The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-05-12

out being recognized as Jews. In the in,e
rior towns of Malabar, l was ne; always a
Bile to distinguish the Jew from the Hindoo
hence perceived how easy it may lie to
mistake the tribes Of Jewish descent among
the Ai9hans, and other nations in the nor
thern PARTS OF Hindostan. The White
Jews LOOK upon the Black Jews as an inferi-
or race and not OF a fiure cast: which
! plainly demonstrates that they do not spring
from common stock in India.
! he Black Jews communicated to me
much interesting intelligence concerning
their brethren the ancient lsraeltes in the
East traditional, indie, q, in its nature, but
IN general illustrative of true history. They
lrecounted the names OF many other small
lcoionles resident in northern India, Tartary
and China; and gave me written list OF
S1HT Y-fIvE places. l conversed with those
VINO had lately visited many OF these stati-
ons, and were about to return again. The
Jews have never ceasing communication
with each.other in the East. Their families
indeed are generally stationary, being sub
Ject to despotic princes /; but the men move
much about IN Il commercial capacity and
the same Individual will pass through many
extensive COUNTRIES. So that when any thing
interesting to the nation OF the Jews takes
place, the rnmor will pass rapidly through
out all Asia. o.
enquired concerning their brethren,
the Len Tribes They said that il was
commonly believed among them, that the
great body OF the Israelites are to be found
IN Chaldea, and in the countries contiguous
10 It, beng the very places whittier they
were tlrst carried into captivity that some
few families had migrated INFO regions more
remote, as 10 Cochin and Raiapoor, in In
dla, and to other places yet farther to the
East but that the bulk of the nation, tho
now much reduced in number, had not to
this day'removed two thousand miles from
SGn'ariS.. Among the Black Jews | could
not Ind many copies of the Bible. They in
formed me, that in certain places of the re-
mote dispersion, their brethren have but
small portions of the Scriptures, and that
the firofhcticaL books were rare but that
they themselves, from their vicinity to the
| White Jews, have been supplied from time
to time, with the hole OF the Old Tesla
ment.
From these communications plainly
perceive the Important duty which now de-
wolves On Christians possessing the art Of
F7h1ftag, to send to the Jews in the Last
Ecopies OF the Hebrew Scriptures, and parti-
lcu!arly OF the IrOfheticaE books. II only
the prophecies CT Isaiah and Daniel were
Published among them, the effect might be
great. They do not ant the law so much
but the prophetical books would appear "a
nong them with some novelty, particularly
IN dEtGcheG form aud could be easily
lctrcn!ated through the renIotost pats of
Asia" "
MANUSCRIPTS.
Al;IosT in every house find Hebrew
1oooks, printed or manuscript; particularly
among the White Jews. Most Of the prin.
ted Hebrew Of Europe has found it's way t.
iIochih, through the medium OF tie l'oi-ta
guese * Dutch commerce Of former times.
When questioned the Jews concerninc. the
Old copies 81 the Scriptures. which had been
| READ IN the Synagogues from age 10 age !;
some told me that was usual to Buyy them.
when decayed by tiEle and use. Others
! SAID that it was not always the case. / des-
paired at first of being able 10 procure any
OF the old biblical writings; but after / had
Deeh Ia inc country about six weeks, and
they found that did not expect to obtair.
them merely as presents, some cCDies were
recoU.ged. The White LEWIS had only the
Bible written on parchment, and Of rnoctelr
appearance, N their SYnagegues ; bat As
informed that the Black Jews possessed for
merry copies written on Goat Skins and
that IN the Synagogue of the BLACK Jews
there was an old Record Chest, into which
the decayed copies OF their Scriptures had
been thrown. | accordingly went to tic
Synagogue witlfa few Of the CHEZ men, and
examined the contents, which some Of them
SAID they had never looked at before. and
did not seem greatly to valGe The manu-
scripts were OF various kinds, on parchment,
goat-skiRs, and cotton paper neeociated
| Tor them hastily, and wrapped them up in
, two cloths, and gave them to the laws TO
Gerry home TO nay house. had Observed
some inurmufing among the byestanders in
the Synagogue, while was examining the
! chest and before we appeared 10 the
streets, the alarm had gone forth, that the
Christians were rCbbing the Synagogue OF
the Law There were evipent symptoms 81
tumult. and the women and children col
lectsd and we're following us. / Requested
some OK the mere respectable Jews to ac-
company me out the town but ] had
scarcely arrived III my own house at
Cochin, when the persons who had permit
tea me to take the manuscripts, came in e.
vident agitation, and told me must restore
them immediately Co calm tic popular rage
Others had gone to complain to the Chief
Magistrate, Thomas Flower Esq. And
now had lost my spoil, but for the friend
~ counsel and jGdicious conduct of Mr.
Flower He directed that all the mann
scripts should be delivered up to him. and
that there should be no further PROCEEDING
on the subject without his authority. n
this. the Jews agreed. There was some
plea OF justice on my side, as it was under
stood that had given Il valuable Consider
/ alton. In the mean time be allowed a few
days to pass, that the minds of the peoplc
might become tranquil, and he then sum
moned some of the more liberal men. and
gave them q hearing ON the sul,;cct T.,