Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-02-07

wait on the men, but Hindoo woman
never sits down to eat with her husband
she and her daughters SIT patiently by,
and then regale themselves upon Whaf
IS left. The meal over, his thirst quen.
ched by water, again brought TO him, he
retires TO his couch, there to chew betel,
entertain visitors, and thus lounge the
hours away until the time for retiring ar
rives. which is usually from 8 to 8 o..
clock. II the weather be not too warm
he retires 10 an inner apartment, but if
very sultry he chooses the yerandah,
and even the sandy roadside, where he
converts the dress he has worn during
the day into covering wherewilh 10
shelter himself from dew, mosquitoes,
and vermin--soon relapsing into sound
| slumber. A stranger, while entering a
Hindoo village at an early hour of the
day, is strangely affected at the spectacle
multitude of sieepers lying by the
roadside, wrapped in ntheir white clothes,
and presenting the appearance of so
many corpses dressed in the habiliments
Of the tomb. Rising at dawn, the Hin
doc goes 10 neighboring tank, where,
with religious care he cleanses his teeth,
performs his sacred abluiions, imprints
the emblems of his faith upon his fore
head, arm, and breast, visits, the idol for
morning worship, returns home to take
a re2ast from the congo drawn off from
the boiled rib Of yesterday, aud then is
prepared for the duties of the day.
Such is view Of the dwellings and
| domestic economy of respectable Hin
docs. Descending to the lowest scale
we there see the Pariar, whose home is
small and wre;ched hut, with walls of
mud and covering of palmyra leaves
whose food consists of few vegetables.
pulled from an adjoining field, to which
are added few small fish taken from a
! neighboring tank, or the bones of car
cass which he divides with the carrion
crow and the prowling jackal. Rising
to the highest station, we see the dwell
| ing of the rich and honorcd of the land
large and imposing, built of brick, and
with the top tcrraced 10 allow Of the
morning and evening promenade. With
! in, the apartments are of sufficient size
| for domestic purposes, religious pictures
! decorating the walls; tables and chairs
indicating an acquaintance with the
more tasteful foreigner, while the meal,
! though partaken of in the same lowly
manner, and with the same natural i'm
! plenent is rendered more delicious b.
| pickles, chitneys, and other condiments
that tempt the appetite Of Hindoo epi-
cure. s..." ,' s.
| The price Of moderately sized clay
house (not including the rent of the
ground,) is about Si5, and the annual
| repairs not far from $40. The repairs
are usually made just before the fall rains
set in, and if delayed too long, the des.
trac,ion of the entire building is the in
eviable result.
l. There are many customs respecting
the locality of Hindoo dwellings. and ar
\ rangements pertaining thereto which are
worthy of notice. While the building
is in process Of construction, there may
be seen near j, pole stuck into the
ground, upon which is placed an earthen
jar. covered with white spots, having for
MS design, to "keep oG The euH eye"
which would otherwise be harmful TO
the builder or owner. If person meets
with misiortunes in particular house
he concludes that some bones arc buried
under il, and accordingly leaves it for
another more fortunate spot. When a
sum of money has been stolen from a
| dwelling, and il is quite certain that some
one among its inmates is the thief, the
! HindOos, in some places, rub the thumb
nails Of all the persons in the house, i'm
| aging the name of the thief will become
legible on the nail of the offender
Scarcely any Hindoos attach flower gar
dens TO their houses-in that respect diff
fering widely from the Mahommedans,
before whose doors roses and evergreens
may be seen in abundance. The cause
of this contrast have never heard assig-
ned; but the fact arrests attention in the
streets of city or village. The Hindoo
rents his small lot--surrounds it (except
itadjoin other dwellings,) with mud
wall-constructs gate with an archway
and earthern lounge-puts his house in
the ntre--digs his well--rears his
chickens--and il he can obtain employ
ment sufficient to meet his daily expenses,
has but the smallest amount of apparent
care and trouble. If his house has been
paid Tor, salary of $3.50 per month
will amply suffice TO clothe and feed
himself, wife, and several children
The requisites for the table of Hindoo
are bought in the market (bazaar) and
| paid for daily. except milk, sugar, oil,
&c., which are brough,,o the house by
the seller who receives his payment
monthly. These articles. though cheap,
do not prevent the people from being
generally in debt--occasioned by ex-
| pensive entertainments, gifts 10 Brahmins
and relatives, on special occasions, mar
riage of children, purchase of jewelry.
and the like causes demanded by custom
or selt,gralfication. The Hindoo Shas-
tras direct that Brahmins shall eat at two
o'clock in the day and again at one in
llhe night, but this law is at present bu,
little needed, though but two meal. are
taken by the people generally. The do