It is not uncommon for persons purchasing slaves, or rearing deserted children, to affix the badge of slavery immediately, and to cause it to be worn by the unfortunate being, thus devoted to tyrannical authority during life. This type of dependance consists simply of an iron ring, similar to those on light fetters, which is worn on either of the ankles, generally on the left: there it is rivetted in the usual manner, with the intention of being always seen. To remove the ring, is considered highly criminal on the part of all concerned, and should the slave be thereby enabled to abscond, would subject the abettors to payment of his or her value.
In every part of India the profession of a prostitute is devoid of that stigma annexed to it in Europe: persons following it are protected by law in certain privileges, and their persons are far from being held in abomination, such as we should suppose must be generated towards so impure a character among the moralists of the East. This is entirely owing to the profession being hereditary, the same as other sects, and not promiscuous, or arising from vicious propensities, as we see daily the case among us.
It is true the term kusbee is used as a reproach; but that seems rather to refer to such as, like our wantons, degenerate in consequence of their libidinous dispositions, and are not attached to the two great divisions, the meerasseens, and the puttareahs, both of which have claims on the bounty of princes, and to exemptions from certain taxes; though, to make up for such indulgences, the cutwals, and other native officers, under whose authority they may reside, not only demand their attendance, whether to sing, dance, or what not, gratis, but impose upon them heavy assessments, in proportion to their repute and prosperity.
With the view to prevent the encrease of a certain disorder, which proceeds with rapid strides in that hot climate, it is customary to appoint a committee every month, at each great station, for the inspection of such dulcineas as may be resident within the bounds of the cantonments: such as appear to be diseased, are instantly confined to a small hospital, appropriated to their reception: a salutary measure, which doubtless prevents much mischief, and is superior to our Lock Institution, which only offers, but does not coerce to, a proper course of medicine.
Such women as, being married, or living under the protection of any person, are found to indulge in variety, are designated chinauls, and are held in far greater disrepute than the professed kusbee, or common prostitute. As predestinarians constantly contradict, by their evasions of danger, the main principle of their creed, so do the good folks of Hindostan deviate widely from their system of ethics on this head; for, although adultery, under any circumstances whatever, is held up as a mortal sin, to be atoned for by death only; nevertheless, we find the males of all ages particularly bent on that kind of gallantry which comes within the letter of the law, and generally produces the contact of two persons whose casts are thereby respectively polluted. In a former part, I explained more fully the deceptions practised by native women retained by European gentlemen; it remains for me to add, that such is the spirit of intrigue prevalent among the people at large, that we may at least conclude the ladies in that quarter to keep pace with the most enlightened of our own population!
When a native, especially a Hindu, of high cast, suspects that his wife is guilty of infidelity, he generally proceeds to repudiate her in the most public manner; but it often happens that he is saved that trouble, either by the intervention of her father, brother, &c., who, under pretence of conducting her home, leads the offender to some lone spot, where, with his tulwar, he severs her head from her body, and deliberately leaves both to be devoured by jackals, &c. This office is likewise occasionally performed by the husband himself; who must, however, be careful not to betray his intention, lest a powerful dose, mixed among his takorry, (vegetable curry,) should prevent the completion of his design, or, possibly, cause him to fall a sacrifice to the lover’s resentment.
A very curious instance of this occurred in 1789, wherein a sepoy, of my own company, was principally concerned. He had long been in the good graces of a woman who was married to a sonaar, (goldsmith,) then absent in another part of the country. The lady’s father, who had no other child, on learning the particulars of the intrigue from one of her servants, remonstrated, but in vain. He then determined to sacrifice her, and ordered that she should quit her own home, for the purpose of being conducted to his house, which was in a village some miles distant.
Suspecting his intention, the adultress communicated the circumstance to her lover, who advised her to follow her father, and promised to prevent his doing her any injury. Accordingly, she allowed her parent to precede her, as usual, (for no woman ever walks before a man, especially if it be her husband, or any relative,) until they arrived at a small jungle, when, as he was about to draw his tulwar to sauf-kur (literally, ‘to make clean,’ but, in the accepted sense, to kill, or destroy,) her, the lover darted forth, and, at one blow, took off his head.
The lady and her lover were both apprehended, and tried before the zemindary court at Benares, within whose jurisdiction the crime was perpetrated: against the woman nothing could be urged, she was therefore acquitted; the man was convicted, and condemned; but the woman, being next of kin to the deceased, and having the right, according to the law, of pardoning his murderer, instantly gave him her absolution in open court, and, to the great surprize and mortification of the whole court, returned homewards with her paramour, to persevere in the adulterous intercourse.
It was in vain that Marquis Cornwallis, on receipt of the intelligence, used every endeavor to obtain a revision of the proceedings: the Court were inflexible, and the parties could not, legally, be apprehended. His Lordship was, therefore, left without that redress he thought due to the public, and could only cause the sepoy to be dismissed from the Company’s service, and to be banished from the Company’s dominions.