y done so
half the night, except that the English occupant of the next cabin
called upon them at bedtime and suggested that having talked all day
it might be well for the sake of others to devote the night to sleep,
and they cheerfully and courteously accepted the hint. Now and then,
if it was very fine and smooth, they came on deck, but held no
intercourse with the other Indian passengers, and played cards most of
the time. They wore European coats and shirts, the tails of the latter
being worn outside according to Indian custom. Their legs were cased
in the white breeches peculiar to their race, very baggy in the upper
part, but fitting so close below that the problem of how they get into
them remains a mystery. On their heads were immense and picturesque
white turbans. It was touching to see the extent to which the elder
brother was looked up to, with that delightful combination of
affection and respect characteristic of this particular relationship
in India. They were gentle, courteous people, and everybody liked
them.

An Indian, who called himself a Parsee, but there was reason to think
that he was really a Bengali Hindu, was on his way to Germany to learn
Sanskrit. As India is its home, although it is no longer a spoken
language, except that Sanskrit words are found in many vernaculars, it
appeared strange that an Indian should be travelling westwards in
order to learn an Eastern language. But he explained that the Indian
Pundits, or teachers, though they know Sanskrit, have no knowledge of
how to teach it, and with characteristic disregard for the value of
time, spend at least six years in teaching what, with more rational
methods, might be learnt in two. In Germany this Indian hoped to see
the most up-to-date way of teaching languages, and then he proposed to
return to India and introduce the modern system in the college of
which he said he was professor of Sanskrit.

Passing alongside the Italian coast, he said to me: "I hope very much
to see Italy before I return to my own country. I understand that the
Italian cathedrals are very beautiful, and a cathedral always appeals
to me very strongly. I should also like to see Assisi. The character
of S. Francis has great charms for me." I said that, with ideas such
as these, he ought to be a Christian. "Possibly," he replied; "I have
the greatest veneration for Christ as the greatest among prophets."
English-speaking Hindus, however, have a remarkable power of adap