244 INDIAN 



I think, will be sufficient to elucidate my 

 observations; and, although I do not ap- 

 prove of all their customs, many of them 1 

 can account for, very differently from the 

 generally received opinion, and can excuse 

 them for adopting them. The few I shall 

 notice, I think will clearly show that we 

 ought not to condemn them all hastily, for 

 we should recollect that length of time and 

 experience have established them. 



I shall begin with observing the custom 

 which females have of colouring the palms 

 of their hands, soles of their feet, and nails, 

 red; which they do by pounding the leaves 

 of mindy or hinnah (a species of myrtle), 

 mixing it with lime, and applying it to those 

 parts, where it remains some hours. This 

 is considered an ornament, but I imagine 

 it was first used to check the inordinate 

 perspiration in the hands and feet, which 

 prevails to a great degree with the native* 

 of India, giving their hands a very disagree- 

 able cold clammy feel, like the sensation 



