946 



INDIA, OR HINDOSTAN 



ElephanUtraveling in India. 



communicated is not yet satisfactorily 

 known. It has hitherto defied mjedicine 

 and science. 



A common mode of traveling, is in 

 palanquins, a sort of litter, carried by 

 means of poles on the shoulders of men. 

 These vehicles are covered, and have 

 curtains and cushions. The bearers are 

 changed at convenient distances, on long 

 journeys. They go from three to four 

 miles an hour. The rich sometimes travel 

 on elephants, with costly trappings. 



The Hindoos are gentle, polished, and 

 courteous in their manners ; tempeiate, 

 simple, frugal, industrious, lively, and in- 

 telligent. Yet the long oppression of for- 

 eign races, and the servile subordination 

 of inferiors to their superiors often render 

 them treacherous, selfish, and cruel. Wo- 

 men hold a very degraded station among 

 them, not being allowed to open a book, 

 or to enter a temple ; they live generally 

 a retired life in the interior of the houses. 



One of the most striking features of the 

 Hindoo social system is the division into 

 castes or hereditary clisses, of which 

 tliere are four principal ones ; the Bra- 

 mins or priests ; the Shalryas or warriors ; 

 the Vaisyas or husbandmen, merchants 

 (banians), and artisans ; and the Sudras 



