One of them carried a "bina," a second an ordinary school-slate covered
with crude cabalistic signs and a third a rude book, something like a
Vani's "chopda," filled with Marathi characters, which doubtless plays a
part in the fortune-telling and spirit-scaring that form the stock-in-trade
of these wandering hierophants. Hardly had they disappeared than four
Sadhus hove in sight. One of them, who was smeared with ashes from head to
foot, the lobes of whose ears had been pierced and dragged down till they
nearly touched his shoulders, and who wore an enormous rosary of Rudraksha
berries, acted as the spokesman of the party and stated that they were on
their way to Nasik. They had come from Benares, he said, and had spent a
week in the shady compound of the Mahalaksmi temple, where all the
Bairagis, Gosavis and Fakirs of the Indian continent from time to time
congregate. "Do you walk to Nasik or go by rail" we asked. "By rail"
replied the silver-man. "But surely the true Sadhu should walk, taking no
heed of horse-vehicle or fire-carriage," whereat the little fat ascetic
with the gourd smiled pleasantly and made some remark to the effect that
all methods of conveyance are permitted to the truly devout.

So they passed down Ripon Road towards the heart of the City. Followed a
couple of Muhammadan Kasais driving a small flock of sheep, dyed pink and
blue in patches, which they urged forward in approved Native fashion by
driving the fingers into the base of the hindmost animal's spine; and after
them wandered a Syed in a faded green silk robe and cap, carrying the
inevitable peacock feather brush, which plays so large a part in exorcism
and divination. Later in the day a Hindu lady-doctor hurried past on her
way home, and four youths of the student-class, who had left their legal
studies in the Fort to see what was toward in the northern portion of the
Island. A Municipal sweeper lurched across the open and proceeded to spend
twenty minutes in brushing the grating of a drain, leaving the accumulated
filth of the adjoining gutter to fester and pollute the surroundings; and