The greatest judgment is, however, necessary, to determine whether, or not, the operator presents an armed portion of his cord to an unarmed part of that of his opponent. Should the former be correct in this instance, he may generally command success; but, if the reverse be the case, he may lose the day. An unpractised eye would be at a loss in computing the proper distance, when the length of line let out may perhaps exceed three or four hundred yards; but the natives in general form a correct estimate, and display great dexterity in avoiding to cross any cord under unfavorable circumstances.
This amusement generally takes place during the cool of the evening, on the flat tops of houses. The inhabitants of the zenanah, (or haram,) enjoy it either from their compounds, (or enclosed areas,) or on the roofs of their chambers, on tarrasses so built up, with thin brick walls, as to prevent their being over-looked by neighbours.
This trait of jealousy is every where apparent: nothing could offend a native more than the erection of an edifice, that should afford a command over the interior of that enclosure in which his family resided. An instance of this was attended with considerable trouble and disadvantage. The late Colonel Watson, who was Chief Engineer under the presidency of Fort-William, had obtained the grant of a large piece of land, for the purpose of forming a spacious dock for building and repairing ships.
It happened, that, in enclosing the allotted space, he overlooked the untoward circumstance of a claim on the part of a very opulent native, who resided close by, to a part of the circumscribed area, which was the sine quâ non of the undertaking. The native said nothing; and, in all probability, would have given up his land, or at least have sold it on equitable terms, rather than have thwarted the Colonel’s views; but, unfortunately, the latter erected a large wind-mill, so near to the native’s house, as to annihilate all that privacy his family had formerly enjoyed.
The native remonstrated, but to no effect: the grant was urged against him; and, in lieu of soothing measures, defiance was proclaimed. The consequence was, that the matter went into court, when, the plantiff gaining his cause, the wind-mill was stopped in its career, and, with the exception of a slip, on which some vessels have since been built, the important, and immense, fabric, has been suffered to fall into decay!
No woman can be more jealous than those of Hindostan: their animosity towards rivals is unparalleled; and this, even when they do not care a farthing for the bone of contention. Yet, on the other hand, when more than two ladies are retained by the same gentleman, the whole generally become perfectly passive, at least in exterior, appearing to associate with tolerable cordiality. The mention of plurality, may possibly startle many of my readers; especially those of the fair sex; but such is common among natives of opulence, and is not unprecedented among Europeans. I have known various instances of two ladies being conjointly domesticated; and one, of an elderly military character, who solaced himself with no less than SIXTEEN, of all sorts and sizes! Being interrogated by a friend as to what he did with such a number, ‘Oh!’ replied he, ‘I give them a little rice, and let them run about!’
This same gentleman, when paying his addresses to an elegant young woman lately arrived from Europe, but who was informed by the lady at whose house she was residing, of the state of affairs: the description closed with, ‘Pray, my dear, how should you like to share a sixteenth of Major ———?’ The courtship was allowed to proceed, merely to make sport of the good man’s foible: a term peculiarly appropriate!
Nine in ten of the women domiciliated by gentlemen, are Mussulmans; the Hindus being far more scrupulous: with few exceptions, the small portion not of the former sect are Portugueze. These latter prove, in many instances, very good house-keepers; looking after the disbursements with great acuteness, and, on a thousand occasions, shewing more promptness, and more fitness for such an employment. They are remarkably fond of rearing poultry and swine; in which they certainly succeed. But there is a certain something about this description of women, which few are partial to, and which I never could tolerate. I have already spoken of the pride of these miserable descendants of renowned characters; but it really is beyond my power to describe that fierté, that vindictive spirit, that authoritative consequence, which excite at least contempt, if not hatred, in every person towards whom they are exercised. These viragoes have no scruples as to what they are to eat and drink; many of them, indeed, can manage a bottle as well as any man in the kingdom: they are, however, staunch Catholics, and, on calendar days, dress out in all the finery their kind keepers can be coaxed out of. It is not to be supposed these ladies are more continent than Mussulmans, or Hindus of similar condition: far otherwise; but they are extremely crafty, and carefully lay the scene of action at some place to which they resort to offer up their prayers, in common with other equally good Christians: by this means, they are tolerably secure from the prying curiosity of ordinary menials, who are not permitted to enter within the sacred pale!
In regard to the expences attendant upon concubinage in the East, they will depend greatly on the circumstances, and the disposition, of the gentleman, generally speaking; though, after a while, the lady commonly gains a kind of ascendancy, and goes beyond those limits, which, in almost every case, are marked out by previous contract. A certain sum to be paid monthly; the pay of two, or three, female attendants; an allowance for beetle, tobacco, (it is very rarely they chew it,) shoes, cloaths, and gynahs, (i.e. gold and silver ornaments;) are articles in almost every capitulation! Taking a broad outline, we may put down the whole at about forty rupees monthly; equal to sixty pounds sterling per annum; which must certainly be considered no great price for a bosom friend, when compared with the sums laid out upon some British damsels; who are not always more scrupulous than those I have described. But, when we estimate the Asiatic chere amie according to her merits as a companion, then, indeed, will my fair country-women, appear most conspicuously pre-eminent! Their agreeable manners, their polished language, their highly cultivated minds, and their pleasing attentions, are so irresistible, as to level the barriers of discretion, and to render every attempt at comparison nugatory; indeed, incompatible!
In taking the above average, viz. forty rupees per month, I have supposed the gentleman to be in easy circumstances; otherwise, that sum will be found to exceed the proportion of his other expences considerably: at the lowest, we cannot estimate the charges at less than twenty-five rupees monthly; which, to say the truth, must be attended with several deficiencies, or privations, by no means creditable. In this particular, the natives are very scrupulous, and hold it the highest disgrace, for a woman to be retained, without due attendance, suitable cloathing, and a participation of the comforts, if not of the luxuries, of life. The men, especially the Hindus, are indifferent in regard to their own apparel; which is often mean to an extreme; but pride themselves on the splendor, and profusion, to be found in their zenanahs. As an instance in point, I must state, that, in the year 1784, a detachment of six companies was sent out from Cawnpore, on the road to Etayah, in compliment to the B’how-Buxey, a General of some note in the Maharrattah army, who was proceeding on an embassy to Lucknow. We met him about twenty miles to the Westward of the cantonments; where we were nearly smothered by the dust raised by his immense retinue, and absolutely stunned by the unmerciful clangor of cracked trumpets, and of great bells suspended from the sides of elephants, whose motion caused the pendulous monotonists to ring ‘a sonorous peal’. It was natural to expect that the B’how, who knew we were waiting to receive him, and, that an officer of rank was deputed on the occasion, would have exhibited himself to advantage; but, to our great surprize, when he alighted from his elephant, which was sumptuously caparisoned, he appeared the veriest bunyah, (or petty shop-keeper,) my eyes had ever beheld! His cloaths were absolutely filthy, and of a fabric such as disgraced the wearer. None of our khedmutgars could have changed apparel with him, without being considerable losers by the bargain. The B’how was, nevertheless, attended by a nautch-tuffah, or set of dancing-girls; whose equipage announced his liberality, and whose talents evinced his judgement. Let me not be misunderstood in this last expression: the dancers of India can suit only particular tastes, and those perhaps only from habit: they are not to be classed with persons of the same profession in Europe; but are a distinct genus. It cannot, however, be denied, that some among them possess very superior powers in the vocal part of their profession; and that certain individuals dance, in their style, with peculiar effect; indeed, with much graceful delicacy, and with undeviating regard to the measure. The B’how’s zenanah was of course secluded; but the number of the elephants, r’huts, palanquins, doolies and other conveyances, satisfied me that the ladies were in better plight than their most abominably filthy lord!