I found the rooms furnished in the European manner, with chairs, tables, sofas, ottomans, pictures, mirrors, etc.  The dress of the women was little different from that of the more wealthy Hindoos; it was more decorous, as it was not made of transparent muslin, but of silk; and they had, moreover, trousers.  The silk was richly embroidered with gold, which luxury is extended to three-year old children.  The younger ones, and even the newly-born infants, are wrapped in plain silk stuff.  The children wore little caps, worked with gold and silver.  The Parsee women consider gold ornaments, pearl and precious stones as necessary a part of their dress as the Hindoos; even in the house they wear a great quantity, but when visiting, or on the occasion of any festival, the jewellery of a wealthy Parsee woman is said to exceed in value 100,000 rupees (10,000 pounds).  Children of only seven or eight months old, wear finger-rings and bracelets of precious stones or pearls.

The dress of the men consists of wide trousers and long kaftans.  The shirts and trousers are chiefly made of white silk, the jacket of white muslin.  The turban differs greatly from that of the Mahomedans; it is a cap of pasteboard, covered with coloured stuff or waxed cloth, ten or twelve inches high.

Both men and women wear round their waists, over the shirt, a girdle passing twice round, which they take off during prayers and hold in their hands; with this exception, they are never seen without it.  The law is so strict with regard to the point, that whoever does not wear the girdle is driven out of society.  No agreement or contract is valid if the girdle is not worn when it is made.  The children begin to wear it when they reach their ninth year.  Before this ceremony, they do not belong to the community; they may even eat of food prepared by Christians, and the girls can accompany their fathers in a public place.  The girdle changes all; the son eats at his father’s table, the girls remain at home, etc.

A second religious ordinance relates to the shirt; this must be cut of a certain length and breadth, and consist of nine seams, which are folded over each other on the breast in a peculiar manner.

A Parsee is allowed to have only one wife.  If the wife has no children, or only girls, during a period of nine years, he can, if she consents, be divorced from her, and marry another; he must, however, still provide for her.  She can also marry again.  According to the religious belief of the Parsee, he is certain to enjoy perfect happiness in a future state of existence if he has a wife and a son in this life.

The Parsees are not divided into castes.  In the course of time the Parsees have acquired many of the customs of the Hindoos.  For example, the women are not allowed to show themselves in public places; in the house they are separated from the men, take their meals alone, and are, upon the whole, considered more as mere property.  The girls are promised when children, and betrothed to the man when in their fourteenth year; if, however, the bridegroom dies, the parents can seek for another.  It is considered by the Parsees to be a disgrace if the father does not find a husband for his daughter.