keys advanced to the serai (inn, or halting place
for travellers) soon after the Hindoo himself had quitted it, who had
actually sojourned there the previous night.

'On the road, when the horde of monkeys met any traveller, he was detained
by them until the chief of them had scrutinized his features, and he was
then liberated on finding he was not the person they were in pursuit of.
After having marched nearly forty miles from their home, they entered one
of the halting places for travellers, where the Hindoo was resting after
his day's journey.

'The monkey having recognized the robber, immediately grasped him by the
arm, and others entering, the frightened robber was searched, the purse
discovered in his wrapper, which the chief monkey angrily seized, and then
counted over its contents, piece by piece. This done, finding the number
correct, the monkey selected eight pieces, and threw them towards the
Hindoo; and distributing the remaining number of gold mohurs amongst the
monkeys, who placed each his coin in the hollow of his cheek, the whole
body retired from the serai to retrace their steps to the jungle.'

[1] Hanuman, the divine monkey of the Ramayana epic, who helped
Rama to recover his abducted wife, Sita.

[2] _Langur, Semnopithecus entellus_.

[3] Now worth a little more than a sovereign.

LETTER XXIII

The Soofies.--Opinion of the Mussulmauns concerning Solomon.--The
Ood-ood.--Description of the Soofies and their sect.--Regarded with
great reverence.--Their protracted fasts.--Their opinion esteemed by
the Natives.--Instance of the truth of their predictions.--The Saalik
and Majoob Soofies.--The poets Haafiz and Saadie.--Character and
attainments of Saadie.--His 'Goolistaun'.--Anecdotes descriptive of
the origin of that work.--Farther remarks on the character and
history of Saadie.--Interesting anecdotes illustrative of his virtues
and the distinguishing characteristics of the Soofies.

The life of King Solomon, with all his acts, is the subject of many an
author's pen, both in the Arabic and Persian languages; consequently the
learned Mussulmauns of Hindoostaun are intimately acquainted with his
virtues, his talent, and the favour with which he was visited by the great
goodness of the Almighty. In the course of my sojourn amongst them, I have
heard many remarkable and some interesting anecdotes relating to Solomon,
which the learned men assure me are drawn from sources