d of writing. Progress in this direction seems
rather slow at present, and Indian music is really in the position of
an illiterate struggling against a highly educated competitor.

Some attempt has been made to adapt Indian tunes to the translations
of English hymns, but without signal success. Also, Indian Christian
converts do not encourage the attempt. They say that the few popular
native tunes are so suggestive of the indecent songs to which they are
generally sung, that it is impossible to use them safely. English
popular melodies which some people, especially dissenters, have
adapted for religious use have no associations of this kind. The only
doubtful point in their adaptation is the risk of introducing an
element of comedy.

Christian Indians get to like the tunes usually associated with the
English hymns which have been translated into their vernacular, and
they sing them with spirit. Indian choir-boys often give sufficient
promise to indicate that, if they could be given the skilled training
which is generally lacking, they would not fall behind their English
brothers in sweetness of voice and delicacy of expression.

CHAPTER XV

INDIAN MEALS

Stones for grinding grain. Exclusively women's work.
Elaborate inspection of the grain. Food a matter of much
interest. The meals of a Hindu. Difference between Indian
and English custom. Even beggars fastidious. Refinement of
native dishes. What the daily bread is like. Hindu caution
after the bath.

In the last chapter we spoke of the women singing when they are
grinding at the mill. The grinding-stones of their handmills are of
various sizes. The smaller ones are rather more than a foot in
diameter, and can be worked by one person. The lower millstone is let
into the ground. The upper one has an upright wooden handle stuck into
it near the edge. The grinder sits on the ground close to the stones,
and grasping the handle causes the upper stone to revolve vigorously.
The larger stones have two handles, and then two women work together.
They often go on grinding for some hours, generally beginning in the
early morning while it is still cool. By preference they only grind
what is required for the day's use, because the freshly-ground flour
is thought to make the best bread. But in the case of schools, or the
large composite families of prosperous Hindus, a large quantity of
flour is needed daily.

The custom of grinding the