Supposing a wall to be run up to any height, if the stick be applied to the upper tier of bricks, and the weight swings so as just to come in contact with the ground tier, the wall will be perpendicular. The method is simple, and the apparatus portable; therefore I may safely recommend their adoption to our workmen; especially when a large plumb-bevil is not at hand. It is true, that many of the bricklayers, employed under regular architects, may be seen to use our tools of every description; but this takes place only under such guidance: in all other instances, the native bricklayer resorts to the practices of his ancestors; though, to say the truth, they are by no means so unwilling to change for better, as the opinionated British mechanic; who, I am obliged to confess, must yield the palm for sobriety, cheapness, ingenuity, and docility, to the unlettered artisan of the East. Nevertheless, I am sensible that one English workman will ‘knock off’ more work than two, or perhaps three, Asiatics of the same profession, and finish that work in higher style; but, if we take into consideration, that the latter employs tools such as the former would pronounce to be useless, and, that he learns all by rote, without the smallest idea of figures, proportions, or computations, we must, however unwillingly, give a verdict by no means partial to our countrymen.
Another point greatly in favor of the poor Hindu, is, that he exercises not only the profession of bricklayer, but of plasterer, tarras-maker, &c. In like manner, we find the two professions of looaur (blacksmith) and burrye (carpenter) often exercised by the same individual. I once built a phaeton at Cawnpore, solely with the aid of a reputed blacksmith, who wrought every part of the iron work in a very superior manner, and constructed the whole of the wood-work in an excellent style. Nay, he made the head, and lined it with woollen very neatly; and, after all, lent a hand towards the painting. His wages were only eight rupees (twenty shillings) monthly, and he never had been concerned in constructing any kind of vehicle, except the hackery in common use; which has already been described.
The natives are extremely negligent regarding the strength of their floors; they seem to be fully satisfied when the places where they lie down on their mats are tolerably dry; though it is by no means uncommon to see the whole interior so extremely damp, that, if any seeds, such as wheat, peas, rice, &c., happen to fall, and to be swept to the skirts of the apartments, such are sure to vegetate; frequently exhibiting a very promising blade, before they fall, rather in consequence of accident, than of design on the part of the tenants. Whatever the flooring may consist of, whether clay, or tarras, that of the eating apartment is, almost invariably, smeared with a solution of cow-dung; which certainly gives a freshness, and may probably tend to salubrity; nor is it so devoid of neatness as an European would imagine; but the scent is by no means agreeable. Some ornament both the interior, and the exterior, of their houses, by dipping the palms of their hands, horizontally, into solutions of ochre, chiefly red, and then imprinting the walls with their hands thus colored. These prints are put on irregularly, by no means proving the taste of the operators, who, nevertheless, consider their huts to be, (in the language of church-wardens,) ‘beautified;’ the great consideration is, however, to typify the infinite power of the Creator, whose hands are supposed to be innumerable, and perpetually in action. Even horses, especially if white or dun colored, are very frequently marked in the same manner, by means of mindy, (or hinnah;) which, being reduced to a pulp, is applied to the part in such form as it may be intended to appear. This plaster, for I know not what else to call it, is allowed to remain until perfectly dry; when it commonly cracks and falls off, leaving a rich barré color; though, if not allowed, either by the animal’s restlessness, or from want of time, to impart its coloring matter duly, the stain will shew much fainter; perhaps not unlike a light mahogany color.
The natives rarely omit to tinge about ten inches, or a foot, of the extremity of the tail of every light-colored horse with mindy: sometimes, also, at about two inches asunder, one or two rings are stained in the same manner. Nor is this herb restricted solely to the ornamenting, or, rather, the disguising of horses, oxen &c.; the Hindostanee ladies generally stain the whole of the interior of their hands, including the fingers, as well as the soles of their feet, with mindy; the tips of all the nails are sure to undergo the operation; which often compels the party sustaining this gratifying penance, to sit motionless for hours; in order that the dye may take a firm hold of the skin. When properly managed, the stain will remain for at least a month; resisting every endeavor to wash it out, and seeming only to yield to the constant growth of the outer skin.
It has often occurred to me, that, possibly, an excellent dye for woollens might be obtained from the hinnah, which, being inspissated, or reduced to an extract, could be imported among our dyers with peculiar advantage. The plant, which is not unlike myrtle, is indigenous throughout Hindostan, where it is principally employed in making garden hedges, much the same as yew, box, &c., are among us; but, owing to its not proving a defence against cattle, and being of slow growth, the exterior hedges, in lieu of being formed of hinnah, are usually made of baubool, a species of mimosa, yielding some gum, and otherwise extremely serviceable; both from the excellence of its wood, for all circular or angular work, requiring great strength, durability, and toughness; and for its bark, which is at least equal to that of the oak for tanning. The natives consider the application of mindy to be attended with good effects; they say it is cooling, but I should rather apprehend it were the reverse, it being certainly an astringent, and contributing to check perspiration: hence, the hands of such as apply it commonly have a harsh, dry feel. That it may be a corrective of that scent sometimes attendant upon an habitual discharge from the feet, may be true; but, it remains still to be questioned, whether the obstruction of such a discharge can be reconciled to prudence: it is, however, a complaint very rarely to be met with in India; doubtless owing to frequent washing, and to that abundant and general perspiration which shews itself very conspicuously.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME
Transcriber’s Note
An extended quotation on the private lives of women, beginning on p. [347], is continued with each paragraph with an opening single quotation mark, which convention ends ambiguously, without comment, on p. [408]. The succeeding paragraph begins a section on kite flying. This is the only portion of the book to employ footnotes, save for those used to annotate a poem beginning on p. [504].