s
accompanying a poor, faded-looking woman, who was singing in a
peculiar hoarse voice, with a slight attempt at action, and a feeble
sort of skip at the end of each stanza. I did not understand what she
was singing, but I soon withdrew, because the songs sung at such times
are said to be nearly always bristling with improprieties.

But Indians take most of their pleasures sadly, and the curious
feature of the whole scene was the complete absence of anything
corresponding to fun or merriment. Both the singer and the members of
the band were evidently meaning to be funny, but the audience might
have been listening to a dull sermon in church, so far as their grave
and uninterested faces were concerned. A visitor at any time almost
during the festivities would have found them in the same condition.
Even when feasting, beyond a certain enjoyment in the process, there
is no indication of merriment in the silent meal.

The wrestling competitions began in the late afternoon, when the power
of the sun had a little moderated, and lasted until dusk. They were
held in a field just outside the village, on newly ploughed land,
which affords a soft bed for the combatants when they fall. Many
large and beautiful mango-trees gave welcome shade to the two or three
thousand spectators, who formed an immense and deep ring round the
arena. Some of the young men of the place, armed with sticks,
displayed much energy in keeping the ground clear. The elders of the
village arranged the order of proceedings, and who was to compete with
who. But in spite of the great assembly taking evident interest in
what was going on, and especially in the spirited contests between
boy-wrestlers, it was a distinctly dull crowd, and there was little
animation in the faces of those who were watching the events closely.
The only group in which something approaching to cheerfulness was
visible was in the knot of customers gathered round the sellers of
fruit and drinks. On the road home the crowd sometimes shows a measure
of joviality, and it is always customary to usher victorious wrestlers
into their own village with shouts and loud proclamation of what has
been accomplished. After a victory in one of the big city contests the
hero may even be escorted home with lights and music.

It is in games, perhaps, more than in anything else, that national
characteristics make themselves apparent. This is specially noticeable
in India when anyone gets injured in sports