The People of _Bengal_ don’t only worship the River _Ganges_, but give Divine Honours to its Image. _Bernier_ says, that Kingdom is well water’d by Channels cut out of the _Ganges_, which is visited by many Pilgrims, who think themselves happy if they can wash in it. There is also a Well in that Country, which they adore, and think, by washing therein, they are purify’d from their Sins. Their _Priests_ travel about with the _Water_ of the _Ganges_, which they sell at vast Prices; because the poor ignorant People are made to believe, that by drinking this Water, they obtain Pardon of their Sins. The Inhabitants of _Peru_ in _America_, fling the Ashes of their Sacrifices into the River, follow the same six Leagues, and pray the River to bring that Present to _Virachoca_, a superior Deity. _Acosta._ The _Persians_ and _Chaldeans_ express their God by _Fire_, to which they perform Adoration, and bring it Food, crying to it, _Eat, Oh my Lord Fire!_ To throw dead and dirty Things into the Fire, yea to blow it with their Breath, was High Treason. The _Magicians_ say, that this _Fire_ was convey’d to them from Heaven; and that it was for this Reason that they kept it so religiously. That they preserve a constant Fire on their Altars, is evident from History. They are said to have Fires still subsisting, which have burnt above a thousand Years. We read of such Fire kept up with superstitious Care in the Temple of _Jupiter Ammon_, and in that of _Hercules_ at _Gades_. So it is in _Egypt_, and in most of all the eastern Countries, and _Virgil_ tells that _Iarbas_ the _Getulian_ could boast of a hundred Temples he had erected with Altars, blazing with perpetual Fire, the eternal Guard of the Gods[384]. Footnote 384: Centum aras posuit, vigilemque sacraverat ignem, Excubias divûm æternas. VIRG. Æneid. 4. That which gave occasion to perpetuate the Fire in Pagan Temples, might be from the perpetual Fire kept in the Temple at _Jerusalem_, which descended from Heaven upon the first Victims sacrificed by _Aaron_ and his Son. Hence the _Vestals_ were appointed express, to keep up the sacred Fire of the _Romans_. The Kings of _Persia_ never went abroad without having some Portion of the sacred Fire carried before them: The Historian giving an Account of the March of _Darius_’s Army,—says, that they carried Fire upon Altars of Silver, in great Ceremony,—that they had it in great Veneration, calling it the _sacred and eternal Fire_, and that the _Magi_ came after, singing Hymns according to the _Persian Mode_[385]. Footnote 385: Quint. Curtius, lib. 1. Hyde de Pers. Relig. c. iii. p. 69.