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ich he might not reign； and at the close of which he must die； the term fixed upon being short enough to exclude the probability of his degenerating physically in the interval。 In some parts of Southern India the period fixed was twelve years。 Thus； according to an old traveller； in the province of Quilacare； there is a Gentile house of prayer； in which there is an idol which they hold in great account； and every twelve years they celebrate a great feast to it； whither all the Gentiles go as to a jubilee。 This temple possesses many lands and much revenue： it is a very great affair。 This province has a king over it； who has not more than twelve years to reign from jubilee to jubilee。 His manner of living is in this wise； that is to say： when the twelve years are completed； on the day of this feast there assemble together innumerable people； and much money is spent in giving food to Bramans。 The king has a wooden scaffolding made； spread over with silken hangings： and on that day he goes to bathe at a tank with great ceremonies and sound of music； after that he comes to the idol and prays to it； and mounts on to the scaffolding； and there before all the people he takes some very sharp knives； and begins to cut off his nose； and then his ears； and his lips； and all his members； and as much flesh off himself as he can； and he throws it away very hurriedly until so much of his blood is spilled that he begins to faint； and then he cuts his throat himself。 And he performs this sacrifice to the idol； and whoever desires to reign another twelve years and undertake this martyrdom for love of the idol； has to be present looking on at this： and from that place they raise him up as king。
The king of Calicut； on the Malabar coast； bears the title of Samorin or Samory。 He pretends to be of a higher rank than the Brahmans； and to be inferior only to the invisible gods； a pretention that was acknowledged by his subjects； but which is held as absurd and abominable by the Brahmans； by whom he is only treated as a Sudra。 Formerly the Samorin had to cut his throat in public at the end of a twelve years' reign。 But towards the end of the seventeenth century the rule had been modified as follows： Many strange customs were observed in this country in former times； and some very odd ones are still continued。 It was an ancient custom for the Samorin to reign but twelve years； and no longer。 If he died before his term was expired； it saved him a troublesome ceremony of cutting his own throat； on a publick scaffold erected for the purpose。 He first made a feast for all his nobility and gentry； who are very numerous。 After the feast he saluted his guests； and went on the scaffold； and very decently cut his own throat in the view of the assembly； and his body was； a little while after； burned with great pomp and ceremony； and the grandees elected a new Samorin。 Whether that custom was a religious or a civil ceremony； I know not； but it is now laid aside。 And a new custom is followed by the modern Samorins； that jubilee is proclaimed throughout his dominions； at the end of twelve years； and a tent is pitched for him in a spacious plain； and a great feast is celebrated for ten or twelve days； with mirth and jollity； guns firing night and day； so at the end of the feast any four of the guests that have a mind to gain a crown by a desperate action； in fighting their way through 30 or 40；000 of his guards； and kill the Samorin in his tent； he that kills him succeeds him in his empire。 In anno 1695； one of those jubilees happened； and the tent pitched near Pennany； a seaport of his； about fifteen leagues to the southward of Calicut。 There were but three men that would venture on that desperate action； who fell in； with sword and target； among the guard； and； after they had killed and wounded many； were themselves killed。 One of the desperados had a nephew of fifteen or sixteen years of age； that kept close by his uncle in the attack on the guards； and； when he saw him fall； the youth got through the guards into the tent； and made a stroke at his Majesty's head； and had certainly despatched him if a large brass lamp which was burning over his head had not marred the blow； but； before he could make another； he was killed by the guards； and； I believe； the same Samorin reigns yet。 I chanced to come that time along the coast and heard the guns for two or three days and nights successively。
The English traveller； whose account I have quoted； did not himself witness the festival he describes； though he heard the sound of the firing in the distance。 Fortunately； exact records of these festivals and of the number of men who perished at them have been preserved in the archives of the royal family at Calicut。 In the latter part of the nineteenth century they were examined by Mr。 W。 Logan； with the personal assistance of the reigning king； and from his work it is possible to gain an accurate conception both of the tragedy and of the scene where it was periodically enacted down to 1743； when the ceremony took place for the last time。
The festival at which the king of Calicut staked his crown and his life on the issue of battle was known as the Great Sacrifice。 It fell every twelfth year； when the planet Jupiter was in retrograde motion in the sign of the Crab； and it lasted twenty…eight days； culminating at the time of the eighth lunar asterism in the month of Makaram。 As the date of the festival was determined by the position of Jupiter in the sky； and the interval between two festivals was twelve years； which is roughly Jupiter's period of revolution round the sun； we may conjecture that the splendid planet was supposed to be in a special sense the king's star and to rule his destiny； the period of its revolution in heaven corresponding to the period of his reign on earth。 However that may be； the ceremony was observed with great pomp at the Tirunavayi temple； on the north bank of the Ponnani River。 The spot is close to the present railway line。 As the train rushes by； you can just catch a glimpse of the temple； almost hidden behind a clump of trees on the river bank。 From the western gateway of the temple a perfectly straight road； hardly raised above the level of the surrounding rice…fields and shaded by a fine avenue； runs for half a mile to a high ridge with a precipitous bank； on which the outlines of three or four terraces can still be traced。 On the topmost of these terraces the king took his stand on the eventful day。 The view which it commands is a fine one。 Across the flat expanse of the rice…fields； with the broad placid river winding through them； the eye ranges eastward to high tablelands； their lower slopes embowered in woods； while afar off looms the great chain of the western Ghauts； and in the furthest distance the Neilgherries or Blue Mountains； hardly distinguishable from the azure of the sky above。
But it was not to the distant prospect that the king's eyes naturally turned at this crisis of his fate。 His attention was arrested by a spectacle nearer at hand。 For all the plain below was alive with troops； their banners waving gaily in the sun； the white tents of their many camps standing sharply out against the green and gold of the ricefields。 Forty thousand fighting men or more were gathered there to defend the king。 But if the plain swarmed with soldiers； the road that cuts across it from the temple to the king's stand was clear of them。 Not a soul was stirring on it。 Each side of the way was barred by palisades； and from the palisades on either hand a long hedge of spears； held by strong arms； projected into the empty road； their blades meeting in the middle and forming a glittering arch of steel。 All was now ready。 The king waved his sword。 At the same moment a great chain of massy gold； enriched with bosses； was placed on an elephant at his side。 That was the signal。 On the instant a stir might be seen half a mile away at the gate of the temple。 A group of swordsmen； decked with flowers and smeared with ashes； has stepped out from the crowd。 They have just partaken of their last meal on earth； and they now receive the last blessings and farewells of their friends。 A moment more and they are coming down the lane of spears； hewing and stabbing right and left at the spearmen； winding and turning and writhing among the blades as if they had no bones in their bodies。 It is all in vain。 One after the other they fall； some nearer the king； some farther off； content to die； not for the shadow of a crown； but for the mere sake of approving their dauntless valour and swordsmanship to the world。 On the last days of the festival the same magnificent display of gallantry； the same useless sacrifice of life was repeated again and again。 Yet perhaps no sacrifice is wholly useless which proves that there are men who prefer honour to life。
It is a singular custom in Bengal； says an old native historian of India； that there is little of hereditary descent in succession to the sovereignty 。 Whoever kills the king； and succeeds in placing himself on that throne； is immediately acknowledged as king； all the amirs； wazirs； soldiers； and peasants instantly obey and submit to him； and consider him as being as much their sovereign as they did their former prince； and o