of Haft Ajar; but they were soon obliged to disperse. Meher
Banu shut herself up in the fortress of Gorab; Khatun Banu directed her
steps to more secret places. In her hasty march the princess, exhausted
and dying of thirst, met a burzigar (farmer) busy cultivating the soil,
and asked of him a little water to drink. There being no stream or tank
near, the peasant offered her his cow's milk, and commenced milking
the animal; but the moment the vessel overflowed with the fresh and
foaming liquid, the cow with a kick upset it. The unfortunate girl,
thus deprived of this last comfort, feverishly continued her way, and
reaching the mountain in an agony of despair, threw herself upon the
ground, praying to the Almighty to protect her, either by stopping the
pursuit of her enemies or by screening her from mortal sight. Hardly
had she finished her prayer when she disappeared in a cleft of the
rocks, which opened before her and closed upon her immediately. At
the same moment the burzigar, who had discovered the retreat of the
princess, arrived with a refreshing drink, only to find her little
band of mourning followers. On hearing of her strange disappearance he
ran to his stable and sacrificed the cow in the very place where the
king's daughter had disappeared. Soon the faithful ones came to offer,
in their turn, similar sacrifices, and the place was called Dari-Din,
"the Gate of Faith." Hosts of pilgrims repaired to this place every
year, but these sacrifices of blood were repugnant to the feelings of
the Parsis of Bombay. However, as it was right and seemly to honour
a place marked out by ancient tradition, Mr. Maneckji Limji Antaria
substituted in the place of this barbarous custom ceremonies more in
accordance with modern Zoroastrian practices. The sacrifice of the
cow was suppressed, and an influential member of the Bombay community
furnished means to raise a beautiful monument with spacious quarters
to lodge the pilgrims.

Hyat Banu, the other princess, disappeared in an equally mysterious
manner. On the spot consecrated by legend a grand reservoir, fed from
neighbouring springs, has been erected. The walls of this reservoir
having gradually fallen into ruins, they were repaired by the generous
care of Mr. Merwanji Framji Panday, the same gentleman who erected
the monument at Akda. [63]

CHAPTER III

POPULATION--COSTUMES--USAGES--FESTIVALS

I

It is on the western coast of India, in the Bombay Presidenc