pillar to post, buying and
selling. At the time of the pearl-fishery they run to the beach and
purchase, from the fishers or others, five or six pearls, according to
their ability, and take these to the merchants, who are keeping indoors
for fear of the sun, and say to them: "These cost me such a price; now
give me what profit you please on them." So the merchant gives something
over the cost price for their profit. They do in the same way with many
other articles, so that they become trained to be very dexterous and keen
traders. And every day they take their food to their mothers to be cooked
and served, but do not eat a scrap at the expense of their fathers.]
In this kingdom and all over India the birds and beasts are entirely
different from ours, all but one bird which is exactly like ours, and that
is the Quail. But everything else is totally different. For example they
have bats, - I mean those birds that fly by night and have no feathers of
any kind; well, their birds of this kind are as big as a goshawk! Their
goshawks again are as black as crows, a good deal bigger than ours, and
very swift and sure.
Another strange thing is that they feed their horses with boiled rice and
boiled meat, and various other kinds of cooked food.
