Religion & morality > Deplorable effects of heathen superstition

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more than a hundred skulls. The dogs, jack¬
als, and vultures seem to live here on human
prey. The vultures exhibit a shocking tameness.
The obscene animals will not leave the body
sometimes till we come close to them. This
Buddruck is a horrid place. Wherever 1 turn
my eyes I meet death in some shape or other.
Surely Juggernaut cannot be worse than
Buddruck.
Many thousands of pilgrims have accompa¬
nied us for some days past. They cover the
road before and behind as far as the eye can reach.
At nine o’clock this morning, the Temple of
Juggernaut appeared in view at a great distance.
When the multitude first saw it, they gave a
shout, and fell to the ground and worshipped.
I have heard nothing to-day but shouts and ac¬
clamations by the successive bodies of pilgrims.
I From the place where I now stand I have a
view of a host of people like an army, encamped
at the outer gate of juggernaut, where a guard
of soldiers is posted to prevent their entering the
town, until they have paid the pilgrim’s tax.—I
passed a devotee to-day who laid himself down
at every step, measuring the road to Juggernaut
by the length of his body, as a penance of merit
to please the god.
A disaster has just occurred—As I approach¬
ed the gate, the pilgrims crowded from all quar¬
ters around me, and shouted, as they usually did
when I passed them on the road, an expression
of welcome and repesct. I was a little alarmed
at their number, and looked round for my guard.