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THE ADJUTANT-CRANE.

upon a carriage of wood and iron; but a large tree has been springing up, about and underneath it, till it is no longer possible to move the cannon without destroying the plant, whose roots have completely enveloped and upheaved the lower part, and whose growth, in due time, will undoubtedly embed the whole mass. The Hindoos have deified this inert and impotent engine of destruction, having placed an idol at one extremity, which they worship. They have a tradition that when this cannon is fired the world will come to an end, and, from present appearances, it is not likely to be fired before then.

Sept. 24. One of the gigantic cranes, commonly called adjutants, from their soldier-like walk, was brought to us. The breadth, from tip to tip of the extended wings, measured not less than eleven feet; the length, from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, was four feet, including twelve inches for the bill itself; the legs, supported on three strong toes, were a yard in height. The plumage on the back was a light blue (in some specimens dark brown), on the belly white; the bill a dingy white; the iris sky-blue, and the eye quick and keen. The throat is capable of such prodigious expansion as to swallow, whole, the body of a cat, or a small dog. We tried an experiment with one of these gluttons, when it bolted, with perfect ease, the entire leg of a kid. The peculiar feature of this crane is a membranous pouch, of a reddish color, occasionally let down from the neck, which, being inflated with air, presents a cylinder fourteen or fifteen inches long, and three or four in diameter. Many small apertures, each equal to a pin's head, communicate between the windpipe and this appendage, of which the precise use is not known. The pouch is without feathers, and is generally gathered up about the neck. In very hot weather this bird is wont to soar to an invisible height in the atmosphere, for the purpose of enjoying a cooler temperature, when it seems probable that the expanded pouch enables it to maintain its buoyancy, or in some way assists in the functions of flight or respiration. The adjutant-crane is a privileged carrion-eater throughout India, preying on all kinds of offal in the streets of the most populous cities, and collecting no small part of its sustenance from the floating corpses which may be said to people the Ganges, the Hooghly, and the Jumna. It builds its nest in lofty trees, slightly putting a few sticks across each other, on which to deposit its

FESTIVAL OF DOORGA.

129

eggs. In the breeding season the female becomes so fierce that no man may approach her, except at his peril; the long bill, as an offensive weapon, being scarcely less formidable than a broad-sword in the hands of a powerful warrior-of which the following proof has been mentioned to us. A man was carrying a leg of mutton upon his head, when an adjutant-crane, too eagerly darting to seize so precious a quarry, missed its aim, and grasped the neck of the poor fellow, between the serrated mandibles of its beak, with such savage ferocity as to cut it nearly asunder, and kill him upon the spot.

Oct. 9. Being at Chinsurah, during the festival of the Doorga―the Goddess of Nature-we saw heathenism at the height of its madness. In the palace of an opulent baboo, an idol with ten arms, manufactured for the occasion at an expense of five hundred rupees, was placed in the recess of a superb apartment, used as a temple. The image, not yet having been consecrated, was said to be blind; but a small hole was left in one of the eyes, through which the divinity was supposed to enter at a particular crisis of the rites, when the orifice was immediately closed, and she was shut in; not long, however, to remain a prisoner there, for soon afterwards the idol itself was broken to pieces, and cast into the Ganges, with many others, carved for this particular festival, and by the sale of which the craftsmen make no small gain. Before the sanctuary was a spacious area, about the middle of which a stump of wood was fixed in the ground, having a notch in the top of it, wide enough to admit the necks of kids or lambs, when slain for offerings; across which there was an iron bolt to confine the animal, with the head projected, as through the loop-hole of a pillory. Beyond this was another stouter apparatus of the same kind, with an opening wide enough to secure the necks of young buffaloes. These two stakes were, in fact, "the horns of the altar," a mound of earth being raised on that side of each over which the animal was to be stretched to receive the mortal stroke. For this a tremendous knife, something like a bill-hook, four feet in length (including a short handle), and very broad, strong, and sharp, was provided. This slaughtering-place was surrounded with posts and railing, to which were bound two buffaloes, the one about two years and the other fifteen months old, also four kids and a lamb, all males. The horns of the buffaloes were painted red, and garlanded with foliage;

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ANIMAL SACRIFICES.

their bodies were successively sprinkled with water from the Ganges, and an infusion of turmeric poured upon their heads. A few green leaves were strown on the ground under their bellies, and a yellow cloth cast over their backs; after which the man who was to be executioner on the occasion lightly drew the great knife across the neck of each of the intended victims. The four kids and the lamb, one after the other, were then brought forward, and, their bodies being stretched across the earthen altar, and their necks fastened within the forked stake, each in turn was decapitated by a single blow. The moment the head fell, a Brahmin snatched it up and ran to present it to the idol. Another Brahmin took up the body, and held it while the blood flowed into a sacred copper vessel, lined with plantain-leaves. Immediately before the knife descended, at a given signal, a terrible din of gongs and drums, accompanied by a loud shout of the multitude, was raised on every hand, which continued till the head had been laid before the idol. When the five smaller animals had been despatched, a piece of the flesh of each was cut out of the carcass, and thrown into the dish that had received its blood, and the whole was set, reeking, before the shrine where the heads were. The lesser stake was then pulled up, the earthen altar repaired, and a large gourd, with a streak of red paint, was placed upon it. This was split in two, and both ends being thrown aside, seven sugar canes were, in like manner, first laid upon the altar, and each cut in two. These were to represent offerings of the fruits of the soil. The larger buffalo was then led within the inclosure and his neck fixed within the fork of the stronger stake; while, by means of ropes fastened to all his legs, his body was drawn out, and held down upon the earthen mound, or altar. The sacrificer, a blacksmith, a man of mighty bone and muscle, then fetched the knife, with great formality, from before the idol, where it had been laid with each of the former offerings. For a few moments he looked with intense earnestness towards the image of Doorga, as though imploring the might of her ten arms to aid his two; every eye was fixed on him, and every face expressed a strange solicitude for the sequel, as the canon law, in such case, requires that the head of the victim shall fall under one blow; for, if this be not effected, the omen would be deemed most unfortunate, and the sacrificer would be driven away with scorn and cursing from the place. The blacksmith, however, on this occasion

failed not; having deliberately taken aim and lifted the terrible instrument, one moment we saw it gleaming through the air, and the next it was crimsoned and reeking with blood from the slain beast; the head of which was immediately caught up and presented to the idol. Meanwhile the people shouted and danced-hugged in their arms, and crowned with a chaplet of leaves, the brawny slaughterman, as a benefactor of their country. Presently, however, a grand struggle took place for the body of the buffalo, which was dragged away by the strongest party in triumph, as lawful spoil. The second bullock was beheaded with the same good luck; but the body of this was seized by a number of women, who fought with Amazonian fury for the possession of it. Many men and boys afterwards pressed forward to dip their hands in the blood, as it lay in pools on the ground, marking with it their temples, and various parts of their bodies. A lighted lamp was then placed on the head of each of the victims, and one of the Brahmins began to mutter over it his prayers, or incantations; but we were not allowed to see or hear any more of the ceremony. On the evening of the following day all the idols prepared for this anniversary were brought down to the river, embarked on a platform between two boats, from which, with great pomp of music and pageantry they were plunged into the stream. We were told that, the spirits of the gods being supposed to have gone out of the images, they were regarded as dead carcasses, and instead of being worshipped, were spurned and execrated by the people, who, both on land and water, indulged themselves in the most abominable excesses.

A

At Chinsurah, also, there is a famous place of resort, called Saraishortollah, or the residence of the Bull-god. This is a square area, on which, beneath the umbrage of one vast banyan-tree, stand several temples, dedicated to different popular idols, to accommodate all classes of comers. Here many self-inflicted or self-chosen cruelties are practised, by those who thus hope to merit a place in the Hindoo heaven. favorite penance is to have the tongue bored through with a large iron spike. A blacksmith is the operator, who is said to be very skilful both in driving a nail and driving a bargain. It sometimes happens that the candidates for this piece of service at his hands are so numerous and impatient that they are obliged to submit to be arranged in order as they arrive, and wait till each in his turn can be gratified with a wound

in the unruly member, which they use, meanwhile, with no small eloquence, to induce him to hasten to their relief, and, when he is come, to get the business done as cheaply as they can. The shrewd knave, however, is wise enough to take his time, and extort a larger or a smaller fee, according to the number, rank, or fanaticism of his customers.

The principal object of veneration is a large, unshapen block of black stone, in one of the temples under the tree, which thousands come from the remotest provinces of the peninsula to worship. The tradition runs, that the proprietor dreamed that, if he would search in such a part of the bed of the river, he would find just such a stone. Straightway, next morning, he went to the spot, and found the identical block which had been shown him in his sleep, and which, of course, could be no other than a god; so a god he made it, and invited whoever pleased to pay their devotions to it, provided they first paid a small tax to himself. Thus are these people deluded by the basest and shallowest artifices of profligate and mercenary men.

CHAPTER XLVI.

Deputation sail for Madras--Arrival at Vizagapatam--Dr. Bell's Schoolsystem--Madras--Sir Thomas Monroe-Chowltries, or Caravanseras

-Arcot--Pungalore--Palanquin-bearers---Guramconda---TigersArrival at Cuddapah--Hindoo Villany--Festival of Cama, at Bellary -Ruins of Bejanughuir-The Cow and the Tiger-New-year Festival at Gudduck--Village-fortresses--Whirlwind at Kitoor--Christian Natives at Belgaum--Bathing of Buffaloes--Ants--Indian Gipsies.

Dec. 19. AFTER a second residence of two months in Calcutta, we sailed this day for Madras, intending to visit the missionary stations of our Society in the south of India, as we have now done those in the north; where, so far as it was practicable, we trust that we have accomplished the benevolent purposes for which we were originally deputed. Our vessel is the Aurora, burthen five hundred tons, and teak-built.

1827. Jan. 5. We landed at Vizagapatam, where we staid three days, sojourning with the missionaries, Messrs. Gordon and Dawson, and discussing with them various important matters relative to their labors on this station.