None of your
trained disciplined eyes, taught to express feelings that do not exist;
but still eyes that equally deceive, eyes that nature in some strange
freak determined should ever look love. Unconsciously and
unintentionally they dart upon you the brightest, the most tender, nay,
even passionate glances. When looking at a young face, you only see the
eyes; eyes so voluptuous, so maddening, that you exclaim "good heavens
what a beautiful creature," and unless you are a calm and cool analyst
like myself, you may not discover that there is really no beauty save in
them. They dress their hair in a peculiar manner. It is plaited in a
number of small plaits joining two larger ones which fall over the
shoulders and unite in the middle of the back to form a long tail
terminating with a tassel. The larger plaits are mixed with wool, this
adds to their bulk, and increase the length of the tail, which often
extends below the knees. They wear a single loose gown, reaching in
ample folds nearly to the feet. On the head a small red skull cap, over
which is thrown the white (too often dirty) "chudder"--a light cloth
which hangs down the back and is used for veiling the face. The
boatwomen are renowned for their beauty. I have seen but little of it.
The Punditanees are said to be more beautiful than the boatwomen.
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