When we met, the poor ragans were at a great loss for want of their image, not knowing what to do or say; for their practice had been to prostrate themselves on the ground, making several odd gestures; but whether they prayed, or only seemed to do so, no one knew.
While the people were gathering, I called to a ragan, seeing him out of character. "Suppose," said I "(for I see you want your image), you and your brethren had received a favour of the king, and you was deputed by them to thank him, you would scarce be at a loss to express your gratitude to him, and tell him how highly you all esteemed his benefits, hoping you should retain a just sense of them, and behave yourselves as dutiful subjects for the future, and then desire him to keep you still in his protection. And this," says I, "as you believe in such a Being as Collwar, who understands what you say, you may with equal courage do to Him, keeping but your mind intent upon Him, as if you saw Him present."—"Indeed," says he, "I believe you are right, we may so; but it is a new thing, and you must excuse us if we do it not so well at first."
I found I had a very apt scholar, for after he had begun, he made a most extraordinary prayer in regular order, the people standing very attentive. It was not long, but he justly observed the points I hinted to him.
When he had done, another and another went on, till we had heard ten of them, and in every one something new, and very à propos; and several of them afterwards confessed they never had the like satisfaction in their lives, for they had new hearts and new thoughts, they said.
We spent the sixth-day feast in every gaiety imaginable, and especially of dancing, of which they were very fond in their way; but it was not so agreeable to me as my own country way, there being too much antic in it. New deputies daily arrived from the revolted towns, and several little republics, not claimed by Georigetti before, begged to be taken under his protection; so that in one week the king saw himself not only released from the dread of being driven from his throne, but courted by some, submitted to by others, and almost at the summit of glory a sovereign can attain to.
