tall as the
mast of a ship, on the top of which was a weathercock likewise made of
wire. This church was as large as a moderate convent, all built of
freestone, and covered, or vaulted over with brick, having a fine outward
appearance as if its inside were of splendid workmanship. Our general was
much pleased with this church, as he actually believed himself in a
Christian country, and gladly entered along with the kutwal. They were
received by the priests, who were naked from the waist upwards, having a
kind of petticoats of cotton hanging down from the girdle to their knees,
and pieces of calico covering their arm-pits, their heads legs and feet
bare. They were distinguished by wearing certain threads over their right
shoulders, which crossed over their breasts under their left arms, much
in the way in which our priests used formerly to wear their stoles when
they said mass. These men are called kafrs[60], and are idolaters,
serving as priests in the pagodas of Malabar; and on the general going
into the pagoda, they took holy water with a _sprinkle_ from a font, and
threw it over the kutwal and him and their attendants. After this, they
gave them powdered sandalwood to throw upon their heads, as used to be
done amongst us with ashes; and they were directed to do the same on
their arms. But our people, as being clothed, omitted this latter part of
the ceremony, complying with the other.

In this pagoda they saw many images painted on the walls, some of which
had monstrous teeth projecting an inch from their mouths, and some had
four arms; all of them so ugly that they seemed like devils, which raised
doubts among our people whether they were actually in a Christian church.
In the middle of the pagoda stood a chapel, having a roof or dome of
freestone like a tower, in one part of which was a door of wire, to which
there led a flight of stone steps. On the inside of this tower an image
was observed in a recess of the wall, which our men could not see
distinctly, as the place was somewhat dark, and they were not permitted
to go near, as none were allowed to approach except the priests. But from
certain words and signs, our people understood this to be an image of the
Virgin; on which the general and his attendants went upon their knees to
say their prayers[61]. John de Sala, however, being very doubtful that
this was not a Christian church, owing to the monstrous images on the
walls, said, as he fell on his knees, "_If th