Page:Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian.djvu/241

 222 The animals used by the common sort for riding on are camels and horses and asses, while the wealthy use elephants, — for it is the elephant which in India carries royalty. || The conveyance which ranks next in honour is the chariot and . four ; the camel ranks third ; while to be drawn by a single horse is considered no- distinction at all.^ But Indian women, if possessed of uncom- mon discretion, would not stray from virtue for any reward short of an elephant, but on receiv- ing this a lady lets the giver enjoy her person. Nor do the Indians consider it any disgrace to a woman to grant her favours for an elephant, but it is rather regarded as a high compUment to the sex that their charms should be deemed worth an elephant They marry without either giving or taking dowries, but the women, as soon as they are marriageable, are brought forward by their fathers and exposed in public, to be selected by the victor in wrestUng or boxing or running, or by some one who excels in any other manly exercise.* The people of India live upon grain, and are tillers of the soil ; but we must except the hillmen, who eat the flesh of beasts of chase. only < Hence one of his names is Y Arana, implying that he not r carries but protects his royal rider. ^ The efcfea, so common in the north-west of India, is no doubt here indicated. ^ to the eifaract from Strabo pp. 70-71 will show. See Wheeler's History of Indiay pp. 167-8. Digitized by Google if
 * Marriage customs appear to have varied, as a reference