You will see that it is partly in the shape of a man, and partly in the
shape of a beast. You, my dear children, would put no confidence in such
vain idols; but this people do, as you may know from what I am now going
to tell you.
Some months ago, a woman was brought to me with a cancer in her breast.
It had made sad ravages. On the morning after her arrival I took it out.
Before she was brought to me, her brother went to the temple of the
goddess Meenaache, to ascertain what was her will respecting his
bringing her to me, or taking her to a native doctor. In order to
ascertain it, he had recourse to the following expedient. He prepared
several bundles of red and white flowers--the red to represent the red
or Tamil man, the white to represent the white man. These flowers were
carefully inclosed in leaves, so as to prevent their color being seen,
and then laid down on the ground, at the entrance of the temple. After
this, he called a little child to him, and then proceeded to entreat
Meenaache that, if it were her will that he should bring the sick woman
to me, she would direct the child to take up one of the parcels
containing the white flowers.
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