And such a length; and if
his shadow be of the proper length for the day he completes his purchase;
if not, he will on no account do so, but waits till his shadow corresponds
with that prescribed. For there is a length established for the shadow for
every individual day of the week; and the merchant will complete no
business unless he finds his shadow of the length set down for that
particular day. [Also to each day in the week they assign one unlucky
hour, which they term Choiach. For example, on Monday the hour of
Half-tierce, on Tuesday that of Tierce, on Wednesday Nones, and so
on.[NOTE 3]]
Again, if one of them is in the house, and is meditating a purchase,
should he see a tarantula (such as are very common in that country) on the
wall, provided it advances from a quarter that he deems lucky, he will
complete his purchase at once; but if it comes from a quarter that he
considers unlucky he will not do so on any inducement. Moreover, if in
going out, he hears any one sneeze, if it seems to him a good omen he will
go on, but if the reverse he will sit down on the spot where he is, as
long as he thinks that he ought to tarry before going on again. Or, if in
travelling along the road he sees a swallow fly by, should its direction
be lucky he will proceed, but if not he will turn back again; in fact
they are worse (in these whims) than so many Patarins![NOTE 4]
These Abraiaman are very long-lived, owing to their extreme abstinence in
eating. And they never allow themselves to be let blood in any part of the
body. They have capital teeth, which is owing to a certain herb they chew,
which greatly improves their appearance, and is also very good for the
health.
There is another class of people called Chughi, who are indeed
properly Abraiaman, but they form a religious order devoted to the Idols.
They are extremely long-lived, every man of them living to 150 or 200
years. They eat very little, but what they do eat is good; rice and milk
chiefly. And these people make use of a very strange beverage; for they
make a potion of sulphur and quicksilver mixt together and this they drink
twice every month. This, they say, gives them long life; and it is a
potion they are used to take from their childhood.[NOTE 5]
There are certain members of this Order who lead the most ascetic life in
the world, going stark naked; and these worship the Ox. Most of them have
a small ox of brass or pewter or gold which they wear tied over the
forehead.
