Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 1) (London, 1832)

312 OBSERVATIONS ON THE

sit by day and sleep by night very comfortably,
without feeling any great inconvenience from
the absence of their bedsteads, which could
never be arranged for the accommodation of so
large an assemblage—nor is it ever expected.

The usually barren look of these almost unfur-
nished halls, is on such occasions quite changed,
when the ladies are assembled in their various
dresses ; the brilliant display of jewels, the glit-
tering drapery of their dress, the various expres-
sions of countenance, and different figures, the
multitude of female attendants and slaves, the
children of all ages and sizes in their variously
ornamented dresses, are subjects to attract both
the eye and the mind of an observing visitor;
and the hall, which when empty appeared deso-
late and comfortless, thus filled, leaves nothing
wanting to render the scene attractive.

The buzz of human voices, the happy playful-
ness of the children, the chaste singing of the
domenies fill up the animated picture. I have
sometimes passed an hour or two in witnessing
their innocent amusements, without any feeling
of regret for the brief sacrifice of time I had