The King Allows Four Females To Each Of His Great Elephants, Which Are
Called Their Wives.
The testes of the males are said to lie about his
forehead, and the teats of the female are between her fore-legs.
She
goes twelve months with young. The elephant is thirty years old before
he attains his full growth, and they live to seventy or eighty years of
age. Although very numerous, elephants are yet so highly prized in
India, that some of the best are valued at a thousand pounds or more.
Sec.3. Of the People of Hindoostan, and their Manners and Customs.
The whole inhabitants of Hindoostan were anciently Gentiles, or
notorious idolaters, generally denominated Hindoos, hot ever since the
time of Tamerlane they have been mixed with Mahometans.[235] There are,
besides, many Persians, Tartars, Abyssinians, and Arminians, and some
few of almost every nation in Asia, if not in Europe, that reside here.
Among these are some Jews, but not esteemed, for their very name is
proverbial, as a term of reproach. In stature, the natives of Hindoostan
are equal to ourselves, being in general very straight and well-made,
for I never saw any deformed person in that country. They are of a dark
tawny or olive colour, having their hair as black as a raven, but not
curled. They love not to see either a man or a woman very fair, as they
say that is the colour of lepers, which are common among them. Most of
the Mahometans, except their molahs or priests, or such as are old and
retired, keep their chins shaved, but allow the hair on their upper-lips
to grow long. They usually shave all the hair from their heads, leaving
only one lock on their crowns for Mahomet to pull them by up to heaven.
Both among the Gentiles and Mahometans they have excellent barbers. The
people often bathe and wash their bodies, and anoint themselves with
perfumed oils.
[Footnote 235: The Mahomedans made extensive conquests in India long
before the era of Timor. - E.]
The dresses of the men and women differ very little from each other, and
are mostly made of white cotton cloth. In fashion, they sit close to
the shape to the middle, and from thence hang loose to below the knee.
Under this they wear long close breeches down to their ancles, crumpled
about the small of their legs like boots. Their feet are put bare into
their shoes, which are made like slippers, that they may be readily put
off on entering their houses, the floors of which are covered with
excellent carpets of the country manufacture, as good as any made in
Turkey or Persia. Instead of these carpets, some have other
floor-cloths, according to the quality of the owner. On these they sit
when conversing or eating, like tailors on the shop-board. The men's
heads are covered by turbans, being sashes, or long webs of thin cloth,
white or coloured, wreathed many times about. They do not uncover their
heads in making reverence, instead of which they bow their bodies,
placing the right hand on the top of the head, after which they touch
the earth with that hand, as if indicating that the party saluted may
tread upon them if he please. Those who are equals take each other by
the chin or beard, as Joab did Amasa; but salute in love, not in
treachery.
The Mahometan women, except such as are poor or dishonest, never appear
abroad. Though not fair, they are all well favoured, have their heads
covered with veils, and their hair hanging down behind, twisted with
silk. Those of quality are decorated with many jewels hung around their
necks, and about their wrists and arms; and they have several holes
round their ears in which they hang pendents, besides that every woman
has a hole in her nostrils, in which to wear a ring, which seems to have
been an ancient ornament, being mentioned in the Old Testament. Their
women are happy above all others I have ever heard of; in the ease with
which they bear their children, being one day able to ride with their
infants unborn, and to ride again the next with their child in their
arms.
The language of the common people of this country, called Hindoostanee,
is smooth, and easily pronounced, and is written from left to right, as
we do. The learned tongues are the Persian and Arabic, which are written
backwards, from right to left, like the Hebrew. There is but little
learning among them, which may be owing to the scarcity of books, which
are all in manuscript, and therefore few and dear; but they are a people
of good capacity, and were they to cultivate literature among them,
would assuredly produce many excellent works. They have heard of
Aristotle, whom they name Aplis, and have some of his writings
translated into Arabic. The noble physician, Avicenna, was a native of
Samarcandia, the country of Tamerlane, and in this science they possess
good skill. The most prevalent diseases of this country are dysenteries,
hot fevers, and calentures, in all which they prescribe abstinence as a
principal remedy. The filthy disease produced by incontinence is
likewise common among them. They delight much in music, having many
instruments, both stringed and wind; but, to my ears, their music seemed
all discordant. They write many pretty poems, and compose histories and
annals of their own country. They profess great skill in astrology, and
the king places great confidence in men of that profession, so that he
will not undertake a journey, nor do any thing whatever of importance,
unless after his wizard has indicated a prosperous hour for the
undertaking.
The idolaters begin their year on the 1st of March, and the Mahometans
at the instant when the sun enters Aries, as calculated by their
astrologers. From which time the king keeps a festival, called the
norose, or nine days, for which time it continues, like that made by
Ahasuerus in the third year of his reign.
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