They tell a great many Stories Absurd and Ridiculous enough, of the first Ages of this present World, which would be too tedious here to take notice of; only I shall here give you out of one of their own Books what they tell us of a great Flood that formerly happened. They say, that about 21000 Years ago the Sea overwhelm'd and drowned the whole Earth, except one great Hill, far to the Northwards, called _Bindd_, and that there fled thither only one Woman and seven Men, the names of whom were _Dehoolah_, _Sunnuk_, _Sunnaud_, _Trilleek_, _Sannotah_, _Cuppyloshaw_, _Suraschah_ and _Burroopung_; these understanding out of their Books that such a Flood would come, and was then actually coming, prepared against the same, and repaired thither; to which place also went two of all sorts of Creatures, Herbs, Trees, and Grasses, and of every thing that had Life, to the number in all of 1800000 living Souls. This Flood (say they) lasted 120 Years, 5 Months and 5 days: After which time all those Creatures that were thus preserved, descended down again and replenished the Earth: But as for the 7 Men and Women, only one of them came down with her, and dwelt at the Foot of the Mountain, the other six turned _Fuchee's_, or Holy Men, and spent there the remainder of their days. They hold in general the _Ptolomaic_ System of the Universe, and say that there are 8 or 9 Heavens, counting the Air and Earth, every one exceeding another in Beauty and Glory. Their Religion consists of nothing that I could ever see or learn, but the leading of a Pure Life, the Washing away of their Sins in the River _Ganges_, their muttering over of divers Prayers, and their doing of strange and incredible Penances. They say, that God is such a one, that whosoever seeks him, let it be after what manner he pleases, whether by thinking that the Sun is he, or the Moon, or the like, if they do it but sincerely and honestly, with a right affected heart, they shall be received of him. They report, that on a time a _Mussulman_ seeing a _Hindoo_, or Pagan Priest, in Heaven, he ask'd God how that Infidel came to have admittance thither, whom _Mahomet_ so often calls by the name of Bitter Roots? To whom God answered, What if a Bitter Root bring forth sweeter Fruit than any of you, why should I not receive it? Upon which the _Mussulman_ had no more to say. They hold, that such as suffer not their minds to wander after the lusts of the World are perfect _Jogees_, or Saints, and hold that God is always present with them in all their actions. It is to be found in many of their Books, that there was a time, a good while ago, in which God took upon him the shape of a Man, and spent many Years in reforming the world, and giving better rules to walk by than had been before: but at length having left them, they soon forgot him and his Rules, and returned to their former courses; upon which he told them that he would leave them to their ways, and never undertake any such thing again.