TODDY VENDORS 161 



the wisdom of the ancients fenced the whole social 

 system of this strange land. 



But, while the Bhundaree must refuse all intoxi- 

 cating drinks himself, it is his duty to exercise a 

 large tolerance towards those who are not so hin- 

 dered. He is, in fact, a partner in the business of 

 Babajee, Licensed Vendor of Fresh Toddy, towards 

 whose spacious, open-fronted shop, thatched with 

 " jaolees," he now carries his gourds. There the 

 contents will stand, in dirty vessels and a warm 

 place, maturing their exhilarating qualities until the 

 evening, when the Tarn o' Shanters and Souter 

 Johnnies of the village begin to assemble and squat 

 in a ring in the open space in front. They may be 

 Kolees, or fishermen, and Agrees, who make salt, 

 and aboriginal Katkurrees from the jungle, with their 

 bows and arrows, most bibulous of all, but among 

 them all there will be no Bhundaree. Babajee sits 

 apart, presiding and serving, beside a dirty table, 

 on which are many bottles and dirty tumblers of 

 patterns which were on our tables thirty years ago. 

 The assembly begins solemnly, discussing social pro- 

 blems and bartering village gossip, for the Hindu 

 is by nature staid. After a while, at the second 

 bottle perhaps, cheerfulness will supervene, then 

 mirth and garrulity, ending, as the night closes 

 round, with wordy contention and a general brawl. 

 But nothing serious will happen, for toddy, though 

 decidedly heady, is at the worst a thin potation. 

 A strong and very pure spirit is distilled from it, 



