INDIA. 299 



but 1 will never advise any of my friends to go through 

 a similar experience, as it involves great suffering and 

 is attended by no inconsiderable immediate and remote 

 risk to life. 



THE PEOPLE. 



India has, approximately, 300,000,000 inhabitants, 

 four to one of the United States The population is a 

 very mixed one, composed of Hindus, Afghans, Moham- 

 medans, Parsees, Thibetans, and other Asiatic races. 

 Europeans and x\siatics, called here Eurasians, in Ceylon 

 half-castes. The original East Indians were an Aryan 

 race, which came from Central Asia by way of the Cabul 

 river. The present Hindu race represents Aryan and 

 non- Aryan elements. The typical Hindu is above av- 

 erage size, fine, erect, slender physique, long, very thin 

 legs and arms, straight black hair, beard of the same 

 color, light or heavy. The color of the skin varies from 

 yellow to coal black. (Fig. 50.) Many of the men are 

 handsome; others, especially the common coolies, are 

 often not only ugly but absolutely hideous, their faces 

 approaching the appearance of a monkey rather than 

 that of a man. The women are homely almost without 

 exception; much smaller than the men and very spare 

 even during old age. 



The handsomest men and women are found among 

 the Parsees, the fire worshipers, who came from Persia 

 to India centuries ago. They are a thrifty people, fond 

 of dress. The men wear a very strange head covering, 

 which does not answer to the description of either a 

 hat or cap. Imagine a black piece of stovepipe a foot 

 in length, speckled with minute yellow dots, and turn 

 in the top obliquely and you have as complete a descrip- 

 tion of the headdress of the Parsee as can be given in 

 words. The women are dressed in flowing silk of vivid 

 colors, and display a wealth of jewels attached to ears, 

 neck, fingers and wrists. Bombay is the center of the 

 Parsee population, about 100,000 in number. Their 

 principal temple and ghastly graveyard are located here. 



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