On The Day Appointed For The Performance Of This Vow, The
Devoted Person First Gives An Entertainment, And Is Then
Carried to the
appointed spot; if rich, on horseback, but on foot if poor, accompanied by
a multitude of his
Friends and others, and immediately leaps into the midst
of the burning pit, all his friends and kindred celebrating the festival
with music and dancing, until he is entirely consumed. Three days
afterwards two of the priests go to the house of the devoted person, and
command his family to prepare for a visit from the deceased on the same
day. The priests then take certain persons along with them, as witness of
the transaction, and carry with them, to the house, a figure resembling the
deceased, which they affirm to be himself. The widow and children, as
instructed by the priests, then demand how it fares with him in the other
world: to which he answers, "I came to my companions, who will not receive
me until I have discharged my duty to my friends and kindred." He then
makes a distribution of his effects among his children, orders all his
debts to be paid, and whatever is owing to him to be demanded. The
witnesses set down all this in writing, and then he vanishes. By these arts
of juggling and collusion, the priests govern every thing as they please.
In the space of forty days, one may travel to the frontiers of Tzin, which
is the very extremity of the east.
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