340 AROUND THE WORLD VIA INDIA. 



scuttling motion of the smaller end of the log showed 

 that it was a crocodile on the way to accept the prof- 

 fered invitation for tiffin. Slowly, lazily, the mon- 

 ster approached, and as it came up to the steps an 

 immense moss-covered head with small slit-like eyes ap- 

 peared above the surface of the water with the cavern- 

 ous mouth wide open, displaying two rows of sawlike 

 teeth. With unerring aim he caught the fragments 

 of meat, which at once disappeared from the tongueless 

 mouth. In less than ten minutes four other crocodiles 

 and a large turtle were our guests. One of the largest 

 of the beasts, a monster at least twenty feet long, took 

 the liberty to climb the steps in order, I presume, to 

 cultivate a closer acquaintance with us. A few blows 

 with a club administered over the skull by the guard 

 brought him to a standstill, and with a tremendous 

 splash he returned to his proper element and disap- 

 peared from sight. 



A BELATED BRIDAL CEREMONT. 



One Sunday afternoon, while driving through one 

 of the principal streets of Jaipur, I heard the ear-kill- 

 ing strains of native musicians. I brought the car- 

 riage to a standstill and a procession soon made its 

 appearance, headed by the band. It was made up 

 exclusively of women, from four to six abreast, each of 

 them carrying on the head a hasket containing sweets 

 and other small presents. It was explained to me 

 that this procession was in honor of a woman who in 

 four weeks would make her first addition to the census 

 of the <£ity. It was not difficult to locate the bride of 

 eight months in the first row of the procession. The 

 husband was not there. He was at home awaiting the 

 presents from his father-in-law, conveyed to him by 

 the members of the procession. Later in the day I 

 saw another procession on a larger scale announcing to 

 the public a similar event. This custom, which to me 

 appeared a praiseworthy one, is generally observed, and 



