The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-17
The Indian Marriage Market.

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literature there are none more amusing
than the stories Of matrimonial alliances
in times past. It seems Incredible now
that young lady could be shipped off
like n parcel of goods consigned to All
agent in India; but such was the fate of
many O. girl, and it must be confessed
that It WIS q destiny not unwil]ingly
encountered. Nevertheless, wnat 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 oognizant of tho faot that
certain pig tailed and nankeen- -breecned
nabobs would be waiting at Garden
Reach, Calcutta, or tile Bunder, Bonn
bay, to appraise her marriageable value
the moment she landed2 BY all ao-
counts, tho girls thus shipped to the
East, along with cadets, tho black sheep
of their families, accepted the situa-
tion philosophlcally. Those who had
no fenale relatives to look after them
were placed under the charge Of tho
captain, and it Is curious fact, de-
noting the manners and customs of the
times, that one Of the essential uualifi-
cations for the command of M India
man was reputation in the trade as n
male ehapcron Of young women. Ger
tam captains were we'll known for the
care. they took of their interesting but
difficult charges. Nor was the respon-
sibility light one. It is to be remam-
bered TINT even rs lately as thirty years
ago the East In }iamen carried troops,
and, Of course, their fascinating rod
coated officers ss we'll; also cadets and
midshipmen, who probably asked for
nothing better than the opportunity
of.setting tho commanders vigilance ut
defiance. Under the circumstances
and the surroundings. the poor captain
must have resembled n hen with n
brood of ducklings to look after, and he
must have been Argus eyed indeed to
have prevented all Irritation between
his young ladies and his young gentle
men Oh the voyage out.
We catch glimpses OF the good mans
difficulties in such old Indian novels as
'Pcregrine Pulteney,' and in the sea
Journals of travellers of tho period.
First, tho girls woro pretty; otherwise,
H. would not hare beeu muriI use 10
send them out to the Indian Marriage
Market, at heavy expense i'll the way
OF outfit and passage; and. secondly,
they were fresh from school and con-
sequently romantic. So, too, were
the cadets and young officers on board.
And, thirdly, the monotony of life on
board ship during six months voyage
to India round tic Cape of Good Hope
was highly favorable to development
OF the tender passion in hearts that
were already fired with dreams of COLI
quest and glory. No doubt, too, the
sacrficial maidens put the future as
much rs possible out of their thoughts.
1t was no use looking forward TO the
w'zoned old Judge or the jaundiced
merchant prince ut the end of the voy-
age. Better to mako hay while the sun
shone-with the cadets. And so tho
captain had to be alert and ever vigi.
liant. lest the cadets and midshipmon
should be whispering with the young
ladies through the portfolios, or, even
worse, should snatch kisses from them
III the dark holes and corners Of his fino,
frigate-built ship. In the novel above
referred to an amusing account of tho
advantage takon from storm is given.
The heroine is destined for wealthy
old gentleman in Calcutta, but gets into
terrible Irritation with cadet. And.
rs they choose to suppose that the ship
is going to the bottom. they think it
no harm to die in each others arms
though the young lady's .jiunce III Gal
cutta would probably have thought
otherwise had he been there to look on,
The splendid marriages, from
worldly point of view, that wore made
in those days must have also boon q
sore temptation. Fifty years ngo mon
could mako fortunes in India-somc-
times in a few yoars. And the girl
who went out tooherless lass might
return in n few years as the wife of an
Indian millionaire, to astonish Bath or
Tunbridge with the water of hor dia-
monds and tho lavish expenditure Of
her lord: The whole thing, in short,
was a lottery in which they we're valu.
able prizes and few blanks. Tho girls
carried all the beauty Of penniless
English families to the market, the
gentlemen their lakhs of easlly-won
rupees. Cupid, in tho shape OF somo
self.interested hariidan of the Indian
fashionable world, acted as u go-bel
tween, and my Lord Bishop of Benga-
did tho rest. Shawls, and other Indian
curiosities were sent home to the happy
parents, who speedily made ready new
consignments of sisters to the bride,
and 30 the gamo went on from one
generation to another until, in some
Indian PROVINCES, all the wealthy or
influential people became curiously in
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Foreign Capital In Georgia.