considers unlucky he will not do so on any inducement. Moreover, if in
going out, he hears any one sneeze, if it seems to him a good omen he will
go on, but if the reverse he will sit down on the spot where he is, as
long as he thinks that he ought to tarry before going on again. Or, if in
travelling along the road he sees a swallow fly by, should its direction
be lucky he will proceed, but if not he will turn back again; in fact
they are worse (in these whims) than so many Patarins![NOTE 4]
These Abraiaman are very long-lived, owing to their extreme abstinence in
eating. And they never allow themselves to be let blood in any part of the
body. They have capital teeth, which is owing to a certain herb they chew,
which greatly improves their appearance, and is also very good for the
health.
There is another class of people called _Chughi_, who are indeed
properly Abraiaman, but they form a religious order devoted to the Idols.
They are extremely long-lived, every man of them living to 150 or 200
years. They eat very little, but what they do eat is good; rice and milk
chiefly. And these people make use of a very strange beverage; for they
make a potion of sulphur and quicksilver mixt together and this they drink
twice every month. This, they say, gives them long life; and it is a
potion they are used to take from their childhood.[NOTE 5]
There are certain members of this Order who lead the most ascetic life in
the world, going stark naked; and these worship the Ox. Most of them have
a small ox of brass or pewter or gold which they wear tied over the
forehead. Moreover they take cow-dung and burn it, and make a powder
thereof; and make an ointment of it, and daub themselves withal, doing
this with as great devotion as Christians do show in using Holy Water.
[Also if they meet any one who treats them well, they daub a little of
this powder on the middle of his forehead.[NOTE 6]]
They eat not from bowls or trenchers, but put their victuals on leaves of
the Apple of Paradise and other big leaves; these, however, they use dry,
never green. For they say the green leaves have a soul in them, and so it
would be a sin. And they would rather die than do what they deem their Law
pronounces to be sin. If any one asks how it comes that they are not
ashamed to go stark naked as they do, they say, "We go naked because naked
we came into the world, and we desire to have nothing about us that is of
this world. Moreover, we have no s
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