ISLE OF ELEPHANT A. 15 



shelved there for years and ahnost fbrg-otteii, to be 

 brought to light again and added to by the liberal use 

 of one's eyes and ears. 



Here we meet with crowds of jjeople from all parts- 

 of the world, each wearing his national dress, from the 

 fair Chinaman and his pig-tail to the swarthy African 

 and his ivory teeth, from the tall Afghan of Jewish 

 type and high-bridged nose to the short small- 

 featured Malay. Even amongst tlie Indians proper, 

 say those of Hindustan and the Deccan, what a 

 variety of race ! The distinction is almost more per- 

 ceptible in their head-dress than in any other pecu- 

 liarity. After a time one learns to determine a man's 

 nationality by the shape and often even by the colour 

 of his turban. In other respects all men dress more 

 or less in white, coat or jacket, in folds or loincloth. 



Of great buildings, religious or secular, there are 

 none at Bombay of any pretensions, but for signs of 

 old days long gone by, it possesses one of the best 

 specimens of Brahminical rock temples in India, 

 namely, the now almost neglected caves on the Isle of 

 Elephanta, the " Gharipoor " of the natives, about 

 live miles east of Bombay. We rowed across one 

 morning, and the water being very shallow we liad to 

 be carried ashore by a couple of dark Hindus, and, 



