art of India to the other, many hundred miles distant. No
other wood could answer this purpose so well; the bamboo being remarkably
light and of a very pliant nature lessens the fatigue to the bearer,
whilst almost any wood sufficiently strong to bear the packages would fret
the man's shoulder and add burden to burden. The bearers do not like to
carry more than twelve seer (twenty-four pounds) slung by ropes at each
end of their bamboo for any great distance; but, I fear, they are not
always allowed the privilege of thinking for themselves in these matters.

When a hackery[40] (sort of waggon) is about to be loaded with of corn or
goods, a railing is formed by means of bamboos to admit the luggage; thus
rendering the waggon itself much lighter than if built of solid wood, an
object of some moment, when considering the smallness of the cattle used
for draught, oxen of a small breed being in general use for waggons, carts,
ploughs, &c. I have never seen horses harnessed to any vehicle in India,
except to such gentlemen's carriages as are built on the English principle.

The Native carriages of ladies and travellers are indebted to the bamboo
for all the wood used in the construction of the body, which is merely a
frame covered with cloth, shaped in several different ways,--some square,
others double cones, &c.

Baskets of every shape and size, coarse or fine, are made of the split
bamboo; covers for dinner trays, on which the food is sent from the
kitchen to the hall; cheese-presses, punkahs, and screens, ingeniously
contrived in great varieties; netting-needles and pins, latches and bolts
for doors; skewers and spits; umbrella sticks, and walking canes; toys in
countless ways, and frames for needle-work.

A long line of etceteras might here be added as to the number of good
purposes to which the bamboo is adapted and appropriated in Native economy;
I must not omit that even the writing-paper on which I first practised the
Persian character was manufactured from the bamboo, which is esteemed more
durable, but not so smooth as their paper made from cotton. The young
shoots of bamboo are both pickled and preserved by the Natives, and
esteemed a great luxury when produced at meals with savoury pillaus, &c.

I am told, a whole forest of bamboo has sometimes been consumed by fire,
ignited by their own friction in a heavy storm, and the blaze fanned by
the opposing wind; the devouring element, under such circumstances, could