than any other
sect they hold the lower animals in the highest regard, amounting to a
strange sort of tenderness.

"They believe that man should not injure any animal; and more than this,
that human beings are bound to protect the lives and minister to the ills
of all creatures, even those the most despised. When, therefore, the pious
Jain comes upon a wounded creature of the lower order, he stops to attend
to its needs, and even takes it into his house to be healed. To forward
this charity, the wealthy of this sect have contributed money for the
foundation and endowment of hospitals for the care of sick and wounded
animals, and even of those permanently disabled."

"What a beautiful idea, if it is heathen!" exclaimed Mrs. Belgrave.

"We will now drive to one of these hospitals. We have to pass through the
Esplanade again to reach the Black Town, as it is called, where most of the
natives reside; but we will go by a different road."

In about half an hour the carriages passed through the densely populated
region of the Hindus, and stopped at the hospital. The party alighted in a
large court, surrounded by sheds, in which are a number of bullocks, some
of them with their eyes bandaged, others lame, or otherwise in a helpless
condition. They were all stretched out on clean straw. Some of the
attendants were rubbing them; others were bringing food and drink to them.

Passing into a smaller court, they found it contained dogs and cats in the
same unfortunate and suffering condition.

"It would be a mercy to kill them, and thus put them out of misery," said
Dr. Hawkes to the native officer with him.

"Do you serve your sick and disabled in that way?" asked the official.

He could not answer this appeal for the want of time, and they passed into
a place for birds. Venerable crows, vultures, buzzards, and other bipeds,
most of them with their plumage gone, pass the remainder of their lives in
peace in this curious retreat. At the end of the enclosure a heron proudly
strutted about with a wooden leg, among lame hens and blind geese and
ducks. Rats, mice, sparrows, and jackals have an asylum in the Jain
hospital.

"I should like to have some of our people take a lesson from this
institution," said Mrs. Woolridge as they left the place.

The carriages then conveyed them to a Hindu temple.

CHAPTER XVIII

A SNAKY SPECTACLE IN BOMBAY

On the way to th