The Moonshy, or linguist, is ordinarily a teacher of some language, particularly the Persian and Hindui: though numbers are employed only as interpreters, or as scribes. Learning is their sole pursuit; and so far as that can reach in a country where but little is understood of philosophy and mathematics, some of them do assuredly advance themselves considerably. But, speaking of them in general, it will be found, that a few volumes of tales, the lives of those great men who have either invaded, or ruled, the empire, some moral tracts, and the Koran, (for moonshies are Mussulmans) constitute the acquirements of this very haughty class of servants. A moonshy is never so well pleased, as when the payment of the domestic establishment is confided to his charge. Here he is sure to touch the penny, and to create an influence very injurious to his employer’s interests: the whole tribe of menials, considering him to have full command of the whole concern, and viewing their master as a mere cypher, dread the moonshy’s authority, and crouch before him in the most submissive manner.
The banian rarely receives wages, or any immediate remuneration for his services; he knows full well, that no money can pass the files on his fingers without leaving some dust. The darogah is sometimes paid by centage on the quantity of goods he transmits, or on the amount of his account; but the moonshy is ever in the receipt of wages, which vary according to his own talents and reputation, or to the rank of his employer. Perhaps, a few may be found who receive more, but two gold mohurs, (equal to four guineas,) per month, may be taken as rather a liberal, than an ordinary, rate. Some do not receive more than eight or ten rupees; but, whatever the learning of such men may amount to, their conduct is generally influenced by motives wide from purity. Many of this class might formerly be seen attached to those young officers, and civil servants, who found an easy mode of gratifying their ostentation by that display of study they never realized, and who employed these pretended tutors in all the drudgery of expenditure; not forgetting those meaner offices, which, while they disgraced themselves, levelled all distinction between the man of letters and the common pander!
The private habits of moonshies, in general, by no means correspond with the respectability of their profession. Having only to attend their employers at stated hours, and the residue of their time being wholly unoccupied, it is not to be wondered, that, with their liberal salaries, they should rather court, than shun, pleasure. Hence, with very few exceptions, we find them extremely debauched and unhealthy. What with venery, drinking, smoking, &c. nine in ten of them exhale the most intolerable effluvia! This, by no means, lowers their pride: on the contrary, they apparently resort to arrogance, and to that precious species of fastidious hauteur, ordinarily to be found under the same sheep-skin with every consummate hypocrite!
The Jemmadar is considered the most confidential, and important, of all that class of servants forming the retinue of a person of distinction. The despatches, and consultations of the various members of the council, are usually conveyed by, or presented to, the several jemmadars, in small boxes, of which each member has a key. Some jemmadars are retained merely with the view to superintend buildings, and commercial operations; but such cannot be classed, strictly speaking, with those who are merely state servants; although the wages of each may be nearly on a par; viz. from twelve to twenty rupees monthly. This servant bears no insignia of office, but, for the most part, studies to imitate the appearance of a moonshy of a respectable class; from which he may, however, be often distinguished by the dagger, ornamented with gold and tassels, or in a crimson velvet case, tipped with gilt guards, worn in his cummer-bund, or waist-cloth: whereas the moonshy never wears any weapon whatever.
The Chobe-dar, or silver-pole bearer, is retained only by persons of consequence; sometimes only one, but usually two are employed, and even four may be seen in the retinue of very exalted characters. The pole, (or chobe,) may be about four feet and a half in length, tapering gradually, from the metal ferule at its base, to the top, which may be about four inches in diameter, and is generally embossed with some figure, such as a tiger’s head, &c.; while the rest, for the whole length, is of some pattern such as volutes, scales, flowers, &c. The pole consists of a staff, perhaps three quarters of an inch in diameter, spreading towards its top, so as to assimilate to the form of the exterior case; which is of solid wrought silver, often weighing 150 rupees or more, into which, the staff being placed centrically, melted rosin is poured to fill up the intermediate space; the same as our plated knife handles are done, thereby rendering the whole sufficiently substantial, without adding too much to the weight.
The chobe-dar is generally a man of some prudence, versed in all the ceremonies of court etiquette. He stands at the inner door of the audience, or receiving, apartment; announcing the approach of visitors, and conducting them to the presence. The chobe being in itself of some value, and the office of considerable trust in many instances, it is usual for this servant to give adequate security, by means of creditable persons who vouch for, and take upon themselves, the actual responsibility regarding his conduct. The wages of chobe-dars vary considerably, but we may take from eight to twelve rupees as the average. They attend early in the morning; and, besides the above-noticed duty of announcing visitors, run before the palanquins of their employers, or, if there be no jemmadar, at the sides, so as to receive orders without being called. They likewise carry messages, or notes, on formal occasions; especially to superiors.
To this particular, great attention is paid; it being considered, that the rank of the servant bearing the message, or note, implies the degree of respect the person sending would pay to the person receiving. Thus, a message sent by a jemmadar, is held to be more ceremonious, than one by a chobe-dar; by a chobe-dar more respectful than by a soontah-burdar; and by a soontah-burdar than by a peon, or hirkarah. So well is this understood, that, the precursors of a great man always arrange themselves according to the above rules; the hirkarahs and peons are the foremost; next to them the soontah-burdars; then the chobe-dars; and, lastly, the jemmadar; the latter running at the side of the palanquin, but being replaced during occasional absence by a chobe-dar; and thus throughout. It must not be forgotten, that, in India, the retinue precede the employer: a custom by no means suited to the climate, though perhaps gratifying to those who take pleasure in seeing two lines of sweating domestics preceding them; it need hardly be urged, how unpleasant the clouds of dust raised by them must be to the person seated in the palanquin.
The dresses of the jemmadar, and of the chobe-dars, may be considered the same; there being no characteristic difference, though the former usually make their jammas, or robes, which are always of white calico; unless where colored broad-cloath may have been presented to them for the purpose of making up liveries: which, however, do not usually extend to this class of messengers; white being considered by themselves more dignified. Nor do they feel any partiality for colored turbans, or waist-bands.
The Soontah-burdar bears a baton of about thirty inches in length, generally curved at its upper extremity, so as to resemble the ordinary form of bludgeons. These batons are made of the same materials as the chobe, or pole; but, while the latter are borne, when their bearers are proceeding with a palanquin, by a suitable balance near their centres, like trailed arms, the former are held by their lower extremities; which, since they never are rested on the ground, as the chobes are, require no ferules; the crooked end of the soontah being carried over the shoulder.
Soontah-burdars are frequently employed by persons in a second or third rate of office, or of opulence, where no jemmadar, nor chobe-dar, is kept. As already explained, the absence of one state-servant calls up the next in rank to supply his place; a circumstance which by no means impairs the dignity of the locum tenens. The pay of this servant varies according to circumstances, but may be from six to ten rupees monthly: the dress differs from that of the superior class; it, in most cases, being confined to a much shorter jamma, reaching only to the knees, or but little below them, and there being less objection to wear colored turbans, &c.