procession moves along. Horses, camels, and elephants, richly caparisoned, are placed in convenient situations the procession, and musicians, playing on various instruments, are placed before and behind the bridegroom, Lately many of the rich natives have called in the assis.tance of English music at their weddings. At intervals guns are fired. All things for the procession being prepared before-hand, the whole waits for the coming of the bridegroom. At a marriage, the procession of which I saw some years ago, the bridegroom came from a distance, and the bride lived in Serampore; to which place the bridegroom was to come by water. After waiting two or three hours, at length, near midnight, it was announced, as if in the very words of Scripture," Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."-All the persons employed, now lighted their lamps, and ran with them in their hands to fill up their stations in the procession; some of them had lost their lights, and were unprepared; but it was then too late to seek them, and the cavalcade, something like the above, moved forward to the house of the bride, at which place the company entered a large and splendidly illuminated area, before the house, covered with an awning, where a great multitude of friends, dressed in their best apparel, were seated upon mats. The bridegroom was carried in the arms of a friend, and placed on a superb seat in the midst of the company, where he sat a short time, and then went into the house-the door of which was immediately shut, and guarded by sepoys— I and others expostulated with the door-keepers, but in vain. Never was I so struck with our Lord's beautiful

In many instances, the marriage rites are performed in this area, before all the company, and this is proper; but an affectation of modesty and family pride not unfrequently lead the father-in-law to the resolution of hav ing the ceremonies performed in the house.

parable as at this moment: "And the door was shut!”. I was exceedingly anxious to be present while the marriage formulas were repeated, but was obliged to depart in disappointment,

From time immemorial, the Hindoo young men have considered a wedding procession, as it passes through the villages to the house of the bride, as fair game :—groups of wicked boys and young men, therefore, attack the wedding company in all those ways by which they can most annoy them, and in which they are greatly assisted by the darkness of the night. Serious disputes, attended with the loss of lives, have sometimes occurred amidst this rough and dangerous mirth.

After entering the house, the bridegroom is led to the place where the marriage rites are to be performed, and where the father-in-law, taking off the old garments and poita of the boy, arrays him in new clothes, and takes him into an inner apartment, where they make him stand on a stool placed on the cow's head and certain other things buried in the earth, adding a number of female superstitious practices, to induce the bridegroom to behave well to the bride. They next bring the bride on a stool covered with the bridegroom's old garments, and carry the girl round the bridegroom seven times; they then permit the bride and bridegroom fairly to look at each other for the first time. The happy pair are then brought to the former place, and made to sit near each other, when the father-in-law puts into the hands of the bridegroom fourteen blades of kooshů grass, tied in two separate parts, which the boy ties under his feet. The father-inlaw now pours some water into the right hand of the bridegroom, and while the latter holds it there, the

the still, but are merely placed in the sun in a wide pan, and drawn out when wanted. Other kinds of spirits, as kŭmůla, narangēē, vatavee, kayavoo, armanee, golapů, aravoo, and můjmů, are prepared by the Hindoo distiller, who also makes anise-seed water. The distillers also make a liquor, which they call rum, with molasses, the juice of the talŭ tree, and the bark of the vabula; and the proportion of each article is, of molasses 1601b., the same quantity of the talu juice, and 20lb. of the bark. This rum is distilled in copper vessels, the earthern ones giving it an offensive smell.

25th Class. From a malakarŭ and a female shōōdrů arose the Natus, or dancers; but there are at present none of this cast in Bengal. The dancing at the Hindoo festivals is performed partly by Musulmans, and partly by different casts of Hindoos, who mix singing with dancing; the Hindoo women who dance before the idols are of different casts, collected from houses of ill-fame; at the entertainments called yatri, different casts dance and sing. The feelings of the Hindoos are exceedingly shocked at seeing the English ladies degrading themselves (as they call it) into dancing girls.

26th Class. From a shōodrů and a female bramhun arose the Chandalus, who are chiefly employed as fishermen or day-labourers.

27th Class. From a shōōdrů and a kshŭtriyŭ female arose the Churmŭkarus, or shoe makers. This despised cast makes shoes from different skins, and even from that of the cow, which are sold for four-pence or sixpence a pair; a better kind, which will last two years, for one shilling and sixpence. Several kinds of gilt and orna

mented shoes are brought for sale from the upper provinces into Bengal; these cost as much as from three to forty roopees a pair. The shoemakers are also employed as musicians at weddings, feasts, and religious ceremonies; the horrid din of their music reminds a European, that these men have been used to no sound except that of the hammer on the lap-stone.

28th Class. From a rujukŭ and a female voishyu sprung the Patunees, or ferrymen, who are much employed in Bengal, where there are so few bridges (there are none over large rivers). In some places, the ferry boats are much crowded, and in stormy weather they frequently upset, when multitudes perish: this is particularly the case near Calcutta, where the current is very rapid.

29th Class. From an oilman and a voishyŭ female arose the Dolavaheēs; persons employed as fishermen, palanqueen bearers, &c.

30th to the 38th Class. From a Magudhu and a female shōōdru arose the Malas, another class of fishermen. From a shōōdrů and a female kshutriyŭ arose the Chasakoivurtus who are employed in agriculture. From a voishyŭ and a female kshŭtriyŭ arose the Gopus, a class of milkmen. From a bramhŭn and a female shoōdrů arose the Varooees, sellers of the panŭ leaf. From a Malakarŭ and a female shōōdrů arose the Shavukus. From a Magudhŭ and a female shōōdrů arose the Shikarées, or hunters. From a goldsmith and a female voishyŭ arose the Mulŭgrahēēs, or sweepers. From the same casts also sprung the Koorůvus. From a shoemaker and a female voishyŭ arose the Tukshunus.

39th Class. From a dhēēvŭ and a female shōōdru arose the Mullus, or snake-catchers, and quack doctors. They carry snakes in baskets as a shew, and, having taken out their poisonous fangs, play with them before the spectators, receiving their bite on their arms, folding them round their necks, &c. at which times they use musical instruments; but there does not appear to be any instances of serpents being affected by music, though many Hindoos believe, that they can be drawn out of their holes by the power of charms or incantations; and perhaps the Psalmist alludes to a similar opinion, when he says of the wicked," they are like the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, charming never so wisely."

40th Class. From a man named Dévůlů (brought into Bengal by the bird Gŭroorů !) and a female voishyŭ, arose the Gunŭkus, and Badyňkarus. The former wear the poita, and are called Doivugnu bramhŭns; the latter are miserable musicians; they also make different kinds of mats.

To a people who use no chairs, and few bedsteads, mats are very necessary: and a number are made in Bengal. The name of the most inferior mat is chanch, which is made from the grass khuree,' and is three cubits and a half long, and two cubits and a half broad; it is sold for about two-pence. A coarse mat, called jhéntula, is made from the grass méliya," and sold for eight anas. The durmus, made from the reed arundo tibialis, are used to sit and sleep upon, as well as to inclose the sides and ends of the houses of the poor, twenty or thirty of which

1 Saccharum fuscum.

m

Cyperus inundatus.