The _Bābū_ is conversing with his European guests, and offering flowers to one of the ladies, who, seated on a sofa, is talking to those around her, and witnessing the _nāch_. The dancing-girls wear a very full petticoat of fine-coloured muslin, trimmed with deep borders of gold and silver, full satin trowsers which all but cover their naked and jewelled feet; and the _dopatta_, a large veil worn over the head, is highly embroidered. Various ornaments of native jewellery adorn their persons; their anklets are formed of numerous small brass bells that sound in time with their steps in the measured dance, and rings adorn their toes. In the thumb ring, which is about two inches in diameter, a bit of looking-glass is inserted, in which the nāch-girl often looks to see if her tresses are in order, and to adjust her flowing drapery. They dance, or rather move in a circle, attitudinizing and making the small brass bells fastened to their ankles sound in unison with their movements. Several men, the musicians of the party, attend each set of nāch-girls; they play on divers curiously-shaped native instruments. In the hands of one of the native servants, standing near the steps, is a silver tray containing a _gulab-dānī_ (a gold or silver vessel used in sprinkling rose-water on departing guests), and the smaller vessel at its side, of elegant form, contains the _’atr_ of roses, which is placed on their hands at the same time. Before the temples of Dūrga thousands of animals are annually slaughtered and offered to her image. In the portico is represented the sacrifice of a goat; the officiating Brahman, after bathing it, either in the river or in the house, puts his left hand on its forehead, marks its horns and forehead with red-lead, and repeats an invocation, in which he offers it up to the goddess thus: “O goddess, I sacrifice this goat to thee, that I may live in thy heaven to the end of ten years.” He then reads an incantation in its ear, and puts flowers and sprinkles water on its head. The instrument with which the animal is to be killed is next consecrated; the goat’s head is then put into an upright post, excavated at the top so as to admit the neck between its forks, the body remaining on one side the post and the head on the other; after which the executioner cuts off the head with one blow. After all the animals have been thus killed, and some of the flesh and the heads carried before the image, the officiating Brahman repeats certain prayers over these offerings and presents them to the goddess. The square pillars of the building are of pure Hindostānī architecture, very singular, and elaborately carved. OFFERING OF LIGHTS TO THE RIVER.