334 COFFEE. 



brated for keeping good hotels anywhere. The best English 

 hotels are clean, and English servants, on an average, much better 

 than those we have in America, but the table does not compare 

 favorably with that of other countries. Speaking of service, it is 

 probable that the good servants which are found in India are 

 largely made so by the thorough drilling they receive at the hands 

 of the English residents. An Englishman likes, and will have, 

 good personal service if it can be obtained, and the Indian ser- 

 vants, in most cases, are caref uUy drilled, and are used to exacting 

 masters. Indeed, in some cases they are treated in a very over- 

 bearing manner, a curious evidence of which is a notice that was 

 posted up in the "Lord Lytton" hotel at Delhi, as follows: 

 " Visitors will be good enough not to strike the hotel servants ; 

 any complaints made against them wiU be attended to." 



At Calcutta I first saw the skins of animals used for holding 

 water — the old water-skins of Scripture. Goat-skins are principally 

 used for this purpose, the skin being stripped from the animal as 

 far as the neck, where it is tied, as are also the legs. It is then 

 sewed up tightly, and holds water without leaking. The streets 

 are all watered here by men who carry the water in these skins 

 slung over their shoulders, and spurt the water from a nozzle at 

 the neck. In other parts of India they use the skins of young 

 bullocks for the same purpose, but these being large, and contain- 

 ing a considerable quantity of water, are slung over the backs of 

 other bullocks, like gack-saddles, one on each side, and in this 

 way, in districts where water is scarce, it is sometimes conveyed 

 long distances. 



A feature of Calcutta, also, are the kites and crows ; the latter 

 are somewhat smaller than the American crow, and instead of 

 being jet-black, the breast and back are of a greenish blue. They 

 fairly swarm throughout the city, are apparently never molested 

 by the inhabitants, and are the sauciest creatures imaginable, fre- 

 quently flying in at windows and carrying off not only food, but 

 other small articles which attract their attention. The kites, 

 a species of hawk, a little larger than our American crow, are 

 also very plentiful, and, together with the crows, act the part of 

 scavengers ; at times the whole firmament seems dotted with these 

 birds flying overhead. Here and there also we see an enormous 



