Once in London, I think in June, 1885, if I remember rightly, when speaking to him of the different castes and their faiths, I was much interested and surprised at the feeling way he spoke of and in a measure appreciated their feelings, of the Parsees, whom he described as the Jews of India, with their great wealth and expenditure, endowing schools, building hospitals, and taking part in many great financial undertakings, so full of soul and feeling, that they will not allow their dead to pollute the earth, yet do not hesitate to offer up the human bodies of those they loved as plunder and food to the disgusting, flesh-eating vultures, who sit watching the white road leading from the City of Bombay to the “Tower of Silence.” It is revolting to hear the cry of those almost featherless, horrid-looking birds, as they see another pathetic procession winding its way up the hill. Of the Hindus, who while considering it wicked and cruel to kill, and against their religion, still will work their cattle until unable to stand any longer, and then leave them to die of thirst and misery, rather than put them out of their pain. Animals in India are supposed to possess souls, and are worshipped, that being the case one wonders they dare so ill-treat them. The life of the Hindu is one perpetual ceremony from the time of birth to the day when he is burnt by the side of the Holy Ganges. Lord William and I agreed that their religion must be a most absorbing and real thing in their lives, otherwise the perpetual observance, and ritual, from morn to eve would become most irksome, yet some of it appeals to us as rather beautiful. The first thing in the morning on awaking the Hindu turns to the East and prays to his Sun-god, then to the river to cleanse himself and perform his ablutions, asking his god to keep him from all temptation, all sin in taste, touch, word, thought or deed. From the river to the barber to be shaved, a most important part of the curriculum, for only a tiny tuft of hair is allowed to any Hindu, and even that must be hidden by his head-dress. The different caste marks of the natives worn on the forehead are distinctly interesting, and once when we were boasting how much we knew about all these things, I asked Lord William if he could tell them straight off from memory. He bet me a sovereign he could. I felt I might easily lose my sovereign, so beat him down to five shillings, which I told him was as much as I could afford to lose. I could see from the merry twinkle in his eye he thought he had me on toast, so just as he was beginning I said: “If we are not agreed what is going to happen, who shall be the judge?” In a moment he named a mutual friend we were likely to meet at Hurlingham on the following Saturday. This being settled, he asked: “Where shall I begin?” _Author_: “With the Hindus.” _Lord William_: “A triangle encircling a dot.” _Author_: “Right.” _Lord William_: “The Brahmans, one single spot on the middle of the forehead.”