element. It lasts eighteen days, during which time, those who make a vow to keep it, must fast, abstain from women, lie on the bare ground, and walk on a brisk fire. The eighteenth day they assembled, on the sound of instruments, their heads crowned with flowers, the body bedaubed with saffron, and follow in cadence the figures of Darma Rajah, and of Drobede, his wife, who are carried there in procession. When they come to the fire they stir it, to animate its activity, and take a little of the ashes, with which they rub their foreheads, and when the gods have been three times round it, they walk either fast or slow, according to their zeal, over a very hot fire, extending to about forty feet in length. Some carry their children in their arms; and others lances, sabres, and standards. The most fervent devotees walk several times over the fire. After the ceremony, the people press to collect some of the ashes to rub their foreheads with, and obtain from the devotees some of the flowers with which they were adorned, and which they carefully preserve."

No. 55. xxvi. 26. Ten women shall bake your bread in one oven.] An oven was designed only to serve a single family, and to bake for them no more than the bread of one day. This usage still continues in some places, and gives peculiar force to these words.

HARMER, vol. i. p. 269.

No. 56.-NUMBERS v. 17.

The priest shall take holy water în an earthen vessel.

IN the Asiatic Researches, (vol. i. p. 389.) is a curious account of the trials by ordeal, practised amongst the Hindoos. They have no less than nine different methods of conducting this test, one of which is strikingly conformable to the trial by the water of jealousy. "Trial by the cosha is as follows: the accused is made to drink three draughts of the water in which the images of the Sun, of Devi, and other deities, have been washed for that purpose; and if, within fourteen days, he has any sickness, or indisposition, his crime is considered as proved."

No. 57. x. 31. Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.] The importance of a guide in traversing the deserts must be evident, when we peruse the following extract from BRUCE's Travels, (vol. iv. p. 586.) “A hybeer is a guide, from the Arabic word hubbar, to inform, instruct, or direct, because they are used to do this office to the caravan travelling through the desert in all its directions, whether to Egypt and back again, the coast of the Red Sea, or the countries of Sudan, and the western extremities of Africa. They are men of great consideration, knowing perfectly the situation and properties of all kinds of water to be met on the route, the distances of wells, whether occupied by enemies or not, and if so, the way to avoid them with the least inconvenience. It is also necessary to them to know the places occupied by the simoom, and the seasons of their blowing in these parts of the desert; likewise those occupied by moving sands. He generally belongs to some powerful tribe of Arabs inhabiting

these deserts, whose protection he makes use of to assist his caravans, or protect them in time of danger, and handsome rewards are always in his power to distribute on such occasions: but now that the Arabs in these deserts are every where without government, the trade between Abyssinia and Cairo given over, that between Sudan and the metropolis much diminished, the importance of the office of hybeer, and its consideration, is fallen in proportion, and with these the safe conduct."

No. 58. xi. 1. The fire of the Lord burnt among them.] Commentators have understood this to mean lightning, or the breaking forth of fire from the cloud, which marked the presence of God; but it may be as natural to explain it of the deadly fiery wind which sometimes appears in those eastern deserts. Maillet mentions its being felt in the desert between Egypt and Mecca, in part of which Israel wandered forty years. "If the north wind happens to fail, and that from the south comes in its place, then the whole caravan is so sickly and exhausted that three or four hundred persons are wont, in common, to lose their lives; even greater numbers, as far as fifteen hundred, of whom the greatest part are stifled on the spot, by the fire and dust of which this fatal wind seems to be composed." (p. 228.)

No. 59. xi. 5. Onions.] "Whoever has tasted onions in Egypt must allow that none can be had better in any part of the universe. Here they are sweet, in other countries they are nauseous and strong; here they are soft, whereas in the north, and other parts, they are hard of digestion. Hence they cannot in any place be eaten with less prejudice and more satisfaction than in Egypt. They eat them roasted, cut into four pieces, with some bits of roasted meat, which the Turks in

Egypt call kobab, and with this dish they are so delighted, that I have heard them wish they might enjoy it in paradise. They likewise make soup of them in Egypt, cutting the onions in small pieces; this I think one of the best dishes I ever eat."

HASSELQUIST'S Voyages, p. 290.

No. 60.-xi. 5. Melons.] By this we are probably to understand the water-melon, which, according to Hasselquist, (Voyage, p. 255.) " the Arabians call batech. It is cultivated on the banks of the Nile, in the rich clayey earth which subsides during the inundation. This serves the Egyptians for meat, drink, and physic. It is eaten in abundance during the season, even by the richer sort of people; but the common people, on whom providence has bestowed nothing but poverty and patience, scarcely eat any thing but these, and account this the best time of the year, as they are obliged to put up with worse fare at other seasons. This fruit likewise serves them for drink, the juice refreshing these poor creatures, and they have less occasion for water than if they were to live on more substantial food in this burning climate." This well explains the Israelites regretting the want of this fruit in the parched thirsty wilderness.

No. 61.-xii. 14. If her father had but spit in her face.] Chardin observes, that "spitting before any one, or spitting upon the ground in speaking of any one's actions, is, through the East, an expression of extreme detestation." Hence we find it prescribed by the law, (Deut. xxv. 9.) as a mark of disgrace.

HARMER, vol. ii. p. 510.

No. 62.-xx. 19. If I and my cattle drink of thy water, then will I pay for it.] The value of water in the

East is much greater than is commonly understood. Its scarcity in many instances renders a well an important possession: it is not then to be wondered at that contention should arise on the probability of losing it, Gen. xxvi. 20. MAJOR ROOKE relates a circumstance of this kind, which cost several their lives, to such an extremity was the matter carried. He says, " one morning when we had been driven by stress of weather into a small bay, called Birk Bay, the country around it being inhabited by the Budoos, (Bedoweens) the noquedah sent his people on shore to get water, for which it is always customary to pay; the Budoos were, as the people thought, rather too exorbitant in their demands, and not choosing to comply with them, returned to make their report to their master: on hearing it, rage immediately seized him, and, determined to have the water on his own terms, or perish in the attempt, he buckled on his armour, and, attended by his myrmidons, carrying their match-lock guns and lances, being twenty in number, they rowed to the land. My Arabian servant, who went on shore with the first party, and saw that the Budoos were disposed for fighting, told me that I should certainly see a battle. After a parJey of about a quarter of an hour, with which the Budoos amused them till near an hundred were assembled, they proceeded to the attack, and routed the sailors, who made a precipitate retreat, the noquedah and two others having fallen in the action, and several being wounded." (Travels, p. 53.) Hence we discover the conformity of the ancient and modern custom of buying the water, and the serious consequences that have ensued from disputes respecting it. This narration also gives energy to the complaint in Lam. v. 4. We have drank our own water for money.

No. 63. xxiv. 17. There shall come a star out of