Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-26

PIC ulSllnct from tne IllnuOoS, ana occupying
an extensive region, who live under the do
minion Of the ancient superstition, which en-
joins upon them, as a constant practice, the
immOlatiOn Of human victimsi Tho people
compose the remnants of the three races, and
the remnant in question, called Khonds, hold
exclusive possession of portion Of this here
tofore unknown region. The following inter
esting particulars are contained in paper
published by the Royal Asiatic Society of
London:
The Khonds worship more than dozen di-
whites, universally acknowledged, and which
arc believed to animate and control the scnsi-
bic powers of the universe; with nearly the
same number of local dcities and alone, of all
the llindoO pantheon, the goddess Kali, the
patroncss Of the Thugs.
The greatest of all these is Bcrd Pcnnu. or
the Earth God, who possesses q double char
acter-first, as the supreme power, and second
ly, as the divinity who rules the order of the
Scasons, and sends the periodical rains, upon
whom depends the fecundity of the soil and
the growth Of all rural produce, the prcserva-
tion Of the patriarchal houses, the health and
increase of thcpopulation, and, in an especial
manner, the safety of the 1ocks and herds,
and their attendants.
"Thc earth, says the KhondS, "was orig
inally crude and unstable mass, unfit for
cultivation, and for the convenient habitation
OF man. God said, Let human blood be
| split before mel" and child was sacrificed.
The soil became forthwith firm and productive;
and the deity ordained that man should repeat
the rite and live"
The disposition Of this god is malevolent !;
and it is only on condition Of dcprccating his
malignity by the ccasclcss rffusi0n of human
blood, that the Khond enjoys the ordinary
bounty of nature.
The khOnds do not sacrifice victims of their
own people, for such offerings are unaccppta-
bic to the divinity. The victims, or "Mcrias,"
are procured by class of inhabitants Of the
hill country, who are not Khonds; and these
miScrcants purchase them upon false preten-
ScS, or kidnap them, from the poorer IIindoos
III the low countries, to the order Of alb
bayaS or of the priests, or upon speculation
When in difficulty they sell their own child
rcn for sacrifice, and for sacrifice under re-
liSious system which is not their own. a few
Mcrias are always, if possible kept in reserve
in every district, to meet sudden demands for
atonement. Every victim must be bought bv
the khonds with a piece, an unbought life
being an abOmination to the deity.
Victims Of either sex arc equally acceptable
to the Earth God children whose age pre-
cludcs a knowledge of their situation being,
for convenience sake, preferred.
The Meria is brought blindfol,led to the
village by the procurcr, and is lodged in the
house of the abbaya-in ftttcrs, if grown up
at perfect liberty, il u child. lie is regarded,
during life, MS q cOnsccrated being; and, If at
large, is eagerly welcomed at every threshold.
Sometimes he is suffered to grow up in
Ignorance Of his situation, and he is presented
with farm-stock and land, and with wife of
one Of the castles upon the mountains, not of
the Khond race. Should family be the re-
suit, it is held to be born to the fearful condi-
ton of tho sire; and should the deity require
atoncmcnts not easy to be afforded, the father
and his children arc sacrificed without hesita-
ton.
In the time of Kuli Dora Bissyc, of Coon
sur, uncle of the present Dora Bissyc, and
ono Of the class of Bermiah Khonds which
has generally forgone the practice of this rite,
victim who had been permitted to attain his
manhood was led out n sacrifice in the district
of ROdugiah. Tho preliminaries of the cere.
mony had been gone through, and an intOxi-
Gated crowd expected their consumunation,
when the frttere1 youth said to the abbaya-
"in suffering this death become. as it we're,
god, and do not resist my fate. Unbnd
me, and let me partake with you in the joy of
the festival" The abbaya consented, and
unbound him; the young man called for a
bowl, and drank, and the crowd contcndcd
ticrccly for the remains Of the liquor which
his lips had consecrated. lie then danced
and sang amid the thrOng, until the sacrifice
could no longer be delayed, when he request
cd the abbaya to lend him his axe and his
bow, that he might once moro Join his COM
paniOnS armed, like free man, in the dance
lie received the weapons, and when the ab-
baya was busted, with the priest, in preparing
for the last rite, the youth approached him in
the dance, and Glove his skull at blow. lie
then dashed across the Salki, deep and
foaming torrent, and fed down Chant to the
keep of Kul Bissyc. A furious crowd of
worshipers followed, and demanded his sur.
render. But the Bissye contrived to console
them until he could collect small party of
adhercnts, who secretly bore away the -fagi--
tive, and his descendants still live.
Festivals Of sacrifice are generally attended
by large cOncoursc Of both sexes, and con-
tinue for three days, which are passed in the
Indulgence of every form of gross excess in
more than saturnalian license.
The first day and night are spent exclu-
Sivcly in drunken Fasting and obscene riot.
pom the second morning. the victim, who
HAS lHstcu upon tnc preceding evening, Is
carefully washed, dressed in new garment
and led forth from the village in solemn pro-
OoGSion, with music and dancing.
The Mcria grove-a clump of deep and
shadowy trees, in which the mango, the bur,
tho dammar, and the pipala generally prevail
usually stands at a short distance from the
hamlet, by a rivulet, which is called the Meria
stream. 1t is kept sacred from the axe, and
is avoided by the Khond as haunted ground.
In its centre, upon the second day, an upright
stake is fixed generally between two plants of
tho sankissar or bazar danti shrup. The vic.
tim is seated at its foot, bound back to it by
the priest. lie is then anointed with oil, ghce,
and turmcric, and adorned with flowers; and
species Of reverence is paid to him through
out the day. And there is now much contcn
tion to obtain the slightest relic of his person
"A particle Of the tumcric paste with which
he is smcared, or drop of his spittle, being
esteemed Especially by the wOmen) of su-
premc virtue.
1t is curious to find how nearly in this re-
spect the practice Of the Aztecs of Mexico re-
sembles that of the Khonds Of Hindostan. E.
One Of their most important festivities was
that IN honor of the god TezcatlepOca, whose