have frequent intercourse with the 'Sahib Logue' (English
gentry), among whom they acquire a taste for this delightful beverage. The
ladies, however, must have a severe cold to induce them to partake of the
beverage even as a remedy, but by no means as a luxury.[25] I imagined
that the inhabitants of a zeenahnah were sadly deficient in actual
comforts, when I found, upon my first arrival in India, that there were no
preparations for breakfast going forward: every one seemed engaged in pawn
eating, and smoking the hookha, but no breakfast after the morning Namaaz.
I was, however, soon satisfied that they felt no sort of privation, as the
early meal so common in Europe has never been introduced in Eastern
circles. Their first meal is a good substantial dinner, at ten, eleven, or
twelve o'clock, after which follow pawn and the hookha; to this succeeds a
sleep of two or three hours, providing it does not impede the duty of
prayer;--the pious, I ought to remark, would give up every indulgence
which would prevent the discharge of this duty. The second meal follows in
twelve hours from the first, and consists of the same substantial fare;
after which they usually sleep again until the dawn of day is near at hand.

It is the custom amongst Natives to eat fruit after the morning sleep,
when dried fruits, confectionery, radishes, carrots, sugar-cane, green
peas, and other such delicacies, are likewise considered wholesome
luxuries, both with the ladies and the children. A dessert immediately
after dinner is considered so unwholesome, that they deem our practice
extremely injudicious. Such is the difference of custom; and I am disposed
to think their fashion, in this instance, would be worth imitating by
Europeans whilst residing in India.

I have been much amused with the curious inquiries of a zeenahnah family
when the gardener's dhaullie is introduced. A dhaullie,[26] I must first
tell you, is a flat basket, on which is arranged, in neat order, whatever
fruit, vegetables, or herbs are at the time in season, with a nosegay of
flowers placed in the centre. They will often ask with wonder--'How do
these things grow?'--'How do they look in the ground?'--and many such
child-like remarks have I listened to with pity, whilst I have relieved my
heart by explaining the operations of Nature in the vegetable kingdom, a
subject on which they are perfectly ignorant, and, from the habits of
seclusion in which they live, can never properly be