. H s
. o
. u A.M.
* 4 r 10
. s
Terza. .
.
X 3 9
.
.
.
* 2 8
.
Mezza-Terza. .
.
* 1 7
.
Prima. .
.
X 12 6

"_Jam Lucis orto Sidere._"

NOTE 4.--Valentyn mentions among what the Coromandel Hindus reckon unlucky
rencounters which will induce a man to turn back on the road: an empty
can, buffaloes, donkeys, a dog or he-goat _without_ food in his mouth, a
monkey, a loose hart, a goldsmith, a carpenter, a barber, a tailor, a
cotton-cleaner, a smith, a widow, a corpse, a person coming from a funeral
without having washed or changed, men carrying butter, oil, sweet milk,
molasses, acids, iron, or weapons of war. Lucky objects to meet are an
elephant, a camel, a laden cart, an unladen horse, a cow or bullock laden
with water (if unladen 'tis an ill omen), a dog or he-goat _with_ food in
the mouth, a cat on the right hand, one carrying meat, curds, or sugar,
etc., etc. (p. 91). (See also _Sonnerat_, I. 73.)

NOTE 5.--_Chughi_ of course stands for JOGI, used loosely for any Hindu
ascetic. Arghun Khan of Persia (see Prologue, ch. xvii.), who was much
given to alchemy and secret science, had asked of the Indian Bakhshis how
they prolonged their lives to such an extent. They assured him that a
mixture of sulphur and mercury was the Elixir of Longevity. Arghun
accordingly took this precious potion for eight months;--and died shortly
after! (See _Hammer_, _Ilkhans_, I. 391-393, and _Q.R._ p. 194.) Bernier
mentions wandering Jogis who had the art of preparing mercury so admirably
that one or two grains taken every morning restored the body to perfect
health (II. 130). The _Mercurius Vitae_ of Paracelsus, which, according to
him, renewed youth, was composed chiefly of mercury and antimony.
(_Opera_, II. 20.) Sulphur and mercury, combined under different
conditions and proportions, were regarded by the Alchemists both of East
and West as the origin of all the metals. Quicksilver was called the
mother of the metals, and sulphur the father. (See _Vincent. Bellov. Spec.
Natur.