The Code of Health and Longevity

OfT ATHLETIC EXERCISES. IO9 iThisman I fawjat Bombay a few years ago. He was apparently advanced in years, but had a healthy look, and enjoyed, in general, good health. I faw another Fackeer at Bombay, who all the day fufpended himfelf to the branch of a tree, by a cord round his loins, with his head downwards, and his feet in the air, balancing himfelf by holding the cord between the great and next toes ; the only fultenance he took in the twenty-four hours was a little milk in the night; and yet this man, from the appearance of his body, thighs and legs, was fleek and healthy. I did not fee his face, as the upper, then the lower part of the body, was cover­ ed with a cloak. They, his attendants, told us, he never came down ; however, I believe it was only for a Ihort time, and that in the night when no one was likely to fee him. In my morning's ride on horfeback, and in my af­ ternoon's ride in a carriage, I conftantly faw this man, during his ftay in Bengal, in the pofition I have de- fcribed. This Fackeer wanted a fum of money, and fixed upon the caft of Purvoes, in Bombay, to extort it from. The Purvoes are Hindoos, and are the perfons generally employed by the Englifh gentlemen in keeping their calh and accounts; they are alfo employed in all the public offices of Government; and in order to force them to a compliance with hisdemand, he gave out, that he would hang there until he died, unlefs they gave him the fum he wanted, and then his death would be on the Pur­ voes' heads. He certainly would have obtained this fum, as the Purvoes began to be ferioufly alarmed, and had begun to make a colle£lion among their caft, but the police interfered, and gave him to underftand they would give him a flogging, if he did not go about his bufinefs. If this had happened in the Mahratta ftate, the police, or ruling man, would have no farther inter- ieredf