96 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
fine masonry, and having a capacious and highly- 
decorated choultry at one end. In the distance was 
the pyramidal tower of a pagoda. Near it, leaning 
with her hack against a wall, upon which was the 
statue of a sacred bull, formed of brick and covered 
with chunam, stood a young Hindoo woman, of high 
caste, dressed with a more than usual degree of 
splendour. She had several rich necklaces round her 
throat, a costly sevigne, or an ornament precisely si- 
milar to it, upon her forehead, and long pendulous 
earrings, composed of gems apparently of value. Her 
wrists were encircled with broad gold bangles, and 
over her left shoulder, crossing the body and falling- 
over the right hip, hung a muslin scarf of the finest 
texture and richly embroidered. The tali, or mar- 
riage-knot, as Southey has called it in his masterly 
poem. The Curse of Kehama, was round her neck, 
which showed that she was a married woman. 
Her limbs with fragrant oils were dyed, 
Her hair with pearly fillets tied ; 
Her neck fresh wreaths of chumpa* prest. 
I was much struck with the easy and natural grace 
of her form and attitude as she reclined carelessly 
against the wall where first she had arrested my atten- 
tion. Upon passing her, under the shadow of the wall, 
on her right hand, a few yards beyond, lay two of 
the most beautiful children I had ever beheld. They 
appeared about five or six years old, were as near 
as possible the same size, and so much alike that it 
* The chumpa is a tree venerated by the Hindoos ; it bears a 
very fragrant flower of a saffron colour. 
