He was totally destitute: but of this I was ignorant, until the next day. The effluvium was so bad, and the danger of infection so fearful, it was necessary to remove him at once from the garden.
There is a pink leprosy very common: I have often seen a man—once I saw two men—bathing amongst a multitude of men and women, their skins were pink, like the pink of salmon; the disease is not catching, I understand, and they are not avoided.
Another leprosy shows itself in white spots on their dark skins. I was practising archery one morning early; suddenly from behind a tree, a woman came to me, and throwing herself on the ground, laid hold of my foot with both hands, and bent her head upon it; saying, “Mercy, mercy, Beebee Sāhiba!” “May you bathe in milk, and be fruitful in children[78]!” A gentleman present caught me by the shoulder, and pulled me back, at the same time speaking angrily to the woman. “Do you not see,” said he, “she is a leper? She is covered with spots, come away, I am very sorry she touched you.” I gave her some ānās, and told her to go to the hospital—one established by the contributions of the gentlemen at the station, and supported by subscription. There is, also, an asylum for the blind, supported in the same manner.
If I remember correctly, in the course of six weeks after the opening of the Leper Hospital, it contained sixty patients. I have often walked my horse round the compound, during my morning ride, to look at the poor creatures.
The elephantiasis, called by the natives fīl-paī, from fīl, an elephant, and paī a foot, is sometimes seen in the Up Country, but is not as common as in Bengal; perhaps the chapāties, thin cakes of unleavened bread which the natives here eat, conduce more to health than rice, the principal food in Bengal. However that may be, it is certain so many miserable objects are not to be seen here afflicted with fīl-paī, as in that low, marshy, and swampy country.
Divine service is performed at Allahabad, either in the Fort or at the Circuit Bungalow, the resident families being unable amongst themselves to raise a sum sufficient to build a handsome church: nevertheless they are the most liberal contributors to all charitable institutions.
LACHHMĪ, THE GODDESS OF BEAUTY.
There is to be a raffle for an English imported chestnut horse. I have taken a ticket, but not without first invoking Lachhmī, the goddess of beauty and prosperity. She who is painted yellow, and dwells in a water-lily, the goddess of fortunate signs; she who holds the water-lily in her hands, she in whom all take refuge, the wife of Hŭrēē.
If a man be growing rich, the Hindoos say, “Lachhmī is gone to abide in his house:” if he be sinking into poverty, “Lachhmī has forsaken him.” If they wish to abuse a man they call him “Lachhmī-chara,” i.e. luckless.
