n of
Jubbulpore, who had made similar vows, and gave him so much a bottle
for the water he carried in their several names to the god.'

'Did you give all your water to the Baijnath temple, or carry some
with you to Jagannath?'

'No water is ever offered to Jagannath, sir; he is an incarnation of
Vishnu.'[4]

'And does Vishnu never drink?'

'He drinks, sir, no doubt; but he gets nothing but offerings of food
and money.'

'From this to Bindachal on the Ganges, two hundred and thirty miles;
thence to Baijnath, a hundred and fifty miles; and thence to
Jagannath, some four or five hundred miles more.'[5]

'And your mother and wife walked all the way with their baskets?'

'All the way, sir, except when either of them got sick, when she
mounted the pony with my little brother till she felt well again.'

Here were four members of a respectable family walking a pilgrimage
of between twelve and fourteen hundred miles, going and coming, and
carrying burthens on their shoulders for the recovery of the poor
sick boy; and millions of families are every year doing the same from
all parts of India. The change of air, and exercise, cured the boy,
and no doubt did them all a great deal of good; but no physician in
the world but a religions one could have persuaded them to undertake
such a journey for the same purpose.

The rest of the pilgrims we meet are for the most part of the two
monastic orders of Gosains, or the followers of Siva, and Bairagis,
or followers of Vishnu, and Muhammadan Fakirs. A Hindoo of any caste
may become a member of these monastic orders. They are all disciples
of the high priests of the temples of their respective gods; and in
their name they wander all over India, visiting the celebrated
temples which are dedicated to them. A part of the revenues of these
temples is devoted to subsisting these disciples as they pass; and
every one of them claims the right of a day's food and lodging, or
more, according to the rules of the temple. They make collections
along the roads; and when they return, commonly bring back some
surplus as an offering to their apostle, the high priest who has
adopted them. Almost every high priest has a good many such
disciples, as they are not costly; and from their returning
occasionally, and from the disciples of others passing, these high
priests learn everything of importance that is going on over India,
and are well acquainted with the state of feeling and opinion.

What t