The dresses of the men and women differ very little from each other, and are mostly made of white cotton cloth.  In fashion, they sit close to the shape to the middle, and from thence hang loose to below the knee.  Under this they wear long close breeches down to their ancles, crumpled about the small of their legs like boots.  Their feet are put bare into their shoes, which are made like slippers, that they may be readily put off on entering their houses, the floors of which are covered with excellent carpets of the country manufacture, as good as any made in Turkey or Persia.  Instead of these carpets, some have other floor-cloths, according to the quality of the owner.  On these they sit when conversing or eating, like tailors on the shop-board.  The men’s heads are covered by turbans, being sashes, or long webs of thin cloth, white or coloured, wreathed many times about.  They do not uncover their heads in making reverence, instead of which they bow their bodies, placing the right hand on the top of the head, after which they touch the earth with that hand, as if indicating that the party saluted may tread upon them if he please.  Those who are equals take each other by the chin or beard, as Joab did Amasa; but salute in love, not in treachery.

The Mahometan women, except such as are poor or dishonest, never appear abroad.  Though not fair, they are all well favoured, have their heads covered with veils, and their hair hanging down behind, twisted with silk.  Those of quality are decorated with many jewels hung around their necks, and about their wrists and arms; and they have several holes round their ears in which they hang pendents, besides that every woman has a hole in her nostrils, in which to wear a ring, which seems to have been an ancient ornament, being mentioned in the Old Testament.  Their women are happy above all others I have ever heard of; in the ease with which they bear their children, being one day able to ride with their infants unborn, and to ride again the next with their child in their arms.

The language of the common people of this country, called Hindoostanee, is smooth, and easily pronounced, and is written from left to right, as we do.  The learned tongues are the Persian and Arabic, which are written backwards, from right to left, like the Hebrew.  There is but little learning among them, which may be owing to the scarcity of books, which are all in manuscript, and therefore few and dear; but they are a people of good capacity, and were they to cultivate literature among them, would assuredly produce many excellent works.  They have heard of Aristotle, whom they name Aplis, and have some of his writings translated into Arabic.  The noble physician, Avicenna, was a native of Samarcandia, the country of Tamerlane, and in this science they possess good skill.  The most prevalent diseases of this country are dysenteries, hot fevers, and calentures, in all which they prescribe abstinence as a principal