the columns
outwards, whence other columns rise about three paces from the thick,
strong and erect wall. Between these and the former columns there are
galleries for walking, with beautiful pavements, and in the recess of
the wall, which is adorned with numerous large doors, there are
immovable seats, placed as it were between the inside columns,
supporting the temple. Portable chairs are not wanting, many and well
adorned. Nothing is seen over the altar but a large globe, upon which
the heavenly bodies are painted, and another globe upon which there is a
representation of the earth. Furthermore, in the vault of the dome there
can be discerned representations of all the stars of heaven from the
first to the sixth magnitude, with their proper names and power to
influence terrestrial things marked in three little verses for each.
There are the poles and greater and lesser circles according to the
right latitude of the place, but these are not perfect because there is
no wall below. They seem, too, to be made in their relation to the
globes on the altar. The pavement of the temple is bright with precious
stones. Its seven golden lamps hang always burning, and these bear the
names of the seven planets.

At the top of the building several small and beautiful cells surround
the small dome, and behind the level space above the bands or arches of
the exterior and interior columns there are many cells, both small and
large, where the priests and religious officers dwell to the number of
forty-nine.

A revolving flag projects from the smaller dome, and this shows in what
quarter the wind is. The flag is marked with figures up to thirty-six,
and the priests know what sort of year the different kinds of winds
bring and what will be the changes of weather on land and sea.
Furthermore, under the flag a book is always kept written with letters
of gold.

_G.M._ I pray you, worthy hero, explain to me their whole system of
government; for I am anxious to hear it.

_Capt._ The great ruler among them is a priest whom they call by the
name HOH, though we should call him Metaphysic. He is head over all, in
temporal and spiritual matters, and all business and lawsuits are
settled by him, as the supreme authority. Three princes of equal
power--viz., Pon, Sin and Mor--assist him, and these in our tongue we
should call POWER, WISDOM and LOVE. To POWER belongs the care of all
matters relating to war and peace. He attends to the military arts