The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-07-25
TIE NAuIcHNEEs.

Description Of tire Habfts ana Sur
foundings Oh the Famous Dancing Girls
Of India.
The Nautchnees' establishment was .
curious building surrounded by a high
wall We entered through gate, and
were at once conducted by a couple of
old women across paved courtyard
planted all around with the mongree,
olesnder, 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 siave-markets which we
have all read 30 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 IL still carried on
everywhere is incredible, although the
iact is vigorously uenled by both the
eoyer ana tne seller. In many cases
tnese Nautchnees are not bought. but
hired ior q 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,
ehc y giaa enough to spend the re-
malnder OF her LIE IN instructing the
younger members OF the establishment
oi whlcn' with the hdelity SO natural to
orientai women. she considers herself
member, and therefore bound for life to
promote us lnterestei
After . few MOMENTS Sainah Bebee
came ID to greet the Lady kesineh. She
salaamed most deferentially to us and
TOOK her place on the hoor. She was
woman about NIFTY and native OF Al
ghanistan tall and finely formed. She
spoke OF difficulty IL procuring respect
able young girls 10 I'LL the place OF those
VINO ran away, were sold to certain rich
admirers Tor wives or concubiIies. or
died. 1t would appear that the lowest,
or Cusben, class was fast diminishing
On my questioning the Old lady about
ABOUT the average LIE OF the Nautehnees
she could give me no clear estimate,
but intlmated very decidedly that they
generally died young.
AT my especial request we were shown
into the exerelsing-room and almost
over the entire establ shment. 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 Qrom "chak,
wheels slIpknots into which they fast
ened one arm or one leg, thus holding
1t 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
lshed, 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 bodlces in addition to the
drawers; and those under ten were
naked. They were all good-looking: a
few here and there were beautiful. The
delicate and refined outline of their
features, the soft tint OF their rich com
plexlOns, 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 lota, or drinkng-cup. little
mirror, and native box in which to
keep her clothes. The more finished
and accomplished Nautchnees had
rooms to themselves. l went into one
OF these. 1t was matted and was very
simply furnished. A tier OF boxes in
which her jewels and robes were kept. a
cot and few brass lotas, fans, cojas, or
water-holders. with some tiny looking
glasses ranged along the wall-and this
was all.
l inquired for the beautiful Nauchnee
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