ian nabob, who was a fire worshipper, and
who, with his followers, long inhabited it. Now, only three Hindoos remain
from that period of splendor. But nature remains eternally the same, and
whether worshipped or not, the flames still shine and awe the
superstitious, and so great is the fame of the place that many pilgrims
come yearly from distant India to pray, and to have prayers said for them,
here in the visible presence of the primeval light.

At last we came to the cell of the priest, and on his invitation entered
it. We passed through a low door, and down a few steps, and found
ourselves in a small, semicircular, low, but very white room, with a floor
of mason-work, and a small altar in the centre. Around the wall were
seats, also of mason-work. In the altar there was an opening as large as a
gun-barrel, from which rose a slender flame that lighted the room very
clearly. There were other little openings on the sides of the altar. The
Hindoo took a wisp of straw, lighted it, and touched these openings, from
which the most beautiful flames at once issued. The children, who had
never seen gas lights, or at least did not remember them, regarded all
this as the most perfect witchery. On a second altar, which, like the
first, was about the height of a common table, lay or stood the idols and
treasures of our priest. Small steps led up to it, which were used to hold
muscles, stones, shells, and other instruments employed in the sacred
rites. The idols were of metal, and ugly and monstrous, like Chinese
images. Beside these figures, we were astonished to see crosses of various
forms and sizes. We asked the Geber about them, and he answered with
oriental emphasis: "There is one God, and no one has seen him; therefore
every one adores him after his own way, and represents him after his own
way." The reply was diplomatic enough, and we could not ascertain how the
crosses had come there.

On the altar and its steps lay a great number of singularly beautiful
Indian stones, which the boys wanted very much, but which, in spite of our
large offers, we could not obtain. They were mementoes from the distant
fatherland, and possibly they served as sacred ornaments for the little
cell. There were also several censers, lamps, and little silver plates and
salvers. The air was stifling from the fumes of gas, and the heat was like
that of a vapor bath. The priest took from the altar some pieces of red
and white candied sugar, held them,