It suits not poesy to tell, nor why
Thou hast no limbs, O powerful Juggernath!
The simple bard knows better than to scoff
Sarcastic, like an infidel. Think not
Me capable of waggish word, or chant
Irreverential of thy pilfering freaks,

And after punishment with loss of arms:
"Tis idle scandal! "Twere no fault of thine,
If the dull statuary of heaven ne'er thought
Of legs and arms when first he modell'd thee:
Or if he thought, yet left thee as thou art,
A mutilated thing. Let no vain mind
Rail at divine infirmities, nor strive

To measure aught of heaven by things on earth.
To need such dangling-down auxiliaries
Is proof direct of our own mortal weakness.
He who can do without them must be great!"

In the concluding stanza the poet refers to the want of hands and legs in the idol; but at all festivals the Brahmins fix silver or golden hands upon it.

The tradition of the idol is as follows: "Krishnu, in some period of Hindoo history, was accidentally killed by Ungudu, a hunter, who left the body to rot under the tree where it fell. Some pious person, however, collected the bones of Krishnu, and placed them in a box, where they remained till Indru-dhoomnu, a king, who was performing religious austerities to obtain some favour of Vishnu, was directed by the latter to form an image of Juggernath, and put into its belly these bones of Krishnu, by which means he should obtain the fruits of his religious austerities. Indru-dhoomnu inquired

who should make this image, and was commanded to apply to Vishnu-kurmu, the architect of the gods. He did so, and obtained his request; but Vishnu-kurmu at the same time declared, that if any one disturbed him, while preparing the image, he would leave it in an unfinished state. He then began, and in one night built a temple. But the impatient king, after waiting fifteen days, went to the spot, on which Vishnu-kurmu desisted from his work, and left the god without hands or feet.The king was very much disconcerted; but, on praying to Brumha, he promised to make the image famous in its present shape."-Ward's View, vol. p. 163.

ii.

It is said that every third year they make a new image (which is not much trouble), when a Brahmin removes the original bones of Krishnu from the belly of the old image to that of the new one. On this occasion he covers his eyes, lest he should be struck dead for looking at such sacred relics. The common people never desire to see these bones, though rich and powerful rajahs have craved the sight. The late Rajah of Burdwhan expended twelve lacs of rupees, or £120,000, in a pilgrimage or journey to Juggernath, and in bribing the Brahmins to let him see these bones, for the sight of which he paid two lacs of rupees; but he died in six months afterwards, as the Brahmins said, for his temerity.

Many castes are totally prohibited from entering Juggernath's temple; still they are required to

make pilgrimages to it. The temple itself is full of prostitutes, yet the first of the proscribed are kusbee, prostitutes. Then follow cullal, liquor sellers; machoowa, fishermen ; numosooder, boatmen; gazur, labourers who carry burdens on their heads; bangdee, fishers' labourers; joogee, weavers; kahar bawry, bearers; rauj bunsee, a different caste of boatmen; chamar, shoe-makers; dhomee, washermen; paun, basket-makers; teor, another caste of boatmen; bhoinmalee, makers of garlands, &c. for marriages; haddee, maters. These castes are not suffered to enter the temple to worship Juggernath.

I was one morning riding to a neighbouring village, when my attention was engaged by an object in the road before me at some distance, which I could not at all make out. It appeared as if some large animal was floundering about in the dust. I made the best of my way towards the spot; and as I approached, I saw it was a man lying on his back, with two pariah dogs pulling him by the legs. I galloped towards them, and the dogs made off. I found the poor man quite exhausted, and the blood was streaming from his feet, two of his toes were gone from one foot, and nearly all from the other. I bound up one with my silk handkerchief, and, taking off my neckcloth, I wrapped it round the other, the man appearing nearly senseless. Seeing some men in the paddy field close by, I called them to me. When they came, I asked them to carry the poor creature to the next village: but

they refused. A thousand excuses were made; and I found that nothing but buckshish would move their hearts to pity; and even the promise of buckshish would avail no farther than causing them to lift the poor fellow on the horse before me. Then, walking by the side, they accompanied me to the nearest hut, the owner of which refused to receive him into his dwelling. However, again I promised buckshish, if he would let him lie upon his cot till I sent a palanqueen, and the magical word prevailed. Then, getting some milk, I forced it down the poor creature's throat, which seemed to revive him a little. After engaging one of the men to stop with him till my return, I made haste back to Sulkea; and finding Dr. Stewart at home, sent him off directly, whilst I went further to get a palanqueen. I then returned with it to the hut; but when the bearers saw the purpose for which I wanted it, they refused to carry their sick countryman to the native hospital. However, after much coaxing, with proportionate promises of buckshish, and an assurance from the Doctor that the man would not die in the palanqueen, they at last took him up, and began to move onward. I rode alongside, or else I have no doubt they would soon have turned him out, and ran off with the palanqueen. When he became convalescent, which he did in a few days, he told me that he had been on a pilgrimage to Juggernath, and his money being all taken by the Brahmins, he had to make his way home as

well as he could. He begged, but without effect, and ate of the fruits of the fields where he could find any, until, worn out with hunger and fatigue, he sank down, unable to rise, or defend himself from dogs or jackals; and that the two dogs I saw had followed him some way before he sank, which was but about ten minutes before I came to his rescue; and that, after going round him several times, one seized his toes; that then, he began to kick and struggle, but to no purpose, as the other dog seized the fellow foot, and began to tear off the flesh; and if I had not come up as I did, he had little doubt but in a few minutes they would have destroyed him. Thus, as Mr. P. observes,"Where the Suttee has slain its thousands, pilgrimage has slain its tens of thousands. Myriads die in journeying to reputed holy places, unknown, unpitied, and unnoticed: penury, famine, exposure, and sickness lay numerous subjects of superstition, at various stages of the destructive route, unnoticed and unburied, a prey to birds and beasts. The European who has visited Juggernath at the great festival, may be forcibly reminded of the following appalling description :

:

-He saw the lean dogs

Gorging and growling o'er carcase and limb,
They were too busy to bark at him.

From a pilgrim's skull they had stript the flesh,
As ye peel the fig when the fruit is fresh ;