_ 100 _ There is also a large population of heathens, who have many superstitions. These worship cows and snakes and accordingly grant letters of enfranchisement to their cows, allowing them to wander the streets; and there are certain houses with high rents in which they water these animals. They do not eat anything that has been put to death, nor can they kill anything. They feed themselves on herbs and pulmento(A). They are very humble, and they give no offence to anyone. They are accustomed to building enormous triumphal carts in the lands of India. These carry countless people on top, who sacrifice themselves to the temples by slashing themselves with knives until they drop down dead. Then, using bows, they fire the pieces of flesh to the crowds milling around below. These grab the chunks of flesh, with great fervour, as important relics. Others throw themselves under the wheels of the juggernaut and are crushed to pieces(B). When their husbands die, the wives also burn themselves alive.(C) The superstitions and forms of idolatry that they have are legion. (A) Gaspar is talking about the ascetic Hindu religion. pulmentum (a relish) Latin, lentilhas (lentils) Portuguese. (B) Cf. also Valignano, Hist. 36-37, Dubois pars 2, c. 33. (C) He is referring to the disgrace of cremating widows, or sati.
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