The East India Vade-Mecum, Volume 1 (of 2): or, complete guide to gentlemen intended for the civil, military, or naval service of the East India Company.Williamson, Thomas
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The East India Vade-Mecum, Volume 1 (of 2): or, complete guide to gentlemen intended for the civil, military, or naval service of the East India Company.
Williamson, Thomas
India -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
The _hackeries_ used in that branch of trade, are peculiarly strong, and
invariably drawn by at least three bullocks; though more commonly by
four. Sometimes buffaloes are used; but their pace is very slow, and
they are extremely addicted to lying down in every puddle: their immense
strength is, nevertheless, a great inducement to employing them, where
very heavy commodities are to be carried; but it is found eligible, when
buffaloes are yoked, to travel entirely by night; those animals being by
no means calculated to bear the solar heat, which oppresses them
inconceivably. The native merchants commonly mix one or two among their
teams, and, not unfrequently, cause full thirty-five maunds, equal to
about twenty-four cwt., to be laid on one _hackery_: but the distance
travelled under such an immense load, can seldom amount to twelve miles.
While on the subject of drivers, which I have purposely made the last
among the male servants, it may be as well to offer a few hints
regarding European servants, and English cattle. It might be said, in
brief, that neither the one, nor the other, is found to answer in India.
An European servant must have nearly as many natives to attend him as an
officer requires; he must have a house; and a million of indulgences,
such as nearly abrogate his services, must be shewn towards him. Many
have been taken to India, but the result has generally been, that, after
saving a little money, or making a few friends, especially by farriery,
they have set up in some business, and with very little warning, or
ceremony, quitted their masters; who, on the other hand, were usually
far from desiring their continuance. I think my own memory would furnish
sufficient instances to warrant the assertion, that few, if any, of this
class, can be exempted from the charge of ingratitude.
Really, when all things are considered, it must be owing to excess of
vanity, or to some kindred folly, that any gentleman would retain an
European coachman, or postilion, at full two hundred rupees monthly, all
items included, when an excellent substitute may be found, among the
many natives who follow those professions, and to whom a twelfth part of
that sum is a little fortune. As to an European butler, steward, &c.,
the same objection exists; with the additional inconvenience of having
not only an extra guest at all times, (for his fare will, in every
respect, equal that of his master,) but a spy in livery, who will hear
all the table talk, commercial, military, or political, and retail it,
together with his own opinions and comments, to the whole of the native
domestics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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