The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-09
THE NAUTCHNEES.

OF 1n0i3-
The Nautchnees' establishment was a
curious building surrounded by a high
wall. We entered through a gate, and
were at once conducted by a couple of
old women across paved courtyard
planted all around with the mongree,
oleander, and tall red and white rose
trees. Passing this, we were introduced
into great bare hall, with low seats
ranged around the walls, curtained all
along the farther end of the room, into
which inner chambers seemed to open.
Here we took our places One of the
old women staid by us. while the other
went off to announce our visit to the
head lady of the establishment.
The great slave-markets which we
have all read so much about, where
tender Young girls are bought and sold
as if they were cattle, no longer exist
in British India. but the amount of
traffic of the kind that is still carried on
everywhere is incredible, although the
fact is vigorously denied by both the
fbuver and the seller. In many cases
these NautchneeS are not bought. but
hired for a term of years, for money
paid not to the girls themselves, but to
parents or friends. In the course of
time the parents die or move away, and
the girl, after having given her best
DAYS to her employers, finds herself
without money. friends. or social ties,
and is glad enough to spend the re-
mainder of her life in instructing the
Younger members of the establishment
of which, with the fidelity so natural to
Oriental women, she considers herself
member, and therefore bound for life to
promote it's interests.
After few moments Sainah Bebee
came IN to greet the Lady Kesineh. She
salaamed most deferentially to us and
took her place on the floor. She was a
woman about fifty and native of AT
ghanistan, tall and finely formed She
spoke of difficulty in procuring respect
able young girls to fill the place of those
who ran away, were sold to certain rich
admirers for wives or concubineS, or
died. 1t would appear that the lowest,
or Cusban, class was fast diminishing.
On my questioning the old lady about
about the average life of the Nautchnees
she could give me no clear estimate,
but intimated very decidedly that they
generally died young.
At my especial request we were shown
into the eXerciSing-roOm and almost
over the entire establishment There
were over hundred girls, of all ages
and all shades of complexion from dark
brown to pale, delicate olive, going
through their exercises at the time. The
hall was composed of bamboo trellis-
work, and was light, spacious and airy
enough. From the roof hung all sorts
of gymnastic apparatus, rude but curl
ous-ropes to which the girls chung as
|. they whirled around on tiptOe; wheels
on which they were made to walk in Or
der to learn peculiar circular dance
called "chakranee frOm "chak, d
wheeD; slipknots into which they fast
ened one arm or one leg, thus holding
it mOtionless while they exercised the
other; cups, revolving balls, which they
sprang up to catch; and heaps of fragile
cords. with which they spin round and
round, and if any one of these snap
under too great pressure they are pun
ished, though never very severely.
Altogether, it was strange sight.
Most of the girls from ten to fourteen
had nothing on but short, tight pair
of drawers; the older ones had tight
short-sleeved bodices in addition to the
drawers; and those under ten were
naked. They were all good-looking:
few here and there were beautiful. The
delicate and refined outline of their
features, the soft tint of their rich COM
pleXions, the dreamy expression of their
large. dark, quiet eyes, added to great
symmetry of form, made them strangely
fascinating.
The teachers were all middle-aged
women, some of whom looked prema-
turely old. The girls are taught to
repeat poems and plays, but no books
are used.
The dOrmitOries in this establishment
were bare rooms; the girls all slept upon
mats or cushions on the floor Each
had a lota. or drink;ng-cup, a little
mirror, and a native box in which to
keep her clothes. The more finished
and accomplished Nautchnees had
rooms to themselves. | went into one
vi lUCoc. IL WIS iHdllcu anu WIS very
simply furnished. A tier of boxes in
which her Jewels and robes were kept, a
cot and few brass lotas, fans. coias, or
water-hOlderS. with some tiny looking
glasses ranged along the wall-and this
was all.
inquired for the beautiful Maui chnee
who had interested me. Her name was
Khangee; she was Soodahnee by birth.
The SOodahs are military race or tribe
inhabiting parts of the Province of
Clutch; they find their chief wealth in the
beauty of their daughters, and for one
of the SoOdahneeS rich MOhammedan
will pay from 1000 to 10000 rupees.
RajahS, wealthy Mohammedan mer-
chants. and prOprietors of dancing-girls
often dispatch their emissaries to Clutch.
Kabool, Cashmere, and Rajpootana in
search of beautiful women. The fame
of the Cashmerian and SOodah women
has spread far and wide, and often
some beautiful creature is picked up
out of the novels of Thur, Body, or
Cashmere and transplanted to the
gorgeous pomp of royal harem. The
Rajpoots intermarry with the SOOdah
and Cashmerian women, and, being
naturally handsome race, they have
preserved by this means that physical
beauty of which they are so justly
proud.
Very little was known of Khangee's
history beyond the fact that she was
Soodahnee by birth. She was bought
at an early age from her parents. who
were poor and occupied howell in the
village of Thur in Clutch. and sold 10
this establishment when in her seventh
year. and was almost as ignorant of her
parentage as newly-born babe. At
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