tions, when the Bhakats were divided in opinion, but on no occasion were the nominies of either party selected from any other family.*

The Adhikari is assisted by a deputy called the Desha Adhikári and there are several other office-bearers for the lay and for the spiritual duties.

With exception to certain fees allotted to the Adhikári, all offerings received for religious duties, presents from disciples, fees of admission from proselytes, fees for re-admission to caste and the like are deposited in the Shostro treasury, and credited in the Shostro accounts by the accountant, and no disbursement can be made except by order of the Adhikári with the assent of the Bhakats, or a portion of them forming a sort of committee. The treasury is said to be very rich. The value of gold and silver utensils and ornaments together with the cash in the storehouse is estimated at 60,000 Rupees. The annual receipts may average four or five thousand and the disbursements about three thousand. The chief items of expenditure being the subsistence of poor travellers, for whose benefit an establishment of wood-cutters, potters and fishermen is kept up, and the expense of feasting at the great annual festivals all visitors who avail themselves of the hospitality of the Shostro.

The half rent paid to Government for the Dharmmottar lands attached to the temple is also paid from the general fund, nothing on this account being taken from the Bhakats who occupy the land.

For adjudication in disputes brought before the head of the institution, for assessing the amount of fine to be levied from an outcast for re-admission to caste, and for other matters requiring consideration, the Adhikári is assisted by a council which usually consists of two or more members of the family of the "Páthak" (reader of a commentary of the Bhagavat) and of the reader of the Bhagavat in Sanskrit, a Bráhman, or one of the family of the "Rajmidhi" who is the man of business of the Shostro in all temporal affairs. These councils are held in a house adjoining the "Námaghar."

Any individual wishing to become a Bhakat or disciple must present to the Shostro an offering of oil, cloths, and a sum of money according to his means. The Adhikári or in his absence the Desha Adhikári then teaches him the Mantra or initiating incantation, upon receiv ing which he must fee his instructor, and as far as I have learnt,

*This Ráma Ráma Guru was thus the Aaron of the sect, the progenitor of a family of Levites from whom alone the high priests can be chosen.

these are the only fees the Adhikari can claim, though he also receives presents from disciples who visit him after a long absence.

I have not been able to ascertain in what words the mystic Mantra is given. It is an inviolable secret.

It only remains for me to notice the services daily performed in the Shostro. Sankar and Mádhab taught their followers that of the nine modes by which knowledge was acquired ("the nobo vid") the most important were "hearing," "singing and remembering," and it is with reference to these, that the following ritual has been established. 1st. The morning service appropriately commences with the songs which the Gopis were accustomed to sing to awaken Krishna.

2nd. This is followed by spiritual songs accompanied by the clapping of hands and striking of cymbals.

3rd. The officiating Bráhman reads a portion of the Bhagavat in Sanskrita.

4th. A portion of the commentaries on the above in Asamese is read by one of the Bhakats.

In the afternoon service.

1st. The commentary of the Bhágavat is read.

2nd. The congregation sing and clap their hands and strike the cymbals.

3rd. The Bhagavat in Sanskrit is read.

The third service is held in the evening, at dusk, by candlelight, at which, 1st, a portion of the "Gunamálá,"

2nd.

Portions of the "Lilá málá," and

3rd. Parts of the "Bhotima" are read.

4th. Singing accompanied with cymbals and other musical instru

ments.

5th. Singing accompanied with the clapping of hands only.

6th. A portion of the commentaries on the Bhagavat or a part of the Asamese translation of the Rámáyana is read. These books are read regularly through till finished, and then recommenced.

At the conclusion of each of these services the name of Krishna is slowly repeated three or four times by the Bhakat who officiates, in a deep, solemn and impressive tone of voice. The whole congregation repeat it after him with equal solemnity, all with their heads reverently bent down till the forehead touches the ground; it is echoed by those in the verandah and taken up by such as may be within hearing out

side, who all prostrate themselves as they repeat it, and thus it is continued till it is heard but as a faint moan and dies away in the distauce. None that have been present could fail to be struck with this very impressive mode of concluding the service.

The superiority of the form and mode of the devotional exercises above described, contrasted with the ordinary temple worship of the Hindus, is apparent enough to attract and retain votaries. Instead of a small shrine into which none but the officiating Bráhman enters and from which no instruction to the crowd outside is even attempted, a large building capable of affording accommodation to thousands is devoted to the purposes of praises of the deity, congregational singing and moral instruction, and to keep up the spirit of the sect as well as to afford them ensamples of holy living, the actions, precepts and chief incidents in the lives of their founders are constantly brought to their recollection.

Amongst the peculiarities of this institution is the almost communistic nature of their system of Government. In other Asam Shostros the resident Bhakats were regarded as little better than slaves of the high priest for the time being, whether the latter office was hereditary or otherwise held, but the Bhakats of Borpetah have all a proprietary right in their Shostro and a share in its Government. Acknowledging the Adhikári as their "Guru," they implicitly submit to his guidance in spiritual affairs but in temporal matters he can take no step without their voice. There are indeed two parties amongst them which we may designate "high and low church," the one admitting, the other disavowing his claim to infallibility, but these are delicate questions with which I will not further meddle.

The institution is less richly endowed by the former rulers of the country than many others of far less importance, but they hold a grant of land conferred on them by Seeb Sing, one of the Ahom rájás of Asám, dated Saka 1657, corresponding with A. D. 1735, in which the rights of the Bhakats are peculiarly recognized. The lands, about 397 acres, being granted to 297 individuals by name who were the heads of the families of the resident Bhakats then existing and to the Shusturiah and Desha Shusturiah and Pujári for the time being the space for whose names is left blank. I am told that they have more ancient grants for a smaller quantity of land from two of the Delhi Bádsháhs but these I have not seen.

A Comparative Essay on the Ancient Geography of India.

(Continued from page 272.)

From Cach'hara El Edrisi made Ghazera, and probably Cosair.* The names of Wair, or Eirus are unknown now, at least to the pilgrims, who travel that way. Having doubled the Cape, Nearchus came into a large and commodious harbour, protected by a small island, called by him Bibacta, and by Pliny, Bibaga; not more than three hundred yards from the shore. The distance from Crocala is omitted by Arrian; but Pliny reckons twelve Roman, or ten and a half British miles. Bibaga is perhaps a corruption from Débi-bága, the garden of Sitá-deví, or simply Debi, who has several in that part of the country. It is called Byblus, in some MSS. Babulona, by Philostratus, in his life of Apollonius; perhaps from Bábul, the Acacia tree, which abounds all along that coast. This small island, being so close in shore, has not been noticed by late navigators, and possibly it no longer exists as an island. I suppose that this harbour, denominated after Alexander, was at the mouth of the dry river, which I mentioned before.

This narrow passage of 300 yards only, between the mainland and the island, and even the harbour itself at the mouth of a river, is really a Khári, or Khárijuna, or Khárizána, and answers of course to the Rhixana, or Rhizana, both of Marcian, and of Ptolemy. Nine miles Roman, or about eight British, from it there was, according to Pliny, another island called Toralliba, which in Hindi signifies the island of Liba; and is obviously Chilney, called by Ptolemy Codáné, probably for Colané; for there is very little difference between the letters D, and L in Greek; and of course they are often put the one for the other. Besides, this island is opposite to the country called Cola, and also Colwán by El Edrisi. Ptolemy considered the island of Liba, as different from Colané, which, in that case, must have disappeared, which is not likely. Liba or Labe is the name of the goddess Chandica, or the lustful goddess, as we have seen before. Tora-Liba is simply called Tora by El Edrisi; and in Hindi Tora, or Tara signify an island. From this place Nearchus put to sea again, and

* See El Edrisi, pp. 56 and 57.

after a course of four miles, stopped under the shelter of a small island close to the shore, and called Domai. There was no water; but it was found of a good quality at the distance of about a mile, probably in the dry bed of the canal, or Nala of Hanumán. This little island seems to be noticed in some late surveys, and is called Domail by El Edrisi; who says, that there was on it a small town called CasCahar, which, it is more probable, was on the continent; and the inhabitants of it, are called Damai by Stephanus of Byzantium.

Cahar is, for Cahir, Cahirá generally pronounced Cair. Severa places called Cahira, in the countries bordering upon the Indus, are mentioned in the Ayin Acberi. I suppose the true reading to be KizCahir, or Cair in Kiz, or Gedrosia. Cáraichi was also called Cair, and probably by way of contradistinction Caer-cede, Caer-shede, for CairSind. For the Portuguese in composition sometimes wrote Cind, Cend and even Gind for Sind. Hence we find it asserted, that the Indus was also called Karshed. Small settlements have occasionally been attempted on that coast, as I have been told; but they were soon after forsaken, as Hingula-Devi is averse to them. called Sangada, a denomination now seemingly country. It is perhaps from the Sanskrit, and Hindi Sankhadá, implying a country abounding with shells, which is really the case.

The country was unknown in that

El Edrisi says, that from Dabil, at the entrance of India, and of course Cáraichi, to Cape Mond, there are six miles (the numbers are obviously corrupted) hence to Coli six more. Coli is Domail. Cola,

or Cali is a creek. From Domai, after a course of nineteen miles, Nearchus reached a place called Saranga, probably from Rámachandra's seat-Zerocá, or in Persian Seirunga; which is near it, and a little further, were the rocks called Sacala. These are not noticed by pilgrims, probably because there are no legends attached to them : perhaps they are low rocks, forming a ledge, stretching out far into the sea. This was probably the reason, why Nearchus was deterred from going round them; and as there was a passage through them, though very narrow, he preferred to go that way. Sugala in Sanskrit signifies the fair way passage: in Hindi Su-Cali, or Col signifies the fair, or safe creek; also a safe narrow passage. In English Gully or Gully-hole, in French Goulet, from the Latin Gula the throat, Galá in Hindi is the throat and Galí, a narrow pass or lane.