prefent affeffor of the taxes, paid by the natives in the town of Calcutta, has not only perfonally witneffed all these particulars, but has been engaged in the inftruction of the children of fome natives of diftinction.

THE Hindoos of all ranks are extremely averfe to part with their money, except to the Brahmins: the teachers appointed behoved, therefore, to be provided with a falary to be increased by the contribution of fuch natives as could afford to pay for the inftruction of their child. In every other cafe, the benefit of knowledge would be more acceptable to the natives by being conferred gratuitoufly.

In this manner the children of half a million of people in Calcutta might be taught to read and write and a foundation laid for putting into their hands plain inftructive books of morality and natural religion: and he pays Christianity a bad compliment, who imagines, that it will not recommend itfelf to fuch as are tolerably acquainted with thefe fubjects.

THERE has always been much difficulty in finding fober and diligent Europeans, willing to confine their prospects to the painful drudgery of teaching in India. The task of inftructing the native children might probably prove the most irksome of any. The profpect of making a large fortune in the cotton, filk, or indigo bufinefs, however uncertain, has al

ways

ways fufficient attractions to withdraw perfons of education from a line of life unjustly deemed unimportant and degrading.

In the prefent circumftances, this obftacle could eafily be furmounted in Calcutta. The children born to Europeans by native women, are every year increafing in number, and employment for them will foon become a matter of serious attention: they are at prefent excluded by the regulations, from any appointment in the fervice of the Company, civil or military. Their education, and their limited ambition, seem to point them out as the most proper perfons for the tuition of the native children; while their numbers are more than fufficient to fupply every appointment of this kind, which either the benevolence, piety, or zeal of the prefent age appear likely to fuggeft. The contemplation of a measure of this kind, is the more pleafing; because if it shall ever be adopted, it will place in a useful profeffion a numerous clafs of unfortunate youth, who for no fault of their own, have been abandoned by their progenitors on on one fide; and on account of their Christian education, excluded from the fociety of thofe on the other. Had one half of the fum been bestowed in this manner, which has been expended in haranguing the ignorant multitude, by ftill more ignorant miffionaries, very different confequences might have been the refult: at all events, the contributors to the measure, would have the fatisfaction of having the exercise of their benevolence, approved by that of their reason.

THE

THE MAHOMMEDAN FESTIVAL OF MOHURRUM,

Calcutta, Jan. 1798.

THE ferocity and enthusiasm which characterises the Mahommedans in this country, is particularly displayed during the festival of Mohurrum. This is the name of the first month of their year, during the firft ten days of which all the followers of the fect of Ali, lament the death of Imaum Hoffein, the fe cond fon of that prophet, by Fatima.

On the death of Ali, who was affaffinated, a dif ferent houfe fucceeded to the Caliphat; in the reign of Yezzed, the fecond of his family, the inhabitants of Cufa fent an embaffy to Hoffein at Medina, to request him to affume the government, and to affure him of their fupport. Hoffein, upon this invitation, fet out from Cufa with his family, and a confiderable number of troops. Yezzed receiving intelligence of

his march, difpatched after him an army of 0,000 men, which occupying the ground between him and the river Euphrates, cut off his fupply of water. This event, in the fultry climate of Mefopotamia, where life even with that neceffary article, can fcarcely be fupported against the exceffive heat, brought on the crifis of his fate. His adherents terrified at the profpect of perishing with thirft, forfook him in' fuch numbers, that he foon found himfelf at the head of only a fmall retinue of feventytwo perfons, chiefly his relations.

AFTER fuffering various diftreffes, and encountering feveral fkirmishes, this fmall, but determined band, was furrounded on the tenth of Mohurrum by the army of Yezzed, and entirely cut to pieces. In this little troop, Afher, the infant fon of Hoffein, was killed by an arrow, in the arms of his father: and Hoffein himself at laft fell, exhaufted with fatigue, and fainting under numberlefs wounds. His tent was plundered, his women infulted, and his head was carried to Damafcus, the refidence of his rival Yezzed.

ALL these events are represented by the Muffulmans and their priefts during the Mohurrum; on the first day of which the latter mount the pulpits, and begin the recital of the life and actions of Ali, and his fons Haffun and Hoffein, defcribing particularly the melancholy circumftances that attended the fate of the latter, with all the pathos of which their

elo

eloquence is fufceptible. The effect of thefe harrangues on the enthufiaftic multitude is remarkable; they ftrike their breafts with frantic violence; they weep; they exclaim, ah Hoffein, Heif az Hoffein, alas for Hoffein! Some parts of this tragical story are in verse, and recited or fung in a doleful cadence.

DURING each day of the folemnity, fome particu lar act of the story is represented by people felected for perfonating the different characters concerned. Effigies, and large machines are carried in proceffion through the streets: crowds follow, perfonating the armies of Yezzed, and of Hoffein, each under their respective banners and enfigns. One pageant represents the Caliph Yezzed feated on a magnificent throne, and furrounded by his guards: every part of the machinery, though conftructed merely for the occafion, is burnifhed with filver and gold; and in point of grandeur, and fplendid fcenery, the whole exhibition probably furpafles the fhowy proceffions in the Roman Catholic countries of Europe.

ON fome occafions, the facred pigeons, which the pious Muffulmans believe carried the news of Hoffein's death to Medina, are reprefented with their beaks dipped in blood, as a confirmation of their intelligence on other days the horses, on which Hoffein and his brother Abbas, are fuppofed to have rode, are represented to the people, and are painted

as