Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/328

 the Hindū were simple, but most puzzling; nor could the man refrain from a laugh now and then, when some curious point of faith was explained to him by the follower of the prophet. It ended by the khidmatgār saying, "If you do not believe in Allah and the kurān, they will take you by that Hindū top-knot of yours, hold you by it whilst they fill your mouth with fire, and pitch you to Jahannam." I laughed,—the people heard me, and being aware that their conversation was overheard, dropped the subject. The follower of Muhammad worked so hard and so earnestly to gain a convert, it was unfortunate his opponent should have been so utterly incapable of understanding what he considered the true faith.

The Musalmāns are anxious for converts; the Hindūs will neither make proselytes, nor be converted themselves. Deism is the religion of well-educated Hindūs, they leave idolatry to the lower orders. When conversing with a lady one evening, the priest's bell was heard; she said, "I must attend,—will you come with me?" Accordingly we entered the small room which contained the idols; they were lighted up, and the Brahmāns in attendance. The worship proceeded: I said to the lady, "Is it possible that you can believe in the power of brazen images, the work of men's hands?" She answered, "I believe in one great and eternal God; as for these images, it is the custom of the country to worship them; the lower orders believe in their power." "Why do you attend such poojā?" said I. She looked at the Brahmāns as if she feared our conversation might be overheard, and answered, "Their power is great; if I were not to appear it would soon be over; they" she ceased speaking, and drew her forefinger across her throat with a significant gesture. The conversation dropped; and I observed the Brahmāns "cast camel's glances " both on her and me.

The clergyman at Allahabad converted a Hindū to the Christian faith; consequently, the man became an outcast,—he could neither eat, drink, nor smoke with his own family; he complained to the clergyman, and was taken into service. His