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National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 |
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Citation Information
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CHAP. XX. THE BRAHMANS
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365
he will sit down on the spot where he is, as long as he
thinks that he ought to tarry before going on again. Or,
if in travelling along the road he sees a swallow fly by,
should its direction be lucky he will proceed, but if not
he will turn back again ; in fact they are worse (in these
whims) than so many Patarins ! 4
These Abraiaman are very long-lived, owing to their
extreme abstinence in eating. And they never allow
themselves to be let blood in any part of the body. They
have capital teeth, which is owing to a certain herb they
b Y
chew, which greatly improves their appearance, and is also
very good for the health.
There is another class of people called Chub hi, who are
indeed properly Abraiaman, but they form a religious
order devoted to the Idols. They are extremely long-
lived, every man of them living to 150 or 200 years.
They eat very little, but what they do eat is good ; rice
and milk chiefly. And these people make use of a very
strange beverage ; for they make a potion of sulphur and
quicksilver mixt together and this they drink twice every
month. This, they say, gives them long life ; and it is a
potion they are used to take from their childhood.'
There are certain members of this Order who lead
the most ascetic life in the world, going stark naked ; and
these worship the Ox. Most of them have a small ox of
brass or pewter or gold which they wear tied over the
forehead. Moreover they take cow-dung and burn it,
and make a powder thereof ; and make an ointment of it,
and daub themselves withal, doing this with as great
devotion as Christians do show in using Holy Water.
[Also if they meet any one who treats them well, they daub
a little of this powder on the middle of his forehead.'
They eat not from bowls or trenchers, but put their
victuals on leaves of the Apple of Paradise and other big
leaves ; these, however, they use dry, never green. For
y
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