am inclined to think, that these crabs are the same which Bishop Heber met with near Poonah, and which are thus described by him: :- "The plain of Poonah is very bare of trees; and though there are some gardens immediately around the city, yet as both these and the city itself is in a small hollow on the banks of the river Moolah, they are not sufficiently conspicuous to interrupt the general character of nakedness in the picture, any more than the few young trees and ornamental shrubs with which the bungalows of the cantonment are intermingled. The principal and most pleasing feature is a small insulated hill immediately over the town, with the temple of the goddess Parvati on its summit, and a large tank (which, when I saw it, was nearly dry,) at its base. All the grass-land round this tank, and generally through the Deccan, swarms with a small land-crab, which burrows in the ground, and runs with considerable swiftness, even when encumbered with a bundle of food almost as big as itself. This food is grass, or the green stalks of rice; and it is amusing to see them sitting as it were upright, to cut their hay with their sharp pincers, and then waddling off with the sheaf to their holes, as quickly as their sidelong pace will carry them." As it has been commonly supposed that all land-crabs retired at certain seasons of the year to the sea-side to deposit their eggs in salt-water, Mr. Broderip has made an interesting observation respecting the land-crabs spoken of by Bishop Heber. In the fourth volume

of the Zoological Journal, he says, that "when we call to mind the position of Poonah, and read of the neighbouring river and tank, we may feel inclined to ask whether the river or the tank might not be the scene of ovipositing ;" and, he adds, that "it is not improbable that there may be a race of land-crabs appropriated to continental, or even insular situations out of reach of the ocean, and that fresh water may be as necessary to their re-production as sea-water is to the land-crabs of the West Indies. Such a supposition," he thinks, "is in unison with the bountiful provisions of Nature for the general diffusion of animal life."

Bidding adieu to the land-crabs and to Colabah, we will now turn our attention to some of the natives, who, in the way of their respective occupations, minister so largely to an Englishman's comfort and happiness in India; and whose useful services may be said to be indispensable in every bungalow.

CHAPTER IX.

"I have known cases in which a kind-hearted woman would have esteemed herself "robbed of a privilege, if her lover had asked any other person than herself so much as to mend his glove, yet is it not impossible for the same woman two years after marriage, to say-'my sister, or my cousin, will do that for you. I am too busy now.'"

MRS. ELLIS," WOMEN OF ENGLAND."

Establishment of a wealthy merchant. Three classes of servants. Ladies' maids and Ayehs. Affection of Indian nurses, their love for your children. Sketch of a Dobie or washer man. How to get up linen. Advice to new arrivals. Sketch of the Bheestie, or water-bearer. The grunt at your bed room door. The Delhi brooch. Temptations to be avoided. Sketch of the Dergie or plain sewing-man. His beautiful work. English ladies and poor husbands. A box on the ear for stupidity. Indian butter. An old favourite. Sketch of Meeta and Metrane sweepers. Poor despised people. Chandalas forbidden to reside in towns. Their calling. Gravediggers and executioners. The First visitor at your Bungalow. Troubles with superstitious servants. The Molly or gardener. The Garry-Wallah and his horses. Indian jewellers. Their tools and workmanship. Wealth and talents. How to make a gold chain. Danger of fraud, &c., &c.

MAN is every where a dependent creature, constantly looking to others for support and assistance; and I scarcely know of any country where he feels this

dependence more than in India. In the case of an Englishman, the climate alone is sufficient to produce this effect. The domestic establishment of a wealthy merchant is not thought to be complete unless he have eighteen or twenty paid servants in his employ. This display of slaves, as they were absurdly called, (for a man cannot be a slave who is master of his own liberty, and properly remunerated for his services,) does not arise from any particular love of having a great show of these people in your pay, but simply from the circumstance that the individual services of each cannot be dispensed with. Nearly half your servants are kept entirely as palanquinbearers, and men to look after your horses and carriages. The servants who reside on your premises may be divided into three distinct classes-Portuguese, Hindoos, and Mohammedans; in order that one man may be useful, when another's religion will not allow him to be so. Each has his separate work allotted to him; and with this understanding they get on very well together. Your Mohammedan servants will not clean your boots, because the brushes are made of the bristles of the hateful animal; your Hindoo servants will not touch a plate or dish that has been defiled by yourself, or by a Portuguese; and hence arises the necessity of having servants of different castes. It was the custom formerly,-perhaps as matter of fashion, for a family going out to India to take with them a well-educated lady's-maid, who could fulfil all the duties belonging to her station, and also, when

necessary, assist in the instruction of your children. This of course could only be accomplished by a wealthy family, and involved a serious outlay and responsibility. However, it was the fashion; and numbers of young females, often respectably connected, thus found their way out to India. If they were good looking, they seldom remained six months unmarried; and even those least favoured in outward attractions soon found a partner and a home amidst the hundreds of single old gentlemen, who wanted housekeepers rather than wives, to complete their happiness in their adopted country. The consequence of all this was, that English ladies got tired of trying experiments which proved so costly. Ayehs came into fashion, and ladies'-maids went out. Your Ayeh, or nurse, takes care of your children in the day, and sleeps in the same room with them at night. She is often a faithful creature, and remains with you for life. She loves, to distraction, your little ones; and they return it, by scarcely ever bearing to be out of her sight. Her affection becomes so strong, that she will often relinquish every tie that binds her to her native land, to follow you, and the objects of her unconquerable attachment. She teaches your children little Indian songs and tales; many of which are very beautiful, and it is marvellous how soon they pick up from her the language of the country, acting as they often do as little interpreters to their parents. The Ayeh spends all her spare money if not prevented, in buying little missey and massa Poonah and