In This Island, There Are Temples In Which Great Sums Of Money
Are Expended On Incense; And In One Of These Temples, There Is A Great Idol
All Of Pure Gold, But Concerning The Weight Of Which Travellers Are Not
Agreed.
In the same island, there are great numbers of Jews, and persons of
many other sects, even Tanouis, and Manichees, the kings permitting the
free exercise of every religion.
At the end of the island are vallies of
great extent, extending quite to the sea, called Gab Serendib, of extreme
beauty, and chequered with groves and plains, water and meads, and blessed
with a wholesome air. A sheep may be there bought for half a dram, and for
the same as much of their drink, made of palm-honey, boiled and prepared
with tari, or toddi, as will suffice for many persons. The inhabitants
are much addicted to gaming, particularly draughts. Their other principal
diversion is cock-fighting, their cocks being very large, and better
provided with spurs than ordinary; and besides this, the Indians arm them
with blades of iron, in the form of cangiars or daggers. On these combats,
they bet gold and silver, lands or farms; and they game with such fury,
that debauchees, and desperate people, often stake the ends of their
fingers, when their other property is exhausted. While at play for this
extraordinary stake, they have a fire by them, on which a small pot of
walnut oil, or oil of sesamum, is kept boiling; and when one has won a
game, he chops off the end of the loser's finger, who immediately dips the
stump into the boiling oil, to stem the blood; and some will persist so
obstinately, as to have all their fingers thus mutilated. Some even will
take a burning wick, and apply it to some member, till the scent of the
burnt flesh is felt all around, while the stoic continues to play, without
betraying the least sense of pain. Both men and women are so exceedingly
addicted to debauchery, that a foreign merchant has been known to send even
for a king's daughter, to attend him at the fishing grounds, in quality of
mistress; wherefore the Mahomedan doctors at Siraff, strictly warn young
people not to go there.
In the Indies there are heavy rains, called jasara, which last
incessantly day and night, for three months every year. The Indians prepare
against these to the best of their power, as they shut themselves up in
their houses during the whole time, all work being then performed within
doors; and during this time, they are subject to ulcers in the soles of
their feet, occasioned by the damps. Yet, these rains are of indispensable
necessity; as, when they fail, the Indians are reduced to the utmost want,
as their rice fields are watered only by the rains. It never rains during
summer. The Indians have doctors, or devout men, named Bramins. They have
poets also, who compose poems filled with the grossest flattery to their
kings and great men.
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