The natives are extremely negligent regarding the strength of their floors; they seem to be fully satisfied when the places where they lie down on their mats are tolerably dry; though it is by no means uncommon to see the whole interior so extremely damp, that, if any seeds, such as wheat, peas, rice, &c., happen to fall, and to be swept to the skirts of the apartments, such are sure to vegetate; frequently exhibiting a very promising blade, before they fall, rather in consequence of accident, than of design on the part of the tenants. Whatever the flooring may consist of, whether clay, or tarras, that of the eating apartment is, almost invariably, smeared with a solution of cow-dung; which certainly gives a freshness, and may probably tend to salubrity; nor is it so devoid of neatness as an European would imagine; but the scent is by no means agreeable. Some ornament both the interior, and the exterior, of their houses, by dipping the palms of their hands, horizontally, into solutions of ochre, chiefly red, and then imprinting the walls with their hands thus colored. These prints are put on irregularly, by no means proving the taste of the operators, who, nevertheless, consider their huts to be, (in the language of church-wardens,) ‘beautified;’ the great consideration is, however, to typify the infinite power of the Creator, whose hands are supposed to be innumerable, and perpetually in action. Even horses, especially if white or dun colored, are very frequently marked in the same manner, by means of _mindy_, (or _hinnah_;) which, being reduced to a pulp, is applied to the part in such form as it may be intended to appear. This plaster, for I know not what else to call it, is allowed to remain until perfectly dry; when it commonly cracks and falls off, leaving a rich _barré_ color; though, if not allowed, either by the animal’s restlessness, or from want of time, to impart its coloring matter duly, the stain will shew much fainter; perhaps not unlike a light mahogany color. The natives rarely omit to tinge about ten inches, or a foot, of the extremity of the tail of every light-colored horse with _mindy_: sometimes, also, at about two inches asunder, one or two rings are stained in the same manner. Nor is this herb restricted solely to the ornamenting, or, rather, the disguising of horses, oxen &c.; the Hindostanee ladies generally stain the whole of the interior of their hands, including the fingers, as well as the soles of their feet, with _mindy_; the tips of all the nails are sure to undergo the operation; which often compels the party sustaining this gratifying penance, to sit motionless for hours; in order that the dye may take a firm hold of the skin. When properly managed, the stain will remain for at least a month; resisting every endeavor to wash it out, and seeming only to yield to the constant growth of the outer skin.