“Horses,” says Athanasius Nikitin, “are fed on peas; also on Kicheri, boiled with sugar and oil; early in the morning they get shishenivo.”  This last word is a mystery. (India in the XVth Century, p. 10.)

“Rice is frequently given by natives to their horses to fatten them, and a sheep’s head occasionally to strengthen them.” (Note by Dr. Caldwell.)

The sheep’s head is peculiar to the Deccan, but ghee (boiled butter) is given by natives to their horses, I believe, all over India.  Even in the stables of Akbar an imperial horse drew daily 2 lbs. of flour, 1-1/2 lb. of sugar, and in winter 1/2 lb. of ghee! (Ain.  Akb. 134.)

It is told of Sir John Malcolm that at an English table where he was present, a brother officer from India had ventured to speak of the sheep’s head custom to an unbelieving audience.  He appealed to Sir John, who only shook his head deprecatingly.  After dinner the unfortunate story-teller remonstrated, but Sir John’s answer was only, “My dear fellow, they took you for one Munchausen; they would merely have taken me for another!”

NOTE 18.—­The nature of the institution of the Temple dancing-girls seems to have been scarcely understood by the Traveller.  The like existed at ancient Corinth under the name of [Greek:  Ierodouloi], which is nearly a translation of the Hindi name of the girls, Deva-dasi. (Strabo, VIII. 6, sec. 20.) “Each (Dasi) is married to an idol when quite young.  The female children are generally brought up to the trade of the mothers.  It is customary with a few castes to present their superfluous daughters to the Pagodas.” (Nelson’s Madura Country, Pt.  II. 79.) A full account of this matter appears to have been read by Dr. Shortt of Madras before the Anthropological Society But I have only seen a newspaper notice of it.

NOTE 19.—­The first part of this paragraph is rendered by Marsden:  “The natives make use of a kind of bedstead or cot of very light canework, so ingeniously contrived that when they repose on them, and are inclined to sleep, they can draw close the curtains about them by pulling a string.”  This is not translation.  An approximate illustration of the real statement is found in Pyrard de Laval, who says (of the Maldive Islanders):  “Their beds are hung up by four cords to a bar supported by two pillars....  The beds of the king, the grandees, and rich folk are made thus that they may be swung and rocked with facility.” (Charton, IV. 277.) In the Ras Mala swinging cots are several times alluded to. (I. 173, 247, 423.) In one case the bed is mentioned as suspended to the ceiling by chains.

[Illustration:  Pagoda at Tanjore.]

[1] “Audax omnia perpeti,” etc.

[2] The G.T. has nuns, “Li nosnain do mostier.” But in Ramusio it is
    monks; which is more probable, and I have adopted it.