Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-07-22
Graceful Nautch Girls.

LII recently puDllSueu WOTk Dy MIS-.
Leonowens occurs the following with
regard to the famous dancing-g girls Of
India.
The Nautchnees' establishment was
curious building surrounded by high
wall. We entered through gate, and
were at once conducted by couple of
old women across paved courtyard
planted all around with the mongree,
oleander, and tall red and white rose
Trees. rassiug this wc10 in Ar odueed
into great, bare hall, with low seats
ranged around the walls, curtained all
along the further end of the room, into
which inner chambers seemed to open.
Here we took our places. One of the
old women stayed 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 ten
der young girls are bought and sold as
il they were cattle, no longer exist in
British India, but the amount Of traffic
of the kind that is still carried on ev.
erywhere is Incredible, although the
fact is vigorously denied by both the
buyer and seller. In many cases these
Nautchnees are not bought, but hired
for 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
employer, finds herself without money.
friends, or social ties, and is glad
enough to spend the remainder of her
life in instructing the younger men,
bers of the establishment of which,
with the fidelity so natural to oriental
women, she considers herself mem
Der, and therefore bound for life to pro-
mote its 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 q woman aboat 80 and q native Of
Afghanistan. tail and finely formed.
She spoke of difficulty in procuring re-
spectacle young girls to fill the places
| of those who ran away. were sold to
certain rich admirers for wives or con-
cubines, or died. 1t twould appear that
the lowest, or Cusban, class was fast
diminishing. On my questioning the
old lady 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 o pale, delicate OIL
i've, 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 appa-
rntus, rude, but curious-ropes to which
the girls clung as they whirled around
on tiptoe; wheels on which they were
made to walk in order to learn q pecu-
liar circular dance called "chakranee"
from "chak," Wheel; slip-knots into
| which they fastened 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 il any
one OF these snap under too great .
pressure they are punished, though
mover very severely.
Altogether it was strange sight.
Most Of the girls from 10 TO IA 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 10 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
complexions. the dreamy expression Of
their large. dark, quiet eyes, added TO q
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 re-
peat poems and plays, but no books are