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gave way, and fell to the ground. And perhaps this circumstance alone prevented the loss of lives. Notice of the event was immediately communicated to Mr Hunter, the superintendant of the temple, who repaired to the spot, and sent an additional guard to the inner gate, lest the people should force that also; for there is an outer and an inner gate to the town of Juggernaut; but both of them are slightly constructed. Mr Hunter told me that similar accidents sometimes occur, and that many have been crushed to death by the pressure of the mob. He added, that sometimes a body of pilgrims, consisting chiefly of women and children and old men, trusting to the physical weight of their mass, will make, what he called, a charge on the armed guards, and overwhelm them; the guards not being willing, in such circumstances, to oppose their bayonets."

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"Juggernaut, June 14, 1806. .... "I have seen Juggernaut. The scene at Buddruck is but the vestibule to Juggernaut. No record of ancient or modern history can give, I think, an adequate idea of this valley of death; it may be truly compared with the valley of Hinnom. The idol called Juggernaut, has been considered as the Moloch of the present age; and he is justly so named, for the sacrifices offered up to him by self-devotement, are not less criminal, perhaps not less numerous, than those recorded of the Moloch of Canaan. Two other idols accompany Juggernaut, namely, Boloram and Shubudra, his brother and sister; for there are three deities worshipped here. They receive equal adoration, and sit on thrones of nearly, equal height."

"This morning I viewed the Temple; a stupendous fabric, and truly commensurate with the exten

sive sway of the horrid king.' As other temples are usually adorned with figures emblematical of their religion, so Juggernaut has representations (numerous and varied) of that vice which constitutes the essence of his worship. The walls and gates are covered with indecent emblems, in massive and durable sculpture. I have also visited the sand plains by the sea, in some places whitened with the bones of the pilgrims; and another place, a little way out of the town, called by the English, the Golgotha, where the dead bodies are usually cast forth; and where dogs and vultures are

ever seen."

----

"Juggernaut, June 18, 1806. "I have returned home from witnessing a scene which I shall never forget. At 12 o'clock of this day, being the great day of the feast, the Moloch of Hindoostan was brought out of his temple amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thousands of his worshippers. When the idol was placed on his throne, a shout was raised by the multitude, such as I had never heard before. It continued equable for a few minutes, and then gradually died away. After a short interval of silence, a murmur was heard at a distance; ali eyes were turned towards the place, and, behold, a grove advancing. A body of men, having green branches. or palms, in their hands, approached with great celerity. The people opened a way for them; and whea they had come up to the throney they fell down before him that sat thereon, and worshipped. And the multitude again sent forth a voice

like the sound of a great thunder." But the voices I now heard were not those of melody, or of joyful acclamation; for there is no harmony in the praise of Moloch's worshippers. Their number indeed

brought

brought to my mind the countless multitude of the Revelations; but their voices gave no tuneful hosanna or hallelujah; but rather a yell of approbation, united with a kind of hissing applause. I was at a loss how to account for this latter noise, until I was directed to notice the women; who emitted a sound like that of whistling, with the lips circular, and the tongue vibrating: as if a serpent would speak by their organs, uttering human sounds."

"The throne of the idol was placed on a stupendous car or tower, about 60 feet in height, resting on wheels which indented the ground deeply, as they turned slowly under the ponderous machine. Attached to it were six cables, of the size and length of a ship's cable, by which the people drew it along. Thousands of men, women, and children, pulled by each cable, crowding so closely, that some could only use one hand. Infants are made to exert their strength in this office; for it is accounted a merit of righteousness to move the god. Upon the tower were the priests and satellites of the idol, surrounding his throne. I was told that there were about 120 persons upon the car altogether. The idol is a block of wood, having a frightful visage painted black, with a distended mouth of a bloody colour. His arms are of gold, and he is dressed in gorgeous apparel. The other two idols are of a white and yellow colour. Five elephants preceded the three towers, bearing towering flags, dressed in crimson caparisons, and having bells hanging to their caparisons, which sounded musically as they moved."

"I went on in the procession, close by the tower of Moloch, which, as it was drawn with difficulty, grated on its many wheels harsh thunder. After a few minutes it stopped; and now the worship of the god be

gan. A high priest mounted the car in front of the idol, and pronounced his obscene stanzas in the ears of the people, who responded at intervals in the same strain. These songs,'

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said he, are the delight of the god: his car can only move when he is pleased with the song.' The car moved on a little way, and then stopped. A boy of about 12 years was then brought forth to attempt something yet more lascivious, if peradventure the god would move. The child perfected the praise of his idol with such ardent expression and gesture, that the god was pleased, and the multitude, emitting a sensual yell of delight, urged the car along. After a few minutes it stopped again. An aged minister of the idol then stood up, and with a long rod in his hand, which he moved with indecent action, completed the variety of this disgusting exhibition. I felt a consciousness of doing wrong in witnessing it. I was also somewhat appalled at the magnitude and horror of the spectacle; I felt like a guilty person, on whom all eyes were fixed, and I was about to withdraw. But a scene of a different kind was now to be presented. The characteristics of Moloch's worship are obscenity and blood. We have seen the former; now comes the blood."

"After the tower had proceeded some way, a pilgrim announced that he was ready to offer himself a sacrifice to the idol. He laid himself down in the road before the tower as it was moving along, lying on his face, with his arms stretched forwards. The multitude passed round him, leaving the space clear, and he was crushed to death by the wheels of the tower. A shout of joy was raised to the god. He is said to smile when the libation of the blood is made. The people threw cowries, or small money, on the body of the

victim,

victim, in approbation of the deed. He was left to view a considerable time, and was then carried by the hurries to the golgotha, where I have just been viewing his remains."

Proceedings of the Highland Society of Scotland.

[Concluded from page 6.1

JOHN SINCLAIR then called

sts to the number of worship-S the attention of the Meeting to

pers assembled here at this time, no accurate calculation can be made. The natives themselves, when speaking of the numbers at particular festivals, usually say that a lack of people (100,000) would not be missed. I asked a Brahmin, how many he supposed were present at the most numerous festival he had ever witnessed. How can I tell,' said he, how many grains there are in a handful of sand?'

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Annual Expences of the Idol Juggernaut, presented to the English Government.

(Extracted from the Official Accounts.)

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-36115 L.4514

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2712

10057

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seasons of pilgrimage, 10989 5. Do. of his elephants & horses,

6. Do. of his rutt or annual state carriage,

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3030

6713

339

1250

the merits of a Plough, which had been this day exhibited to the Society by John and Alexander Small, Ploughmakers, Leith Walk. Sir John stated, that this Plough was upon scale considerably reduced, both in weight and expence, (the particulars of which he mentioned,) from the best Ploughs now in use, and therefore was well adapted to small farms in the Highlands, especially for light soils, as this Plough would require much less force to draw it, than any of the Ploughs in common use. The Patriotic Baronet took that opportunity of bringing in the view of the Society, the merits of the late James Small, the inventor of the Plough, known under his name, and father of the two young men who had constructed the one on a reduced scale, just recommended to attention. That there were few individuals to whom the Agriculture of Scotland was more indebted, than to the late 378 James Small, forby his ingenuity and exertions, the most useful implement of our husbandry had been essentially improved; that only two years back, the Society had readily and liberally contributed to a subscription then going forward, for rewarding Andrew Meikle, the inventor of the Threshing-Mill now in ge neral use, when a sum had been collected sufficient to enable Mr Meikle to spend the concluding period of his life in comfort, and to leave his family in a state in which they never expected to be placed. That James Small having left his family in straitened circumstances, which, besides inconvenience to them, he considered a public loss, as it prevented them from supplying Ploughs upon

1373

839

Rupees 69616=L.8702

In item third, wages of his servants, are included the wages of the courtesans, who are kept for the service of the temple.

Item sixth. What is here called in the official account the state carriage, is the same as the car or tower. Mr Hunter informed me that the three state carriages' were decorated this year (in June 1806) with upwards of L. 200 sterling worth of English broad cloth.

February 1812.

upon their father's plan, or the one now constructed by themselves, as extensively as would be desirable; he therefore trusted, that the Society would be disposed to contribute to and countenance a subscription for James Small's family; and therefore moved-" That it be referred to the Directors, to ascertain the merits of the Plough shown to the Society this day, constructed by John and Alex. Small; and to consider of the propriety of contributing to and countenancing a subscription for the family of the late James Small, whose ploughs have been found the most generally useful of any hitherto invented, and to report to what extent the Society ought to sanction and support such subscription." The Society. referred Sir John Sinclair's motion to the Directors for their consideration.

It was stated to the Meeting, that in consequence of the sum voted by the Society, for constructing a Reaping Machine, upon the principles of the model invented by Mr Blaikie, armourer of the Lanarkshire militia, the machine had been made in its extended form, and tried, according to the information. received, with considerable success.

The model of a Revolving Battery, for the defence of the coasts, was exhibited by Mr Gillespie, the inventor, which had met with the approbation of several military and naval gentlenion qualified to judge of its merits. The Society, although desirous to encourage every ingenious and useful invention, did not consider this within the objects of their Institution, and therefore suggested to the inventor, to apply in the proper channel for support and patronage,

A letter from Mr Clennell, of Homerton, Middlesex, accompanied with a set of an Agricultural and Commercial Magazine, published by

him, in which he inserts the proceedings and premiums of the Society, was laid before the Meeting; the Society authorised their Secretary to thank Mr Clennell for his communication.

The Meeting having, on motion, proceeded to the election of President, Vice-Presidents, and other officers for the current year, the following noblemen and gentlemen were chosen, viz.

His Grace the Duke of Montrose-re elected President.

Most Noble the Marquis of Douglas and Clydesdale, Right Honourable the Earl of Wemyss and March, Right Hon. the Earl of Aboyne, and Right Hon. Lord Viscount Melville-- Vice-Presidents.

William Macdonald, Esq. of St. Martin's, Treasurer.

Donald Maclachlan of Maclachlan, Esq. Secretary.

Robert Wilson, Esq. accountant in Edinburgh, Auditor of Accounts.

Rev. Dr George Baird, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Chaplain.

Mr Lewis Gordon, Deputy Secretary and Collector.

-Mr David Watson, Recorder and Clerk.

Cunningham,

Mr Alexander Jeweller and Medallist. Mr John Campbell, Translator of the Galic Language.

Besides Thirty Ordinary Directors, resident in Edinburgh, for managing the affairs of the Society, whereof seven go out by rotation annually; the Meeting also made choice of the following Noblemen and Gentlemen, as Extraordinary Directors, several of whom are only occasionally in town, and cannot regularly attend the stated meetings, viz.

His Grace the Duke of Atholl. Right Hon. Lord Viscount Cathcart,

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Trial of John Lindsay Craufurd and James Bradley, for falsifying Pa. pers.

HIS very singular case, which

TH

has excited so muc attention, originated in the following circumstances: John Lindsay Craufurd, conceiving the design of proving himself rightful heir to the titles and estates of the Earl of Craufurd, as heir. male of Patrick, first Viscount Garnock, and having heard that the Hon. James Craufurd, an uncle of the viscount's, had been in Ireland, imagined, if he could prove a James Craufurd, (the existence of whom is problematical,) the alleged factor at Castledawson, to be the same person as the Hon. James Craufurd, the viscount's uncle, he could establish his propinquity to him, and of course his title to the rank and estates. He therefore procured some books which had formerly belonged to the Castledawson estate, in which entries were

inserted to prove the existence of the said James Craufurd, and tacks and entries from Smith at Todshill, and Wylie at Giffordland, which he vitiated for the same purpose; at least Bradley did so by his direction, or with his consent. These papers were produced in a civil claim which he raised before the sheriff, which was resisted by Lady Mary Lindsay, and a conjunct probation allowed. How the civil action might have been decided, it is impossible to say; but Fanning, who had been employed by Bradley to forge and vitiate the papers, gave information to Lady Mary, in consequence of which the fraud was discovered, and the present trial followed. The execution of the forgeries was astonishingly ingenious; so much so, that one witness swore to the integrity of a lease which Fanning confessed he himself had forged.

The following, among others, is the copy of a letter having the forged subscription of the Earl of Crau furd, and pretended to be written to David Blair of Giffordland, near Beith, dated 22d February 1751.

"Am sorry to inform you my uncle James Craufurd is rather troublesome. He has wrote to me from Castledawson for more money, although, you know, I made him several remittances since his patrimony was spent,exclusive of the many bills I had to pay by his frequent visits from Ireland to Scotland heretofore. Being obliged to deny him, will not answer his letter this time. I request you to write him, pointing out the encumbrances i labour under; put him off as long as you can, and stop his son Hew from coming to Kilbirnie in future-his manners offend me. Manage what I wrote you in my last as well as you can, and put down the seeds in the garden as soon as the season will permit."

The following was pretended to

be

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