1810.—"Petroleum, called by the natives earth-oil ... which is imported from Pegu, Ava, and the Arvean (read Aracan) Coast."—Williamson, V.M. ii. 21-23.
ECKA, s. A small one-horse carriage used by natives. It is Hind. ekkā, from ek, 'one.' But we have seen it written acre, and punned upon as quasi-acher, by those who have travelled by it! [Something of the kind was perhaps known in very early times, for Arrian (Indika, xvii.) says: "To be drawn by a single horse is considered no distinction." For a good description with drawing of the ekka, see Kipling, Beast and Man in India, 190 seq.]
1811.—"... perhaps the simplest carriage that can be imagined, being nothing more than a chair covered with red cloth, and fixed upon an axle-tree between two small wheels. The Ekka is drawn by one horse, who has no other harness than a girt, to which the shaft of the carriage is fastened."—Solvyns, iii.
1834.—"One of those native carriages called ekkas was in waiting. This vehicle resembles in shape a meat-safe, placed upon the axletree of two wheels, but the sides are composed of hanging curtains instead of wire pannels."—The Baboo, ii. 4.
[1843.—"Ekhees, a species of single horse carriage, with cloth hoods, drawn by one pony, were by no means uncommon."—Davidson, Travels in Upper India, i. 116.]
EED, s. Arab. 'Īd. A Mahommedan holy festival, but in common application in India restricted to two such, called there the baṛī and chhoṭī (or Great and Little) 'Id. The former is the commemoration of Abraham's sacrifice, the victim of which was, according to the Mahommedans, Ishmael. [See Hughes, Dict. of Islam, 192 seqq.] This is called among other names, Baḳr-'Īd, the 'Bull 'Īd,' Baḳarah 'Īd, 'the cow festival,' but this is usually corrupted by ignorant natives as well as Europeans into Bakrī-'Id (Hind. bakrā, f. bakrī, 'a goat'). The other is the 'Īd of the Ramazān, viz. the termination of the annual fast; the festival called in Turkey Bairam, and by old travellers sometimes the "Mahommedan Easter."
c. 1610.—"Le temps du ieusne finy on celebre vne grande feste, et des plus solennelles qu'ils ayent, qui s'appelle ydu."—Pyrard de Laval, i. 104; [Hak. Soc. i. 140].
[1671.—"They have allsoe a great feast, which they call Buckery Eed."—In Yule, Hedges' Diary, Hak. Soc. ii. cccx.]
1673.—"The New Moon before the New Year (which commences at the Vernal Equinox), is the Moors Æde, when the Governor in no less Pomp than before, goes to sacrifice a Ram or He-Goat, in remembrance of that offered for Isaac (by them called Ishauh); the like does every one in his own House, that is able to purchase one, and sprinkle their blood on the sides of their Doors."—Fryer, 108. (The passage is full of errors.)
1860.—"By the Nazim's invitation we took out a party to the palace at the Bakri Eed (or Feast of the Goat), in memory of the sacrifice of Isaac, or, as the Moslems say, of Ishmael."—Mrs. Mackenzie, Storms and Sunshine, &c., ii. 255 seq.