NATIVE DRESSES. 319 



prisoners. One of them is a woman of rank, and was 

 convicted of having instigated the murder of her husband, 

 and received a sentence of twenty years' imprisonment. It 

 is said she paid a servant 20,000 rupees to have him 

 poisoned. Her daughter, a girl of six, has passed her short 

 life in the jail with her mother. This year, in accordance 

 with Indian custom, she is of age to be married. So the 

 Governor of the jail is arranging to have a husband found 

 for her. 



We went to tea with General Nixon, who formerly used 

 to be the Resident here. After leaving the service he tried 

 England and the Colonies, but thinks India the best place 

 to reside in, and has finally made his home in Oodeypore, 

 where he passed so many years previously. He now lives in 

 a charming old palace of the Maharaja's. His daughter is 

 with him, and shares his liking for India. She is a oreat 

 friend of the Ranees, and a frequent visitor to the Zenana. 

 Amongst other curiosities, she has several beautiful native 

 dresses, facsimiles of those worn by purdah ladies of rank. 

 One was of fine orange-coloured muslin, with a broad border 

 of woven silver. The skirt measured over two hundred feet 

 round the hem. The jacket and sari were of the same 

 coloured silk, trimmed with silver. She has also the whole 

 of a native lady's outfit, including jewellery and the large 

 silver box they use to hold betel-nut, and the henna for 

 staining their hands. 



