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FOLLOWING    THE    EQUATOR

A  while  after  midnigfit  d  couple  of  celebrated  and
high-priced  nautch-girls  appeared  in  the  gorgeous
place,  and  danced  and  sang.  With  them  were  men
who  played  upon  strange  instruments  which  made
uncanny  noises  oi  a  sort  to  make  one's  flesh  creep.
One  of  these  instruments  was  a  pipe,  and  to  its
music  the  girls  went  through  a  performance  which
represented  snake-charming.  It  seemed  a  doubtful
sort  of  music  to  charm  anything  with,  but  a  native
gentleman  assured  nxe  that  snakes  like  it  and  will
come  out  of  their  holes  and  listen  to  it  with  every
evidence  of  refreshment  and  gratitude.  He  saici
that  at  an  entertainment  in  his  grounds  once,  the
pipe  brought  out  half  a  dozen  snakes,  and  the  miisic
had  to  be  stopped  before  they  would  be  persuaded
to  go.  Nobody  wanted  their  company,  for  they
were  bold,  familiar,  and  dangerous;  but  ho  one
ip^puld  kiU  them,  of  coiirse,  for  it  is  sinfid  for  a  Hindu
to  kill  any  kind  of  a  creature.
We  withdrew  from  the  festivities  at  two  in  the
morning.  Another  picttire,  then — ^but  it  has  lodged
itself  in  my  memory  rather  as  a  stage-scene  than  as
a  reality.  It  is  of  a  porch  and  short  flight  of  steps
crowded  with  dark  faces  and  ghostly  white  draperies
riooded  with  the  strong  glare  from  the  dazzling  con-
centration of  illuminations;  and  midway  of  the  steps
one  conspicuous  figure  for  accent-^a  turbaned  giant,
with  a  name  according  to  his  size:  Rao  Bahadtu"
Baskirao  Balinkahje  Pitale,  Vakeel  to  his  Highness
the  Gaikwar  of  Baroda.  Without  him  the  picture
Would  riot  have  been  complete;  and  if  his  name  had
been  merely  Smith,   he  wouldn't  have  answered.
