In the history of Sind called Chach Namah, the Hindus revile the
Mahomedan invaders as Chandals and cow-eaters. (Elliot, I. 172, 193).
The low castes are often styled from their unrestricted diet, e.g.
Halal-Khor (P. "to whom all food is lawful"), Sab-khawa (H.
"omnivorous").
Babu Rajendralal Mitra has published a learned article on Beef in ancient
India, showing that the ancient Brahmans were far from entertaining the
modern horror of cow-killing. We may cite two of his numerous
illustrations. Goghna, "a guest," signifies literally "a cow-killer,"
i.e. he for whom a cow is killed. And one of the sacrifices prescribed
in the Sutras bears the name of Sula-gava "spit-cow," i.e.
roast-beef. (J.A.S.B. XLI. Pt. I. p. 174 seqq.)
NOTE 11. - The word in the G.T. is losci dou buef, which Pauthier's text
has converted into suif de buef - in reference to Hindus, a preposterous
statement. Yet the very old Latin of the Soc. Geog. also has
pinguedinem, and in a parallel passage about the Jogis (infra, ch.
xx.), Ramusio's text describes them as daubing themselves with powder of
ox-bones (l'ossa). Apparently l'osci was not understood (It.
uscito).
NOTE 12. - Later travellers describe the descendants of St. Thomas's
murderers as marked by having one leg of immense size, i.e. by
elephantiasis. The disease was therefore called by the Portuguese Pejo
de Santo Toma.