From the caves and jungles of Hindostan

FROM THE CAVES AND JUNGLES OF HINDOSTAN.

objects in Europe and in India. Nowhere more than in India does a human being feel their own weakness and insignificance. The majesty of tropical growth is such that our highest trees would look dwarfed compared with banyans and especially with palms. A European cow, mistaking her Indian sister for a calf at first sight, would deny any kinship between them; neither the mouse-grey hide, nor the straight goat-like horns, nor the humped back of the latter would allow her to make such an error. As for the women, any artist would be enthusiastic about the grace of their movements and drapery, yet no "stout Anna Ivanovna" A typical name used by the author to represent a traditional, conservative Russian woman would condescend to greet her. "What a shame, God forgive me, the woman is entirely naked!"

This opinion of the modern Russian woman is merely an echo of what was said in 1470 by a distinguished Russian traveler, "the sinful servant of God, Athanasius son of Nikita from Tver" Afanasy Nikitin, a Russian merchant and one of the first Europeans to travel to India; original: "greshnyy rab Bozhiy, Afanasiy Nikitin syn", as he calls himself. He describes India as follows: "This is the land of India. Its people go naked, never cover their heads, and wear their hair braided. Women have babies every year. Men and women are black. Their prince wears a veil around his head and wraps another veil around his legs. The noblemen wear a veil on one shoulder, and the noblewomen on the shoulders and around the loins, but everyone is barefoot. The women walk about with their hair loose and their breasts bare. The children, boys and girls, never cover their nakedness until they are seven years old..." This description is quite accurate, but Athanasius, Nikita’s son, is right only concerning the lowest and poorest classes. These really do "walk about" covered only with a veil, which is often so poor that it is essentially a rag. But still, even

IN BOMBAY.

the poorest woman is dressed in a piece of muslin A lightweight cotton fabric at least ten yards long. One end serves as a sort of short skirt, and the other covers the head and shoulders when out in the street, though the faces are always uncovered. The hair is styled into a kind of Greek chignon. The legs up to the knees, the arms, and the waist are never covered. There is not a single respectable woman who would consent to wear a pair of shoes. Shoes are the attribute and the exclusive right of disreputable women. When, some time ago, the wife of the Madras governor thought of passing a law that should require native women to cover their breasts, the place was actually threatened with a revolution. A kind of jacket is worn only by dancing girls. The Government recognized that it would be unwise to irritate women who, very often, are more dangerous than their husbands and brothers. Thus, the custom—based on the Law of Manu An ancient legal text among the many Dharmashastras of Hinduism and sanctified by three thousand years of observance—remained unchanged.

For more than two years before we left America, we were in constant correspondence with a certain learned Brahman whose fame is great at present (1879) all over India. We came to India to study, under his guidance, the ancient country of the Aryas original: "Aryas", the Vedas The oldest scriptures of Hinduism, and their difficult language. His name is Dayanand Saraswati Swami. Swami A religious teacher or ascetic is the title of the learned hermits who are initiated into many mysteries unattainable by ordinary mortals. They are monks who never marry, but are quite different from other wandering brotherhoods, the so-called Sannyâsi Religious mendicants and Hossein Likely referring to a specific sect of ascetics. This scholar original: "Pandit" is considered the greatest expert in Sanskrit original: "Sanskritist" in modern India and is a complete enigma to everyone. It is only five years since he appeared on the public stage of reform, but