Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-10-30
tom-tom player, another with a
banJo-like instrument and pretty
dancing girl. For few pice the
girls will give a song-and. dance on

the street, and the troupe may b,
engaged for holding entertainments
marriage fetes, etc. The Nautct
girl is usually we'll supplied with
jewelry in the way OF earrings
nose-rings, armlets and anklets ant
every step is accompanied by theil
jingling. Sometimes the rings ans
beads about the ankles alone
will weigh one or two pounds
which is certainly a little burden
some and altogether inappropriate
to their profession.
THE sAMPH AND BANDA-wALLA.
The samph-walla, or snake char
mel, goes about the streets with two
or three poisonous reptiles and I
sort of flute and gives exhibitions
of his skill tozgHasever will en-.
courage him with a small coin. He
will turn the serpents loose anG
drive them away, then bring them
back to him by the charm of music
They sometimes bite viciously
while he handles them, but as soon
as he blows upon the flute they
will come close to his side, and re.
main quite motionless and docile
The banda-walla, with pair ot
monkeys and a bear or goat, travels
through the streets with a peculiar
rattle in his hand and leading the
animals. The bear, being rather
expensive, is not SO common as the
monkeys and goats, but when he is
present an extra hand is required
to lead him on account of his dis
position to quarrel with HE com.
panions. The walla, when giving
performance, squats upon the
ground and singing and shaking
the rattle he direct the movements
of the animals. The monkeys
waltz and go through a variety OF
gymnastic feats, while the goa,
will stand on his head and per.
form several amusing antics.
BATHERs IN THE SACRED RIVER.
The bathers at the numerous
CHATS along the Ganges form a
somewhat animated and novel
spectacle, though swimming is
rarely INDUCED In. The Hindoos
have a great veneration for this
river, and to bathe in its sacred
waters is believed to impart purity
to both soul and body. For bathing
accommodation large number Of
CHATS, or ranges of stone steps
down the river banks, are construct
ed, and throughout the day hun.
dreds of men, women and chill
dren may be seen at these places
washing themselves and performing
religious ceremonies. They entel
the water with piece ofgauze-like
cloth about the waist and, with
salaams and murmuring prayers
they bathe and go away. On Ger
tam religious occasions continu
Gus bands of Hindoos will marcf
through the streets, down to tn,
CHATS. beating tom-toms and carry
ing gaily atti1ed images which they
throw into the river.
| NATIVE WOMEN IN PUBLIC.
At the museum in Calcutta or, a
the Geological Garden near tn,
suburb, Kidderpoor, many higl
caste Hindoo women can be seel
who would otherwise be ditficul
for stranger to look upon. the,
being kept in guarded seciusion a
their homes and closely veile'
when taken through the streets
Opportunities are not wanting t.
obtain a glimpse of their faces a
these public resorts, for when thei
husbands are not looking they will
carry on a little filtration with
foreigner of good appearance
They appear eager to get look a
a foreigner, and whenever the eye
of their It's are not upon ther
they will purposely uncover thei
faces. They are usually seen i
troops of half a dozen or So
Baboo and his wives, and probabl
; one or two of his daughters, wit
not less than three male servan,
to watch the women. Many {
these women have strikingly beat
tiful faces but they act and tai
like young children and their lnte
lects would not compare yer
> favorably with those of their sex {
the Caucasion race.
Yours very truly,
W. K. ROBERTS.