Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-06-05
AN ASlATlC GREW
Curious Habilinents, Manners ana Jus
,nm. nf AN East indian ships Crew.

r,r,,ns Habiiiments, Manners aud Gus
,,m. nf AN East indian ships Crew
The British steamship hstor Hail.
which arrived here few days ago from
Iivernool with cargo of salt ana phos-
nhate now being unloaded at the Queen
and crescent wharf, is the object OF much
interest in the Third district mt present.
III cause of attraction is the crew of the
vessel one of the most unique seen here
for some time, cosmopolitan as New Ut
leans richtfully claims to be. Inc SAIL
ors in question comprise torty-slx MO
bammedans, whose garments OF white
cotton with red turbans for headgear
contrast strongly with the copper col
ored visages Of the wearers' Inc wealth
err Yesterday WIS not particularly warm
and the sight of the crew as they were
at work discharging the cargo In sum
NOR attire was calculated to send chill
down the back of the most indifferent
observer. The peculiarities of the peo-
nla however, are not confined exclusive
/ IL TO their dress, but also apply to their
habits and customs, which are even more
markedly singular. They eat no beef
nor pork. and all food consumed by them
must be prepared, cooked and served
nv people of their own race.
Two casks are employed by the ship
for this purpose They fare principally
upon rice and curry, huge pots of which
are cooked daily for their use, and served
with uuvarying monotony for breakfast,
dinner and supper The rice is boiled
after their own methods, aud the curry
pounded in the primitive style which
prevailed among them thousand years
ago. A queer idea with them is that the
hand of the stranger is sacrilegious and
communicates their food, which would
he Immediately disdained if ever sub
iected to the simple touch of any other
race. This also applies to their cooking
utensils and all cooking implements en-
Moved bv them. Sometimes for change
they eat mutton, but the sheep must be
killed by their butcher secretly, so that
even the eve of the Christian may not
gaze upon the slaughter.
With some tribes of the race the idea
is even carried still further, the shadow
of Christian falling upon their food
uniting it for use. a visit to their
QudElbIS III llit lOl W tti VI SAt' VI VIZ jill l.
! revealed the fact that, though cleanli-
ness is one OF the injunctions of the Mo
hammedan faith, they were palpably ig-
norant of its desrability for its own
sake The room in which they were
gathered at the evening meal was theil
sleeping quarters, and also served as 8
smoking room and pantry, as revealed
bv portions of "A quartered sheep, which
was suspended from the ceiling.
The air was heavy with the fumes Of
tobacco smoke of peculiar flavor, pro
dued from chcroots, which such of the
sailors who had finished their evening
U meal were putting vigorously. Perhap
one of the most curious features of TIN
reporters visit was the sight of thest
4 people at supper. Eight or ten mer
e were seated tailor fashion around a larg'
basin of rice, in the center of which
: was a curry sauce of about the consist
. ency of honey.
Il The iindoostanese would dip his RICH
a hand into the dish, unmindful of tabl
Is etiquette, and, rolling mp into a wa,
d about a handful of the rice, would flavo
e it with little curry and then transfe
/ the morael to his mouth. His neighbo
e would then proceed to do likewise, unit
II the whole circuit was completed TIL
rs Interpreter, who accompanied the re
Il porter, stated that the men never use
N the left hand in eating, and that befor
n and after each meal they cleaned thei
es mouths thoroughly.
le They possess fine teeth distinguish
ar ing feature which is found even anon
r the aged. While the Mohammedan cree
enjoins that they shall offer prayer I
Allah four OF five times day, they hav,
sailorike, grown Indifferent to the stri,
O. DEGREES of their religion. They are yer
Id Clearly, however, and battle every day
ne no matter how cold the weather may b,
o, They are, of course, teetotalists, it bein
a breach OF their religious faith to touc
the tempting arrac.
10 As sailors, they were said to compaI
unfayorably with the English in propo
K tons of four to one, and in cases
to emergency two English sailors wei
OF worth boatload of them. This w;
10 due to the fact that they were fatais
pure and simple, and that nothing coul
us alter the mysterious workings of Allal
d The Mohammedans speak only Hindo
Us stance, and We're engaged at Bomba
Ss about three months ago, the agreemel
W in shipping articles being that the
W should be returned to that port at ii
IL expiration of twelve months.
a. At every new moon the Asiatics dan'
w and sing, their peculiar exercises beif
ne held at sunrise and sunset.
he This is the first trip of the steamsh
d Astor Hall to this port, having prey
No ously been engaged in the Bombay ira,
no from Liverpool. New Orleans Times.
IS, "
an remarkable Cave in Indiana.
Of Fl. II. Sturm, of Indianapolis, al
L2i.l.n.l D. g L