The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-30
MARCH 80, 1926.

! TuOlCS III OiTHlIlE SlDW WSiS PShoNhN A'N''
her delicate ears; their sapphires from her
graceful nose; while many far famed mine
glittered on her bosom, sparkled on her fin
gers and al ms, and shed its light on her toes
and ankles. Gold and silver gave splendor
to her dress; in short, in the impassioned
phrase of Lord Byron, and perhaps with
Jess of poetical hyperbole-
sShe was form of life and light,
srLat seen, became a part of sight
This charming young Parsee, or Peri was
about fourteen years Old, an age at which
the female figure attains the sound perfec-
tion Of beautiful ripeness in India. Indeed
marriage takes place generally at much
earlier period oflite; but in Yamma's case,
the young man to whom she was afhanced
had been detained at Surat nearly two years,
| BY important commercial affairs, in which
he was deeply concerned; and the expensive
ceremony, on solemnization of wedlock, had
been postponed from time to time, in anxious
expectation of his return.
| Yamma's prospects were bright as the star
of Venus. In her tribe women are treated
with great consideration, they act an import
ant part in the public and private concerns
of their husbands, go unveiled, and, III point
of personal freedom, they are under no re-
straint beyond that which delcacy and the
custom of their mothers impose. The Parsee
usages, with respect to marriage, are toun-
ded upon the happiness of domestic life,
and they provide for the preservation of pu-
rity in the fair sex so etfectually, that it is
the boast of this amiable class of the Indian
community, that their wives never prove un-
| faithful; nor is there an instance OF prostitu-
ton among their daughters. Indeed their
character in this respect is so we'll establish
ed at Bombay, that it is believed every aber-
ration from virtue int heir tribe is punished
with immediate death, and the notoriety of
the family disgrace carefully suppressed.
| The Parsee laws and usages are SO we'll
framed for the prevention of crime and the
adjustment of disputes, that an instance
scarcely ever occurs of a reference to British
Justice. A Parsee can have but one wife. If
she dies, the family are bound to find wild
ow for the forlorn ones mate; for he is not
allowed to marry young girl, as with us in
his old age; nor is he obliged to wed again,
should he be desirous OF preserving fidelity
to his departed half. The same rule holds if
the husband die; his family are bound to find
a widower, in compliance with wish on the
subject indicated by the lady's friends. By
this udicious arrangement, the frallties OF
human nature are restrained and even conver-
ted into public benefit The Parsee women
receive the advantages of education; many
of them can read, write, play on the Indian
guitar, make up accounts accurately; and, IN
some transactions l have had with them,
they appeared very sensible and intelligent.
| All public business however is transacted by
the men. The women do not appear in mixed
company; but in influencing affairs, and in
private negotiations they are powerful instru-
ments.
"Such was the lovely Yamma, and such
were the promises of hope, when it was her
fate to be rescued from imminent peril by the
intrepidity of Capt. S She had accompani-
ed her mother in covered and gorgeously
decorated hackery, to garden house, which
belonged to her father on Coloah. They
stayed in the garden longer than their attend
ants wished, pleased with its cooling fruits.
neat walks, silver steams, and shady trees
The golden banana, glitterng mangoe, and
imperial jack, attracted their gaze and touch.
At length their bullocks, in splendid hous-
ings, proud of the music of the silver bells
Which played in supenson from their necks,
approached the head of the tide, which
have before described as separating the ISL
and of Colabah from Bombay The raft was
beginning to play in the lower part OF the
channel, but the carriage road. along the
crest of the high rock, was practicable,
| though the rlSlDH tluc might NC oSSH ShteSi
ing in streams across it's black ravnes. The
drivers and runners calculated that the bull
locks would cross before the tide covered
the rocks, and they urged them at full speed.
A strong breeze, however, came into Bonn
bav harbor with the flow from the ocean;
and before the hackery reached the shore,
tbe ladies saw with terror that the devour-
ING element was floating them, that their
footmen were swimming and in great agita-
tion. striving to keep the bullocks heads to-
wards the land. Alarm soon found utter
ance. The mother and daughter mingled
their cries and wept in pity more for each
other than for themselves; but their agony
was drowned by the roar of the flood, and
the crowd at the ferry were too much ab-
sorbed in their views, and too distant, had 1t
been otherwise, to afford them aid.
"At this awful moment Capt. S. was
rallopng from the fort; and hoping that ne
Should be in time to cross the rocks, he made
directly for the course of the hackery' saw
the life-struggle ofthe men, heard the perc,
ing m cry for help by the women, and plunged
US 20 their assistance. His horse was n
strong docile Arab, and Capt. 5; being ex-
ceelinrly - fond of field sports, had accustom-
cJ him to swim rivers and even the lower
mart of this ferry, though quarter OF
mile wide. The horse therefore swan as
/ Nnr.t W