opening the door goes outside, and the girl slowly walks to her maid-servants, who accompanied her from her father's house. Her whole desire is to get back to her mother and sisters; nothing can reconcile her to her new home; novelty has no charms for her except in her paternal domicile. She repeatedly asks her maid-servants as to when the _Palkee_ will come, and what is the time fixed for her _jattra_, (departure); the maid-servants, consoling her, induce her to wash her mouth and break her fast with a few sweetmeats. In obedience to the kind instruction of her mother, she sits closely veiled and talks little, if at all, even to young girls of her tender age. She next takes her _vojan_, or dinner, and to while away time, little girls try to amuse her with toys or a game at cards; at length the time comes for the toilet work, and the arrival of the covered _Mohapaya_ is announced. She again takes a few sweetmeats, and making a _pronam_ (bow) to all her superiors, is helped into the Palkee by her mother-in-law, a female having previously washed her feet. The usual benediction on such an occasion is, "may you continue to live under the roof of your father-in-law in the enjoyment of conjugal bliss." On the arrival of the Mahapaya at her father's house, almost all the females come out for a moment, taking care previously to have the suddur door bolted and the Palkee bearers removed. They cheerfully welcome the return of the girl home. Her mother, unveiling her face and taking her in her arms, thus affectionately addresses her, "my _Bacha_, (child) my _sonarchand_ (golden moon) where have you been? Did not your heart mourn for us?" Our house looked _khakha_ (desolate) in your absence. "What did they (bridegroom's family) say about our _dayway thowya_ (presents)? Did they express any _nindya_, (dissatisfaction)? How have the women behaved towards you? How are your _sassooree_ and _sasoor_ (mother-in-law and father-in-law,)?" Thus interrogating, they all walk inside and, making the girl change her silk clothes and sit near them, begin to examine and criticise the ornaments given her by her father-in-law. "Let us see the pearl necklace _first_," says Bhoopada? "The pearls are not smooth and round, what may be its value?" _Geeri Balla_, taking her own pearl necklace from off her neck, compares the one with the other. They unanimously pronounce the latter to be more costly than the former; be that as it may, its value cannot be less than Rupees 500. They next take in hand the _pitjapa_, ornament for the back, looking at it for a few minutes they pass their opinion, saying it is heavier and better made than that of _Geeri Balla_. The _Sita haur_, or _Jarawya_[45] (gold necklace) afterwards attracts their attention, and they roughly estimate its price at Rupees 350. It is not a little surprising that though these women are never permitted to go beyond the precincts of the zenana, yet their valuation of ornaments, unless it be a _jarawya bijoutry_ of