24 TWO YEAES IN" THE JUNGLE. 



To a Hindoo, beef is an abomination, and the ever-patient au" 

 thorities have located the beef market in a building off at one side, 

 the doors of which are shut by screens, so that good Brahmins may 

 not be offended by even the sight of holy heifers which have been 

 sacrificed to the wants of Enghshmen and Mohammedans, In the 

 garden adjoining the market are men who have live birds for sale — 

 cranes, quails, pheasants, mainahs, jays, doves, etc. 



Eager to secure at least one valuable specimen the first day, 

 " for luck," I found that the crane-seller had a dead saras (Grus 

 antigone) in his possession, and upon finding it to be a specimen 

 both large and old, I bought it of him, aftfir a good deal of hag- 

 gling, for two rupees. Its plumage was soiled and ragged, but it 

 made a fine skeleton. 



How strange it seems to ride upon a modern street-car as it 

 rolls on its way through the narrow, crooked, and crowded streets 

 of the native bazaar. It seems like the true car of Progress, pushing 

 its Avay through the throng of caste prejudices, ancient customs, 

 and silly traditions, inviting all to meet upon a common level. 

 This nineteenth century street-car looks as strangely out of place 

 here in the narrow streets of the native town as would a train of 

 camels plodding along Broadway. The driver whistles and shouts 

 and the crowd quickly opens a passage for us. 



And what a strange, fantastic crowd it is, to be sure ! Most no- 

 ticeable of all are the Parsees (from Persia), tall, lank, and intel- 

 lectual in appearance, clad in long black satin ulsters and oil-skin 

 hats that always remind one of the cone and crater of Vesuvius. 

 I am sure I never saw a Parsee on the street who did not carry from 

 one to half a dozen books. There wei-e Portuguese half-castes 

 neatly dressed in white ; long-bearded Jews in red fezzes and long 

 robes ; Catholic priests ; Arabs ; tall Mohammedans under huge 

 turbans of white or green ; fierce-looking Mahrattas in turbans of 

 red ; and Hindoos of a hundred types and castes with shaven heads 

 and caste-marks on their foreheads. The low-caste Hindoo women 

 are gorgeously attired in short jackets and mysterious winding- 

 sheets of red, white, black, green, and yellow ; while nearly every 

 shining black arm and ankle boasts from one to half a dozen silver 

 bangles or bracelets. There are rings and rivets of gold, brass, 

 or silver through their noses and ears, huge silver rings upon their 

 toes, and betel-nut in everj' mouth. There are children in the 

 crowd, too, mostly Parsee boys, cunningly bedecked in Httle jack- 

 ets, trowsers, and caps of silk and satin of the most gorgeous 



