2U 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
England are displayed upon the same stall ; coral from 
the Red Sea., agate from Guzzerat, precious stones from 
Ceylon, gums and spices from Arabia, assa-foetida and 
rose-water from Persia, brought by the natives of each 
country to the general mart, lie by the side of watches 
from France, pickles from China, sauces from Eng- 
land, and perfumes from Bond Street and the Rue 
St. Honore. I have seen a case of French rouge, and 
henna for the fingers of an eastern fair, selling in ad- 
joining booths; antimony to give languor to an ori- 
ental eye, and all the embellishments of an European 
toilette. 
“ The dealers invariably ask ten times as much as 
they mean to take, and vary their demands as they 
gather from your countenance your anxiety or indif- 
ference for the purchase. It is not uncommon for a 
horse-dealer to fall, in the course of a few moments, 
in his demand, from ten to one thousand rupees. 
When the bargain is about to be concluded, the buyer 
and the seller throw a cloth over their hands, and, 
naming a price, ascertain by the pressure of certain 
joints how nearly they are making towards its termi- 
nation. By this means, in the midst of a crowd, they 
deal in secret ; and it is laughable to see, through 
an affected air of carelessness, how deeply they are 
interested.” 
Bramins swarm at these annual meetings at Hurd- 
war, and the sums they collect from the bathers is 
perfectly incredible. They exact a fee from every 
devout adult who enters the sacred river upon these 
solemn occasions, and according to the amount of the 
fee will be the extent of the purchased remission. 
