the likeness of English bread is to be seen at their meals; and many
object to its being fermented with the intoxicating toddy (extracted from
a tree). Most of the Native bread is baked on iron plates over a charcoal
fire. They have many varieties, both plain and rich, and some of the
latter resembles our pastry, both in quality and flavour.

The dinners, I have said, are brought into the zeenahnah ready dished in
the Native earthenware, on trays; and as they neither use spoons or forks,
there is no great delay in setting out the meal where nothing is required
for display or effect, beyond the excellent quality of the food and its
being well cooked. In a large assembly all cannot dine at the dustha-khawn
of the lady-hostess, even if privileged by their rank; they are, therefore,
accommodated in groups of ten, fifteen, or more, as may be convenient;
each lady having her companion at the meal, and her slaves to brush off
the intruding flies with a chowrie, to hand water, or to fetch or carry
any article of delicacy from or to a neighbouring group. The slaves and
servants dine in parties after their ladies have finished, in any retired
corner of the court-yard--always avoiding as much as possible the presence
of their superiors.

Before any one touches the meal, water is carried round for each lady to
wash the hand and rinse the mouth. It is deemed unclean to eat without
this form of ablution, and the person neglecting it would he held unholy;
this done, the lady turns to her meal, saying, 'Bis ma Allah!'--(In the
name or to the praise of God!) and with the right hand conveys the food to
her mouth, (the left is never used at meals)[20]; and although they
partake of every variety of food placed before them with no other aid than
their fingers, yet the mechanical habit is so perfect, that they neither
drop a grain of rice, soil the dress, nor retain any of the food on their
fingers. The custom must always be offensive to a foreign eye, and the
habit none would wish to copy; yet every one who witnesses must admire the
neat way in which eating is accomplished by these really 'children of
Nature'.

The repast concluded, the lota[21] (vessel with water), and the luggun[22]
(to receive the water in after rinsing the hands and mouth), are passed
round to every person, who having announced by the 'Shuggur Allah!'--All
thanks to God!--that she has finished, the attendants present first the
powdered peas, culled basun,[23]--which a