natural
sciences.

There were a number of unpretentious Hindu temples, and the Maharaja is
said to be quite punctilious in his observance of religious forms. He
was absent from the city, but several brothers of his were seen driving,
clad in long garments of gaudy-colored striped calico, and wearing small
turbans; the dress of the women was also peculiar, the skirt being so
full that as they walked they resembled balloons; they are noted for
wearing a profusion of jewelry,--necklaces by the half-dozen, bracelets
sometimes nearly to the elbow, anklets, heavy earrings, nose-rings,
and finger-rings without number.

[Illustration: _A Hindu woman of Jeypore_]

Animals and birds in large quantities added motion and color to the
street scenes, together with brightly caparisoned elephants, stately
camels, and white bullocks with their long horns and dreamy eyes,
drawing the little two-wheeled _ekka_, which sometimes carried four
occupants. Peacocks flashed in and out at every turn (they are
considered a sacred bird and are therefore protected), while
blue-breasted pigeons came in clouds whenever there was a prospect of a
feast.

There are processions of various kinds, the highest function of all
being a wedding procession, where the brilliancy varies according to the
amount of means that can be expended by the prospective bridegroom. In
one afternoon we witnessed eight of these spectacles; the first was
given by a man of wealth who was seated on an elephant, the palanquin of
which was gorgeous in its decoration; he himself was richly dressed, as
were the attendant friends. The procession was preceded by a band of
music, and in the group were six nautch, or dancing girls; at intervals
of about two blocks, the cavalcade stopped, matting was thrown down, and
the dancers came and executed a slow-measured dance, which continued for
about five minutes; then the procession moved on to the next point,
this programme continuing until the home of the bride was reached. All
of this we witnessed. The other seven wedding processions presented
variations; in one the principal actor was a boy of about fourteen who
looked terrified; two of the processions consisted of poor men;
sometimes carriages were substituted for the elephants, and the
dancing-girls were omitted, but there were always music and a crowd.

Elephants figured prominently in our trip to the old city of Amber, five
miles distant, and the former capital of Rajputana. We l