Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-10
From the New York Citizen.

There is but one race in India with whom the
British have not come into collision on the
field of battle. To the ParseeS or Fire-worship-
ers, the British are nothing but benefactors and
consequently those exiled Persians-lesS a race
than the remnant of one-are enthusiastically
loyal to the Empress of India down to the bot
tom OF their hearts and the bottom OF their
piles of golden mOhurS. They are now the
wealthiest class in all india and are growing
wealthier every year. Money has the bad habit
of gravitating toward money. All Moore says
of the romantic bravery of the Fire-worshipers
in I" la ROOkh' may be true; but, if so, they
bravery possessed by their descendants must be
OF nature the most latent. They certainly
have volunteer regiment in Bombay, but
Judging from their appearance when the writer
saw them, some eight or nine years ago, the
damage they might inflict upon an equal mum
her of Sikhs Sepoys would not be dis
astrous. They are small men, slim and shapely
until twenty-five, but after that inclined to be
sleek, adipose, and comfortable. Bombay is
the Parsee headquarters. They are the brokers
and merchants of that great city, own most of
its real estate and are prominent in its munich
p ai analfs; Ihey possess too good deal of
1amstayee-has expended several millions of
rupees on fountains, tanks, hospitals, for all
who choose to use them. Another Parsee mer-
chant feeds the pigeons of the city at his own
expense, a stretch of benevOience which at first
glance may not appear very great, but when
the vOracity of those little beggars is consid-
cred, and their great number darkening the
air as they hasten to the central square at noon
to be fed, 1t will be admitted they take many
thousands of rupees per month from the Golfers
OF POwnah E.rlyee. The Parsees have a fine
temple in Bombay, which reflects more on
not often visited, especially by the Young men
who, just like Christians, are imbued with the
skeptical spirit of the age. Not shadow of the
stencil always emanates, and from a cause
amply sufficient This cemetery-or more prop
erly speaking, temple OF the dead-stands on
what was once an outskirt of the city. though it
is now in the center, and is constructed like a
round tower, in the style of the ancient Per-
slams. Two-thirds of the tower is overgrOund
the remaining third underneath. From base to
summit it is divided into flats or compart-
ments, separated by strong iron gratings On
those gratlngS the dead are placed according to
rank, the highest nearest the summit and there
they lie until the flesh meltS from the bones
and drops through from grating TO grating, into
the reservoir below, when the bones are con-
sumed by fire. Moore does not mention this in
any of the numerous notes to his Fire-worshp-
ers. 1t would spoil the extreme beauty of the
story, and detract from the heroism of Hated ''o
While the Parsees are strictly honorable in
their dealings, their success at making a bar
gain and their cunning of fence" would cause
our sharpest traders to turn purple with envy.
He does not gesticulate, or grow excited while
buying or selling; his manner is rather debon-
air than anxious, and If he does not succeed in
impressing his customer that he is comforting a
favor upon him, he manages to appear as If
that was his own conviction, at all events.
Many of them are merchant princes in the
brOadest sense of the word, and control part of
the cotton trade of India: The Bombay Parsees
n.
dus and Chinnab rivers, as far as MOoltan and
beyond to Lahore and Umritsur. They arc
the bankers of the country, and though they sit
gracefully behind the heaps of gold and silver
on change, like other Indian brokers, the great
bulk of their money Is out at interest.
The Parsee is, of course, a Caucasian and one
Of his greatest affections is lest some ignorant
person may take him for one Of those mOngreI
Portuguese, many Of whom are scattered
through the Bombay presidency. His gorgeous
dress, however, saves him from this indignity
and, besides, his complexion is really lighter
than that of the Portuguese. He wears a silk
or satin trousers, of bright color-rich scarlet
deep cherry, bright blue or crimson Indeed. it
cOlOrs. His shoes are OF red and gold, sparkling
often with rubies, and even diamonds His
hat, which has no rim or Leaf, rises like sugar.
loaf to pOrtentOus proportions, and slopes away
back, making the face and head-gear front
from the chin to the apex OF the hat, describe n
perfect quarter-circle.
The ParSee women are very beautiful-at least
some OF them-and their dress is simply ,nao-
nificent. They are petite, and have delicate
features aud murderous eyes, which they use
most innocent manner consistent with deadly
effect.
The Parsees keep fine houses, many servants.
rare sumptuously, and sometimes keep up q
are 100 epIcurean to be vulgar; but it is as
serted, don't know with what degree of trut0
tnat as people, they are lax in their morality
When Parsee lady walks out, her servants
Keep within respectable distance behind She
carries two purseS-One containing pice (haIf.
cent each), the other cOwries whose relative
value Know not but think as MANY as can he
grasped In the hand equal an anna -four nice
or TWO cents. She gives pi to those whom she
fancies in want, and a courie to every heogar
that asks. And, Bismillah. weren't thew rather
plentiful in the streets and squares of Bombav
when the Citizen contributor was there?