Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-20
The Ordeal by Chewing Rice.

Probably many people have heard of the
Indian method of discovering "a thlei hy
the ordeal OF chewing dried rice. Meoncr
SAW il tried, and tried with Success. H.
happened more than forty YEAR ago. but
PC the custom Of employing tins ordeal na.
almost disappeared with the advance Oh
civilization and education IN British lnd!a
we may be allowed o. tell what we rrueAl-
her OF If.
-Four of us were living together in Cal
cutta. "chummin-." rs il il called ont
there We were young men under twenty
five wears OF age. recently arrived from
England with fair earnings or salaries
and good prospects in our several PROBES
sions. We lived i'm Il fine three-storled
house in large compound or garden IN
the fashionable quarter az Calcutta.
Amongst u We had large retnu; or SER
vants-altOgthcr about ten men apiece
so that the whole domestic cstablis hluent
numbered some fifty persons.
One day there was an alarm th9t my
friend George Christians gold watch was
missing Search for IL Was made IN VAN;
and we Reluctantly arrived al the couciu-
sion that it bad been stolen We held IS
domestic court Of inquiry with the ad az the
uo0uNt0tS or native tutors, Who used 10
come To teach rs the languages; but II was
difficult % fix even suspicion OF any one.
r rom iIE AT AAl = tIilf'A4in ~ va t'+..'tt
the house il seemed probable that one OF
Christians own servants must have
been the thief. But he indignant
~ reuudiated this idea. lie si..d
that his servants We're tho best ~ me
houec. and would never have robbed him,
az he was so kind aud liberal 80 them. We
NAV observe tnat all Of us were very con
tident of the integrity OF our own private
servants. rs is the custom with most young
lnsf4 frIfrHUI
pcricnce. We We're almost Jealous of one
another az TO which kept the best servants.
We auayed them in smart hyeres, Win
silver BADGES IN their turbans and cOlorod
vaisf-bclts. Nv friend Christian had one
remarkably gOod-iOOking htitnv7gdr, or
fable-scrvant. named Abdul. whom he
considered the -how-seryant Of our estah-
llshment, and he valued him accordingly;
As orr domestic cours of inquiry failed
10 detect the thief OF TO recover the pro,
uprtv. one Of our mOOusteeS suggested
fhat we should apply to the Calcutta po-
lice for the services Of the native oinciai
who was then retained in the employ ot
Government for conducting the process or
detecting thieves by the ordeal OF nee
chewing. II must be remembered that the
Calcutta police itself was nj the lowest
stage of efficiency. II was feeblv othcered
and badly managed. For the detection Oh
thieves. especially in cases Ike ours "neIe
dOmestics were suspected, they trusted 10
the services of "a professor OF magic.
The Pundit. as we shall call the profess
sor. with two or three policemen escorung
him. arrived at our house about IL O'Clock
one morning. All our servants had Derh
warned of the impending ordeal and the
dpe-keeper had been ordered 70 allow no
one to 90 outside the gates. The Pundt
was a tail and stout man, arrayed III mus
lin. and evidently possessed with great
idea of his own Importance. According
TO his request the servants were al
seated in two rows on the ground III
one of the long veTandas Of our house,
and We took up our position so as 10 be
able TO superintend the operation. The
Pundit's attendants then produced some
pieces of green plantain leaf and small
portion was placed in each mans hands. to
serve az q plate. onto which be was 10 EJECT
the dried rice after he had successfully
chewed il. The Pundt then went round
with @ bowl full of poundedr rice, Ike hour,
and with q wooden spoon poured guam
tity of this rice flour into the open mouth
of each servant. The order was given that
each man was, within five minutes by the
watch. to chew the rice -four and eject II,
in q state of pulp, onto the planIain-leat
before him. Most of the men set 20
work with will, though u few were
rather frightened at nrst, put lOLg
before the five minutes had elapsed
almost every man had got through the pro
cess, and held what may be called tho
evidence of his innocence" IN his hands;
But why are 80 many eyes turned toward
one man, who sits back as II ANXIOUS 20
avoid obseryationS We also look, and there
is Christians favorite kiidmudgdr. Abdul.
with his face almost conyulsed, and trying
in vain to get the rice -four out of his
month. His bps are dry. and his
glands refuse to produce the saliva
which is needed to moisten the rice
-four. At last the Pundit's eyes glare
at him. and, pointing at him with
his long bony finger, he says. solemnly {;
There il the thief.n The victim quails
and grovels on the floor before him, his
handsome face becomes liyid with terror.
and at last he family appeals to his muster
for forgiveness, and promises that he will
restore the watch. AL the other servants
are now talking as fast as they can, de,
| lighted at their own deliyerance and full
| ~ ,avarenee and dread for the pundit