of the fat Marwari with the cakes, the “Lo phote, lo phote” (Buy my cocoa-cakes) of a little old Malabari woman, dressed in a red “lungi” and white cotton jacket, and the cry of the “bajri” and “chaval” seller, clad simply in a coarse “dhoti” and second-hand skull-cap, purchased at the nearest rag-shop.  And as he passes, bending under the weight of his sacks, you catch the chink of the little empty coffee-cups without handles, which the itinerant Arab is soon to fill for his patrons from the portable coffee-pot in his left hand, or the tremulous “malpurwa jaleibi” of the lean Hindu from Kathiawar who caters for the early breakfast of the millhand.  Mark him as he pauses to oblige a customer; mark his oil-stained shirt, and loose turban, once white but now deep-brown from continual contact with the bottom of his tray of oil-fried sweetmeats:  watch him as he worships with clasped hands the first coin that has fallen to his share this morning, calling it his “Boni” or lucky handsel and striking it twice or thrice against the edge of his tray to ward off the fiend of “No Custom.”  But hark! the children have heard of his arrival; a shrill cry of “Come in, jaleibiwala” forces him to drop the first coin into his empty pocket; and with silent steps he disappears down the dark passage of the neighbouring chal.

[Illustration:  The seller of “Malpurwa jaleibi".]

Now, as the Faithful wend their way homewards, bands of cheerful millhands hasten past you to the mills, and are followed by files of Koli fisherfolk,—­the men unclad and red-hatted, with heavy creels, the women tight-girt and flower-decked, bearing their headloads of shining fish at a trot towards the markets.  The houses disgorge a continuous stream of people, bound upon their daily visit to the market, both men and women carrying baskets of palm-leaf matting for their purchases; and a little later the verandahs, “otlas,” and the streets are crowded with Arabs, Persians, and north-country Indians, seated in groups to sip their coffee or sherbet and smoke the Persian or Indian pipe.  Baluchis and Makranis wander into the ghi and flour shops and purchase sufficient to hand over to the baker, who daily prepares their bread for them; the “panseller” sings the virtue of his wares in front of the cook-shop; the hawkers—­the Daudi Bohra of “zari purana” fame, the Kathiawar Memon, the Persian “pashmak-seller” crying “Phul mitai” (flower sweets), start forth upon their daily pilgrimage; while in the centre of the thoroughfare the “reckla,” the landau, the victoria and the shigram bear their owners towards the business quarters of the city.  “Mera churan mazedar uso khate hain, sirdar,” and past you move a couple of drug-sellers, offering a word of morning welcome to their friend the Attar (perfumer) from the Deccan; while above your head the balconies are gradually filling with the mothers and children of the city, playing, working, talking and watching the human panorama unfold before their eyes.