CHANTING OF WOMEN. 181 



was immediately followed by '' Hiissmi, IIus- 

 sun," in the same manner. 



The procession then moved on a short distance, 

 and a band of women, sixty or seventy in num- 

 ber, commenced chanting a mm^sceah in a very 

 sweet and plaintive manner. In this band were 

 all the ladies of the Khyrpoor opera, whose 

 fine voices contributed greatly to the general 

 harmony, and who, I suppose, sought by their 

 exertions on this occasion to obtain heavenly 

 pardon for their little professional peccadilloes. 

 After this the procession moved on somewhat 

 further, and the like ceremony was repeated 

 at every cJwiuJc, or market-place, till they 

 arrived at the Dcyoree, where the mother of 

 His Highness' two younger sons resides. The 

 chanting of the men was the reverse of har- 

 monious, but that of the women, from their 

 numbers, was very soft and pleasing to the 

 ear, and the effect was increased by the 

 sound ever and anon of a deep-voiced bell 

 or goongroo, which gave quite a melodramatic 

 tone to the spectacle. 1 was well placed both 

 for seeing and hearing, not only indeed seeing 

 the procession itself, but, being in an upstair 

 room, for witnessing a little by -pi ay in the 



