ccupied by women only. In India
it is quite easy to learn a person's religion, sect, and caste, and even
whether a woman is married or single, from the marks painted in bright
colors on everyone's forehead.

Since the time when Alexander the Great destroyed the sacred books of
the Gebars, they have constantly been oppressed by the idol worshippers.
King Ardeshir-Babechan restored fire worship in the years 229-243 A.C.
Since then they have again been persecuted during the reign of one of
the Shakpurs, either II., IX., or XI., of the Sassanids, but which of
them is not known. It is, however, reported that one of them was a great
protector of the Zartushta doctrines. After the fall of Yesdejird,
the fire-worshippers emigrated to the island of Ormasd, and, some time
later, having found a book of Zoroastrian prophecies, in obedience to
one of them they set out for Hindustan. After many wanderings,
they appeared, about 1,000 or 1,200 years ago, in the territory of
Maharana-Jayadeva, a vassal of the Rajput King Champanir, who allowed
them to colonize his land, but only on condition that they laid down
their weapons, that they abandoned the Persian language for Hindi, and
that their women put off their national dress and clothed themselves
after the manner of Hindu women. He, however, allowed them to wear
shoes, since this is strictly prescribed by Zoroaster. Since then very
few changes have been made. It follows that the Parsee women could only
be distinguished from their Hindu sisters by very slight differences.
The almost white faces of the former were separated by a strip of smooth
black hair from a sort of white cap, and the whole was covered with a
bright veil. The latter wore no covering on their rich, shining hair,
twisted into a kind of Greek chignon. Their foreheads were brightly
painted, and their nostrils adorned with golden rings. Both are fond of
bright, but uniform, colors, both cover their arms up to the elbow with
bangles, and both wear saris.

Behind the women a whole sea of most wonderful turbans was waving in the
pit. There were long-haired Rajputs with regular Grecian features and
long beards parted in the middle, their heads covered with "pagris"
consisting of, at least, twenty yards of finest white muslin, and
their persons adorned with earrings and necklaces; there were Mahrata
Brahmans, who shave their heads, leaving only one long central lock, and
wear turbans of blinding red, decorated in front with