These People Go About In A Very Filthy Condition, As They Never Wash
Or Comb Themselves.
They have also an abominable custom of eating the
bodies of malefactors who are condemned to death, but they do not feed on
any who die naturally.
These are likewise called Bachsi, which is the name
of their order, as our friars are named predicants, minors, and the like.
These fellows are great sorcerers, and seem to be able to do any thing they
please by magic art. When the great khan sits in his hall at a table, which
is raised several feet above the others[10], there is a great sideboard of
plate at some distance in the midst of the hall, and from thence these
sorcerers cause wine or milk to fill the goblets on the khans table,
whenever he commands. These Bachsi also, when they have a mind to make
feasts in honour of their idols, send word to the khan, through certain
officers deputed for the purpose, that if their idols are not honoured with
the accustomed sacrifices, they will send blights on the fruits of the
ground, and murrains among the beasts, and entreat, therefore, that he will
order a certain number of black-headed sheep, with incense, and aloes-wood,
to be delivered to them, for the due and honourable performance of the
regular sacrifices.
These priests have vast monasteries, some of which are as large as small
cities, and several of them contain about two thousand monks, or persons
devoted to the service of the idols, all of whom shave their beards and
heads, and wear particular garments, to denote that they are set apart from
the laity, for the service of their gods; yet some of them may marry.
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