50 
SCENES IN INDIA, 
walls of their houses are plastered with mud., upon 
which are frequently painted some of the strange 
figures represented in their barbarous mythology. 
The fireplace is always in the centre of the room and 
consists merely of a stone hearth upon which the fire 
is kindled, and as there is no chimney, the smoke 
finds egress through the windows ; hut as these are 
extremely small the sooty exhalation becomes intoler- 
able, except to those familiarized to it by long habit. 
The family all sleep together on one bed, which consists 
of a layer of soft grass spread in a corner of the room 
under the windows, so as to be sheltered from the 
night-air which cannot be entirely excluded. The 
only furniture in these houses is a few earthen vessels 
of various sorts and for different purposes. The ascent 
to each story is by a thick pole notched at intervals 
of about a foot, which the inmates ascend with quick- 
ness and dexterity. 
Although tolerably clean, it is impossible to exclude 
from these mountain-abodes the vermin that abound 
in this region to such a degree as to prove an intolerable 
nuisance to strangers. The natives, however, seem 
to consider this visitation rather an advantage than 
a nuisance, as the insects continually swarming over 
their bodies excite an irritation on the skin which 
prevents the superficial circulation from languishing 
and thus leaving that torpor so common in a cold 
climate, unless the circulation be kept in constant 
activity. When their bodies are so covered that the 
accession becomes troublesome, they plunge into water 
with their clothes on, thus destroying in a few mo- 
ments myriads of these importunate visitants. 
