fimplicity, and perfe&ly modeft character, of die Hindoo
women, cannot but arreft the attention ó f a ftranger. With
downcaft eye, and equal ftep, they proceed along, ami fcarce-
ly turn to the right or to the left to obferve a foreign« as he
paffes, however «new or lingular his appearance. The men
are no lefs remarkable for their holpitality, and are conffantly
attentive to accommodate the traveller in his wants. During
the whole of the journey in my pallankeen, whatever I wanted,
as boiling water for my tea, milk, eggs, &c. &c. I never met
withimpöfitton or delay, -but always experienced an uncommon
readinefs to oblige, and that accompanied with manners
the moft Ample and accommodating. In perfedt oppofition
is the Muffulman charadler; — haughty, not to fey infolent;
irritable, and ferocious. I beg, however, to be underftood
of the lower claffes ; for a Moorifh gentleman may beconfi-
dered as a perfedt model of a well-bred man. The Hindoos
are chiefly huffiandmcn, manufadturers, and merchants, except
two tribes—-the Rajapoots, who are military, and the
Bramins, who are ccelefiaftics. The Muffulmans may be
claffed as entirely military,1 as few' o f them exercife any other
employment; except colledling the revenues, which under
the Moorifh governments have been always done by military
force.
A t this feafon o f the year I t is not uncommon, towards
the evening, to fee a fmall black cloud rifing in the eaffem
part óf the horizon, and afterwards fpreading itfelf to the
north-weft. This phenomenon is always attended with-a
violent ftorm of wind, and' flafhes of the ftrongeft and moft
vivid lightning and heavy thunder, which is followed by rain.
Thefe ftorms fometimes Iaft for half], an hour or more; -and
when they tjifperfe they leave the air greatly ,frefhened, - and,
the fky of a deep, clear, apd.-trafparent blue. ;When they
occur near the full moon, the, whole atmofphere is illuminated
by a foft.but brilliant filver, light, "attended, with, gentle,
airs, as Shakefpeare has expreffed—
“ When the fweet wind (fid gently kifs the trees,
u And they did make na noife. " ,
P assiJng by the city of Moorffiedabad, on the evening of
a Muffulman holiday, I was much Entertained to lee the river
covered with innumerable lights, juft floating above the fur-
faceof the water. Such an uncommon‘appearance was, ,at
fxrft, difficult tp account f o r b u t I found, - upon- inquiry,
.that upon thefe occafions they fabricate a number, of ftnall
lamps, which they light and fet afloat on the river: the
ftream conftantly running down, they are carried to, a confi-
derable diftance, and laft for many hours. After a paffage of
a few days, from Mongheir, I. arrived at Calcutta^ Several
of the fubjedts I had collected in my journey were painted
for the Honourable the then Governor General; two of them,
on a large fcale, viz., the Falls of Mootejerna, and the Ruins
of Rajemahel.
F 1