r teeth are of
marvellous whiteness and regularity as are those of all Asiatics. Their
cheeks may sometimes have a tinge of pink, but this is usually veiled by
the darker tint of the "rete mucosum." Their eyes--oh! their eyes!--here
lies their beauty, almond-shaped eyes, that when not in anger cannot
help throwing the sweetest and most captivating glances. None of your
trained disciplined eyes, taught to express feelings that do not exist;
but still eyes that equally deceive, eyes that nature in some strange
freak determined should ever look love. Unconsciously and
unintentionally they dart upon you the brightest, the most tender, nay,
even passionate glances. When looking at a young face, you only see the
eyes; eyes so voluptuous, so maddening, that you exclaim "good heavens
what a beautiful creature," and unless you are a calm and cool analyst
like myself, you may not discover that there is really no beauty save in
them. They dress their hair in a peculiar manner. It is plaited in a
number of small plaits joining two larger ones which fall over the
shoulders and unite in the middle of the back to form a long tail
terminating with a tassel. The larger plaits are mixed with wool, this
adds to their bulk, and increase the length of the tail, which often
extends below the knees. They wear a single loose gown, reaching in
ample folds nearly to the feet. On the head a small red skull cap, over
which is thrown the white (too often dirty) "chudder"--a light cloth
which hangs down the back and is used for veiling the face. The
boatwomen are renowned for their beauty. I have seen but little of it.
The Punditanees are said to be more beautiful than the boatwomen. I
consider them even less so. But among the Nautch girls I have seen both
grace and beauty, and as a class, I certainly think far better looking
than the others. Respect to age is a noble feeling--though one that is
unfortunately at a low ebb now-a-days--but truth, compels me and I must
pronounce all the elderly women to be positively ugly, and a woman is
elderly in Kashmir when in England she still might be called young. The
men are a fine race, regular features, broad shouldered and muscular,
wearing their bushy black beards on their faces, but shaving the head,
which is covered with a small coloured skull cap and white turban. Two
other men have pitched their tents under this tope. To-morrow I shall
leave them in undisturbed possession of the whole. They are friends an