A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of IndiaAcland, Charles
History
A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of India
Acland, Charles
India -- Description and travel; India -- Social life and customs
[Sidenote: HONESTY OF NATIVES.]
They are said to be extremely dishonest--I mean the natives
generally. This also I deny; although their treatment by individuals
is enough to make them so; for on the part of Government the
error--if any--lies in an excess of mildness and lenity. I would not
hesitate, if it were necessary, to intrust a thousand rupees to a
servant to take to Calcutta: that is for him a fifteen days' journey.
Yet, if he chose, he might easily get beyond my reach; and such a
sum would be sufficient to purchase an estate which would render
himself and his descendants landed proprietors and gentlemen. I doubt
whether you could say more than that for English honesty; although,
of course, there may be exceptions here as well as there.
After I left Jelasore the other day, I remembered that I had omitted
to lock my patarahs or tin travelling-boxes. There were many valuable
things in them, and when I reached the first stage they had not then
come up; yet I proceeded day after-day for one hundred and fifty
miles without the slightest uneasiness; and these patarahs, which
had passed through the hands of sixteen men successively, all of the
poorest class and each one alone, arrived at Cuttack in safety one
day after myself. I should not have felt so easy had this occurred in
England. But enough of this subject for the present.
I was riding out with two friends a few days ago near Balasore, when
we saw a cavalcade approaching, consisting of several armed men, some
on horseback others on camels. We inquired who they were, and learned
that it was the escort of Bheere Singh, who had been on a pilgrimage
to Juggernat'h. We joined the Rajah and had a long gossip with him.
The first salutation was a salaam on both sides, that is,--we
bowed almost to the necks of our horses, pressing the palms of our
right hands against our foreheads. The Rajah, being more polite,
or having better command of his horse, salaamed with both hands.
I shall describe the man, because, judging from the present state
of his country, it is possible that he may hereafter figure in the
history of India. He appeared about forty years of age, strongly
built, but not very tall; large black whiskers, and the universal
moustache, which however was smaller than usual. There was much
fire and animation both in his eyes and gestures; I should say also
that his look betrayed a cunning and intriguing spirit. He was
evidently unwilling to say much concerning the disturbances which
have recently taken place in his country, but was most anxious to
hear our opinions. He said he had seen the burra lord (great lord),
Ellenborough, as he came through Calcutta; and I wondered whether the
real object of his journey might not have been to see and speak with
the Governor-General rather than to perform his devotions at Pooree.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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