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(67) Slavery, how far tolerated; summary
punishment of
adultery [[478-481]]
[[478]] The Mahomedan law barely recognizes actual slavery,
but makes
a great distinction in favour of those who purchase or thus adopt
children
that would otherwise, in all probability, perish from want. The latter
are considered to be the property of the patron, till arrived at their
[[479]] full growth, which is understood to be about the age of
eighteen.
This regulation, however, is capable of an easy evasion by such
proprietors
of taffahs as feel an interest in the detention of any
particular
girls under their authority. To say the truth, very little cause of
complaint
seems to exist on such occasions. The girls are usually well clothed
and
fed, and on the whole, experience as much comfort as their habits, and
those envious traits ever to be seen among persons of the same
profession,
will admit.
| Williamson 1810 vol. 2: ((422))
Where these taffahs
are found in the vicinity of our camps and stations, whether civil or
military,
it is common to see the dancers attach themselves to some particular
European
gentlemen, of whose friendship they make much boast: the profits of
such
a speculation cannot be wholly reserved by any one of the party ; they
are supposed to be surrendered, without diminution, to the proprietor,
for the general benefit of the set.
That full surrender is not, however, always made.
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Some, however, contrive to redeem themselves from this species of
demi-slavery,
by means of sums accumulated for years, and concealed from the
scrutinizing
eye of the proprietor, with extreme solicitude. When such a redemption
takes place, it is never done overtly, but by the pretended
interference
of some gentleman or opulent native, who, either from love or charity,
feels disposed to pay the ransom. Were the possession of the property
to
be acknowledged by the anxious female, it would instantly be seized as
a droit, and she would probably undergo that severest of Hindoostanee
punishments,
the loss of all her kase, or hair.
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 during life, by the unfortunate being thus devoted to
tyrannical
authority. 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.
| Williamson 1810 vol. 2: ((423))
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 ((424)) 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 ((425)) 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 pre-destinarians 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!
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[[480]] When a native, especially a Hindoo, of high cast, suspects that
his wife is guilty of infidelity, he generally proceeds to repudiate
her
in the most public manner. 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. A sepoy had
long maintained
a criminal connexion with the wife of 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); 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
[[481]] 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 surprise 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 endeavour 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 banished from their dominions.
| Williamson 1810 vol. 2: ((428))
Where the law
gives so absurd a power, it might be expected that scarce a husband
would
be safe; but that is not the case; for they, in general, act very
decidedly,
whenever they are made acquainted with the existence of offences
against
conjugal propriety. The caution used in conducting an amour is not
always
very great, but there is, in fact, only one difficulty to be overcome,
viz. the obtaining admission to the interior while the husband is
absent:
that being effected, detection is not very easy, because the immured
state
in which women are kept, offers the best screen against the curiosity
of
prying neighbours.
What with the dark color of the mud walls, the sombre
complexion of
the people themselves, and the shade commonly cast by heavy foliages,
standing
in the vicinity of villages in general, as well as by the over-hanging
thatches, &c., it is not very easy, even for a neighbour, to
ascertain,
after night-fall, whether a person, having a cloth on the head,
entering
the sacred enclosure, be male or female.
About the year 1786, a laughable story was current,
regarding a young
officer who had a very pretty Hindoo girl in keeping, but who, being of
a very salacious disposition, always endeavored to prevail with such
young
women ((429)) as came to vend fruits, or to sell choories, &c., to
be his inmate. One of these daily visitors held out against every
temptation,
which so roused the youth's passions, that he resolved to obtain that
by
force which money could not purchase. The struggle made a terrible
discovery;
the supposed damsel proving to be a young Portugueze drummer!!!
The ordinary mode of conveyance adopted by the
generality of nautch-taffahs,
is the common hackery, called a g'horry, which has two wheels, with a
square
body, as has been already described; in one of these, four or five
crowd
together, sitting almost back to back, and allowing their legs to hang
down on every side. The generality are of very decent behavior, but
when
they get a little majoom (a sweet-meat prepared with bhang) into their
noddles, at is not uncommon to see them proceed in high style,, singing
away in full chorus, and, occasionally, exhibiting specimens of their
profession,
by attitudes corresponding with the words of songs purely Cyprian!
The baggage, if any, is commonly carried on some hired
bullock, or in
a hackery; some sets are, however, so opulent, as to be able to keep
one
or two camels, and to purchase a tolerably good Hindostanee tent, that
is, without walls, and supported by two bamboo poles, each about eight
or nine, feet long.
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