Close by was a little tank or pool of water, beautifully spangled over with the leaves and flowers of the water-lily.

Here several groups of Indian girls had assembled to enjoy the coolness of the water in a style which we envied not a little.

Instead of plunging in and swimming about as with us, one person sits down, while others pour pitchers of water over the head.

We took notice also of one particularly interesting party of young damsels, who waded in till the water reached nearly to their breasts.

Each of these girls held in her hand a chatty, or water-pot, shaped somewhat like an Etruscan vase, the top of which barely showed itself above the level of the pool.