ing, many and well adorned. Nothing is seen over the altar
but a large globe, upon which the heavenly bodies are painted,
and another globe upon which there is a representation of the
earth. Furthermore, in the vault of the dome there can be dis-
cerned representations of all the stars of heaven from the first
to the sixth magnitude, with their proper names and power to
influence terrestrial things marked in three little verses for each.
There are the poles and greater and lesser circles according to
the right latitude of the place, but these are not perfect because
there is no wall below. They seem, too, to be made in their re-
lation to the globes on the altar. The pavement of the temple
is bright with precious stones. Its seven golden lamps hang
always burning, and these bear the names of the seven planets.

At the top of the building several small and beautiful cells
surround the small dome, and behind the level space above the
bands or arches of the exterior and interior columns there are
many cells, both small and large, where the priests and relig-
ious officers dwell to the number of forty-nine.

A revolving flag projects from the smaller dome, and this
shows in what quarter the wind is. The flag is marked with
figures up to thirty-six, and the priests know what sort of year
the different kinds of winds bring and what will be the changes
of weather on land and sea. Furthermore, under the flag a
book is always kept written with letters of gold.


G.M. I pray you, worthy hero, explain to me their whole
system of government; for I am anxious to hear it.