Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-01-14


steamship, the Cleveland. at the city of
Suez at the southern end of the canal.
In passing through the canal, the own
ers of the vessel had been required to
pay $4,000 toll for the big steamer.
Departing from Suez, we sailed about l.
200 miles southwark through the Red sea !;
on this voyage we suffered greatly from
the heat of the sun and from the hot
winds which blew from the deserts OF
Africa and Arabia. Many passengers
slept at nights on the open decks.
After reaching Alden, only IL degrees
north Of the equator, we turned north
eastward and sailed toward Bombay
across the Arabian sea. For nearly 1000
miles this sea was unusually calm, and
for four consecutive days the water was
as smooth as a mill pond; there was not
a wave high enough to break the CLASSY
appearance of the water. Finally In the
middle of November we reached Bonn
bay, 3,4OO miles from Suez.
The guide books tell us that Bombay
has a beautiful harbor, and Is the gate
way to India; that it has 100000 inhao-
itants and is the second city in India;
that 1t is located Is degrees north OF the
equator, or about degrees further south
than Havana, Cuba.
All this is interesting, but the first thing
that Impressed me was that Bombay was
hot even in November. The suns rays
came down from a clear and cloudless
sky and left a. burning sensation upon
every one not protected by the shade
The American clothing was too heavy
and the black hats were too hot. The
English people, at the custom house, tr
the streets and at the hotels were ar
rayed In white-white helmets or white
cork hats, and white duck or light silk
clothes.
The Americans were out of style In
Bombay and 1t was not long until they
made the change. Soon their heads were
adorned with solar topees or cork hats,
and soon the Bombay tailors were busy
preparing suits for the American invad-
ers.
AS for the natives many of them didn't
seem to have any clothing at all except
a narrow loin cloth. At first IL was
somewhat shocking to see thousands OF
dark-skinned men, barefooted, bare
legged, and barebodied, with only a
small piece of cotton cloth about their
waists, but soon the sight became COM
monplace and no surprise was felt. few
wore shoes in the style of the Kansas
congressman the famous sockless Jerry
Simpson, but most of the men were
barefooted.
The natives were smaller in statue
than the Americans and their limbs were
slim and bony. Some appeared emaciat-
ed as If the effects of former famine
had not disappeared.
In Bombay, the rich and well-to-do
women are not seen on the streets. They
remain closely In the homes. except occa-
sionally' when they are driven in closed
carriages. Sometimes a glance could be
caught of their faces partly covered with
rich and shimmering silks. But the poor
women of the lower, or coolie, caste were
engaged in many kinds of work, and
walked by hundreds and thousands along
the streets of the city. They wore APP
parently three pieces of clothing-one a
small shawl thrown over the head and
reaching down the shoulders, one a
! small band about six or eight inches
wide, reaching around the body just I'M
der the arms, but leaving uncovered the
bare flesh of the waist for six or eight
inches and a third cloth wrapped around
the lower waist, the ends of this cloth
| reaching only to the knees and covering
the limbs somewhat in the sheath gown
| fashion. They appeared modest in man.
| ner, and by means of the shawl general
| ly kept a part of the face covered from
view. In nearly all cases the womer
were barefooted. The bare legs, however
were common with men and women, and
| this seemed to be the universal custom.
There was to the natives no suggestion
of improperly in their style of dress. OF
! lack of dress, and thousands walked the
streets OF Bombay proud of their ap-
pearance and thoroughly satisfied thai
| they were arrayed in the prevailing anC
| approved fashion of the city.
The women, however, appeared small
and often looked but little larger thar
u or 14-year-old girls. Yet their carriage
was perfect. They held themselves as
straight as an arrow and there was dig
nifty and grace in the erect bearing
While their bodies were small and their
skins dark, and while they were unaided
by the effects of artistic dress, yet these
poor coolie women had 1.-the and graceful
bodies and walked with an erect carriage
that is not common among their more
favored sisters of the west. What is the
secret of this? 1t is found in the fact
that the women carry heavy burdens on
their heads. I did not see a wheelbar-
row in Bombay, but instead 1 saw thou
sands of women bearing on their heads
baskets. buckets, bundles. stone, brick,
mortar, sand and water. While carrying
these heavy loads, the heads are neces-
sarily held erect, and by habit the body
becomes straight and graceful. Ameri-
can girls can take this information for
what it is worth, though 1 fear many will
not be willing to undergo the severe
training indicated.
At the hotels the servants are men,
though they are called boys" The wait
ers wear white clothing and their heads
are covered with turbans, but without ex-
ception they go barefooted. In the halls,
a boy is always ready to open the room
door, or come at any command All day
and all night a barefooted boy sits or
sleeps on the hall floor waiting to serve
whenever wanted.
Servants are cheap in Bombay and the
hotels are full of them. The hotel waiter
or boy receives only 6. !, 10 or 10 cents a
day. Near the hotel where a new build
ing was being erected, I found that the
men received annas 40 cents) a day,
while the women who carried the brick
sand and mortar received annas e
cents) a day.
Soon after reaching the hotel, I ex-
changed $40 international check for some
Indian money, and in return the cashier
gave me 60 rapees.
The money values are as follows: