. A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793. To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation. - ail halted. Just at the head of the maintrunk (ibr it v^as a species of Ficus Indica or Banyan tree^called Dea m Cochinchina, whose branches take root andbecome stems) I observed a large cage of latticed work, witha pair of folding door.^, fixed between two boughs, and parti vhidden by the foliage. Within was a wooden figure of Butlha orFo, of the same corpulent sliape and in the usual sitting pos-ture as he
. A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793. To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation. - ail halted. Just at the head of the maintrunk (ibr it v^as a species of Ficus Indica or Banyan tree^called Dea m Cochinchina, whose branches take root andbecome stems) I observed a large cage of latticed work, witha pair of folding door.^, fixed between two boughs, and parti vhidden by the foliage. Within was a wooden figure of Butlha orFo, of the same corpulent sliape and in the usual sitting pos-ture as he is represented in the temples of China. A little 7. COCHINCHINA. 329 boy attending on the priest stood close l-efore him witli aburning coal on a brazen dish. One of the peasants carrieda ladder of bamboo, which he placed against the tree; andanother mounting it deposited in the cage, before the idol,two basons of rice, a cup of sugar, and one of salt. Thepriest in the mean time, with arms extended and eyes turnedtowards heaven, muttered something in a low tone of voice,when the man who had carried the ladder fell on his kneesand nine times prostrated his body on the ground, accordingto the custom of the Chinese. Several women and childrenremained at a distance, as if forbidden to approach too near;though, as priestesses are said to be common in this country,it is not probable there was any restriction on account ofthe sex. That the ladder was the property of the priest, and that ata suitable time he would take care to remove the sacred de-posit and appropriate the offering to his own use, like thepriests of the idol Bel in times of ol
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1800, booksubjectvoyagesandtravels
