Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-07-23
HINDOO WOMEN.

Our journey was accomplished in a
dog cart, with fresh horse every five
miles, as was needful in view of the
terrible state Of the roads. They
were so bad as to render the state.
ment, mo, 1 can't ride, but 1 can
sittight in a shay, $40 such very con-
temptible boast; but the first three
miles lay along the great Calcutta
road, which is, L believe, the finest
In the world, and runs all the way
from PeshaWur to Calcutta. The
moment we left this, we were bump
ed, and battered, and jolted; now
toiing through deep sand, now wa
ding through a portion of the road
which lay under water, and then
straining the spring of the dog cart by
sudden jolt over a miniature mud
canal, which carried water across
from one field to another. Whenever
the instinct of representation left
me free TO look anywhere but on the
road, L took in all the unfamiliar OBJ
jects with keen delight. Carts made
like the old Roman chariots, with
thick, clumsy wheels, drawn by oxen,
and surmounted by little "howdahsn
made Of scarlet cloth, with one or
more natives inside in gayly colored
turbans and dresses, sitting cross
legged in a cramped position impossi-
bic to Europeans great heavy footed
eamels, with stupid, i'll tempered
looking faces, one of them with a
tiny little one lying in basket on its
mothers back, and followed by
another young one, the most ungain-
ly creature imaginable, like badly
made ostrich on four legs; patriarehal
looking groups of men, women, and
children, driving flocks of bullocks
and goats, and looking as Abraham
and Isaac might have done. What
is this these two long legged natives
are carrying between them suspended
from a pole? 1t looks like a scarlet
6o1l6onliere, a sort of bag, the bottom
of which is fiat, and about the size
of o'clock tea table. And 1t con.
tains-a Hindoo lady, probably on
her way to pay visit, though how
that bag can contain her is mystery
to me, unless indeed, she is lying
coiled round and round, as only these
little dark skinned daughters can
coil themselves, and in this position
they sometimes perform long jour.
neys without fatigue.
One is disposed at times to suppose
that their bones must be gristle, and
their joints india rubber. They new
er sit in any position except on their
heels, which seems to afford them
perfect rest, and It is marvellous to see
the rapidity with which they move
up and down, their feet touching each
other, without putting their hands to
the ground-all the strain and spring
being in their backs and knees. The
women attracted me most, by their
graceful carriage, their picturesque
drapery consisting of fun skirt and
a sort of bournous, which passes over
the head, almost completely yelling
the face. These vary in color, being
sometimes bright blue, and pink, and
yellow, the skirt often boIdered with
a hem Of some other color, often very
gaudy, but the dark skin harmonizes
1t all. The most artistic TO my mind !
is the deep indigo blue, but it Is more
rare in the Northwest than in South
ern India, where almost all the lower
class of women wear it. 1t is pleas
ant to watch the easy grace with
which they walk, bearing round red |
earthen-ware or bright copper water
jars on their heads, stea6ying their
burden with one well shaped, small |
wristed dusky arm stretched up to |
its full length, and coyerea almost to
the elbow, and sometimes above it,
with numbers of bracelets. These
are sometimes silver. but oftener
plated metal, or red and green lac. l
once heard Of school, the pupils in |
which were, trained to walk about |
with tumblers OF cold water on their |
heads land when saw the firm foot |
ed, easy grace of these burden bearing |
women, 1 regretted that the practice
was not universal. The pale faced |
race may perhaps pride itself on its |
in the use Of the contents |
of its head, but these dusky daught |
ers Of the sun certainly out do their |
more favored sisters in the use they |
make of the outside Of theirs. They |
carry everything on their heads jars |
Of water, pieces of cloth, baskets OF
huge bundles of sugar
cane, fuel, anything and everything, |
leaving their hands free for any addi- |
tional burden. They do not even !
carry their little black babies in their |
arms, but either balance them astride |
on their shoulders with their little |
hands on their mothers head, or else |
astride on one hip, eneircled with |
a strong arm. I have seen q woman
with four water jars towering on her
head and her little baby on her hip, |
along with springy grace,
jingling her silver anklets and toe |
bells as she went.