arm climate, the buildings in India, as in all other
warm countries, are low, seldom more than two stories high, and the
walls and roofs are very thick. The building material generally consists
of brick and cement, the roofs being mostly made of the latter. There
are verandas on the sides of the houses, and these, as well as the
windows, are protected by heavy Venetian blinds. In the evening the
doors and windows are thrown open so as to let in the cool night air,
but in the morning they are closely shut, so as to keep as much of it as
possible. Inside there are many contrivances for protecting the people
against the excessive heat. The most important of these is the punkah,
consisting of a wooden framework which is stretched with heavy canvass
and is about two and a half feet wide, and from ten to twenty feet long,
according to the size of the room. It is suspended from the ceiling, and
reaches down to the heads of people sitting on chairs. By means of
pulleys this punkah is kept in an oscillating motion by coolies
stationed in the back of the house or on the back porch, and it creates
such a pleasant breeze that one forgets all about the heat. Every room
or office in the houses of Europeans and Americans has its punkah, and
even the churches have a great number of them during the hot season.
From March till October the punkahs are kept in motion all night over
the beds of those who can afford the luxury of four "punkah walla"
(pullers); for it always takes two pullers for each punkah in the
day-time, and two others at night to relieve each other every hour or
two. Servants' wages are very low in India, and as the punkah walla
belongs to the lowest grade of servants his wages are only five rupees
($2.50) a month, and he must board himself as do all other servants.

The clothing which people wear also adds largely to their comfort. The
cooley, or common laborer, wears a long piece of cloth wrapped around
his waist and tucked up so as to resemble a short pair of drawers, and a
head gear somewhat resembling a turban; the breast, back, and upper
limbs being entirely naked. Both men and women of the better class of
natives have loose falling robes of jute, silk or cotton. Europeans
generally dress in white linen trousers and jackets, and it is only
toward evening when taking a drive near the public parks, or at night
while attending parties and receptions, that etiquette compells them to
put on the black dress suit. What str