Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-10
The Indian Marriage Market.

OF the curiosities of Anglo-Indan literature
there are none more amusing than the stories of
matrimonial alliances in times past. 1t seems
Incredible ROW that young lady could be
shipped off like parcel of goods consigned to
al agent In India; but such was the fate of many
girl. and it must be confessed that it was
destiny not unwillingly encountered. Never
theless. what must have been the feelings of the
young lady during the tedious time of the six
months voyage to India. knowing that she was
Just as much sent out for sale as any of the
packages among the cargo. and cOgniZant of
the fact that certain pig-tailed and nankeen
breeched nabobs would be waiting at Garden
Reach Calcutta. or the Bunder, Bombay to APP
praise her manageable value the moment she
landed: By all accounts, the girls thus shipped
to the east. along with cadets the black sheep
OF their families, accepted the situation philO-
sOphically. Those who had no female rela-
tives to look after them were placed under
the charge Of the captain, and it is
curious fact, denoting the manners and
customs of the times that one of the essential
qualifications for the commando an India
man was reputation in the trade q
male chdPerO9 OF young women. Certain cap
tains were well known for the care they took Of
their Interesting but difficult charges Nor was
the responsibility light one. 1t is to be re-
merIjered that even as lately as thirty years
ago the East Indiamen carried troops and, Of
course. their fascinating relocated officers as
WELL also cadets and midshipmen, who probably
asked for nothing better than the opportunity of
setting the commanders vigilance at defiance.
Under the circumstances. and the surroundings,
the poor captain must have resembled hen
with a brood of ducklings to look after, and he
must have been Argus eyed indeed to have pre-
vented all Irritation between his young ladies
and his Young gentlemen on the voyage out.
We catch glimpSeS of the good mans difficult
ties In such old Indian novels as ''Peregrine Pull
teney." an(. in the sea Journals of travellers of
the period. First, the girls were pretty: other
wise. it would not have been much use to send
them out to the Indian marriage market ct
heavy expense in the way of outfit a j pas
sage; and secondly. they were fresh from school
and consequently romantic. So, too were the
cadets and young officers on board And
thirdly. the moDotOny of life on board ship
during six months voyage to India round
the Cape of Good Hope was highly favora-
bic to a Development OF the tender passion
In hearts that were already fired with dreams
of conquest and glory. No doubt too
the sacriiicia maidens put the future as much
as possible ont Of their thoughts. 1t was
no use looking forward to the wizened old
judge or the jaurd!ced merchant prince at the
end of the voyage. Better to make hay while
the sun shOne-with the cadets. And so the
captain had to be alert and ever vigiant lest
the cadets and midshpmen should be whisper
Ing with the young ladies through the port
nUieS. OF even worse, Should snatch Kisses from
them in the dark holes and corners Of his fine
frigate-buiit ship. In the novel above referred
to an amusing account of the advantage taken
from ii storm is given. The heroine is destined
tor wealthy old gentleman in Calcutta but
gets into terrible Irritation with cadet
And, as they choose to suppose that the ship Is
going 10 the bottom, they think It no harm to
die IN each others arms. though the young lady's
ft,iace in Calcutta would probably have thought
otherwise mad he been there to look on.
The splendid marriages, from a worldly point
Of view. that were made In those days must
have also been sore temptation. Fifty years
ago men could make fortunes in India-sOme-
times In a few years. And the girl who went
out a tOcherless lass might possibly return In q
few years as the wife of an Indian millionaire
to astonish Bath Tunbridge with the water
OF her diamonds and the lavish expenditure Of
her lord The whole tning. In short. was lot
terry IN which there We're valuable prizes and
few blanks The girls carried all the beauty of
penniless English families to the market the
gentlemen their lakhs OF easiiy-won rupees
Cupid, in the shape Of some self-interested har-
rdan of the Indian fashionable world acted as
go-between, and my Lord Bishop of Bengal
did the rest. Shawls aud other Indian curiosi-
ties were sent home to happy parents. who
speedily made ready rev consgnments of sis
tiers to the bride. and so the game went on from
one generation TO another until. in some Indian
provinces all the wealthy or Influential people
became cuiiously intermarred--Lon
Graphic.