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} - h3.pgx { text-align: center; - clear: both; - font-weight: bold; - font-size: 110%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - word-spacing: 0em; - letter-spacing: 0em; - line-height: 1; } - h4.pgx { text-align: center; - clear: both; - font-weight: bold; - font-size: 100%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - word-spacing: 0em; - letter-spacing: 0em; - line-height: 1; } - hr.pgx { width: 100%; - margin-top: 3em; - margin-bottom: 0em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - height: 4px; - border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ - border-style: solid; - border-color: #000000; - clear: both; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<h1 class="pgx" title="">The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Harim and the Purdah, by Elizabeth Cooper</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States -and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no -restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: The Harim and the Purdah</p> -<p> Studies of Oriental Women</p> -<p>Author: Elizabeth Cooper</p> -<p>Release Date: December 5, 2020 [eBook #63959]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARIM AND THE PURDAH***</p> -<p> </p> -<h4 class="pgx" title="">E-text prepared by<br /> - Richard Tonsing, Fritz Ohrenschall,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (https://www.pgdp.net)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (https://archive.org)</h4> -<p> </p> -<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> - <tr> - <td valign="top"> - Note: - </td> - <td> - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/cu31924023537552 - </td> - </tr> -</table> -<p> </p> -<hr class="pgx" /> - -<div class='section ph1'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div>THE HARIM AND THE PURDAH</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div id='Frontispiece' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/frontispiece.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>DANCING GIRL OF JEYPORE.<br /><br /><span class='right'>Frontispiece.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='titlepage'> - -<div class='box'> - -<div> - <h1 class='c002'><span class='color_red'>THE HARIM AND THE PURDAH</span><br /> <span class='large'>STUDIES OF ORIENTAL WOMEN</span></h1> -</div> - -</div> -<div class='box'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div><span class='small'>BY</span></div> - <div class='c004'><span class='color_red'><span class='xlarge'>ELIZABETH COOPER</span></span></div> - <div class='c004'><span class='xsmall'>AUTHOR OF “MY LADY OF THE CHINESE COURTYARD,” “THE SOUL TRADERS,” ETC.</span></div> - <div class='c003'><span class='small'>ILLUSTRATED</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div class='box'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>NEW YORK</div> - <div class='c004'><span class='color_red'><span class='large'>THE CENTURY COMPANY</span></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -</div> - -<p class='c005'>(<em>All rights reserved</em>)</p> - -<p class='c005'>(PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN)</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c004' /> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table0' summary='CONTENTS'> -<colgroup> -<col width='15%' /> -<col width='73%' /> -<col width='10%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <th class='c007'></th> - <th class='c008'> </th> - <th class='c009'><span class='small'>PAGE</span></th> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'> </td> - <td class='c008'>INTRODUCTION</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_9'>9</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <th class='c007'><span class='small'>CHAPTER</span></th> - <th class='c008'> </th> - <th class='c009'> </th> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>I.</td> - <td class='c008'>EGYPTIAN WOMEN OF THE PAST</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_19'>19</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>II.</td> - <td class='c008'>THE MODERN EGYPTIAN WOMAN</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_39'>39</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>III.</td> - <td class='c008'>MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, POLYGAMY</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_56'>56</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>IV.</td> - <td class='c008'>THE WOMAN OF THE DESERT</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_69'>69</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>V.</td> - <td class='c008'>INDIAN SOCIAL LIFE</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_85'>85</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>VI.</td> - <td class='c008'>INDIAN HOME LIFE</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_100'>100</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>VII.</td> - <td class='c008'>MARRIAGE—THE GOAL OF WOMAN</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_113'>113</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>VIII.</td> - <td class='c008'>INDIAN MOTHERHOOD</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_130'>130</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>IX.</td> - <td class='c008'>WOMAN’S SORROW</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_143'>143</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>X.</td> - <td class='c008'>HYDERABAD AND THE MOHAMMEDAN WOMAN</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_154'>154</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XI.</td> - <td class='c008'>MOHAMMEDANISM WITHIN THE ZENANA</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_170'>170</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XII.</td> - <td class='c008'>BURMAH</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_179'>179</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XIII.</td> - <td class='c008'>BURMESE RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_200'>200</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XIV.</td> - <td class='c008'>THE LADY OF CHINA</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_211'>211</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'><span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>XV.</td> - <td class='c008'>THE RED CHAIR OF MARRIAGE</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_240'>240</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XVI.</td> - <td class='c008'>WHEN CHINESE WOMEN DIE</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_254'>254</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XVII.</td> - <td class='c008'>CHANGING CHINA</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_260'>260</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'>XVIII.</td> - <td class='c008'>JAPANESE WOMEN AT HOME</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_271'>271</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c007'> </td> - <td class='c008'>CONCLUSION</td> - <td class='c009'><a href='#Page_307'>307</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span> - <h2 class='c006'>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary='ILLUSTRATIONS'> -<colgroup> -<col width='80%' /> -<col width='20%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>DANCING GIRL OF JEYPORE</td> - <td class='c010'><em><a href='#Frontispiece'>Frontispiece</a></em></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <th class='c008'></th> - <th class='c010'><span class='small'>Facing page</span></th> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>“TWO WOMEN SHALL BE GRINDING AT THE MILL”</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_009'>9</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>EGYPTIAN WOMAN OF THE LOWER CLASS</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_019'>19</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>RAMESES AND HIS WIFE</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_020'>20</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A WATER-CARRIER</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_036'>36</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>THE TAILOR</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_044'>44</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A WOMAN OF THE MASSES</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_064'>64</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>CHILDREN ON THE NILE</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_066'>66</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>BEDOUIN WOMEN IN FRONT OF TENT</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_069'>69</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A HOLY MAN, BENARES</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_096'>96</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>CRADLE IN VILLAGE, BARODA</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_132'>132</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>INDIAN WOMEN SPINNING</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_148'>148</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A CARRIAGE FOR WOMEN</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_154'>154</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>MOHAMMEDAN WOMEN, HYDERABAD</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_170'>170</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>HUSKING RICE IN A BURMESE VILLAGE</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_179'>179</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>BURMESE GIRL</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_180'>180</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>DANCING AT A VILLAGE FESTIVAL, BURMAH</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_183'>183</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A BUDDHIST SCHOOL MANDALAY (SHOWING BEGGING-BOWL)</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_194'>194</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>BURMESE BOY WITH TATTOOED LEGS</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_196'>196</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">EN ROUTE</span></i> TO A FESTIVAL, BURMAH</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_198'>198</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>A BURMESE WOMAN AND HER CIGAR</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_206'>206</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>BURMESE WORKING WOMAN</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_208'>208</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>GOLDEN PAGODA, MANDALAY</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_210'>210</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>CHINESE WOMEN WARMING HANDS AND FEET WITH BRAZIERS</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_214'>214</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>CHINESE WOMEN AND CHAIR-BEARERS</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_218'>218</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>BOUND FEET OF CHINESE WOMAN</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_221'>221</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>AN OLD-FASHIONED CHINESE GIRLS’ SCHOOL</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_224'>224</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>WHEELBARROW AND COOLIE—USED IN PLACE OF WAGONS IN TOWNS AND COUNTRY VILLAGES NEAR SHANGHAI</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_236'>236</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>RAIN-COATS OF CHINESE WORKMEN</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_246'>246</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>RICE-BOATS ON CANAL, CHINA</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_260'>260</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>JAPANESE CHILDREN PLAYING</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_276'>276</a></td> - </tr> - <tr><td> </td></tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN IN JAPAN</td> - <td class='c010'><a href='#i_290'>290</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div id='i_009' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_009.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>“TWO WOMEN SHALL BE GRINDING AT THE MILL.”<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span> - <h2 class='c006'>INTRODUCTION</h2> -</div> - -<div class='lg-container-b c011'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line in13'>“What thou biddest</div> - <div class='line'>Unargued I obey. So God ordains;</div> - <div class='line'>God is <em>thy</em> law, thou mine: to know no more</div> - <div class='line'>Is woman’s happiest knowledge, and her praise.”</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>This is the creed of the woman of the East -to-day. It is the same as it has been for -centuries; it will continue the same for centuries -to come. Indeed, it is a question whether the -Oriental woman, with all her intellectual and -social advance which is already beginning, will -be able ever to free herself from those traditional -and inherent influences which have been wrought -into the very warp and woof of Eastern humanity.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Eastern woman is primarily a traditionalist. -She is more closely bound by hereditary -tendency than the woman of the West. -One of her outstanding characteristics has lain -for years in her dependency and passive reliance -upon her husband for economic support and protection. -Her very seclusion means to her, not -that which the word would connote to the -Westerner, slavery or imprisonment; to her it -is rather the mantle of protective care and -interest thrown over her by her lord and master. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>It has helped to make her feminine, as it has -naturally added to her inefficiency as far as any -work is concerned that bears a similitude of -masculine activity.</p> - -<p class='c005'>With the exception of the Burmese woman, -and to an appreciable and growing extent the -women of Japan, the Oriental woman has been -influenced and moulded by her economic necessities. -The Eastern attitude toward woman, -which in general has been to keep her ignorant -and to consider that her charms other than those -relating to her physical attractions are minute, -has brought about a feminine type peculiar -to itself. The result is a woman who outside -of the home has no power of gaining a livelihood, -and who as a natural consequence has -turned her whole thought, emotion, and imagination -upon her domestic affairs. Furthermore, -we find in such countries of the Orient as -Burmah and Japan, where women are solving -the problem of self-support, that they have also -been able, not only to have greater freedom, but -also, to a certain extent, they have demanded -the right to choose their own mates and regulate -the laws concerning their home life. For -instance, in each of these countries the wife has -the right of divorcing her husband—a right -denied the woman of other Oriental lands. The -property rights of women in these lands, where -women are just beginning to be wage-earners, -are also clearly set forth in their civil codes, -giving justice to the women.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>The realm of the Eastern woman is primarily -the realm of the home. She has the true spirit -of the bee; she considers the collective good -of the household before her own. Her great -vocation is to be a wife and mother. She attends -personally to her household duties, and domestic -service is to her not a disgrace. Her children -are to her a veritable life-work. She looks after -them personally, superintends their every act, -and watches closely their development. Even -the high lady of the East does not consider it -demeaning to cook with her own hands that -which she knows will appeal to the taste of her -family. Cooking, indeed, is regarded as a fine -art in the East, and recipes are handed down -like heirlooms from mother to daughter along -with the family jewels.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Eastern woman is honoured by the honour -of her household. It is her business to make -it possible for her husband and her sons to -advance, and she shines in the reflected light of -their achievements. She has not been taught, -neither has she any suspicion of the Western -ambition to make name and fame for herself. -There is a certain delight and satisfaction in -living behind the veil which one can hardly -appreciate from the Western point of view. That -this Eastern feminine regards her success as -domestic rather than social is abundantly proved -to any one who lives intimately in touch with -the women of these countries.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The one great cry which goes up from the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>heart of every Oriental woman, regardless of -place or station, in any home between Algiers -and Tokio, is, “Give me sons!” It is this desire -for men-children, and the belief on the part of -the woman that this is the primal and ultimate -destiny of womanhood, that has made marriage -the universal custom for all women throughout -the East. Rarely indeed do you find an unmarried -woman. In India marriage is assured -by betrothal in early childhood; and even in -those countries where education and Western -influence are raising the age limit of marriages -one finds no diminution in the general feeling -that woman’s world is the home, with her children -about her.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This devotion to the purely domestic realm -has left the woman a victim to ignorance, superstition, -and the many evils that follow in their -train. One finds the same superstition working -in the minds of the women in Cairo, in Calcutta, -and in Peking. The Egyptian mother dresses -her boy in rags to guard him from the baneful -influence of the “evil eye,” while the woman of -China pierces her son’s ears and places a ring -therein, to deceive the gods and make them -think he is a girl. The woman of Algiers will -buy charms and magic symbols to bring her -the blessing of motherhood, while the woman -of Japan visits shrines and holy places, where -her faith and superstition are traded upon by -those who understand the weakness of their -womenkind. She has so long been accustomed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>to rely upon her superstitions, her emotions, -and to use her intuition in the place of a brain, -that the present beginnings in education have -been hampered. That, however, she will prove -herself capable in the realm of mental training -is proven by the fact that, especially in Egypt -and in Japan, modern schools for girls are -becoming really popular movements in the development -of these countries. Every advance -in the education of men adds to the possibility -of intellectual emancipation for women.</p> - -<p class='c005'>During long ages Eastern women have been -denied the right to think for themselves and have -been compelled to feel their way emotionally, and -their power to feel thus has become abnormally -developed at the expense of their power to judge -or reason. The woman of the Orient is a woman -swayed by emotions, by the heart instead of by -the intellect.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a logical line of connection to be -traced among the modern women of the East. -Her phases of development have been the -inevitable outcome of influences to which she -has been taught to submit as a duty. Her -religious sense—the strong spiritual craving that -is deep within the heart of all women—has been -utilized as a means of influencing her to yield -implicit obedience to her mankind, whether he -be father, brother, or husband. She has made -him, in a certain sense, her god, and in yielding -all to him she has ceased to think in the terms -of her own individuality, accepting the common -<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>opinion that the Eastern woman lives for her -home and the amusement and the material comfort -of her husband. A mental deficiency bill -was passed upon her centuries ago, and the laws -command her husband to keep her under -restraint. Her menfolks expect her to be -deficient, and have carefully guarded her from -opportunities of becoming otherwise. Her -husband has not associated her with any of -his outside life, and she has found little or -nothing in his conversation to stimulate or to -broaden her mind. Considering her as a being -who only understands her children and the petty -gossip of the women’s quarters, he has deprived -her of the mental possibilities which have reached -the men of the East. He has not only tried to -teach her not to think for herself, but the Eastern -masculine has endeavoured to make her understand -that she cannot think. Nor is this -tendency entirely abolished by modern education. -The young girl fresh from her school in -Cairo or Calcutta, where she has caught glimpses -of a new world, and where her brain has been -slightly awakened, marries and goes into the -traditional home, where her faith in herself is -gradually diminished by living constantly in the -atmosphere of ignorance and superstition which -still rules so largely in her woman’s world. -Finally, she gives up trying, resigning herself -to the standard of the man-made world in which -she finds herself, and her husband becomes her -keeper in every sense of the word.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>The Eastern woman naturally tends in this -way to lose her self-reliance, which she is not -allowed to exercise. She often decides few -matters for herself, even the small details of her -daily life being settled by her husband. The -effect is insidious, but none the less relaxing, -since the faculty of responsibility, like every -other faculty, is strengthened only by exercise, -and passes away with disuse.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Can the woman of the East be awakened to -an advanced development without harm to herself? -Within her is found an enormous amount -of suppressed capacity for good and evil. This -suppression, which has been her cue for generations, -possesses great dynamic power. Force -becomes dangerous when confined; it should -be directed, and unless properly guided and -controlled, when it does burst forth, as it -is bound to do with these women who are -becoming educated and learning their power, -it is likely to riot widely, with havoc -for its effect. The Eastern woman who -has traded upon her emotional nature for her -livelihood, who has used these same emotions -to keep her husband in a land where divorce is -easy and where polygamy is practised by many, -may be guided by her feelings rather than her -intellect, using her new-found freedom to bring -her lasting unhappiness instead of the joy which -she now believes is lying just outside her doors. -In India advance has come too rapidly at times, -and the woman in her desire to slavishly imitate -<span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>her sisters from the West has shocked the conservative -traditions of her nation, and thereby -greatly retarded her cause. The Egyptian -woman when in England or France becomes -almost ludicrous in her attempts to be like the -European woman, forgetting that she lacks the -foundation of the years of freedom and equality -with men which bring judgment and confidence -to the woman of the Western world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman of the Orient is awakening and -is setting herself the task to consider what is -best to be done. How can she remedy the deficiency -of the social life of her land? The -case is not a hopeless one by any means, even -though her capacities and wonderful possibilities -have lain dormant for so long. Many of these -women now see the things that are wrong; they -see the iniquity of a system in which they are -not allowed to choose their own mate; they -see the crying wrongs of their antiquated -marriage and divorce laws, made for another -period than the twentieth century—laws which -do not fit the present conditions, however successful -they may have been in other times. -These women are learning to respect themselves -and their position, learning to appreciate -and value the weight of their majorities, and -some are having the courage to speak out. -These bolder ones are being punished for their -intrepidity; but it does not check them. The -cause for which they are working is gradually -becoming more and more possible with the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>advent of education and Western influences, -which are causing the present-day educated men -of the Orient to require a certain amount of -education in their wives and daughters. As this -new order comes to the land of the Nile and the -Ganges, the old-time woman who passed her -days lounging on the divans, eating sweets, -drinking coffee, and gossiping with servants and -friends as ignorant as herself, will pass away. -The new woman of the East will never be -a suffragette; she will never attend mass -meetings nor carry banners marked “Votes -for Women”; indeed, it would be as incongruous -to think of these sheltered women doing such -a thing as to imagine the long row of mummies -at the Museum of Cairo suddenly starting a -procession down the aisles of the museum. -These women, however, are setting up a high -standard for themselves, eager to accept all the -Western world has to offer them by way of -education and growth, while they feel that they -have the capacity to attain the objects of their -new ambitions.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In all this change, will the Oriental woman -remain the same as regards the deepest things -in her nature? Will she keep her innate sense -of modesty, her womanliness, her love of home -and children, her feminine qualities which seem -to us of the Western world almost a weakness, -but which comprise her appealing charm? We -cannot but feel that although the woman of the -East may change radically in the outward expression -<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>of her life, inwardly she will remain -the same. Indeed, it would be a great mistake -if the Eastern woman became satisfied with -any mere superficial imitation of her Western -sisters. She would lose her birthright. She -would lose the consummate opportunity of being -an Oriental in an Oriental world, and bringing -out of her treasure things new and old for the -benefit of the women of every race. Her -message to the world of the West in the devotion -and the keeping of the home, in the love -and pride of children, in her self-effacement for -the good of the family, is a high message and -in no period has it been more insistently needed. -It is this contribution which the woman of the -Orient will bring in return for the education and -enlightenment from the Occident.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If the Western woman comes to the Oriental -bringing in her hands the fair gifts of intellectual -advancement and broadened life, her Eastern -sister will not be her debtor if she, by example, -presents in return the even more precious charms -of obedience, modesty, and loyalty which fundamentally -are the priceless jewels in the crown -of the world’s womanhood.</p> - -<div id='i_019' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_019.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>EGYPTIAN WOMAN OF THE LOWER CLASS.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div><span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span></div> -<div class='section ph1'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div>The Harim and the Purdah</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - -<div> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER I<br /> <span class='large'>EGYPTIAN WOMEN OF THE PAST</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>The word Egypt opens the Book of Romance -to the traveller in the East, and he longs to -come under the spell of its mysterious grandeur, -and gaze upon the monuments which will speak -to him of the power and splendour of a -people long since gathered to their gods. It -is a land in which to dream dreams and see -visions. The temples, broken columns, and -great pylons call with a voice that must be heard -even by the prosaic tourist, and the hands he -sees painted upon the walls of Denderah or Deirel -Bahari will beckon him when sitting in office, -club, or home, far from the dazzling sands or -burning sun of Africa.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The charm of the land of the Pharaohs is -very real, and it is hard to speak of Egyptian -life in a calm and lucid style, or free oneself -from extravagant descriptions.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Egypt and its fascination are favourite themes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>for novelists and writers of travel, and yet in -spite of a good deal of general knowledge we -remain curiously ignorant of the Egyptian -woman, from the point of view of her moral -and mental development. In common with -women of other Oriental lands, she has been -an object of mystery to the Western world. We -know that in the olden time, in the days of the -Pharaohs, she held an important place in the -life of her world. We see her pictures on the -tombs, temples were erected in her honour, and -we know that there were queens who in their -day governed their country with dignity and rare -ability.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In former days the purity of the blood of -the royal line was assured by the marriage of a -brother and sister, the queen reigning equally -with the king. If a queen of royal birth took as -her consort a male not descended directly from -a royal mother, even though his father might -have been a Pharaoh, at the death of his wife he -was compelled to abdicate in favour of the son -or daughter who could call the queen “mother.” -This was shown when Thotmes I was compelled -to resign his crown in favour of that great Queen -Hatshepsu, his daughter, who for twenty years -governed Egypt. Although her reign was a -stormy one because of her half-brothers who -claimed the throne, her name and features erased -from all the monuments, and omitted from the -official tablets and chronological records, yet -enough was left to show that her power had -been great and that she commanded the attention -of the world. It is said that Hatshepsu had herself -everywhere depicted as a man, wearing the -dress and even the beard of the stronger sex, -perhaps hoping in this way to gain a greater -allegiance of her people.</p> - -<div id='i_020' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_020.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>RAMESES AND HIS WIFE.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>One of the most interesting temples along the -Nile is that of the first woman ruler of Egypt -of whom we have accurate knowledge. One rides -over the hot sands beneath a burning sun to a -series of great terraces and broken white columns -against a background of tiger-coloured precipices. -This beautiful temple of the XVIIIth -Dynasty, called by the Egyptians “the Sublime -of the Sublime,” was dedicated to Amen Ra and -his companion gods, Hathor and Anubis, but -it was really erected to commemorate the glorious -reign of a great queen.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another woman who influenced Egypt was the -mother of Amenophis IV, the great reformer. -He disestablished the State religion, some say -at the instance of his mother; confiscated the -lands and destroyed the power of the priests -of Amon who were becoming all-powerful; and -established the worship of one God.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Solomon evidently held the Egyptians in high -favour. He had many wives before he married -a princess of Egypt, but we hear of no palaces -being built especially for any of them, nor of the -worship of their gods being introduced into -Jerusalem. Yet we are told that a magnificent -palace was built for Pharaoh’s daughter and that -<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>she was permitted, although contrary to the laws -of Israel, to worship the gods of her country.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Then there was Hypatia, an Alexandrine, who -established a school of philosophy where learned -men from all parts of the world came to listen -to her words of wisdom; and in the British -Museum there is a manuscript of the Old and -New Testament, written on parchment immediately -after the Council of Nice, by an Egyptian -woman, which goes to prove that men did not -possess all the knowledge nor learning of their -time.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We all know the story of Cleopatra and the part -she played in the downfall of her country, and -history abounds with tales narrating the bravery, -courage, and charm of Egyptian women.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Women are also associated with the religion -of this old land. The worship of Isis was as -general as the worship of her brother Osiris, -and this goddess is reverenced as the representation -of true and loyal wifehood.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another woman, Athor, the goddess of love, -who was called the “Great Mother” and served -as the protectress of earthly mothers, was good -and beautiful, lovely and gentle, the goddess of -love and joy. Neith was worshipped as the -goddess of art and learning. Maat was the -goddess of truth and justice; and in ancient -times judges, when trying cases, held a small -figure of the goddess Maat in their hands, and -touched the persons acquitted with it, to show -that they had won their cause.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>There was Taur, the goddess of evil, and Sekhet, -typical of the scorching, destructive power of -the sun, and many minor goddesses whose -emblems, seen on columns and walls of the ancient -ruins, tell us that in those days woman was -thought fit to represent Divinity.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women of ancient Egypt were evidently -not secluded, as is shown by the story of Pharaoh’s -daughter who was going with her train of maids -to bathe when she found Moses. The story of -Potiphar’s wife and Joseph would never have -been told in modern times, as a man-servant -would not have dared to go to the women’s -quarters.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This valley of the Nile has always been the -home of mystery and charm. The inscriptions -on its tombs and temples have been deciphered -and receive much attention in modern days; but -they are not more interesting than is the woman -of Egypt, who, as we have learned, enjoyed -greater liberties and received more honour than -is the heritage of her modern daughters. It -is difficult to understand her, as even yet she -represents traditions and the habits of dead -centuries, fit to be relegated to the past.</p> - -<p class='c005'>She is the Sphinx of this Oriental land, and will -not easily give to the world her secrets.</p> - -<h3 class='c013'><span class='sc'>The Mohammedan Woman.</span></h3> - -<p class='c014'>When first one visits Egypt, romance seems to -peer from beneath the veil of each black-robed -figure, and mystery lurks behind the intricate -<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>carving that covers the windows where one is -sure some languid beauty sits waiting for the -moment when her lord and master will be gone, -that she may wave a white hand to the passionate -suitor below. This idea of Egypt is generally -derived from highly coloured and erotic novels -which always make this country alluring and -often sensual. To one who has been given this -highly seasoned food for his imagination to feed -upon the modern Egypt, with its great glaring -hotels, its motor-cars, its shops that might be -in London or New York, is a great disappointment.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Illusions will again be lost if one is permitted -to enter the beautiful homes on the fashionable -drives of Cairo, for they are not Eastern in -any sense, nor is there anything about them to -indicate that their owners are Orientals. They -express no individuality, and might belong to -any person of means whether in the East or -the West. The drawing-rooms are furnished in -French fashion, with gilded chairs, a grand piano, -hangings and curtains made in England or -France. Great glass chandeliers holding the -glaring electric lights express the cosmopolitanism -which the mistress feels she must show -the world, in order that she may not be considered -as belonging to the old school of Egyptian -womanhood.</p> - -<p class='c005'>One hears the word harim and instantly -conjures up an Arabian Nights picture of rare -hangings, subdued lights, beautiful odalisques -<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>lounging on soft divans, slaves, incense, and a -general air of sensuousness pervading the entire -place. I read a book not long ago written by -a well-known woman writer who says, “I am -thankful to say that I have never been within -a harim except twice, and the memory of that -dreadful place will rest with me for many years.” -Yet she admits that on her first visit to this -“dreadful place” she had no interpreter and -could only draw upon her imagination to give -the women she saw their position in the elaborate -household. This imagination was evidently a -vivid one, as she believed that many women she -saw were “the poor deluded slaves” of the -master of the house, while quite likely they were -the innumerable relatives and woman-servants -that always throng the rich man’s home.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In reality, in present-day modern Cairo, if -one enters the harim of the better class, or of -the official class, one is greeted by a hostess -dressed in the latest French creation, tea is served, -while the politics of the world are discussed easily -in either French or English by the polished, up-to-date -Egyptian women.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The word harim is much misunderstood -by the people of the Western world. The Arabic -word harim simply means the women’s -quarters. The selam-lik are the apartments -in which the men of the household have their business -offices, receive their friends, and pass their -time, while the harim-lik are the apartments -reserved for the female members and children -<span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>of the family. The literal meaning is exclusiveness, -seclusion, privacy. In its restricted sense -it embodies the two meanings of the women -of the household and their exclusive apartments. -In the wider acceptance of the term we understand -by harim an established social system -deriving its sanction from a body of laws promulgated -by the Arabian prophet Mohammed. -When a woman is harim it means that she is -secluded, and we hear the expression in regard -to schoolgirls. “Yes, my daughters go to -school,” a mother will say, “but they are -kept harim.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>In Persia and Turkey the word zenana is -used, and in India the common form of expression -for the woman who is not seen by any male -except those of her immediate family is, “She is -purdah-nashim, or simply purdah.” The purdah -is the screen that shuts her from the outside -world, and the Oriental, whatever his race, -whether in Egypt, Turkey, or India, whether he -calls it the harim, purdah, or zenana, speaks -of it in his literature and poetry as the -“Sanctuary of Conjugal Happiness.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>One can live years in the East and get little -idea of the life of the Moslem woman of the -better class. In Egypt ten million out of the -twelve million inhabitants are followers of the -prophet Mohammed, and to understand at all -the Eastern woman one must learn something -of the religion that dominates the entire life of -the Mohammedan. The actions of the Moslem -<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>woman, whether in India, Arabia, Egypt, Persia, -or Algiers, are controlled and forced to comply -with the laws made by the Arabian prophet of -the seventh century, and even to-day his word -practically governs each act of the domestic life -as well as the world outside the home.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Before Mohammed’s time there were no social, -religious, nor educational institutions in Arabia, -as we understand them. Unlimited polygamy, -slavery, drunkenness, polytheism, gambling, child -murder, and plunder existed. He taught that -there was but one God, forbade child murder, -limited the number of wives to four, forbade the -use of intoxicating liquors, gambling, usury, and -gave women a definite legal status.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The reforms inaugurated by this wonderful -man effected vast and marked improvement -in the position of the women of the Eastern -world. Her status had degenerated from that -held in ancient times until her position was -extremely degraded. She was the chattel of her -father, brother, or husband, like his camel or -his sheep, and could be bought and sold as any -other chattel. She was an integral part of her -husband’s estate and was inherited by his heirs. -The son inherited his father’s wives and often -married them. This Mohammed severely censured, -and laid down most exacting laws in -regard to the women lawful for a man to marry. -He says:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>And marry not them whom your fathers have married; for this -is a shame and hateful, and an evil way—though what is past -<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>may be allowed. Forbidden to you are your mothers and your -daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts, both on your father’s -and your mother’s side, and your foster-mothers and your foster-sisters, -and the mothers of your wives, and your stepdaughters -who are your wards, born of your wives, and the wives of your -sons, and ye may not have two sisters.</p> - -<p class='c005'>He is severely criticized that he authorized -polygamy, but when one remembers the wild, -lawless people whom he governed, it seems that -he showed extreme moderation in limiting the -number of wives to four. He added that a man -might possess the slaves within the household, -and his followers say he was compelled to put -in this postscript in order to quiet the unrest -that was caused by the new domestic regulation -which was so contrary to all ideas then controlling -his immediate world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>He expressly stated that if a man could not -deal justly and love equally all his wives, he -must then marry but one. All true believers -quote this as meaning that Mohammed really -intended his people to be monogamous, as it was -fully known that no man could love four women -with equal ardour. The husband is also enjoined -to partition his time equally amongst his families, -and there is a saying that if a man inclines -particularly to one of the women of his household, -in the day of judgment he will incline to one -side by being a paralytic.</p> - -<p class='c005'>He allowed women to inherit property, -although he gave a girl only half the inheritance -of a boy. A wife may inherit one-fourth of her -<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>husband’s estate if there are no children, and -one-eighth if there are children; if there is -more than one wife, the eighth is divided equally -amongst them. A man may inherit one-half of -his wife’s property in the event of her being -childless, but only one-quarter if she leaves -children, and neither one can disinherit the -other.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Yet the laws show clearly that a woman was -not legally the equal of a man, as it takes the -testimony of two women to equal that of one -man, and the price of a woman’s life was only -fifty camels instead of the hundred camels demanded -for the life of a man. There is a reason -for this other than the mere disregard of women. -Those days were lawless days, when tribe was -fighting tribe and the non-fighting women were -naturally not held in such esteem as were the -men who were needed to fight in the continuous -tribal wars.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Moslems claim that the Mohammedan woman -is more truly protected by the laws of Mohammed -than are the women of Western countries. She -can dispose of any property that she may receive, -either from her family or her husband, as she -sees fit. She is not responsible for the debts -of her husband; she can sue and be sued; or she -can make contracts or enter into any business -undertaking without consulting her husband; and -she may even take him before the courts if he -does not live up to an agreement he may have -made with her.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span>Yet this wily Eastern prophet did not believe -in the absolute equality of women; as he says:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>Men are superior to women on account of the qualities with -which God hath gifted one above the other, and on account -of the outlay they make from their substance for them;</p> -<p class='c016'>and he warns his followers from making too -large settlements on them or in giving them too -many valuable gifts:</p> - -<p class='c015'>And entrust not to the incapable the substance which God -hath placed with you for their support; but maintain them -therewith, and clothe them, and speak to them with kindly -speech.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A Moslem woman is supposed to share the -responsibilities of life as well as its pleasures. -In the case of destitute parents, sons are required -to contribute two-thirds towards their support, -while the daughters must add their third. This -is a very wise law, because Egypt, like practically -all Oriental countries, makes no provision -from its public funds for the maintenance of the -poor or old. Each family must care for its own -helpless.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many reasons are given for the laws compelling -the women of Mohammedan lands to -be veiled and to pass their life within the inner -apartments reserved for their especial use. Some -say that Mohammed caused women to be veiled -because of his jealousy of his young wife -Ayesha; others claim that the prophet, becoming -enamoured by the beauty of his adopted son’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span>wife, caused her to be divorced, afterwards -marrying her, contrary to the laws he himself -had made; he wished to protect men from being -subjected to the temptation which had overtaken -him and had brought upon him the displeasure -of his people. But the seclusion of women was -found in Asia, in ancient Rome, in Syria, and -even in Athens, long before the time of -Mohammed. It was in practice amongst many -Oriental nations from the earliest times, and -quite likely Mohammed simply adopted the customs -of the people with whom he came in -contact on his conquering tours.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The seclusion of women, especially among the -nomads, can be traced to the warlike habits of -the people. In times of war the enemy would -first of all carry away the women, children, and -cattle of the tribe with whom they were fighting. -In order to protect the helpless they were -kept in inner rooms. The richer and stronger -the family, the more secluded were the women, -and it became a mark of caste to be kept within -the women’s quarters, or protected. Thus what -first originated as a necessity became afterwards -a matter of aristocracy, and the man who could -keep his women strictly harim was looked -upon as higher in the social scale than one who -was compelled, from economic reasons or otherwise, -to allow the females of his household to -come and go freely in the world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>An Egyptian woman, from the time when she -is seven or eight years old, never shows her face -<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>unveiled to any man except her father, her -brother, or her husband. No chance is given the -followers of the Arabian prophet to have the -little flirtations that are so dear to the heart of -many of her Western sisters. Mohammed -says:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>And speak to the believing women that they refrain their eyes -and display not their ornaments, except those which are external; -and that they throw their veils over their bosoms, and display -not their ornaments except to their husbands, or their fathers, or -their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, -or their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or -their women, or their slaves or their children. And let them -not strike their feet together so as to discover their hidden -ornaments.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The present-day Mohammedan woman -observes this law more strictly than was at first -intended, even to not being seen by the father -of her husband. I know an Egyptian woman -who is never seen by her father-in-law except -on the first day of the year, when he calls upon -her to wish her the joys of the coming year. -She enters the room closely veiled and offers -him the season’s greetings, then leaves without -further conversation. I was calling upon an -Indian Mohammedan woman who could not -enter the room until her father-in-law had left -it, as it would have been a serious breach of -etiquette for him to see her.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This seclusion does not rest heavily upon the -Mohammedan woman, as she considers it the -desire of her husband to protect her, and she -<span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>would be the first to resent the breaking of her -seclusion, as showing that she had lost value -in his eyes. She lives for no one except her -family, is supposed to be of no interest to any -one else, it being a great breach of social -decorum for any male member of a family to -even inquire about her. A man would never say -to another man, “Is your wife well?” He would -say, “Is your household well?” And the husband -would never speak of his “wife” to another -man, but would speak of his “house,” which -would naturally include the female occupants.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The harim is the “Holy of Holies” in the -Moslem world. Even a police official would -hardly dare to penetrate the women’s quarters in -search of a criminal. When a man has retired -to his harim he is free from any disturbing -influence from the outside world. If a friend -or enemy should call and servants would say -that the master was in the harim, the caller -would be compelled to leave or wait until the -master was disposed to enter again the selam-lik, -or rooms assigned to the male members of -the household.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The greatest evil in the harim life lies in the -dreadful seclusion and the paralysing monotony. -Many of the older women are unable to read -and write, and they pass their days in weary -idleness and a vacuous routine which is only -broken by visits to women friends as mentally -impoverished as themselves. Not being allowed -the friendship of the opposite sex, they are -<span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>denied the stimulation of the mind which would -no doubt result from the interchange of ideas -with men who come in contact with the outside -world. Naturally the intellectual development -is restricted, and this starving of the mentality -of the women must have a result detrimental to -the rising generation.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Seclusion also makes a woman very much -more the actual possession of her husband than -she would be if allowed to come and go in the -world, to know her rights and the means by -which to enforce them. Although the laws are -very much in her favour, in regard to property -rights especially, it takes a woman of more than -ordinary courage and intelligence to break away -from the walls which encircle her and parade -her troubles in open court. We are told of the -wonderful laws allowing the woman to dispose -of her property as she wishes; but we are not -told that she may give this property to her husband, -and when once within the harim, pressure -is often brought compelling the woman to give -all that she possesses to her husband, making -her doubly helpless and wholly within his power.</p> - -<p class='c005'>They have a proverb that a woman must -always answer the call of her husband, “even -if she is at the oven.” Her happiness depends -entirely upon the treatment she receives from -him. His visits to the harim are the only -breaks in the monotony of her life, and he brings -to her the only touch she may have with the -great man-world outside. By a few men the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>wives are treated as if they were intellectual -equals, but these are few and far between. The -average Oriental treats his womenfolk as if they -were upon a lower plane than himself, “brought -up amongst ornaments and contentious without -cause.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>One would judge that, handicapped as they -are, Moslem women would take no part in the -political or social life of their country, but facts -prove that they can rise to great heights and -exhibit rare courage and executive powers in -time of need. Ayesha, the favourite wife of -Mohammed, showed an instance of bravery and -courage that might belong to women of any land. -When Ali, the cousin of the prophet, rebelled -against the successors of Mohammed, Ayesha -took the field against him, commanding the -troops in person at the “Battle of the Camel,” -and in later days they have shown that the restrictions -of the harim do not deaden the fires -that burn in women’s breasts when tyranny or -oppression rules their land.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In Persia, where Mohammedanism in its -strictest sect has sway, the women have been -known to rise in force and demand the rights -of their people when all the efforts of the men -have failed. In 1861, at the time of the great -famine, foodstuffs rose to an exorbitant price, -because of a few greedy officials who were -enriching themselves at the expense of their -starving countrymen. It was impossible to bring -the matter before the Shah by the methods -<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>generally employed, but the women rose, and -one day thousands of them surrounded his -carriage as he was returning from a hunting -trip, and stating the wrongs of his people, demanded -that he should make an investigation. -The Shah was thoroughly frightened at the sight -of this unprecedented exhibition on the part of -his usually unseen subjects, and promised all -they asked, and, what was more wonderful, kept -his promise. The leaders of the party who were -causing the distress were beheaded, and the price -of bread was diminished by half within twelve -hours. It is only a few years ago that the -women of Persia confronted the President of -the Assembly in his hall, and tearing aside their -veils and producing revolvers, confessed their -decision to kill their husbands and sons and add -their own dead bodies to the sacrifice if the -deputies should waver in their duties to uphold -the liberties of the Persian people.</p> - -<div id='i_036' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_036.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A WATER-CARRIER.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_36'>36</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span>These Moslem women display a fortitude and -courage that is almost fanatical in times of -persecution. Thousands in Persia have given -their lives for their faith in Baha Ullah, the -leader of a sect of reformed Mohammedans. -They have been dragged from the harims to the -public market-places, where they have been subjected -to unheard of indignities before having -the privilege of dying for their faith. They have -also been compelled to sit in rows facing the -public execution grounds while their husbands -and sons were beheaded before their eyes, but -even the torture and death of those they loved -did not cause them to waver from what they -believed to be right. The story of one woman -exemplifies the fanatical courage that will -dominate such a shut-in woman, when in some -dim, tragic hour she has been compelled to give -her contribution in the life she loved to her -religious cause. In Tabriz one day a crowd of -women were seated facing the executioner’s -block, and amongst them a delicate, dainty -woman who had been protected all her life within -the harim of one of the prominent men of -Tabriz, but whose death had left his women -helpless to bear the brunt of his enemy’s wrath. -Chance had made this enemy the city Governor, -and he remembered that the family of the man -he hated even in death were followers of Baha -Ullah. On this morning in June the mother was -brought to see the death of her fourteen-year-old -son, her only child. When the executioner -had done his work, the head was tossed into her -lap, and she was told “Take back your son.” -She stood up, and holding the loved head in her -hands, held it towards the sky, as if to give it -as an offering to the God who seemed to have -deserted her in her hour of need, looked long -into the closing eyes, then threw it to the official’s -feet, saying, “I do not take back what I give -my God!” and turning quickly, took her place -among the sorrow-maddened women.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Her cousin, who told me the story and who -was a witness to the scene, said to me: “It is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>impossible for a Western woman to understand -a Moslem woman. Perhaps because of our exclusion -and the lack of means of self-expression, -we have over-developed our inner emotional -natures, which at times of sorrow burst forth like -a hidden flame. We not only gave our lives -in those dread days of Tabriz, but what is worse, -we gave the lives of those we loved—and still -lived on.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women of Egypt have as yet had no -reason to rise up <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en masse</span></i> and show what they -may do in times of national distress. It is unusual -for the women of any Mohammedan land to -usurp the prerogatives of men. They are fundamentally -intensely feminine, the home their only -domain. Sa’adi, the Persian poet, said:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>No happiness comes to the house of him whose hen hath -crowed like a cock.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It will be many years before the Egyptian -woman joins the ranks of the militant suffragettes, -and tries to blow up the Pyramids or deface the -walls of Egypt’s famous temples in the spirit -of emulation and zeal for <em>the Cause</em>.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER II<br /> <span class='large'>THE MODERN EGYPTIAN WOMAN</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>The conservative woman of Egypt prides herself -that she never leaves her home. I know several -ladies well advanced in years who say they -have never been outside their homes since they -were brought there as brides. An Eastern -household is composed of many people, and this -seclusion of the women does not cause such -loneliness as would be felt by a Western woman -if thus closely confined always to the home. -In the East the patriarchal life prevails, -and the financially fortunate member of the -family finds himself supporting an immense -army of poor relations, who act in all capacities, -from maids in the kitchen to the servants at -the door. They expect little or nothing as -wages, but they <em>do</em> expect that the prosperous -member of their clan or family will provide -clothing, food, and a roof beneath which they -may live.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In all Egyptian homes of the better class -there are many servants. They are not the competent, -trained servants to which we are accustomed, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>and it takes many of them to accomplish -what one well-trained servant will do in England -or America. They have no system, each servant -doing his task in his own appointed time -and in his own way. Within the harim the -servants are generally women, and they are on -much more familiar terms with the inmates than -are servants in the West. They take on a feeling -of equality with their mistresses, taking part -in the conversation when guests are present, -entering doors without knocking, and generally -considering themselves as part of the family. -Mohammed taught that all true believers are -free and equal—the servant the equal of his -master. This is one of the reasons that the -traveller is often surprised by having the donkey-boy -offer his hand when saying good-bye. He -does not intend it as an impertinence; he simply -wishes to bid his patron “God speed” in the -Western manner.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women of the harims take much time to -dress, and spend long hours in the public baths, -if they do not possess that luxury at home. -They take great care of their skin, using all the -arts to keep it soft and unwrinkled. They have -not yet learned the charm of beautiful hands, -and the manicurist has not yet penetrated the -harim, but it is only a question of time when -she will arrive, as the Egyptian woman seizes -with avidity every means of improving her -personal appearance.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many of them tint their straight black locks -<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>with henna, by making a paste which is allowed -to dry on the hair for twenty-four hours, then -removed. This, when used not too freely, gives -a charming glint of reddish gold to the thick -hair, and utterly obliterates any trace of age. -The henna-tinted locks are not seen as much -as formerly, as the custom is passing out with -the advent of the newer generation, and is mainly -to be seen on the older women or the women of -the desert. In former times the nails of the -hands were tinted a deep orange, but this also -is being relegated to the “things that were,” as -the young girls are beginning to see that instead -of a beautifier, it makes the hands appear most -untidy. I have seen an old lady with her fingers -stained a deep brownish yellow to the first joint, -the palms of her hands, the toes, and even the -bottoms of the feet coloured with the henna -paste.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The house dress of the Egyptian woman is -a long <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">négligé</span></i> made in an empire form -or what we used to call a “Mother Hubbard,” -with the fullness of the cloth gathered to -a much-trimmed yoke, and ending in a -train that sweeps the floor. The wearer may -follow her fancy in the choice of goods with -which these dresses are made. The ordinary -dress worn every day is of some material easily -laundered, but the gown for gala occasions is -often most elaborate, made of rich silks, satins, -or brocades with great figures in gold or silver. -Many of them appear as if made of cloth originally -<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>intended for furniture covering. If she has -a wide range from which to select the material -for her dresses, she also is not restricted in the -choice of colours, as each woman indulges in -whatever shades she most admires, and a party -of women with their red, blue, yellow, and mauve -creations look like a party of animated dolls -dressed for a fancy bazaar.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The hair is braided in one or two braids and -allowed to hang down the back, sometimes tied -with strings on which dangle gold coins or balls. -A veil is always worn over the head, hanging -down to the waist line. It is very graceful and -adds to the dignity of the Egyptian woman. -With the poor this head covering is a large piece -of cotton with a gay-coloured border, and even -ladies wear in the morning a cotton veil, but on -dress occasions it is of chiffon or net elaborately -bordered with gold or silver, or in some cases -sewn with sequins, very similar to the shawls -offered by the vendors in front of the big hotels.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The feet are slipped into toe slippers that can -easily be removed when entering the living-rooms -or when sitting upon the divans. In the matter -of footwear there is a wide range from which -to choose. From the wooden bath clog to the -tiny heelless covering for the toes, embroidered -in gold or silver or even tiny seed pearls, the -Egyptian woman’s slipper is a thing of beauty -and dainty femininity. Stockings are considered -a superfluity while in the house, except by those -influenced by the customs of foreign lands.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span>If the lady wishes to make a call she dons -a black silk or satin skirt with a long train, and -over it ties a piece of black goods shaped like -a large apron hanging down the back instead -of the front. The lower end is brought up over -the head and tied under the chin, acting as hat -and shoulder covering, completely disguising the -form. Over the face below the eyes is tied a -piece of white chiffon. This is really an addition -to the woman’s charming appearance, as the -present-day Egyptian woman is wearing the veil -so thin that the shape of the features can be -dimly seen, softened and refined by the delicate -chiffon, until even a plain woman takes on an -appearance of beauty that perhaps vanishes when -the veil is removed. She is allowed to show her -chief attraction, her great black eyes, which peer -at one curiously over the folds of white. They -are not so large as are the Indian woman’s eyes, -but they are very expressive, shaded by long -straight lashes, which are generally touched up -by kohl, since even with the advent of modernism -the Egyptian woman cannot be persuaded -to relegate her kohl-pot to the lumber-room.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman of the labouring class, seen on -the street, is dressed in a long gown hanging -straight from the shoulders, over which, when -she leaves her home, she drapes a large black -shawl covering her from head to feet. The veil -of this class of woman is of black cloth, so thick -that it is impossible to distinguish the features -beneath it, and often weighted at the bottom with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>gold or silver coins. Covering the nose is the -disfiguring piece of wood which holds the veil -in place. The picture of this sombre-clad woman, -with her ugly veil and grotesque nosepiece, is -taken by the average tourist as representing the -Egyptian woman, while, in fact, she represents -only the lower class, such as the wife of the -labourer, the small artisan, or the petty merchant. -These women may be seen on the streets walking -with the stately grace that is given to the woman -who carries a burden on the head, or five or -six of them may be seen sitting on a flat-bottomed -cart drawn by a much decorated donkey <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en route</span></i> -to visit relatives or watch the festivities connected -with a marriage, or going to the cemeteries. This -last seems to be a favourite excuse for an outing -with women of this class, as it gives them a -chance to have a good gossip on the way, and -opportunity of strolling in the open air, which -must be a great boon to the poor in the large -cities, as their homes are small, dark, dirty, and -most unsanitary. Yet as one lives in the Orient -and sees the conditions under which the great -majority of the population live, one grows to -believe that there are no such things as microbes, -else all these people would have been dead long -ago.</p> - -<div id='i_044' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_044.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>THE TAILOR.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_44'>44</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>Even in modern Cairo one rarely sees a lady -except as she passes in a closed carriage or -limousine. Women do not go to the mosques, -as Mohammed said that women in places of -public worship distracted men from the real business which brought them there. They are also -never found in restaurants, hotels, nor coffeehouses. -In fact, an Egyptian woman never goes -to a place where she might be looked upon by -men other than those of her immediate family. -Even the most modern product of the present -system of education would hardly dare to be seen -in any place that was not harim. At the -bazaars held for charity and other public functions -a day is set apart when the women may -visit them without danger of being looked upon -by men. An Egyptian woman told me that these -men must be educated and elevated before -Egyptian women will dare to go freely upon -the street. Even a foreign woman dreads passing -the outdoor cafés, where the men turn noisily -in their chairs and stare rudely at the woman who -has the courage to pass them. In the case of -an Egyptian lady, I was told that these men do -not confine their rudeness to stares, but that the -low remarks made to her confirm the belief that -the time is not yet ripe for the Egyptian woman -to try to enter the world, so long closed to her.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These harim women are just beginning -to learn the joys of shopping. Formerly the -husbands or fathers bought the goods for their -dresses, or the shopkeepers sent their assistants, -who laid the gay stuffs and jewels on mats within -the courtyards, where the women could make -their choice. But now in some of the larger -shops parties of veiled ladies may be seen fingering -the soft silks and satins, looking with curious -<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>eyes at the hats, and selecting the jewels with -which they love to adorn themselves. Cairo is -the happy hunting ground of the Parisian -jeweller, as Egyptian women are noted for their -love of bracelets, ear-rings, necklaces, and pins. -The old-time heavy gold chains and hoops are -losing their charm, and now the lady whose -husband has a purse easy to open buys long -pendant ear-rings set with many diamonds, bracelets -of pearls and rubies, rings of turquoise and -sapphires, and necklaces of emeralds. Quantity, -not quality, she desires, and the colour and purity -of a stone are not so much to be desired as the -size or number. The women who make no claim -to modernism are still seen in the goldsmiths’ -shops in the native streets, sitting in front of -the tiny cupboard-like holes in the wall, weighing, -pricing, trying on the great barbaric hoops -of gold for the ears, or the chains with large -hammered pendants, made in the same form and -with the same design as those worn by their -mothers and their grandmothers. The merchant -does not need to originate new designs to attract -the conservative Egyptian woman who still clings -to her native jewelry. It has been the same -shape and design from time immemorial.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another product of the West has penetrated -the harims of Cairo—the French dressmakers. -Many of the rich merchants’ wives and the wives -of the officials who cannot get their gowns direct -from Paris, and who are discarding the straight -empire pattern for clothes more <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">à la mode</span></i>, get -<span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>their dresses fashioned by these clever French -women, who come to the women’s courtyards -loaded down with fashion books, tape measures, -and a running stream of flattering talk, leaving -with many orders written in their little books. It -must be admitted that the Egyptian woman looks -best when dressed in her native costume, which -mercifully disguises the over-abundant flesh with -which most women who spend their lives within -the harims are blessed. Sweets, a sedentary -life, and many sweetened drinks conspire to make -the lady of Egypt extremely fat, after the first -flush of youth is past. This is not a sorrow to -her as it would be to her Western sister, and -when she has arrived at the age of thirty, and -the pounds that she feels should come with the -advancing years have not been added to her -figure, she sends to the chemist for a mixture to -convert her into the present ideal of Egyptian -beauty. This ideal in the olden time, if we may -judge of the pictures seen upon the walls of -the tombs and temples, was that of a slight, -willowy figure. But that ideal has changed. The -woman now seems to strive to be as wide as -she is long, and because of this fact and also -because stays are not looked upon with joy by -the Egyptian woman, who has always been -allowed an uncompressed figure, the modern dress -is not adapted to her style of beauty.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Women are not prisoners in any sense of the -word, nor are they pining behind their latticed -windows as we are sometimes led to believe by -<span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span>writers of fiction. They visit freely amongst each -other, and their visits are not confined to the -passing of a few senseless platitudes that generally -mark conversation of Western women -making afternoon calls upon each other. They -do not “call,” they go for a visit of several -hours or even days.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When a lady enters the home of her friend, -she takes off the veil and the cape-like covering -of her head, steps out of the long black skirt, -and stands arrayed like Solomon in all his glory. -They dress as elaborately for their women friends -as if to meet admirers of the opposite sex, and -they spend hours drinking the delicious coffee, -sipping sherbets, eating fruits or confectionery, -and chatting over the gossip of the day. When -time for serving the meal arrives, a large tray -is brought into the room and placed upon a low -stand, around which the women group themselves -in comfortable attitudes on rugs. From these trays -they help themselves to the deliciously cooked -mutton or chicken, the vegetables and desserts -with which it is laden. Pork is never served, -as it was forbidden by Mohammed. They eat -with their fingers, using only the right hand, as -the left hand is ceremonially unclean, and after -the meal a servant pours water over their hands -from a long-spouted brass ewer, the water falling -into a brass basin. Many of the ladies smoke, -but it is not a universal habit. If they indulge -in the habit with which we always associate the -Eastern woman, it is by using a large water pipe -<span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span>with an extraordinarily long, supple stem, the -smoke passing through perfumed water and becoming -cool before reaching the user’s lips.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Eastern woman loves perfumes and prefers -them much stronger than we of the Western -world think agreeable. A hostess will pass -around the little wooden scent-bottles, and each -guest may add as much as she wishes to her -already over-perfumed body. The mixture is not -always pleasant to sensitive nostrils. Incense and -sweet-smelling woods are often burned in little -braziers and add to the congeries of odours.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many of the old-time Egyptian women cannot -read; indeed, it is stated that only three out of a -thousand women could read ten years ago; their -conversation is therefore confined to the gossip -of the neighbourhood: who is married, who is -engaged; the social and financial standing of -the families involved; the presents and the trousseaux. -Society is divided into cliques, as in any -other part of the world, and there is a decided -“Who’s Who,” especially in Cairo and in the -larger towns.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman’s life seems to centre around her -children, since it is this evidence of Allah’s blessing -that makes her greatest happiness. A great -part of their talk is involved in the discussion -of their children’s ailments, the remedies, their -children’s education and life in general. There -are no nurseries in Egypt, and both boys and -girls live within the harim until they are seven -years old, when the boy, if he does not go to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span>school, has a tutor and lives in the selam-lik. -When, as at present, Government schools are -established in every small town and village in -Egypt, both boys and girls go to school. The -girl is kept strictly harim even in the school, -and the teachers are women, who guard carefully -from men’s eyes the girls who are entrusted to -them for the day.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Besides visiting with their friends or relatives, -the Egyptian women go to weddings, where they -look upon the dancing and hear the singing from -their places behind the screens, or they make -pilgrimages to the tombs of saints or holy men, -where they pray for the health of their children; -or, if they have not been so fortunate as to have -children, they pray for that blessing. They do -not pray <em>to</em> the saints, as even Mohammed -himself cannot answer prayers, but they believe -that the austere lives passed by these holy men -will intercede for them with the Great and One -God.</p> - -<p class='c005'>An Egyptian friend of mine, telling me of the -efficacy of one of the places of pilgrimage in -the cure of eye troubles, said:—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“Yes, I believe in these charms obtained at -the tomb of some of the marabouts, and I have -been on several pilgrimages, although it is not -much encouraged in our family. You saw my -brother’s wife to-day. She has visited the tomb -of every saint in the vicinity of Cairo, but it -is just because she is restless and wants to get -out. She cares no more about the saints than -<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>you do, but it gives her an opportunity to get -away from my mother. My life, that you think -so restricted, is wildly exciting to what it was -when I was a girl at home. Mother is most -conservative, and will not even allow a man-servant -near the harim. Her cook has never -seen her, although he has been in the family since -I was a baby. Here in the country I have men-servants -who see me unveiled, but they are the -descendants of slaves who were in the family of -my husband for generations, and that is permitted -if we are not too orthodox.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>I noticed while visiting friends in the country -with this progressive, educated Egyptian woman -that if we passed an ordinary fellah, or workman, -she did not take care to cover her face. If we met -an overseer or a man above the farmer class, -she very carefully drew her veil across her face, -leaving only the eyes visible.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women are very superstitious, and believe -in the efficacy of charms and amulets for every -known disease. Nearly every woman wears -around her neck, lost to sight amidst the innumerable -chains with which she covers the upper part -of her body, an amulet or charm of some kind. -Perhaps it is a silver box containing a few words -of the Koran, or a small piece of parchment -with mystic letters written on it, guaranteed to -guard her household from harm. All Egyptian -women know of charms and lotions and shrines -or mystic words to give the wife who has not -presented a son unto her lord. One of the first -<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>questions asked by Egyptian women is, “How -many children have you?” If the answer is -“None!” they cannot keep the looks of pity -from their eyes, nor the sympathetic words of -condolence from their lips. They are also most -generous in giving talismans to remedy this defect, -and will wax enthusiastic over the beneficial -effects of some favourite pilgrimage, amulet, or -prayer.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I have a piece of sheepskin with the ninety-nine -names of Allah written upon it in gold, -intended to insure, not only the advent of a son, -but also, if bound upon his arm, to guard him -from all danger throughout his lifetime.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At the opera in cosmopolitan Cairo one may -hear rustlings and low laughter from behind the -closely screened boxes, and know that an -Egyptian Bey or wealthy merchant is there -with his family, allowing them to enjoy the play -and watch the people in the house, themselves -unseen. But this joy is given usually only to -the women of Cairo, as the smaller towns have -not as yet become sufficiently modernized that -the women may go to the public theatres. In -the conservative homes, if a hostess wishes to -entertain her guests with professionals, she sends -for the singing girls or dancing women to come -to her home, and there they perform before the -ladies, who watch them from the divans, and talk -and laugh with their entertainers, getting far more -amusement from them than by simply looking -at them on the stage.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>Fortune-tellers are often brought into the -women’s quarters, and blind men who chant the -words of their sacred book, the Koran. This -latter is a popular form of entertainment, and -even to Western ears the sad, minor music has -a charm, although after a time it becomes monotonous -to one who cannot understand the Arabic -in which the Koran is written.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Even the conservative Egyptian mother is now -beginning to see that she must educate her -daughter as well as her son, if she wishes her -to make a good marriage. The modern -Egyptian youth does not care for an ignorant -wife who can only entertain him with household -gossip when he comes from office -or shop.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is ample opportunity given the Egyptian -girl to obtain an education, as the Government -has established schools in every city, town, and -village. One sees also a great number of private -schools for girls, supervised by every imaginable -type of mistress. The Italian, Spanish, -French, and English woman is taking advantage -of this craving on the part of young Egypt for -education. Many of these schoolmistresses are -unfitted for their work, but as yet her pupils -are not able to judge of the quality of information -they are so eagerly absorbing. The mission -schools, next to those provided by the Government, -are perhaps the best equipped with trained -teachers from England and America. These -latter schools are filled with bright-faced young -<span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span>girls, who are taking the newer ideas to their -secluded mothers, who shake their heads dolefully -over the new spirit of independence so -swiftly creeping into the lives of their children, -and which they fear, but to which they must -accede.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Egypt, in common with the entire world, is -experiencing vital changes, and her younger -women, although walled in by custom, tradition, -and habit, are eager to get into step with their advancing -sons and husbands. It is only the older -woman who is the implacable foe of progress, -as she fears a change may mean the destruction -of her little world. Yet she is fast losing -the power as well as the wish to resist it, and -the number of schools for girls shows that a -real awakening to Egypt’s greatest need is being -felt and met. At first the mother feared her -daughter would be led astray from the true Faith, -but the English Government bore this well in -mind when establishing the educational system. -The Koran and the practical observances of its -tenets are taught by faithful followers of the -prophet in the schools, and this has induced -mothers to look with complacent eyes upon the -new learning.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Infinitely better daughters and prospective -mothers come each year from the Government -and mission schools, if for no other reason than -that they are intelligently trained in domestic -economy and in the laws of hygiene. The frightful -waste of infant life which heretofore has been -<span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span>caused by the ignorance of mothers will stop. -The present training of the young girl strikes -directly at this huge infant mortality and in the -coming mother, educated and equipped for her -duties, lies the hope of Egypt.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER III<br /> <span class='large'>MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, POLYGAMY</span></h2> -</div> -<h3 class='c017'><span class='sc'>Social Life of Egyptian Women</span></h3> - -<p class='c014'>The Koran enjoins marriage on all and calls -bachelors the worst of mankind. Consequently -there are few spinsters or bachelors in any -Moslem land, and a woman who is divorced or -widowed must have another husband found for -her as soon as possible.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Although Mohammed believed that all men -should be married, there were four classes of -women against whom he warned his fellows:—</p> - -<p class='c005'>A <em>Yearner</em>—that is, a woman who has children -by a former husband and wishes to get everything -possible for them from her present -husband.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A <em>Deplorer</em>.—One who is constantly deploring -the loss of her first husband and stating his -virtues to the disparagement of the present incumbent.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A <em>Backbiter</em>.—One who is kind to her husband’s -face and behind his back accuses him of cruelty, -miserliness, and ill-treatment.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A <em>Toadstool</em>.—A beauty who is lazy and tyrannical -<span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>and uses all the substance of her husband -to buy silks, jewels, and perfumes with which -to adorn herself.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is no courtship as we know it. The -marriage is made by the parents or by a “go-between,” -and the parties most interested do not -see each other until the night of the marriage, -although they may have exchanged photographs -and have heard eulogistic descriptions of each -other. But there are no shy meetings, no -gazing into the eyes of the loved one. A -girl would be considered as lacking in modesty -and maidenly reserve if it were known that she -attempted to see the man to whom she will be -compelled to owe all allegiance and who will -practically own her, body and soul, as soon as -she is his wife.</p> - -<p class='c005'>During the time before the marriage the -bridegroom, if a man of wealth, sends his bride-to-be -many costly presents, generally in the shape -of jewelry, silks, fans, slippers, and boxes of -sweets. Her gifts to him are cigarette cases, -embroidered sleeping suits, a rich fez, or some -other practical evidence of her affection.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In families of any social pretensions whatsoever, -there is drawn a marriage contract which -stipulates the amount of dowry and whatever -business relationships are entered into by the -husband and wife. If the amount of dowry is -not expressly stated in the contract, the woman -is entitled to the customary dower of a woman -of her class, which is judged according to that -<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>received by the other female members of her -family. This contract can also contain a stipulation -that the husband may not marry another -wife so long as the present wife is living with -him, and it also often states that the wife may -divorce her husband for certain expressly stated -causes.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are two kinds of dower, one called -“prompt” which is all paid at the time of the -marriage, the other where only part is given at -that time and the rest retained to be paid in case -of divorce or on the death of the husband. In -the latter case the dower must be paid before -the other debts of the estate are settled. The -wife has absolute rights over her dower and can -refuse to go to her husband’s home until it is -paid.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The trousseau is provided by the father of the -bride, and the articles she takes to her new home -in the shape of furniture, jewelry, etc., are her -property and can be taken with her if she should -return to her father’s home or if she should -be left a widow. The bridegroom is supposed -to help pay the expenses of the elaborate feasting -which lasts from three to seven days, and which -is often a great drain upon the resources of both -families. Custom has commanded that no parsimony -shall be shown at this time of rejoicing, -and each family tries to outdo its neighbour in -the form of entertainment offered to its guests.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Theatrical entertainments are held in the courtyards, -or in the large guest-room. Dancing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>girls dance and jugglers perform, while food is -most plentifully provided, but there is no drinking -of intoxicating liquors in the home of a follower -of Mohammed. In the place of wines, sherbets, -fruit juices, and coffee are served.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The culmination of the festivities comes when -the bride in a gaily decorated carriage is conducted -to her new home. In the streets of any -large city one often sees these processions, the -band leading the march, dozens of singers preceding -the carriage, and friends following, all -trying to show their joy in the happy event.</p> - -<p class='c005'>According to Western ideals there is one great -bar to the lasting happiness of the Moslem -woman, and that is the question of divorce. It -is said that 90 per cent. of the marriages in -Egypt end in divorce, and that two people who -live to an old age together without one of them -being divorced are rarely found. Mohammed -has been severely censured because of this great -blot upon the progressive laws he made for his -people, but before his time there was no check -on divorce; a man could divorce often and for -no reason, and a woman was helpless. This -wise man laid down laws far in advance of his -time on this subject, and (what was then an unheard -of thing) allowed a woman to divorce her -husband for explicitly stated causes.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If they divorce for mutual incompatibility—that -is, if they both agree to it—there need be no -question of the courts; but if the wife wishes -to be free and the husband will not permit it, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>the woman may go before a judge and state -her case, and if her charges are proven she will -be granted her petition. Often a woman -will return her dower or agree to forfeit the -part not yet paid, or in many cases make a money -payment to the avaricious husband in return for -her liberty. A case not long ago came before -the judge where the husband treated his wife -brutally in order to force from her a certain -sum of money in exchange for her freedom. -The woman paid the sum demanded, then took -the case before the judge, and proved that his -cruel treatment would entitle her to a divorce, -and the courts compelled the man to return the -money to his ex-wife with an added gift.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The different sects have different modes of -procedure. One requires the husband to pronounce -the words of divorce once in a single -sentence and not live with his wife for three -months, when the divorce is accomplished. -Another form requires that the words be pronounced -three times in succession at the interval -of a month, the divorce becoming effective when -the last formula is pronounced. Another formula -allows the husband to say three times in succession, -“I divorce thee! I divorce thee! I -divorce thee!” and the legal separation takes -place.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A woman may say to her husband, “Give me -a divorce in exchange for my dower,” and if the -man will say, “I do,” a lawful dissolution of -the marriage is effected.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>Whatever the rule, divorce is very easy for -the Moslem husband, and the woman lives in -constant fear that she will hear the words “I -am discharged from the marriage between you -and me,” and will be compelled to return to her -home. This insecurity of the marriage bond -causes the woman to hoard what money she may -obtain, and takes away the interest she might -otherwise have in the affairs of her husband, -fearing that prosperity may only mean that he will -yearn for a younger and more beautiful woman -to share with him his riches. It also makes -her try in every way to preserve her beauty, -buying cosmetics and talismans that clever merchants -assure her will aid in retaining the love -of her husband.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the event of divorce the woman is commanded -to remain single three months, but the -man may marry immediately. There is no -especial disgrace attached to divorce, yet the -woman’s value is lowered to a certain extent, and -quite likely she will not be able to make so good -a marriage again.</p> - -<p class='c005'>No child under two years may be taken away -from the mother, as the Koran commands her to -suckle the infant for that period. Unless it is -proved that she is totally unworthy to bring up -her child, or unless she marries an unbeliever, -the boy is entitled to live with his mother until -he is seven years old, and the girl until she is -nine, when the father takes the guardianship of -them both. Often they are allowed to live on -<span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>indefinitely with the mother, especially the girl, -if the father marries again and the new wife -does not wish the care of the children of her predecessor. -This makes the burden of divorce fall -heavily upon the innocent children, as the mother -generally marries and her husband may not care -for the children of another man; consequently -they are left in the care of the mother’s parents -or other relatives, who quite likely consider them -a superfluous addition to an already overcrowded -household, although the father is compelled to -contribute towards their support.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If divorce is prevalent in the Land of the Nile, -that other great domestic evil, polygamy, is -slowly dying out, mainly for an economic -reason. All the wives in a family are supposed -to have equal support, and in these days, when -the women of Egypt are beginning to know and -crave the luxuries of life, it is hard for a man, -unless of the very wealthy class, to provide for -more than one family. In a rich household each -wife would demand, not only her own suite of -rooms, but quite likely her own house and staff -of servants, and she would see that her husband -did not show favouritism in regard to clothes, -jewelry, or amusements towards the women and -children in his harim. Often in poorer homes -one sees two wives living in peace together, but -the man with more than one wife is becoming -rarer each year. It is said that not one man in -fifty has more than one wife. The cynics say -that it is because divorce is so much easier and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span>cheaper, but we believe that it is because of the -higher ideals that are coming to the Egyptian -along with the education that he is receiving from -the Western world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is easy for the Western mind to take exaggerated -views of the unhappiness of the life in -the harim. I found, among the better classes, -with whom I came into contact more than I did -with the very poor, the same average of happiness -that prevails in any land. Seclusion which seems -so dreadful in our eyes has grown to be a matter -of caste, and the older women, at least, have -no desire to depart from it. The power of the -husband is greater than it is in foreign lands, -but he is generally a kindly man who leaves the -women’s department strictly alone, to be ordered -as his wife desires. It is she who has charge of -the children while in infancy, teaching them or -having them taught the Koran, taking them with -her on visits to friends, and being with them much -more than does the average Western mother of -the same class. A middle-class Egyptian woman -does practically the same things as does the wife -of a middle-class Englishman. She cooks, -washes, mends the clothing, keeps the house, and -sews her children’s dresses. If she is able to -have servants—and one is very poor in Egypt not -to be able to afford at least one servant—the work -of the household is superintended directly by the -mistress. Of course she may not go to the market -nor to the shops, but she inspects the food when -brought to the house by the vendor or the cook.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_64'>64</span>The care of the clothing is a great task if there -are many sons in the family who dress in the -native costume, which is made of light-coloured -silk; the long black cloak is prone to sweep -up the dust of the streets. The children of the -poor wear only a short shirt until they are about -six years old, but the children of the rich don -European dress, either made in the house or -bought in the shops. The ready-made clothing -has found its way to the harims and saves the -mother much work, as the sewing-machine is not -so well known there as it is in the homes of the -West.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Although the Egyptian woman is not seen in -the mosques, she is very religious, and more -zealous in the faith than is her husband, who has -a chance to broaden his religious views by coming -in contact with people of other beliefs. The -wife does not observe the prayers as strictly as -does her husband, but she has been taught her -Koran in childhood and follows its precepts to -the best of her ability.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman, like women all over the world, -is much more rigidly ruled by her superstitious -beliefs than is the man. She attributes the extraordinary -phenomena of Nature to the work of -good or evil spirits and believes in placating -them or controlling them as far as possible. -These evil spirits are liable to lurk in all places, -in the ovens, the wells, and even in the market -basket, which is covered to protect it from the -evil eye of covetous passers-by, or to guard -it from a wandering spirit who may be seeking -a place of retreat.</p> - -<div id='i_064' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_064.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A WOMAN OF THE MASSES.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_64'>64</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_65'>65</span>The women in general are very ignorant in -regard to all sanitary laws, and there is an enormous -amount of preventable sickness within the -harims. Children are allowed to eat what and -whenever they wish, and sweets are indulged in -at all times. All babies suffer from eye trouble, -mainly caused by uncleanliness. A baby is not -washed for eight days after birth, then if the -father or mother is suffering from any form of -skin disease, it is considered fatal to put water on -the child. Flies and mosquitoes abound, carrying -contagion to all. Doctors are unknown -amongst the poorer class, and the mothers are -in the hands of unskilled midwives at the time -of child-bearing, and the mortality is great.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When the angel of death enters the household -of an Egyptian, it may be known by the wailing -of the women. The custom of weeping and -wailing, beating of the breasts, and tearing out of -the hair still prevails on the death of the member -of a family. The body is buried within twenty-four -hours. It is enclosed in a coffin which -is covered by a rich shawl or piece of -embroidery and carried to the cemetery on the -shoulders of men, preceded by blind men chanting -the Koran and followed by friends and -relatives. The same ceremony is observed for -the women as for the men.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The soul is supposed not to leave the body for -three days. The first night an angel whispers -<span class='pageno' id='Page_66'>66</span>in the ear of the deceased, “What is your faith?” -and the soul must answer, “I am a Moslem.” -The angel again whispers, “In whom do you -believe?” and the soul will answer, “I believe -in the One God,” and the third question is, -“And who is your prophet?” and the answer, -“Mohammed is the Prophet of God,” allows the -soul to be left in peace.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Three days, seven days, and forty days after -death memorials are held at the home of the -late deceased, when friends call and offer their -sympathy, and food and money are distributed in -great quantities to the beggars. At times of -festivity or mourning the poor come in crowds, -and are never turned away empty-handed. There -are practically no almshouses in Egypt, nor any -organized charity, but Mohammedans are commanded -to give one-twentieth of their income -to the poor. Whether they follow this law exactly -or not, they are very generous to those in need, -not giving with much discernment, but always -willing to drop a coin into the outstretched hand -or to fill the empty bowl.</p> - -<p class='c005'>One cannot judge of the life of the average -Egyptian woman by living only in Cairo, where -the note of modernism has sounded with such call -as to reach even the inner rooms of the harim, -but in the smaller towns of Egypt one sees the -real Egyptian life, untouched by the customs of -alien lands.</p> - -<div id='i_066' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_066.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>CHILDREN ON THE NILE.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_66'>66</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_67'>67</span>I visited in a home on the banks of the Nile -and watched with interested eyes the life around -me: saw the mother attend to her household -duties in the morning, giving the servants directions -for the day’s work, measuring and weighing -out the stores to the cook, and taking his accounts -as he came from the market-place with the day’s -provisions. An old blind woman came in the -morning to give the children their lesson in the -Koran. She would start a surah, then the -children would repeat the remaining verses in -a sing-song voice, the slightest break in the -intonation calling forth a rebuke from the leader, -whose nodding head kept time to the chant. At -nine o’clock the older children took their books -under their arms and started for the village -school, in the same noisy manner as do our -children at home. I watched the fellaheen as -they lifted the water from the river to irrigate -the thirsty fields, and saw the black-robed -women filling their water-jars and placing them -upon their heads with a beautiful sweeping gesture, -walk gracefully away to their little mud -huts that could scarcely be distinguished from -the sands around them.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Trains of camels passed our wall on their way -to the distant city, and the shepherd boys drove -their flocks of sheep and goats in search of -pasture. I remembered Browning’s beautiful -David, who sang:—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>And I first played the tune all our sheep know, as one after one</div> - <div class='line'>So docile they come to the pen door till folding is done.</div> - <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_68'>68</span>They are white and untorn by bushes, for lo, they have fed</div> - <div class='line'>Where the long grasses stifle the water within the stream’s bed.</div> - <div class='line'>And now one after one seeks its lodging, as star follows star</div> - <div class='line'>Into eve and the blue far above us—so blue and so far.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'>We watched the little boys ride the great unwieldy -water buffaloes to the water side, slipping -off their backs to allow them, groaning with -content, to wallow in the sluggish waters, and -when the hard white stars came out in the -sapphire sky, we looked far over the Libyan hills, -which had changed from the gold and opal of -sunset to the grey blue that heralds the coming -of the Egyptian night. The evening breeze that -always comes with the setting of the sun brought -the smell of the desert to us, and the deep swish -of the Nile came as an accompaniment to the -cry of the muezzin from the tiny mosque in the -distance, and we saw its response in the fellah -kneeling beside his waiting camel, lifting his -hands to the heavens, as the clear, bell-like voice -came over the evening air:—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>There is no God but God, and Mohammed is His Prophet.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div id='i_069' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_069.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>BEDOUIN WOMEN IN FRONT OF TENT.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_69'>69</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER IV<br /> <span class='large'>THE WOMAN OF THE DESERT</span></h2> -</div> -<p class='c012'>“Behold the townsman,” cried one of the -Bedouins, “they have for the desert but a single -word, while we have a legion.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>The desert, which in many eyes is a wilderness -of desolation, has for the dweller beneath the -tents another aspect. It is the desert which he -loves, where he was born, under the brown tents -of his tribe where he hopes to pass his life, -and in the sands where he wishes to be buried. -He loves each one of its many phases, from -the sand burnt to powder by the white fire of -the noonday sun, to the cool breeze of the dying -day, that causes the smoke from the many fires -to rise in blue-grey wreaths to the evening sky, -which changes from violet to greyer blue, and -then to the intense dark blue of the precious -sapphire.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Bedouin, to whatever tribe he may belong, -sitting astride his camel, padding softly through -the desert sands, sees before him the low black -tents of a desert village, and knows that he may -descend and find a welcome. The host will say -<span class='pageno' id='Page_70'>70</span>to him, “Every stranger is an invited guest, -and the guest while in the tent is the lord -thereof.” He may sit before the large round -bowl of mutton and eat his fill, and when the -stars have come out, and seem so near that -he may put up his hand and pluck them -from their field of blue, he will be conducted -to the guest-tent or to the tent of the headman, -and, wrapping himself more tightly in his long -cloak, he will lie down secure, knowing that -his life is safe so long as he remains a guest of -the tribe, having eaten of their salt and drank -their water.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These Arabs of the desert are proud with a -pride we do not understand. They are proud -of their long lineage, of the purity of their blood, -of their unbroken traditions. They are an -impulsive, restless people, who, with their emotional -temperament, give impetuosity to everything -which they touch. They are the real -adventurers of the world, and their nervous, high-strung, -daring characteristics have become so -absorbed into their very being as to have become -permanent marks of their race. At the seat -of all troubles, in countries where the Bedouins -are strong, one finds them ready to do and dare -anything that appeals to their imagination. At -the rising of a Mahdi, it is the Arab of the desert -who is his strongest support, who will die for -him, who will sweep down like a holocaust upon -the people who do not share with him his beliefs -in the cause, for which he throws his life away -<span class='pageno' id='Page_71'>71</span>with a bravado that makes men of a more sluggish -blood gasp in astonishment. This cause must -appeal to his emotions—those same riotous -emotions which never produce, but always ruin. -We are told that the Bedouin is the author of -complete desolation, and that destruction follows -in his pathway; that his effects are always -sinister, and that this race brings ruin to any -land where they have been permitted to have -full sway. We know he is not a creature of habit, -and that routine, a settled existence, a fixed round -of duties, are things which he does not understand -nor practise. He does not reason and is not -practical, yet it is the Arab that has succeeded -in sending the faith of El Islam around the -world, and every movement of revival comes -directly from the desert.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Few people travelling in Egypt or Algeria see -the real dweller beneath the tents. There are -Bedouins in the cities, and one soon learns to tell -them, with their keen eyes, their eager faces, -and majestic stride, from the more placid, self-satisfied -Egyptian. But in the city he is not -his true self, as life in the cities has a permanent -and degrading effect on the character and -physique of the race; the fire of the desert dies -within him. It is in the shifting sands beneath -the tents that he is at his best. There he carries -out his tribal customs, and there he practises -that wonderful virtue of hospitality that -Mohammed, himself an Arab, laid upon his -people. He said, “Whoever believes in God -<span class='pageno' id='Page_72'>72</span>and the Resurrection must respect his guest; -and the time of his being kind to him is one day -and night; and the period of entertaining him -is three days; and after that if he does it longer, -it benefits him more, but it is not right for a -guest to stay in the house of a host so long as -to incommode him.” It is said that even a -deadly enemy may come to the tent and demand -water and salt, and it will be given him, and -he will be allowed to rest for the night. In -the morning he will be sent on his way, and his -life is safe until he has passed the boundary of -the tribe’s dominions, then his enemy is entitled -to follow him and kill him if he can.</p> - -<p class='c005'>All tourists passing through Egypt look -forward to a few days passed in the desert. The -guide paints in glowing colours the wonders of -the sands, the colours of the evening sky, the -sounds of the hobbled camels as they wait for -the morrow’s march, and the traveller from the -West decides to see for once the life of which -he had read and dreamed so many years. In -every soul is a cry for romance, a desire to leave -the prosaic everyday life which he knows too -well, and explore the mysteries of the unknown, -hoping that there by chance he will find food -to feed his hungry imagination. A trip to the -desert does this for many people. There the -broker or the banker, with the wife he has looked -upon for many years, sit in front of their hired -tent, and watch the camel man, as with scolding -voice he prepares the growling, surly camels for -<span class='pageno' id='Page_73'>73</span>the night. When all is quiet but the distant -barking of the dogs, they sit in front of the evening -fire and watch the stars come out in the -sky that seems a great inverted cup of blue -above them. The camel drivers, dragomen, and -guards sprawl in easy attitudes and chant mournful, -weird songs that have come to them from -the Persian mystics of olden time. These people -from New York or London do not realize that -they are not seeing the real desert nor the people -of the desert. The setting is all staged most -carefully by the wily dragoman, who imports his -Bedouins from the neighbouring villages, who -dresses tents until they would cause the man who -calls them home to stare in blank amazement -at their tawdry hangings. The only thing he -cannot import is the wonderful dessert sands, the -sky, the cooling breezes that always come when -the sun has set. These are free for all, to the -ragged camel driver as well as to the man who -scatters so freely the English gold.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We had the pleasure of knowing the chief -of a large tribe of Bedouins, and from his castle -on the edge of the desert were permitted to make -many visits to these picturesque people. Our -first glimpse of the true man of the desert was -obtained from the visitors in the guest-house, -where any Bedouin could stop from one to three -days as the guest of the chief, and every day -about sundown strange white-robed men with -guns strapped across their back rode up on -horses and dismounted at the gate, craving the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_74'>74</span>hospitality of the chief. There were always from -ten to thirty guests within the rest-house, men -looking like the Senouisses, who cause so much -trouble for the unbelievers of foreign lands. We -were told that many of them were going to join -their brothers in Tripoli to fight against the hated -unbeliever. They were not permitted by the -Government to go openly, as Egypt was supposed -to be neutral, so they took the long caravan -journey of thirty days across the desert to aid -in what they considered an unjust war against -the true faith.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Within the harim of my hostess were rooms -set aside for travelling Bedouin women, but they -were seldom occupied, as the women of the tents -are not wanderers like their husbands, unless the -whole tribe moves. My hostess was a young, -educated girl, to whom the confines of a Bedouin -harim must have been very wearying. The laws -concerning the women of the tribe were very -strict, one being that a woman must stay within -her apartment until the birth of her first child. -My friend was not blessed with children, but -had been compelled to conform to the usages -of her husband’s family, in part at least, by -remaining within her home for a year. Now she -went about freely among the villages of the -Bedouins near the castle, only taking the precaution -of being veiled. These Bedouin women -were quite another type from those seen in the -cities. They had magnificent physiques, tall and -supple, and carried themselves with a stately -<span class='pageno' id='Page_75'>75</span>grace. They were dressed in long, straight, -cotton gowns of blue or black, and a many-coloured -sash was wrapped around the waist. -The only foot covering was the anklets of silver -that fell down over the instep; and they wore -over their hair, which was braided in many -braids, and in which was plaited small gold coins -that clinked as they moved their heads, a veil -of black with a coloured border, or of dark red -with a yellow border. This veil adds to the -dignity and beauty of a woman in a most -charming manner. At the time of feasting or of -gaiety the plain veil is changed for one sewed -with bright-coloured beads or sequins.</p> - -<p class='c005'>From the lower lip to the neck, and lost in -the covering of the dress, are three dark blue -lines of tattooing. This is seen now only on -the older women, and is being thrown on the -altar of modernity by the daughters of the -Bedouins who have peeped into the world and -are trying to be like their more sophisticated -Egyptian neighbours. The hair is straight and -black, and with many has been given a tinge -of red by washing it in henna. I saw no grey-haired -women; because those who have been -touched by the finger of time, kindly custom -has allowed to dye their locks, and there were -many flaming heads above wrinkled faces. -While a guest with the Bedouins, they were quite -determined to give me the touch of red that -to them is so beautiful. They say it keeps the -hair cool and prevents it from falling out, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_76'>76</span>protecting it from the burning sun. I resisted, -although I watched the process, which was most -interesting. The henna powder is mixed with -water until the consistency of a paste, and then -the head is covered and left for the night, when -in the morning it is washed, and if not applied -too thickly there is just a glint in the dark locks. -Henna is also applied to the nails of the fingers -and toes, and with many it practically covers the -fingers to the first joint, making the hands look -most uncleanly to European eyes. The inside -of the feet and the palms are not forgotten by -the Bedouin or the Egyptian woman who has -conserved the customs of her mother, but the -henna-dyed hands are rarely seen now by the -newer generation, who have relegated the henna-pot -to the lumber-room along with the tattooing-ink. -A great mass of jewellery was worn, not the -diamonds and rubies found in the French shops -of Cairo, but the true ornaments of a barbaric -people. Great hoops of gold were in the ears, -one from the top of the ear, another hanging -from the lobe. The neck, even to the waistline, -was covered with chains formed of balls of gold -or of coins, and on the arms were bracelets. In -writing coldly of the Bedouin woman, her tattooing, -her henna-coloured hair, her kohl-blackened -eyes, and her massive chains of gold and anklets -of silver, it seems as if she were living in an -age of barbarism, yet it is becoming to her -rich colouring, and she is not overdressed. -They all belong to the time and place, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_77'>77</span>are made for these women, who need strong -settings for their savage beauty.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women of the desert are much more free -to come and go than are the women of the cities, -and it is only when they come in close proximity -to an Egyptian village that the Bedouin expects -his wife to be secluded. They do not mix with -members of the other sex as do the women of -the West, because that is contrary to the instincts -of all Eastern women, but naturally they cannot -be confined so strictly within the tents as can the -women who live in houses. In each tent is a -division or curtain, behind which the women retire -when men approach, but they may be seen sitting -in front of their doorways, and passing to and -fro in the villages without veiling their faces. -They pass their spare time when not occupied -in the household duties in weaving gaily coloured -blankets, striped red and yellow and black. -These constitute the woman’s fortune. My -friend took me to one tent in which there were -forty of these blankets piled around the edge of -the tent, and she said, “Five or six of these in -the possession of a woman and she is considered -rich in this world’s goods. This woman is a -multi-millionaire.” She was an old woman who -seemed to be the leader of her village. It was -she who met us and conducted us to the guest-tent, -which was at least twenty by thirty feet -in circumference, and which was hung with these -beautiful hand-woven blankets. The sands were -covered with rugs on which we sat, and on which -<span class='pageno' id='Page_78'>78</span>the large round tray was placed for the meal -which the kindly hospitable women insisted that -we should eat with them. There are no tables, -beds, nor chairs. The Bedouin says that we -can never understand the desert until we get -close to her, rest our feet on her sands, and -our head on her bosom—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>But man is earth’s uncomfortable guest</div> - <div class='line'>Until she takes him on her lap to rest.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'>One thinks of a tent in the desert under the -pitiless sun as a most uncomfortable place of -retreat, but I found it quite the opposite, as the -strong wind, that seems to be always trying to -temper the actions of its enemy, blew over the -desert and entered the open flaps, and crept under -the turned-up edges of the tent, fanning into -flame the fire of sweet-smelling woods that had -been kindled in the tiny brass jar. Water was -hanging in porous bottles and in sheepskins in -the draught, and when mixed with the perfumed -syrups was cool and refreshing. Coffee with a -touch of ambergris in the cup was served, and -melons were given us in great cool slices. These -latter are a favourite fruit of the desert people, -I presume because of the vast amount of water -of which they are composed, and water is the -luxury of all luxuries to those who dwell among -the sands. An old Arabian poet said: “There -are seven things when collected together in a -drinking-room, it is not reasonable to stay away. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_79'>79</span>A melon, honey, roast meat, a young girl, wax -lights, a singer, and wine.” Twice during our -visit was perfume sprinkled over us, and the -brass brazier was often replenished with sandalwood, -a small packet of the latter being -given us as we were leaving. The Arabs, in fact -all Eastern people, love perfumes, and they use -them in far greater quantity and of stronger -essence than we consider delicate. Musk and a -heavy perfume distilled from jasmine and roses -seems to be a favourite. Mohammed himself -loved perfumes, and speaks of them in his -promises to the faithful who shall fall in battle: -“And the wounds of him who shall fall in battle -shall on the day of judgment be resplendent -with vermilion and odorous as musk.” We -visited the smaller tents, and in some it was -impossible to stand erect even at the ridge pole. -In one was a young baby wrapped in white cloth -and twined with yards and yards of camel’s-hair -rope, only his tiny head and feet protruding to -show that there was a real baby in the bundle. -He was bound practically the same as are the -babies of our North American Indian. I took -him in my arms, and he stared at me with great -black eyes, and then he laughed and cooed, much -to the delight of the young father, who stood -proudly by. The mother was quite a young girl, -not more than fifteen years old, I should judge, -and in her shyness she retired into the security -of the tent, resisting all my friendly overtures -to have her picture taken with the baby in her -<span class='pageno' id='Page_80'>80</span>arms. Children abounded; there will be no -race extinction of the Bedouins so long as they -remain in their deserts. Their little brown -bodies snuggled up to us, and their black eyes -twinkled saucily as they shyly held out their -hands for the gifts which evidently my friend -always brought with her. They were a much -better type of children than are those in Egyptian -villages—strong, pretty bodies, and without the -unhealthy eyes that are seen so much on the -young in Egypt.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In every tent was hung a gun, as robbers are -frequent visitors, and each dweller in the tent -must protect his own. He keeps a fierce and -noisy dog that sees a stranger far across the -sands, and one is followed far beyond village -confines by these canine police.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Polygamy is practised by the Bedouin more -than it is by his city brothers. I visited in the -tent of a woman who was the second wife of -her husband, the other wife living in a tent -adjoining. She had two children, and the first -wife one, and from what I heard there was not -the most pleasant relationship between them. -Divorce is also one of the evils, and these primitive -men take advantage of it to an alarming -degree. Nearly every one I met had been -divorced some time or other. It was such a -common occurrence that it produced no feeling -of shame in the woman who had been divorced.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Bedouins are so proud of their lineage that -they wish to keep the tribal blood pure, and it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_81'>81</span>leads to intermarriage. Cousins are frequently -married, and often a whole tribe is related in -some manner. I was told that the Bedouin -settled an argument with a scolding or recalcitrant -wife by giving her a good chastising with a -stick. While in Cairo I met a most charming -Bedouin who had left the sands for the gaieties -of the city. He was quite the polished gentleman -to be found in any city, and I was surprised -when told that he had divorced his Bedouin wife -because she was not as progressive as his cosmopolitanism -now required, and my gossipy friend -informed me, “They used to quarrel dreadfully -and he would beat her most frightfully.” I saw -the lady in question, who had returned to the -tribe and remarried, and I rather admired the -hardihood of the somewhat effeminate man who -would dare to try to beat this great stalwart -Bedouin woman, who looked as if she would take -an active part in any chastening that might be -passing around her tent.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is no such word as “privacy” in the -Bedouin vocabulary; their private life must be an -open book to all the tribe. Their one great -blessing is the wonderfully clear, dry air, which -gives them health and vigour and makes them -immune to many of the diseases that afflict their -Egyptian neighbour. But if they leave the -desert and go to live within the cities, they fall -easy victims to the great white plague, tuberculosis.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Bedouins are followers of Mohammed, but -<span class='pageno' id='Page_82'>82</span>they put their faith in holy tombs and charms -and sacred groves. They are not so strict in -regard to prayers as are the people who live -within call of the muezzin, and the religion of the -women seems to be more superstition than -worship of a God. They placate a God who -may do them harm, and they have innumerable -charms and amulets for the guarding of their -children. In the desert whirlwinds they see -sweeping across their sands are “ginns” and -evil monsters; and at night, when a star shoots -across the dark blue sky, they believe it is a dart -thrown by God at an evil genie, and they whisper, -“May God transfix the enemy of the faith.” -Around the naked children’s neck is hung a small -box containing some quotation from the Koran -that will guard them from the evil eye, that curse -most dreaded by all mothers of an Eastern land. -For every evil that man is heir to, the Koran is -the cure. A few words from its precious pages -are bound upon the arm of the camel driver, who -feels that with this as guardian he will not be lost -upon the trackless sands. When ill, the wife -will call the astrologer, who writes a few words -upon a piece of paper, and soaking it in water, -gives it to the wailing child, and the mother is -assured that all will soon be well, because has -he not drunk of the very fount of wisdom, the -words that came from God?</p> - -<p class='c005'>The old custom of a life for a life prevails in -the desert, and feuds are handed down from -father to son. If a father or brother is killed, it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_83'>83</span>is the duty of the son or brother to take the life -of the enemy of his house. In the olden time -there was blood money which could be paid, -although it was considered a cowardly thing to -accept it. A man’s life was worth a hundred -camels, a woman’s only fifty, but the man of -honour asked the life. The chief of the tribe -has the power to decide in all cases between his -people, and the English Government does not -materially interfere in the life of the Bedouin.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In regard to the custom of taking a life for -a life, there is a story told of how in the early -days the missions made a convert from -Mohammedanism, the only convert made among -these tribes. In a blood feud a man stabbed -his enemy, but not fatally, and fleeing to the -tent of a friend he lingered there many days. -This tent was one visited by the missionary of -the Christian faith, and while lying on his bed -of pain the wounded man heard of a faith that -said, “Love your enemies,” and before his death -he sent word to his tribe that they must forget -his death and not try to avenge it. He even sent -word that he forgave his enemy. This was so -astonishing that neither could the man who killed -him nor his tribe believe the fact, and secretly -the enemy decided to find for himself what had -caused the unheard of message to be brought -to his tent. He learned of the new religion that -said, “Revenge is Mine, saith the Lord,” and -he became the only Bedouin convert to the -Christian faith.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_84'>84</span>Living in this home on the edge of the desert -we saw the real life of the tent people. We -watched them as, weary and tired looking, they -returned from their long journeys. We saw the -trains of laden camels as they started for the -distant cities. We saw the shepherd boys drive -in the flocks of sheep or goats, looking as they -did in olden Bible times.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_85'>85</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER V<br /> <span class='large'>INDIAN SOCIAL LIFE</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>There is no woman in the world who is so bound -down by custom, so tied to the wheel of conventionality, -as is the Indian woman, both Hindu -and Mohammedan. In the olden times the -ancient law-makers realized the danger menacing -a people surrounded by an inferior race, as were -the natives of India compared to their Aryan -invaders, and instituted that remarkable social -system that peculiarly affects the women of the -country, and is the cause of many of the evils -that has made her life one not to be envied—caste.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Hindu society is divided into hundreds of -communities consisting of several clans, each -clan having its own peculiar customs and iron-bound -rules. The clans are composed of -families, governed by the family custom, which -in turn must obey the clan custom, and these -must be governed by the rules of the community. -If a person violates the custom, he forfeits all -the privileges which he or his family may have -in the life of the community. His social life is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_86'>86</span>entirely cut off from other families and from the -protection of his people. No one of his community -will eat or drink with him, visit his house, -or marry his children. The priest will not serve -him, the barber will not shave him, nor the -washman wash for him. He will be absolutely -alone and friendless in the world, not able to get -employment, even allowed to starve by the members -of his own family, who dare not help him, -knowing they themselves would be outcasted. He -may not have the solace of joining another caste, -either lower or higher, because he must live and -die in the caste in which he was born.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Originally there were only four great castes -in India: the Brahmans, or priestly class, who -held all the intellectual or cultural prerogatives; -the Kashatriyas, or warrior caste; the Vaisayas, -or merchant caste; and the Sudras, or working -class. Below that still are the outcastes, who are -almost slaves, and do the lowest menial services. -Manu, the great law-maker, said that the -Brahman issued from the head of Brahma, hence -his intellectual superiority; the warrior from his -arms, the husbandman from his thighs, and the -Sudras from his feet, thus exactly placing the -man’s social position in life.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The laws of caste as explained by Mr. Dutt, a -Hindu writer, are as follows—</p> - -<p class='c005'>Individuals cannot be married who do not -belong to the same caste.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A man may not eat with another not of his -own caste.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_87'>87</span>His meals must be cooked by persons either -of his own caste or by Brahmans.</p> - -<p class='c005'>No man of an inferior caste is to touch his -food or the dishes in which they are served, or -even to enter his cook-room.</p> - -<p class='c005'>No water or other liquid contaminated by the -touch of a person of inferior caste can be made -use of—rivers, tanks, and other large sheets of -water being held incapable of defilement.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Articles of dry food, such as rice, wheat, etc., -do not become impure by passing through the -hands of a person of inferior caste so long as -they remain dry, but cannot be taken if they -become wet or greased.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Certain prohibited articles, such as cow’s flesh, -pork, fowls, etc., are not to be eaten.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The ocean and other boundaries of India must -not be crossed.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These rules would not be so oppressive if there -were only the four original great castes into which -society was first divided, but now each class is -divided into thousands of subdivisions, whose -members may not intermarry, nor eat together, -nor even touch the food prepared by those of -another community. Mr. Sidney Low has very -well expressed the difficulties caused by this -very intricate social ruling in his “Vision of -India”—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“To get a loose analogy, we might suppose -that everybody who could claim descent from one -of the old Norman families in England formed -one caste; that members of the ‘learned professions,’ -<span class='pageno' id='Page_88'>88</span>who had never soiled themselves with -commerce, were combined in a second; and that -others consisted exclusively of bankers or moneylenders, -or of pork butchers, costermongers, -bricklayers, and so on <i><span lang="la" xml:lang="la">ad infinitum</span></i>.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“Add that a man born in the costermonger -class would remain, or ought to remain, a -member of that connection to the end of -his days, and that he would bring up his -sons to the same business; that a greengrocer -ought not to eat food in company -with a poulterer, that a baker might not give his -daughter in marriage to a cheesemonger, and -that neither could have any matrimonial relations -with a bootmaker; and, further, that none of -these persons could place himself in personal -contact with a clergyman or a solicitor—imagine -all this, and you begin to acquire some faint -notion of the involved tangle in which the entire -Hindu community has managed to get itself -enwound.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Mr. Low quotes from the census report of -Sir H. Risley further to illustrate what the caste -system means in the matrimonial sphere, that -sphere that especially touches the womanhood of -India—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“He imagines the great tribe of the Smiths -throughout Great Britain bound together in a -community, and recognizing as their cardinal -doctrine that a Smith must always marry a Smith, -and could by no possibility marry a Brown, a -Jones, or a Robinson. This seems fairly simple; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_89'>89</span>there would be quite enough Miss Smiths to -go round. But, then, note that the Smith horde -would be broken up into smaller clans, each -fiercely endogamous. Brewing Smiths,” Sir H. -Risley asks us to observe, “must not mate with -baking Smiths; shooting Smiths and hunting -Smiths, temperance Smiths and licensed-victualler -Smiths, Free Trade Smiths and Tariff -Reform Smiths, must seek partners for life in -their own particular section of the Smithian -multitude. The Unionist Smith would not lead -a Home Rule damsel to the altar, nor should -Smith the tailor wed the daughter of a Smith -who sold boots.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>In its effect upon women the caste system has -been most deleterious because of the difficulty -of finding husbands within the same caste. It -has led to the making away with undesirable -daughters, which was frequently practised by the -parents before the English Government stepped -in and made female infanticide a crime and -severely punished the culprits. Yet we are told -that the disproportion of female to male children -shows that the practice has not been completely -stamped out, and that many fathers foreseeing the -financial difficulties to be encountered in marrying -their daughters, have deliberately made away -with them at birth. In the smaller villages the -crime is difficult of detection, but when the ratio -of girls to boys falls particularly low in a community, -the Government quarters extra police -upon the people, making all the inhabitants contribute -<span class='pageno' id='Page_90'>90</span>towards the cost of their maintenance, -and the records soon show that girl babies are -again being born in the villages.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Life in a high-caste Brahman family is much -more complicated than that of the low-caste -family, and many burdens are added to the -already heavy ones borne by the Hindu woman, -because of the rituals and customs woven around -this caste system. A woman told me that she -had a friend who lived in the house of two maiden -aunts who were most orthodox Hindus. This -woman was not allowed to touch a thing in the -morning before her bath. Beside her bed was -a long pole with which she must handle her -towels and clothing, and she was not permitted -to enter the presence of her aunts until her -uncleanliness had been removed by ablutions -and prayers.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The mother-in-law of my friend has practically -no social intercourse with her son’s wife because -she has broken caste, eats with Europeans, and -wears shoes made from leather. Her own mother -at first felt her daughter’s disgrace keenly, and -would not see her for many years. At last love -triumphed over custom, and now the mother will -visit the daughter if assured that a place will be -made ceremonially clean where she may spread -her mat of holy dharba grass, on which she sits -while chatting. She will receive nothing from -the hand of her daughter, neither water nor food, -and when she returns home she takes a complete -bath and changes her wearing apparel that has -<span class='pageno' id='Page_91'>91</span>become polluted by contact with her daughter’s -house.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Orthodox Hindus do not like sitting upon a -mat of cloth or walking upon a carpet. In many -houses a wooden bench or board is kept for -visitors. The wife of a Resident in one of the -Indian cities gave a reception to which came -several ladies from the conservative Hindu -families. They carefully avoided walking upon -the rugs, and sat upon the edge of the chairs, -looking most unhappy. The wife of the Resident -asked an advanced Hindu lady why her afternoon -was not a success so far as the Indian guests -were concerned. She was told that the only -thought that possessed these little women was a -desire to get home. They wished to be polite and -stay as long as etiquette demanded, but they -welcomed with avidity the finality of the party -when they might return and bathe and purify -themselves from the close contact of foreigners -and Mohammedans.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The members of the Brahmo Samaj, that progressive -offshoot of Hinduism, have broken caste -and allow their women to go about freely. I was -in a town of Southern India with a member of -this sect, and we called upon the head mistress -of a large school for girls. She was at home -with her newly born baby, waiting for the forty -days of uncleanness to pass before returning to -her school. She was a very intelligent woman, -talking freely of the good and the bad of their -social system. She said that a school for girls -<span class='pageno' id='Page_92'>92</span>such as that of which she was the head, -where four hundred young girls were being -educated in modern thought, would have the -greatest influence upon the women of the next -generation, but that it would take time to -eradicate the instincts of generations of ignorance -and superstition, so deeply woven into the -very nature of the Indian woman.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At the close of the visit the baby was -brought to me, and rather lacking a subject for -conversation I made the unfortunate remark to -the baby, “You will grow up a good Hindu and -stick to your caste.” I was not prepared for -the storm of protest it raised from my friend -who had brought me to the home. She turned -on me furiously and said: “How can you say -such things, you, a modern woman? Caste is -the ruin of India. If we want progress we must -break caste: it is our only hope.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is not caste alone that makes the rules -that govern the life and actions of the Indian -woman, but from birth to the burning-ground -every detail of life is cast into a mould of -ceremony and ritual, which in the hands of -a less spiritual people would have degenerated -into mere sham. Of the sixteen events in -the life of a man, all are viewed from a -religious aspect, and accompanied by a religious -ceremony. The most sacred prayers -are said in the morning before partaking of -food, and it is the husband, the head of the -house, who is supposed to say the prayers for all -<span class='pageno' id='Page_93'>93</span>beneath his roof-tree. “No sacrifice is allowed -to women apart from their husbands, no religious -rite, no fasting; as far as a wife honours her -lord, so far is she exalted in heaven,” says the -laws of Manu, yet the instinct of religion is -strong in the Hindu woman, as it is in women all -over the world, and they do perform a worship. -At the time of her marriage, at the marriage of -her children, and at many of the sacred feasts, -the wife must sit with her husband during the -time he is engaged in the performance of the -acts of worship, though she takes no active part -in the ceremonies. If a man has lost his wife, -he cannot perform the sacrifice of fire.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Hindu woman has her gods, which she -keeps in the kitchen, the most sacred room in a -Hindu household. In all the time I was in -India I never saw the inside of the kitchen of -any of my Indian friends. I have been told -that it is divided into two parts, the smaller -room used for the cooking and as pantry for the -storing of food, and must be kept free from -ceremonial defilement. The larger half of the -kitchen of a middle-class household serves as -dining-room, and in an alcove or in one corner -are the household gods and the utensils to be -used in their worship. None of the images used -by a woman are consecrated, but she lights her -lamp and bows her head and prays for the safety -of her dear ones, then offers a bit of fruit or betel -or a sweetmeat that she has prepared, and -scatters sandal paste and coloured rice or the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_94'>94</span>petals of sweet-smelling flowers over her god. -There is generally in each tiny yard or in the -kitchen a tulasi plant, around which the women -walk while chanting a prayer. This plant is -considered the wife of Vishnu, and is revered by -all. There are many blessings promised to one -who attends and waters one of these plants, and -it will keep care and tribulation from its -worshippers and grant pardon to the sinner who -cherishes the tulasi plant. Yet it is more particularly -worshipped by women. At one time, -it is said, women were commanded to walk -around it one hundred and eight times each day, -which certainly was a blessing from a hygienic -point of view, as it gave exercise to these shut-in -women, who are restricted to the four walls of -their homes.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At night when the lamps are lighted the wife -makes obeisance to the flame, saying—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>The flame of this lamp is the supreme good.</div> - <div class='line'>The flame of this lamp is the abode of the Supreme.</div> - <div class='line'>By this flame sin is destroyed,</div> - <div class='line'>Oh, Thou light of the evening, we praise thee.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'>At the time of the evening meal the men have -an elaborate religious ceremony, but the women -say simply, “Govinda, Govinda,” a name for -Vishnu, before partaking of their food.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The devout mother teaches her children the -tales of the gods, and at worship time when the -bell is sounded they are taught to place their -<span class='pageno' id='Page_95'>95</span>hands together in the attitude of prayer and bow -their little heads to the gods. It is the -father who is expected to teach them the -Vedic texts and the truths to be found in -the Puranas.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The daily worship is held in the homes, but -on feast days or for especial acts of devotion, -such as prayers for the blessings of a son, or -the giving of thanks for favours received, the -women go to the temples. These are crowded -on holy days or days of anniversary of the gods. -No one ever goes to the temple empty-handed, -and one sees the little brass jar of holy water, -the wreath of marigold or sweet-smelling flowers -which are supposed to give pleasure to the -aesthetic senses of the gods. Many women take -a coconut to the temple, which fruit seems to be -generally connected with temple worship. The -breaking of the coconut is said to represent the -slaying of the sacrificial animal, which is only -done now in the temples dedicated to Kali, that -goddess of terror who delights in the blood of -her victims.</p> - -<p class='c005'>While in Benares I visited a temple dedicated -to Shiva, in which were several enormous bulls, -the animal sacred to this god. They were of a -bluish grey in colour, and from long living in -the temple had become as clever as the priests -in looking for offerings from their worshippers. -But while the priests looked for silver or gold, -the bulls had an eagle eye with which to discern -from afar the woman who carried a basket of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_96'>96</span>grain. They stood at the back of the temple -and eyed each worshipper as she entered. If -the pious woman had only a brass water-pot in -her hand they did not move; but if they saw a -basket, they immediately started for her, and -graciously allowed her to pour the grain into -their open mouths, the woman taking care that -she did not pollute the bulls by touching their -lips with her hand. A wreath of marigolds was -then thrown over the neck of the bull, the holy -water was poured on his shoulders, and he -returned to his place. I saw an old lady lovingly -stroke the back of one of these pampered beasts, -ending with the tail, the end of which she used -to stroke her face, and afterwards lovingly kissed -this appendage of her idol. The expression on -her face was one of deepest reverence, and for -her the great blue bull represented the god for -whom her hungry soul was longing. The -educated Hindu would say that she was -struggling to find a god as are we all, but that -she was still a child in matters spiritual and -required a material representative of her ideal. -They say that the real Hindu, the man who has -studied the Vedas and understands the spirit of -his religion, needs no images nor ritual. In his -prayer he plainly shows that to him God is a -spirit. He says—</p> - -<p class='c015'>Oh, Lord, pardon my three sins. I have in contemplation -clothed Thee in form, who art formless; I have in praise -described Thee, who art ineffable; and in visiting shrines I -have ignored Thy omnipresence.</p> - -<div id='i_096' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_096.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A HOLY MAN, BENARES.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_97'>97</span>In many of the temples, besides the priests to -minister to the gods, are dancing girls, whose -duties are to dance at the shrines, sing hymns, -and generally delight the gods. They are a -recognized religious institution, and are honoured -next to the priests. They are obtained when -quite young by purchase or by gift. Often in -times of famine a girl is sold to the temple, that -her price may save the rest of the family from -starvation. One is given that all may live. In -other cases a girl is often a thank-offering given -to the gods because of recovery from sickness -or great tribulation. A rich man, instead of -presenting his own daughter, would buy the -daughter of some poor family and present her. -These girls, who have no word to say in regard -to the disposal of their persons, are public women, -and the gains of their profession go towards the -support of the temple. If there should be -children born to these professional dancing girls, -they are brought up in their mother’s profession, -very much as were the children born to the -priestesses of Aphrodite in the temples of -Alexandria.</p> - -<p class='c005'>All Indian girls must be married, consequently -these temple women are formally married to a -dagger, a tree, or some inanimate object, who, -as a husband, cannot object to the actions of his -wife. Lately, in some places it has been made a -criminal offence to sell a girl or give a daughter -to a temple, and it is only done surreptitiously. -One is told in India that it is a thing of the past, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_98'>98</span>yet in one large temple in the South there are -said to be over one hundred dancing girls kept -for the amusement of the blasé gods.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These dancing girls share with their sisters, -the nautch girls, the only real freedom given to -Indian women. The latter are taught to read -and write, to play musical instruments, and to -make themselves attractive and charming to men. -They come and go freely, mingling with both -men and women. They are found at all feasts -and public ceremonies, and have a very definite -and honourable place in Indian society. Whatever -discredit may be attached to her calling, she -is considered a necessary adjunct to the temple -and the home. Her presence at weddings is -considered most fortunate, and in some castes it -is the nautch girl who fastens the tali around the -neck of the bride, a ceremony similar to placing -the wedding-ring upon the finger. She holds the -centre of the stage at all entertainments given in -honour of guests. While we were in a native -province ruled by a prince who had the reputation -of liking wine, women, and song even more than -did the average ruling prince in India, we were -edified by the dancing of a woman brought from -Bombay at the expense to the prince of nearly -one hundred pounds a day.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dancing is extremely modest, as the dancer -is fully clothed, and it is the graceful, languorous -poses of her slim body, the waving of her arms -heavily laden with bracelets, and the slow -moving, gliding steps that keep time to the tinkle -<span class='pageno' id='Page_99'>99</span>of the anklets, that charm her admirers. There -is a proverb that says, “Without the jingling -of the nautch girl’s anklets, a dwelling-place does -not become pure.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_100'>100</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER VI<br /> <span class='large'>INDIAN HOME LIFE</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>Although the women are supposed to have no -religious standing and are considered unfit to -read the Vedas or touch the consecrated gods, -still their entire life is influenced by religion or -superstition, and the religion and superstition of -the Eastern woman, of whatever land, is so inextricably -entwined, that it is hard to tell where -one leaves off and the other begins. Like her -sisters of China and Egypt, she is afraid of the -evil eye. She firmly believes that if her jewels, -her dress, or her children are looked upon with -jealous or covetous eyes, much sorrow will come -to her, and she has many charms and ceremonies -with which to counteract the baneful influence of -spiteful persons. It is never wise for a visitor to -regard a baby too closely or to admire its jewels -or clothing openly, as, even if the mother is one -of the advanced minority, instinct will assert -itself, and deep within her heart, bred there by -centuries of tradition, will be a little feeling that -something <em>might</em> happen to her dear one. Quite -likely, when the unwise caller departs, the mother -<span class='pageno' id='Page_101'>101</span>will make a lamp of kneaded rice flour and fill -it with oil or clarified butter, which, when lighted -and passed round the baby’s head, will remove -the dreaded evil.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Hindu woman’s life is ruled by omens to -a far greater extent than is the life of the woman -of the Western world. If she is starting on a -visit to a friend, it is a very bad sign for her -to meet a widow, any one carrying a new pot, a -bundle of firewood, a pariah, a lame man, two -men quarrelling, a leper—in fact, there are about -a dozen things she should avoid, or else be under -the necessity of returning to her home and saying -a few prayers before daring to start on her -journey again. If she should sneeze once, it is -most unfortunate, and should be followed by a -second in order to avert the evil, but if the second -sneeze is followed by others, the more the better, -it is a most certain sign that her most ardent -wishes will soon be granted. When one yawns -it is polite to snap the fingers and say, “Govinda, -Govinda,” as many believe that the life may -leave the body while yawning, and to avert this -calamity from a baby the mother snaps her -fingers and murmurs, “Krishna, Krishna,” in its -tiny ears.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Mohammedan and Hindu customs are so much -alike that it is often hard to say that one is a -Mohammedan custom or that another is purely -Hindu. At the marriages, and the return of the -daughter to her home to give birth to her first -child, at the birth of the children, and in many -<span class='pageno' id='Page_102'>102</span>of the social customs of the Mohammedans are -seen the influence of the Hindu religion. It was -the Mohammedans who brought the “purdah” -system, or the seclusion of women, into India. -Before the invasion of these warlike people the -women of India went about freely, but now -the Hindus are practically as secluded as are the -Mohammedan women. In the North, where the -influence of the followers of the Arabian prophet -made itself most dominant, the women are much -more secluded than in the South, where the -Mohammedans did not come in such large -numbers.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is in the villages that true India is to be -found, unchanging, languorous India. Here is -a self-centered commonwealth, with little dependence -for its welfare upon the outer world, and the -people have remained the same as their fathers -and their father’s fathers, impervious to new -innovations and ideas. To look at one of these -villages is very different from ideas one may -have formed of them by reading books of travel. -The first impression received upon entering one -is that of an enlarged barnyard, as cows and -farm implements take entire possession of the -narrow streets. The low, thatched mud houses -are without doors, windows, or chimneys. The -floor is generally plastered with cow dung, which, -when dry, leaves a hard shellac-like polish, considered -by the natives most sanitary. It has to -be redone every two weeks, and to Western eyes -is a most unsightly operation, as it is done with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_103'>103</span>the hands of the housewife. It is said that when -the Salvation Army sent its first volunteers to -India, they required them to live the life of the -Indian, and that this smearing of the earthen -floors with the national substitute for varnish -was one of the chief causes why women were -not always ready to volunteer for service in the -East.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is virtually no furniture in the homes. -The stove consists of three or four bricks, around -which the fuel, consisting of dried cakes of mud -and cowdung, are broken, and which smoulder -rather than burn. A few earthenware pots -and a large dish in which to serve the food, some -brass utensils, and a large jar for carrying water, -complete the culinary arrangements. For plates, -banana or plantain leaves are used, or, lacking -these, small leaves are sewn together. This saves -the drudgery of washing dishes, as the leaves -are thrown away after each meal, and the fingers -are used in place of the knives and forks of the -more aesthetic races. Chairs and tables are not -needed, as the Indian squats upon his haunches, -as only an Oriental can; and in silence, regarding -only his own food, to which he helps himself -from the central dish, he eats his meal. When -the lord of the household has finished, he -graciously allows his wife to eat from the same -leaf. No Indian woman who conforms to the -customs of her race ever eats at the table with -the men of her household, yet this is not confined -to the women of India. The separation of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_104'>104</span>men from the women at the dinner-table is practised -by all Orientals. The women of China and -Japan eat with the younger children when the -master of the house has finished, and no Egyptian -husband, unless one of the small class who have -become thoroughly Westernized, would think of -inviting his wife to share with him his evening -meal.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the village homes the man shows his -superiority also in the fact that the only bed in -the house of the peasant or workman is that for -the master, if bed it can be called—simply a rough -framework of wood with coir ropes strung across -it. The extra wardrobe of the family, if they -are so fortunate as to possess more than the one -garment which they wear, is hung on a pole in -a corner of the room, and need not take much -space, as the clothing of India’s poor is scant—a -loin-cloth, a sheet for the shoulders, and a -long piece of cotton for the head suffices him. -His wife will only possess a tight-fitting little -bodice, and six yards of cloth which she will -drape gracefully around her body, making it -serve both as dress and head covering. Yet the -woman’s arms are covered often with bracelets, -anklets tinkle as she walks, and as she draws her -sari across her face when passing the stranger, -the glint of a nose-ring is seen, or the light flashes -from a necklace that rests against her brown -skin. This jewellery may be of gold, silver, -brass, or even of glass, but the woman of the -village loves these aids to feminine charms as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_105'>105</span>well as does her city sister. In the olden time -the peasant had no trust in banks, and when he -accumulated a few extra rupees, he added a -bangle to his wife’s arm, or bought a nose or ear-ring. -It served the double purpose of saving -money which might be foolishly spent at the -autumn fair, and also was easy to take to the -moneylender in times of stress. There are many -thousands of pounds of gold that go into India -each year and disappear. The officials say it -is turned into jewellery for these wives and -daughters of India’s great middle class, who seem -never too poor to have a touch of gold or silver -upon the persons of their womenfolk.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The village wife is relieved of the necessity of -providing clothing for the children, because until -they are seven or eight years old an amulet -string or a silver anklet completes their wardrobe. -There are many of these little brown -bodies around every doorway, looking like -dark-skinned cupids. One rarely sees a child -in India with a bad skin, which perhaps is due -to the oil-baths which they receive in early childhood. -Mothers bathe their babies in oil, then -wash it off with a vegetable soap, leaving the -skin soft and shining as satin. This is a luxury -indulged in by older people also, and the giving -of oils for the bath is a favourite present among -friends.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the shade of the porch is often seen a cradle, -a very simple affair made of four pieces of wood -with a hammock of cloth held between them. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_106'>106</span>Around the top of the cloth is arranged baby’s -toys so that he may lie and amuse himself, which -is quite necessary where the mother has as many -household duties to attend to as the Indian -farmer’s wife. In places where the woman is -working in the field, the baby may be seen -wrapped in a hammock-like affair and tied to -the limb of a tree; and it is a common practice -among labouring women, I am told, to give the -babies a drug to keep them quiet while the -mothers work. Opium is very generally used -in India, especially among the higher classes, -although forbidden by both Hindu and the -Mohammedan religion. It is supposed to invigorate -the aged, and an Indian told me that he -thoroughly believed that all men after they pass -the age of fifty were better for the moderate use -of opium.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The wife of the village man or peasant is not -“purdah nashim,” or secluded, as is the wife -of the rich man. She takes her share in the -agricultural work, besides carrying water from -the village well, making the cakes of fuel and -plastering them against the side of the house to -dry, grinding the meal, husking the rice, washing -the clothing, and cooking the meals. Yet with -all her work the monotony of her life is broken -by many feasts and ceremonies in which she takes -a part. Each district and temple has its own -particular fête day, and there are many family -feasts where work is given up at the time of -special rejoicing. Relatives and friends meet -<span class='pageno' id='Page_107'>107</span>together, the houses are decorated, bright saris -are brought forth, and the time is spent in -pleasure and merry-making. There are eighteen -obligatory feasts in the year for the orthodox -Hindu, but only a few of the principal ones are -celebrated.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many of the ceremonies in the home originated -in sanitary laws, which would not have been -obeyed unless the people were made to believe -that they were of divine origin. At a certain -time of the year when smallpox is rife, and the -epidemic has passed, there is a worship of the -“Mother,” which requires the house to be -thoroughly cleaned and purified, all the old -vessels broken, all old clothing burned or placed -in the sun for a certain time, before the women -are permitted to go to the temple to worship -their favourite goddess. There is another spring -feast, when the women go down to the water -dressed in yellow, and send small lighted lamps -down the stream to the spring goddess. At the -feast of the serpents the villagers take offerings -to the sand-hills, and pour milk and honey into -the holes where the snakes are supposed to dwell, -asking protection of these gods of wisdom, who -especially guard the eyes of their worshippers. -At another feast the women take red water and -sprinkle it upon each other, rejoicing over the -slaying of the giant god of evil. The girls take -part in a pretty feast in the fall, when they -decorate their little brothers with flowers and -garland the houses, and at night light innumerable -<span class='pageno' id='Page_108'>108</span>little lamps, making a village look like a -miniature fairyland.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The village women appear rather sullen, but -when known they are found to be as happy as is -the wife of the average working man. If there -is no drought drying up the crops, if no disease -comes to the cattle, if the moneylender is not -too avaricious, if a few pennies can be saved -to buy bracelets from the bangle-man at the -annual festival, and if the gods do not disgrace -her by sending too many daughters, she is happy. -Yet the village woman and her family are always -but half a step in advance of the waiting wolf; -famine comes with swiftness, and quick deaths -from plagues to hundreds of thousands of these -peasant people, who constitute nine-tenths of the -population of India.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The life of the women in the small towns and -villages is like life in another world compared to -that led by the women in the large cities of -Calcutta or Bombay or Madras. Here the Indian -lady seems to be trying to lose her national -characteristics, and Indian society is very disappointing -to a visitor from the West who wishes -to see something of the life lived by the lady of -India. It seems to be merely a copy of the life -of the English society woman, and her day is -filled with teas, society concerts, and receptions. -Their homes are thoroughly English in every -department, their drawing-rooms are filled with -English bric-à-brac, they go to the entertainments -in most luxurious motors; their children, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_109'>109</span>dressed in European clothes, are brought down -to see the guest by an English governess, and -English is the language of the home. Many of -the Indian women are members of clubs, musical -societies, and are taking active part in the -charities for the benefit of their people.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Indian woman wields a strong influence -over her husband, and has more of a place in -the life around her than we imagine, from the -stories we hear of unhappy days spent “Behind -Zenana Bars.” We are apt to consider the -secluded, shut-in Eastern woman as a cowed, -frightened creature, afraid to say her soul is her -own, while among the better class, at least, it is -quite the contrary. It takes a brave man to go -absolutely against the wishes of his womenfolk, -as they have the advantage of numbers in their -favour. In every great household there are -innumerable women relatives, satellites, and -servants revolving around the personality of the -mistress. These Eastern women have been -schooled in the art of intrigue and understand -thoroughly the efficacy of passive resistance. If -the wife wishes to accomplish a certain object, -and is able to enlist the women of the household -on her side, the man will be compelled sooner or -later to submit to her wishes.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The older, conservative women are very tyrannical, -and try their best to combat the newer -ideas brought to the zenanas by their sons and -daughters. Many of the younger generation -are trying to break from the patriarchal custom -<span class='pageno' id='Page_110'>110</span>of all the family living under one roof. They -say it is very fine in theory, and has worked with -good results in the villages, but that it has many -bad points, the chief of which is that it allows -no expression of individuality. The personality -must be sunk in the family. When all the men -will work and become producers and contributors -to the family fund, it makes for harmony -in the home, but when some are drones and live -on the toil of others, it makes the burden too -heavy for the few and causes quarrels and -dissensions.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Women are helpless in India in the earning of -a living for themselves, and if widowhood comes -they must depend for support on some male relative -of their own or of the family of their -deceased husband. I know a boy of eighteen -who is the only support of his wife, his aunt, a -widow, his widowed mother, and his young sister. -He was compelled to leave school and take a -position in an office in order to take care of all -these women, as he was the responsible head -of the family. It is hard for a boy who is -ambitious and anxious to obtain an education, -when there are many women in his household, as -they care more for the immediate necessities than -for a prospective successful future. They feel -that his father and his father’s father were able -to provide for the wants of the family, so why -should the boys of to-day spend years in studying -books when they might be adding to the -family exchequer?</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_111'>111</span>It is the women who are compelling the -younger boys and girls to conform to the old -usages and traditions in regard to marriage. -Many a boy leaves school and would like a -chance to find a place for himself in life before -burdening himself with a wife. But this he is -not allowed to do. His mother believes that -all boys should be married early in life, consequently -the boy is saddled with a family at about -the age when the American boy is taking his -first shy look at the girl across the aisle in the -schoolroom. These modern young men would -also like to have a voice in the selection of their -wives, but that also is denied them. They must -conform to the traditions of their caste and the -customs of their family. I know a boy who was -compelled to marry his niece, although his education -had taught him that these intermarriages -were not for the good of his race; still, he was -helpless, and could not successfully oppose the -combined wishes of the women of his family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Side by side with these Indian women who -guard jealously the customs and traditions of -other days are the Westernized society women, -who seem to share with their husbands in the -spirit of imitation that has entered into the very -soul of the Indian people who have come into -contact with the English. The Indian gentleman -feels that he must talk “sport,” the schoolboy -prides himself upon the knowledge of cricket -and football and talks the jargon of Eton and -Rugby. Because the meat-eating Englishmen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_112'>112</span>from cold, dreary England must exercise in order -to live, the Indian also devotes himself to a -strenuous regime that is absolutely alien to his -habits and the requirements of his climate. The -Indian lady, with her exaggerated English accent, -and her costume that is neither of the East nor -of the West, is a paradox. She may well be -zealous in borrowing what she needs from the -English, but it seems hard for her to assimilate -what she takes and make it a part of herself. -The affectations which she uses to show her -cosmopolitanism are palpably grafted upon her -tree of knowledge, and we who wish to see the -real India are only consoled in the thought that -these unusual conditions which prevail in the -large cities are only the graftings, and that the -tree itself is not affected by them. The real -woman of India is bound to grow in knowledge -brought by education and experience, but deep -down in her heart she will be essentially the same -for years to come. She will not try to exchange -her personality for another’s, even in outward -appearance.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dawn of consciousness that has been preceded -by long twilight is now awakening in the -soul of the Eastern woman, and she will see -by its light that she has a strength and individuality -of her own and that she need not mortgage -her birthright to borrow alien charms from -the women of other lands.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_113'>113</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER VII<br /> <span class='large'>MARRIAGE—THE GOAL OF WOMAN</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>There are three great events in a Hindu -woman’s life: first, her marriage; second, the -birth of her son; and third, if she should be so -unfortunate, her widowhood.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These three events are of immense importance -to all women, but as a woman of the Far East is -supposed to be created for one purpose only, -the rearing of sons to her husband’s house, -marriage and birth of children assume a larger -place in her life than in the life of the -Western woman, where these two events are often -merely incidents. Also when a Hindu woman -marries she expects to stay married, as she cannot -divorce her husband, and he can only divorce -her for infidelity. Even death will not open for -her the doorway to remarriage, because if her -husband should die before her, she must remain -true to his memory for life.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman’s inclinations are seldom consulted -in regard to the choice of a husband, because, -quite likely, when she is not much more than -a child, her parents begin to look around for a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_114'>114</span>suitable alliance for her. Their choice must fall -upon a man of the same caste, a relative if -possible. The prospective bridegroom may be -a young boy, or he may be an old man, a -widower. The girl <em>must</em> be married. There are -no reasons in the Hindu philosophy which allow -a girl to pass the marriageable age without a -husband being chosen for her. Men may -become “sanyassis,” that is, renounce the world -and remain bachelors, but this is not allowed -women under any circumstances, as they must -fulfil their destiny, which is to be the mothers -of men.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If a girl passes the marriageable age, if she -should be twelve or thirteen without being -settled in life, her family would feel that they -were disgraced, and she would have slight opportunity -for marriage in any respectable family. -Therefore, it is incumbent upon her parents to -find for her a husband as soon as possible, which -leads to one of the greatest crimes against Indian -womanhood—child marriages.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are many preliminaries to be arranged -before the final choice of a bridegroom is decided, -but when he is found at last, the important question -of the dowry arises. In some places the -father of the bride gives a dowry with his -daughter, in others the groom’s father pays a -certain sum to the parents of the little bride, -practically buying her. Nearly every caste has -a different mode of procedure regarding the -exchange of presents and money.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_115'>115</span>The girl’s personal jewellery and everything -she receives from her future father-in-law, or -that she takes with her to her new home, are -most clearly set down, article by article, in a -document, and constitute her own personal -property, which she may claim if she becomes -a widow.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Marriage is a most ruinous operation financially -for the parents, especially for the father of -the bride. He must give a feast lasting for five -days to all friends and relatives, presents to all -the contracting parties, and great liberality must -be shown the Brahmans and priests who assist in -the ceremony. If his new son-in-law is an -educated youth, he will demand a much larger -dowry with his bride, in these days when -Western education is meaning so much in the life -of the Indian youth. If he is a “failed B.A.,” -he may only demand, we will say, one thousand -rupees from his father-in-law. If he successfully -passed his examinations and is a full B.A., -he quite likely would feel that those letters added -to his name were worth at least two thousand -rupees; and if he should by chance be a Doctor -of Laws, his demands might be limited -only by the knowledge of the amount of -gold the father of his bride has stored for this -emergency.</p> - -<p class='c005'>After the preliminary ceremonies have been -concluded and the family priest has decided upon -the most propitious day for the nuptials, the -family begin to make preparations for the wedding. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_116'>116</span>Invitations are taken to friends and -relatives who are within visiting distance by the -women of the household, who make upon the -forehead of the invited female guest the round -red caste mark, and leave a small bundle of -pan leaves and betel-nut for the other members of -the family. Often a little sandalwood paste is -touched to the chin and between the shoulders -by the bearer of the invitation. Mohammedan -ladies send a tiny mica box with a cardamom seed -in it and a piece of confectionery, which is given -with the verbal invitation by the messenger, who -must, if possible, be some member of the family -instead of a servant.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the case of rich people the strong box is -opened and the hoarded rupees brought forth -with which to buy the gold and silver jewellery -for both bride and groom, the elaborate wedding -garments, and the saris, which are given as -presents to the women guests, and shawls for -the men; the store-rooms are examined to -make sure that there is rice in plenty, also wheat -flour, butter, oil of sessaman, peas, vegetables, -fruits, pickles, curries, in fact, all the many -foodstuffs necessary in the preparation of -the elaborate feasts which are the main events -of the wedding. Sandalwood powder is bought -in great quantities, antimony for the eyes, incense, -the red paste which wives use on the forehead, -and innumerable numbers of the beautiful flower -wreaths with which the guests are garlanded after -the entertainments. Plenty of new earthen dishes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_117'>117</span>are selected from the potters’ store, for these -vessels may never be used the second time.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the case of the poor man, now is the time -when the visits are made to the moneylender, -because, rich or poor, prince or peasant, there -must be no question of stint at this time of -rejoicing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A wedding is a very gorgeous affair, being -limited only by the means of the contracting -parties, but it is generally conceded that all -Indians, of whatever class of society they may be -members, spend far too much upon the nuptials -of their children.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Each one of the five days has its especial -religious rite. One ceremony typifies the giving -of the girl by the father to the husband and the -renunciation of his parental authority. On -another day the husband fastens the tali -around his young wife’s neck, which is practically -the same as placing the marriage-ring -upon the finger of the new bride. This -tali is a small gold ornament strung on a little -cord composed of one hundred and eight very -fine threads closely twisted together and dyed -yellow with saffron. Before tying the tali it -is taken to the guests, both men and women, -who bless it. Old ladies whose husbands are -alive are specially requested to bless the tali, -in order to insure the couple a long married -life. This symbol of wifehood is tied with three -knots, thus trebly ensuring the marriage tie, -and is never to be removed unless the wearer -<span class='pageno' id='Page_118'>118</span>is so unfortunate as to become a widow, -when the cord is cut. The most unkind thing -one woman can say to another is, “May your -tali be cut!”</p> - -<p class='c005'>After the tying of this emblem the newly -married couple walk three times around a lighted -fire, which is the ultimate binding of the marriage -contract, for there is no more solemn engagement -than that which is entered into in the -presence of fire. Rice is thrown over the pair, -and they throw it upon each other, signalling that -they hope to enjoy an abundance of this world’s -goods and a fruitful union. Rice is used at -weddings in nearly all Eastern countries as -typifying prosperity and fruitfulness, and it is -perhaps from the Far East that we borrow our -custom of throwing rice upon the newly married -pair.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many Hindu women wear, in addition to the -tali, an iron bracelet to indicate their marriage -state. Among the rich it is gilded and, -consequently, not easily distinguished from the -many bracelets that always cover the Indian -lady’s arm.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A young Hindu boy is not supposed to chew -betel-nut nor put flowers in his hair until he is -married. On the fourth day of the marriage -festivities the groom is given his first betel-nut -by his brother-in-law, and his head is wreathed -with flowers. In a few castes the bride has her -left nostril bored on the fifth day of the marriage -and an ornament placed therein. After marriage -<span class='pageno' id='Page_119'>119</span>in some parts of India the woman wears a streak -of red powder in the parting of her hair, and in -practically all provinces she wears the little round -mark of wifehood between the eyes, which, as age -comes, is elongated, until gradually, by the time -that children and grandchildren cluster around -her knee, the little red mark has grown into a -straight line, losing itself in the whitening locks. -In Mysore and in some of the southern provinces -a woman does not tuck up her dress in the back -until she is married. Then an end of the -long sari, which is twisted several times around -the body, is brought from the front to the back -and tucked into a belt, forming a sort of trousers, -and incidentally exposing more brown leg than -we women of the Western world think consistent -with modesty.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At the final feast the bride and groom eat -together from the same leaf to show their complete -union. This is the first and last time -that the wife will eat in company with her -husband, if he is an orthodox Hindu and not -imbued with the new Western ideas. Always, -in the future, she will serve him his meal, and -after he has finished she will eat with the other -women of the household and the smaller children, -using the same leaf which has done service for -her lord and master.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When all the religious rites are finished and the -festivities have come to an end, there is a final -procession, when the wife and husband, gorgeously -arrayed in all their jewellery, are carried -<span class='pageno' id='Page_120'>120</span>round the town to the accompaniment of music, -the explosion of fire crackers, the shooting of -rockets, and the shouting of friends. Then, if -the bride is still a child, she returns home with -her parents, who keep her secluded until the -time arrives for her to return to her husband’s -home and fulfil the duties of a wife. The day -the husband and mother-in-law come to take -the wife to their home is made another time -of rejoicing. She remains with them for a month -when she revisits her old home, and often for the -first few years, or until she has children, she -lives alternately in her husband’s house and in -that of her parents. If she finds herself ill-treated -by her husband and tormented by her -mother-in-law, the young girl often seeks her -father’s home for shelter and protection, and -remains with them until the husband or his -mother come in person to persuade her to return -home. Nearly always her family add their persuasions, -if not their force, to compel the wife to -return to her husband’s roof, as it is a great -disgrace to all concerned to have a wife leave -her husband. After the children come, the -wife rarely leaves her house and devotes her -time and energies to the rearing of the little -ones that fill all homes, from the mansions of -the rich to the huts of the poor peasants. There -seem to be more little brown bodies in India -than in any place I have visited, unless I except -China, where the staple articles are rice and -babies.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_121'>121</span>The new wife has to accommodate herself to -the customs of her husband’s family, and much -of her future happiness depends upon the women -members of the household. If it is a very aristocratic -family, she may have all the luxuries of -life, beautiful gold-embroidered saris, jewels, -servants, and slaves, but very little liberty. There -is a saying that you can tell the degree of a -family’s aristocracy by the height of the windows -in the home. The higher the rank, the smaller -and higher are the windows and the more -secluded the women. An ordinary lady may -walk in the garden and hear the birds sing and -see the flowers. A higher grade lady may only -look at them from her windows, and if she is a -very great lady indeed, this even is forbidden -her, as the windows are high up near the ceiling, -merely slits in the wall for the lighting and -ventilation of the room.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are many rules of etiquette prescribed -for the young girl-wife if she would show that -she has been properly trained by her parents. -For example, she must never speak of her -husband by name, nor may she use a word with -the same syllable as her husband’s first name. -A friend of mine has a husband whose name -begins with the same syllable as that used in the -word sugar. She always speaks of sugar as “the -substance you put in your tea,” and she generally -refers to her husband as “he.” Nor would the -man say “my wife,” but “my house,” or some -word denoting the home. A man in Hyderabad -<span class='pageno' id='Page_122'>122</span>met his doctor on the street and said, “I wish -you would come and see me. My house has -a boil on its neck.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>This same wife would not sit in the presence -of her mother-in-law or her husband if others -were present. It would show extreme lack of -respect; nor would she speak if her husband -were in the room. We called upon the wife of -a high official of Bangalore, who came into -the room with her daughter-in-law and her -young daughter, an extremely pretty girl. The -daughter-in-law would not sit down in the -presence of her husband’s mother, nor did she -speak, and looked extremely awkward and self-conscious, -as she stood with her sari drawn across -her mouth and watched us with her big black -eyes. The little daughter played the veena, the -national instrument, and as she sat upon the rug, -gorgeously arrayed in an elaborate red and gold -sari, with jewellery on arms, neck, ankles, toes, -and with diamonds in each tiny nostril, she made -a picture never to be forgotten.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In some of the big households where the sons -bring their wives to live beneath the family roof-tree, -the married quarters are not large enough to -allow a separate room for each couple, and the -women sleep in one room and the men in another. -The mother has the right of assigning the couples -who are to inhabit the married quarters for the -week. But even the eagle eye of the mother-in-law -cannot always watch the young people, and -many a girl-wife steals across the courtyard to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_123'>123</span>find her husband, who is waiting for her in the -shadows. A crowd of young men in a school -were asked to give their idea of what was the -most beautiful music in the world. One -answered, “The song of the bul-bul,” another, -“The plaintive strains of the zither,” a third, -“The cry of the night bird,” but a young bridegroom -said, “The music of my wife’s anklets -as she tries to suppress their sound when she -steals to meet me in the moonlight.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>One is amazed at the amount of jewellery worn -by the Indian women, yet this vanity is not confined -solely to the women, as in some of the -provinces nearly every man has a jewel in his -ear, and many of them wear most expensive -finger-rings. The women excel in the artistic -use of jewellery that on other people would seem -tawdry and barbaric, but on these dainty little -women is most becoming to their rich, dark -beauty. Jewellery is not only worn by the lady, -but women of every class are covered with it. -The village woman will have perhaps but one -cotton sari, and her home would be merely a -mud hovel, but she will clink as she walks, and -you know she wears silver anklets, and as she -moves her sari to peep at you, you see the glisten -of a bracelet. It may be of brass or it may be -of silver, or, if she be very poor, coloured glass -bangles will satisfy her cravings for the beautiful, -and her arms will be covered with these ornaments -from the wrist to the elbow.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At a railway-station near Baroda I saw women -<span class='pageno' id='Page_124'>124</span>whose legs to the knee were covered with huge -brass bands that must have been most inconvenient -and heavy to carry. In Poona we -stopped to watch a merchant of toe-rings place -his wares upon his patron’s toes which were held -out to him for the purpose. The rings were so -tight that soap had to be used to force them -over the twinging toes. The operation was most -painful to vanity, judging from the faces of the -victims, but evidently the sight of the shining ring -as they trudged down the dusty road repaid them -for the suffering they had undergone. In this -same market were innumerable booths for the -sale of the glass bracelets that are worn by all -the women of India, with the exception of -widows. I watched an old woman in the bangle -bazaar working them over the hands of the -women who sat on the ground in front of her, -prepared to spend unlimited time in acquiring -these articles of adornment. The purchaser made -her choice from the green or gold or red bangles -piled carelessly upon the trays in front of her, -then the bangle-seller squeezed and manipulated -the hand, slowly working, pushing, -coaxing the bangle over the hand, until finally -it was on the arm, where evidently it would -remain.</p> - -<p class='c005'>My husband and I dined with a Mohammedan -who, after dinner, asked me into the -zenana to meet his wife. The bareness of my -arms shocked her, and she insisted upon presenting -me with three bracelets for each arm, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span>working them on so skilfully that it did not pain -me, but on arriving at the hotel I found I could -not remove them. I tried to persuade the Indian -servant to break them for me, but he was horrified -and said it would bring me very bad luck, -as only widows had them broken on the arm. -I feared I would be compelled to wear them -all my life as my husband would not break them, -having overheard the remarks about the widow. -Finally I broke them myself, much to the detriment -of my arms, which carried the scars for -many days.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is an immense amount of money going -into India each year that never gets into circulation, -as the gold coins are strung upon chains or -melted to make the bracelets for the women and -children. Life could be made much more comfortable -for the Indian peasant if he would turn -the money invested in jewellery for his womenfolk -into comforts for the home.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Hindu woman has few legal rights. Any -property which her husband wishes to leave her -must be given to her in his lifetime, as she cannot -inherit his estate, but she may claim maintenance -from his heirs, and if she should survive -her son, she may become his legal heir. The -male relatives are supposed to provide maintenance -for the women of the family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>An outsider looking upon the Hindu home -does not see where real union can possibly exist -between a husband and wife. This is especially -true at the present time, when nearly all the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>better class of India’s sons are being educated, -and are reading, listening, touching hands with -the outside world. The women of the middle -and lower classes, except in rare cases, are practically -without education, few being able to read -or write. The signs point to the fact that they -will not long remain in this ignorant state, -because the young men are demanding educated -wives, and a desire for education is abroad in the -land, although an old proverb says that to -educate a woman is like placing a knife in the -hands of a monkey. The English Government -is establishing schools for girls in every town -and village, and in Baroda enforced schooling is -demanded for girls as well as for boys. But -because of the early marriage of the girl, she has -little opportunity of becoming a real companion -to her husband, as he may continue his studies -for years, while, when she becomes a wife, her -schooldays are over.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I met a gentleman of about fifty years of age -in the South of India who asked me to call upon -his wife, a young girl of seventeen years, who -became his bride at the age of twelve. She -was not at all what the average girl of seventeen -years would be in England or America. She was -the polite hostess, with no trace of self-consciousness -or gaucherie, graceful in her every movement. -She was exquisitely dressed and covered -with jewels. Large diamond clusters were in her -ears, diamonds in each nostril, and around her -neck a chain of rubies with a large pendant of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>pearls. Her manners were charming, and as we -were parting she excused herself for a moment -then returned to the room with a small tray on -which was the red powder for the caste mark, -betel-nut, fruit, and a small bouquet of flowers. -She came to each of us and bowed, then with her -right hand made the mark of wifehood upon our -foreheads, and handed us the betel-nut and -flowers. This gracious and pretty service is one -of the many little kindly acts that are always -performed by the hostess herself, as it would not -be polite to delegate it to a servant.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I was charmed with this dainty little woman, -yet I could not help thinking that she might be -a pretty toy, but not a companion to the man -with whom I had been conversing a few hours -previous, and in whose library I had seen -Emerson’s “Essays,” Farrar’s “Life of Christ,” -“Pilgrim’s Progress,” the works of Tolstoy, -Epictetus, and lying upon the desk, as if just -left by the master, Maeterlinck’s “Life and -Death.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>According to the ethical, moral, and religious -standards of the Hindus, man and woman are -equal. The Vedas teach—</p> - -<p class='c015'>Before the creation of this phenomenal world, the first -born Lord of all creatures divided his own self in two halves -so that one half should be male and the other half female. -Just as the halves of fruit possess the same nature, the same -attributes and the same properties in equal proportion, so man -and woman, being the equal halves of the same substance, -possess equal rights, equal privileges, and equal power.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span>This sounds very well in print, and learned -Hindus quote us the Vedas to show that in their -country women and men are considered equal. -They are most indignant at the conception by the -Western people of the treatment accorded the -Indian woman by her husband. They say that -books are filled with the stories of the brutality -of husbands who marry these girl-wives without -love on either side, yet they point out that it is a -well-known fact that there are fewer wife-beaters -in India than there are in England. Manu, the -great law-giver, says, “A woman’s body must -not be struck hard even with a flower, because it -is sacred.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the olden time we are told that women -were well versed in the Vedas, although it -is now claimed that they are forbidden to -read them or to be taught their truths. It is -known that two of the famous songs of the -Rig Veda were revealed by women, and -when Sankaracharya, the great commentator of -the Vedanta, was discussing this philosophy -with another savant, a Hindu lady well versed -in the Hindu scriptures was requested to act as -umpire.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Whatever may have been her position in former -times, at present there is no woman on earth who -reveals more true attachment and devotion to -her husband than does the Hindu wife. There is -a beautiful saying, “Man is strength, woman is -beauty; he is the reason that governs and she -is the wisdom that moderates.”</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>In the Mahrabarata we find this definition of -a woman—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>A man’s wife is his truest friend;</div> - <div class='line'>A loving wife is a perpetual spring</div> - <div class='line'>Of virtue, pleasure, wealth; a faithful</div> - <div class='line'>Wife is his best aid in seeking Heavenly bliss.</div> - <div class='line'>A sweetly speaking wife is a companion</div> - <div class='line in2'>In solitude, a father in advice,</div> - <div class='line'>A mother in all seasons of distress,</div> - <div class='line'>A rest in passing through life’s wilderness.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER VIII<br /> <span class='large'>INDIAN MOTHERHOOD</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>When it is known that the girl-wife is to fulfil -her destiny by giving her lord a child, she -becomes a person of importance in her home -circle, and there are endless ceremonies to be -observed. Feasts are given friends, and many -days are passed in rejoicing. One of the -earliest celebrations is given the children of -all friends and relatives, when the glass-bangle -man comes with his wares, which -are bought and freely distributed to the -guests. About two months before the baby is -expected the mother takes the daughter to her -home, where she remains until after the formal -purification, which is forty days after the birth -of a girl, and thirty should she be so fortunate -as to give a man-child to the world. At the end -of that time her husband or his mother must -come and take her home again. It would be -an insult to send a lesser person, unless it were -absolutely impossible for either of them to be the -messenger. This custom of the young mother -giving birth to her first child under her own -<span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>family roof-tree is followed by Mohammedans -as well as by Hindus.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The midwife in the villages is generally the -wife of the barber, and naturally her knowledge -of medicine is very much limited. She is ruled -entirely by superstition and old-time custom. -Her chief knowledge consists in different prayers, -and a woman who is an expert in this field of -obstetrics is always in demand, because there is -no time when prayers are a greater necessity -than at the birth of a child. Both the baby and -its mother are peculiarly susceptible to the evil -eye, to the influences of lucky and unlucky days, -and a thousand other superstitions that make -this time of a woman’s life one of great danger. -Happily for Indian women, the Marchioness of -Dufferin, and the wives of other viceroys, have -taken the cause of Indian womanhood to heart, -and have established hospitals for women and -supply nurses for the home. There are nearly -two hundred and fifty hospitals and dispensaries -throughout India, and women doctors with -degrees from the highest institutions in Europe -are giving their life to help the women of -India. These doctors, with their assistants, their -native students, and trained nurses, during the -year 1903 took care of a million and a half of -girls and women. Yet there is a vast opportunity -for the enlarging of the work, as I was told that -there are still a hundred million people who have -no knowledge of the blessings to be obtained -from European medicine and surgery, but who -<span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>depend entirely upon the native doctors and -midwives.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many hospitals are maintained by missionaries, -who have always been the forerunners in work -to help the helpless, and it will only be a question -of time when the mothers of India will not be -compelled to be sacrificed to the superstition and -ignorance of the women who are the only ones -allowed near them in their time of travail. Even -the most advanced men in India to-day would -hardly allow a man doctor to attend his wife -at the birth of a child. He would rather lose -the life of the wife than so violate the customs of -his class.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When the child is born, the date of the month, -the hour of the day, and the star that is in the -ascendant are carefully noted in order that the -guru, or family priest, may cast the horoscope. -Many of these astrologers are astute humbugs, -and impose upon the credulity of their patrons -to an enormous degree.</p> - -<div id='i_132' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_132.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>CRADLE IN VILLAGE, BARODA.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_132'>132</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>The house where a child has been born, as -well as those who live in it, are considered impure -for ten days, unless it is a rented house, -when only the room in which the mother lies is -unclean, and into which no one can enter except -the midwife. The room is kept extremely warm, -and incense is burned in it every day, and leaves -are hung in front of the door to ward off evil -spirits. On the eleventh day the linen and -clothing is sent to the washman, and the mother, -taking the child in her arms and with the husband -sitting beside her, goes through the ceremony -of purification by the family priest, after which -he purifies the entire household and the rooms. -Still the mother is not supposed to receive her -friends, and must keep apart from the rest of -the family until the thirty or forty days are -passed, when she passes through another purification -ceremony, and then goes to the temple -to offer sacrifice. Even the little baby is considered -impure for twenty days, and must not -be touched unless clothed in silk or woollen.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The new-comer has a succession of ceremonies -to celebrate his arrival into this world of sorrows. -On the twelfth day he is named; on a later day -the first bracelets are put upon his arms and -tiny anklets upon his ankles. When he is six -months old he is given his first food. Five -kinds of syrup are made, and the baby is given -a taste of each one, and rice is put into his mouth. -The father offers sacrifice to the household gods, -the first loin-cloth is tied on the little man, the -women sing, music is played, and feasting is -indulged in by all. Each event is made the -occasion of an elaborate feast, to which friends -and relatives are invited and presents are given -to the guests and to the priests. In fact, the -priests seem to be omnipresent at all occasions in -a Hindu family. A woman whom I was visiting -was complaining of the many ceremonies that -had taken place in her family during the past -year, and she said that she was thoroughly tired -of the worry and expense connected with them. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span>I said: “But who benefits by these elaborate -feasts and rituals that give so much trouble and -cause such an outlay in presents and money?” -She said wearily: “Who benefits? Why, the -priests and the Brahmans. They always reap -their harvest, whether we are born, marry, or -die. If we are wicked, we must ask them to -intercede for us; if we are good, we must ask -them to thank the gods for us; and if we die, -they must help us across the river of fire. We -can do nothing of ourselves; they are our taskmasters -with ever-open palm.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>If the newborn son survives the first two -years—and the mortality of babies is frightful, -especially in the cities—he will quite -likely have the opportunity of having the -tonsure made for the first time, and this -event is only rivalled by the entertainment -given when, whether boy or girl, the ears -are pierced by the goldsmith and it is -announced that babyhood is passed. These endless -feasts would be ruinous to the poor Hindu -were it not for the fact that it is practically the -only time when he entertains his friends. There -is no promiscuous dinner-giving as among the -Western people; friends are invited only in connection -with some religious rite or to inaugurate -a special event in the family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If a member of one of the higher castes, the -mother who has watched her baby grow from -babyhood into boyhood, looks forward to the -most solemn and important event in his life, the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>ceremony called “the introduction to knowledge,” -when he is invested with the sacred cord. This -ceremony lasts from four to five days and is -nearly as expensive as a wedding. The father -must provide many pieces of cotton cloth and -small gold and silver coins to be given as presents -to the guests. He must have unlimited food -and a great collection of pottery, because, as at a -marriage feast, the dishes are broken after their -first use.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This cord may be seen on all Brahmans and -on the members of a few of the higher castes, -hanging from the left shoulder to the right hip. -It is composed of three strands of cotton, each -strand formed by nine threads. The cotton with -which it is made must be gathered from the -plant by the hand of a Brahman, and corded and -spun by persons of the same caste, in order that -it may not be defiled by passing through the -hands of persons who are ceremonially unclean. -For a young boy the cord has only three strands, -but after he is married it is composed of six -strands and may have nine. It is symbolical of -the body, speech, and mind, and when the knots -are tied, means that the man who wears the -thread has gained control over these three organs -that cause all worldly troubles.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At the end of the ceremony the guests accompany -the boy, who is elaborately dressed and -seated in an open palanquin, through the streets -to the sound of singing, music, and merry-making. -On his return to his home, he, for the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>first time, performs the sacrifice of fire, showing -that he is now a member of his caste and -a twice-born son of India.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If the mother belongs to a poor family, quite -likely her boy will work to earn a few annas -to add to the family exchequer, or if they are -farmers, his days will be passed in the fields -frightening the greedy crows from the ripening -crops or driving away the animals that infest -the fields which are near the jungles. In -Baroda, education is compulsory; but many a -mother gets around the law by paying the fine -of two rupees a month, and selling her small -boy’s labour for five rupees, thus gaining a -livelihood.</p> - -<p class='c005'>England has established free schools in every -town and village, and there is little excuse even -for the boy or girl of poor parents not to have an -education. Even members of the depressed -classes, or, as they are called, the pariahs, have -their schools. The question that is agitating -the minds of the educators is what form of education -should be given these sons of a people who -have been practically slaves for many centuries. -Many contend that they should have only a -technical education, that the sons of the carpenter -caste should be made better carpenters, and that -they should not be made barristers. A lady said -to me: “Said, my sweeper’s son, goes to school, -and after getting an education he naturally feels -himself better than his father, a sweeper, or his -uncle, who is my groom. He cannot affiliate -<span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>himself with a higher caste than that into which -he was born, as they will not accept him, and he -has outgrown his own caste. What is he to do? -He puts on a foreign hat and leaves his home, -and in the next census, drops his name of Said -Faruki and becomes John James Jones, a half-caste, -and the census-taker wonders why there -has been such an increase in half-castes. The -population of half-castes grows from the lower -castes who wish to raise themselves, but it is -kept down in the census returns by the half-castes -who wish to better themselves socially, -and call themselves Portuguese or subjects of -some other dark-skinned race of Europeans.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>This question of the education of the Indian -youth is a very serious problem with which those -who have the welfare of India at heart have to -contend. Many a boy when he returns to his -home and his people says: “Why did they educate -me?” There are few avenues of livelihood -open to the Indian boy, as there is no Army or -Navy or Church in which to enlist so many of -the younger sons as in England or America. -The main prizes are the Government offices, and -failing these, the chief desire of all Indians is to -be a lawyer. There are few places in the Government -employ now, and the country is flooded with -impecunious barristers.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Indian feels that he has a real grievance -in the question of the Civil Service examinations. -For the higher positions in this service it is -necessary for the student to go to England and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>obtain his degree at an English university. The -question of expense is a bar to the great majority. -One often hears of parents mortgaging their -homes and practically selling themselves to the -moneylender for life, that the boy may have this -one great opportunity. If he wins, they have -not struggled in vain, but if he fails, life will be -very grey and grim, because quite likely his life -and his son’s, and his son’s son’s life will be given -in a vain attempt to get rid of the burden of debt -which seems to always hang over the heads of -India’s poor.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The question of the education of the daughter -is not so much a matter of thought to the middle-class -Mohammedan or Hindu mother, because -at the time when, if she were in Western lands, -she would be taking her books under her arm -and starting for her first day at school, in India -she is getting married. She may, if in a village, -attend the school with her brothers until she -is eight or nine years old, but rarely, except -in the highest classes, does the little girl -have a longer opportunity for study. In the -cities the rich families are sending their daughters -to private schools, and the Oriental home is the -happy hunting ground for the English governess, -who is engaged to teach, not only the knowledge -to be found in books but also the etiquette to -be observed in English society, as it seems to be -the main object in life of the educated Indian, -both man and woman, to be more English in -manner than are the English themselves.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span>In all the better class homes the piano is seen, -and seldom now does the daughter of the house -play upon the veena or any instrument of Indian -music. In Calcutta I went to a reception given -by a great Indian lady. With the exception of -the costumes worn by the pretty dark-eyed Bengalis, -and the absence of men, I would have -thought I was in an English house at an afternoon -tea. English was spoken by nearly every -one, the music was European, the refreshments -were from an English caterer, and there was no -distinct note of India in all the afternoon’s ceremonies. -Most of the ladies wore high-heeled -French slippers, and many of them had their -beautifully draped saris twined around bodies -held in place by the French corset, which must -have been most uncomfortable for these people, -used to untrammelled freedom in regard to their -dress.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Times are changing so fast in India that it is -hard to say “This is a custom” or “That is a -custom.” Education is opening the eyes of the -younger generation of Indian women to the -fallacy of many of the old-time rites and superstitions. -Still, many of the mothers are conservative -and feel keenly their daughter’s departure -from the beliefs of her day, yet the pressure is -so strong that many of these conservative mothers -are sending their daughters to the schools, both -mission and Government, where in the former -they avail themselves eagerly of the education, -but are not influenced by the religious teaching. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_140'>140</span>One devout Mohammedan mother said to me: -“Yes, I send my daughter to a mission school, -as it is the best in our town. I feel that they -cannot hurt her, as she has had a good religious -training in the home.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>A great many of the mothers feel that the -present system of education for women in India -is wrong, and that the text-books are not the -ones that should be adopted for the use of Indian -children. The stories have little to do with -Indian life, and the children do not understand -them. For instance, stories of snowstorms, ice, -and things that are to be seen in a foreign land, -are far above the understanding of the average -Indian girl. It is also said that the girl is taught -of Joan of Arc and of English heroines, but -nothing is said of the heroines of Indian history, -nor is anything taught of Indian history before -the English occupation. There is nothing given -the child to inspire a feeling of patriotism, nor -is she given any moral training except in the -mission schools. She is given a certain amount -of book knowledge, which quite likely she cannot -assimilate, and is considered educated. I -remember visiting a girls’ school where the -teacher asked a class of girls to recite Wordsworth’s -poetry, extracts from Shelley and Keats; -they could tell the place of birth and give the list -of English poets and chronology of the English -kings most glibly, but what actual good it -afforded the Indian girl to have all these interesting -facts in her little head I could not see.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_141'>141</span>The Indian girl learns easily and is often -most eloquent. There are no better public -speakers than are the Bengali women, who seem -to share with their men in the alertness of their -brain. A prominent educator of India said:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>I have come in contact with people from all over the world -in my capacity as educator, but I believe there are no men of any -country who can compare with the Indian in quickness of thought -and in capacity to learn. Within the small round head of the -Bengali is a dynamo of resistless energy, that is for ever working, -either for good or bad, but which ever way it turns, we of -England must recognize its power.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The crying need of India is the great teacher, -both man and woman; the teacher who will -really take an interest in his pupils and not -feel the bar of race. This is the fault of the -average man who comes to India, and if he does -not have it when he arrives he soon acquires a -pride in being one of the ruling race. The Indian -boy and girl are extremely clever, and feel instantly -this racial prejudice of the Englishman, -and consequently resent his attitude of superiority. -Tennyson’s indictment of English -schoolmasters could be justly applied to many -of the teachers in India to-day:—</p> - -<p class='c015'>Because you do profess to teach, and teach us nothing, -feeding not the heart.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are wanted teachers who will give the -Indian boy and girl the true value of an education -other than its advantages from an economic -<span class='pageno' id='Page_142'>142</span>standpoint. That must be considered also, and -in a land where the crowds are great and famines -many, it assumes even a larger importance in -the lives of the boys who must become the wage-earners, -than it does in Western lands, where life -is not such a fierce struggle for the necessities. -But along with the training for the making of -a livelihood should be given another training. -These boys and girls of India who are just starting -on the road that their Occidental brothers and -sisters have been treading for many generations -should be given the broader view of education, -its worth and meaning. They should be taught -by loving teachers the true knowledge of which -so beautiful a definition is given by Bishop -Mant:—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>What is true knowledge! Is it with keen eye</div> - <div class='line in2'>Of Lucre’s sons to thread the mazy way?</div> - <div class='line in2'>Is it of civil rights, and royal sway,</div> - <div class='line'>And wealth political, the depths to try?</div> - <div class='line'>Is it to delve the earth, to soar the sky?</div> - <div class='line in2'>To marshal nations, tribes in just array;</div> - <div class='line in2'>To mix and analyze, and mete and weigh</div> - <div class='line'>Her elements, and all her powers descry?</div> - <div class='line'>These things, who will may know them, if to know</div> - <div class='line in2'>Breed not vainglory; but, o’er all, to scan</div> - <div class='line'>God in his works and Word shown forth below,</div> - <div class='line in2'>Creation’s wonders and Redemption’s plan;</div> - <div class='line'>Whence came we, what to do, and whither go:</div> - <div class='line in2'>This is true knowledge, and the whole of man.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_143'>143</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER IX<br /> <span class='large'>WOMAN’S SORROW</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>Abbe Du Bois says: “The happiest death for -a woman is that which overtakes her while she -is still in a wedded state. Such a death is looked -upon as a reward of goodness extending back -for many generations; on the other hand, the -greatest misfortune that can befall a wife is to -survive her husband.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Death is a tragedy in all lands, but with the -Hindus it is made doubly tragical because of -superstition and the endless ritual connected with -their religion. The idea of mourning is not so -much sorrow as it is uncleanness, defilement.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When death seems imminent the family priest -is summoned to administer the last sacrament. -The dying person is lifted from the couch and -laid upon the ground, which has been made ceremonially -pure by smearing it with cowdung and -by placing the sacred dharba grass upon it. It -is said that if a man dies upon a bed he must -carry it through eternity. It is most important -that a man should breathe his last upon the earth, -and not within the house, as there are certain -<span class='pageno' id='Page_144'>144</span>phases of the moon when it would be a serious -annoyance for all within the house to have a -death beneath the roof. In fact, it pollutes the -whole neighbourhood to have a death in the -vicinity, and the neighbours share in the unclean -state of the family until the corpse is -carried to the burning-ground. Often if a death -occurs in a house in an unpropitious phase of -the moon, the dwelling must be vacated until such -time as the priest shall permit it to be purified; -sometimes the ban cast upon the place lasts -from three to six months.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The duration of the state of ceremonial impurity -varies according to the age of the -deceased. In the case of mere infants the time -is about one day. In the case of a boy who -has not been invested with the sacred cord, or -a girl not married, the time is three days; and -after that, in either case, the time is ten days. -In the case of a married girl, whether or not -she has gone to live with her husband, her own -people must observe the ceremonial for three -days. During these periods the near relatives -of the dead are unclean and their touch would -defile any person or thing. They must not enter -their own kitchen nor touch any cooking utensil. -The food must be cooked by some one not personally -connected with the dead, but of equal -caste. If for some reason the mourning family -cannot get any one of their own caste to cook -for them, they must procure kitchen utensils and -cook their food in some place other than the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span>usual kitchen, not using the utensils again. If -a person in mourning went into a kitchen or -storehouse, everything would have to be thrown -away immediately.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The wailing of the women tells the story of -a death, as they abandon themselves completely -to their sorrow, tearing their hair, striking their -foreheads, and uttering shrill cries to show their -desolation. As soon as the breath leaves the -body preparations are made at once for its disposal, -as a corpse is never kept longer than -twenty-four hours in this hot climate. The eldest -son, if there is one of suitable age, or the father -or eldest brother in order of nearest relationship, -or the husband if the deceased is a woman, must -conduct the funeral ceremonies. The body is -washed and shaven and adorned with the marks -of his caste, and placed in a sitting position, -with the head uncovered, and the son or heir -performs a sacrifice before it. Then the two -thumbs and the great toes are tied together and -the body is enveloped in a new white cloth and -placed upon a bier, formed of two long poles -with seven cross-pieces. With the heir at the -head, carrying a pot of fire, the procession starts -for the burning-ground. This bier must always -be carried by relatives or members of the same -caste. When a man is ill and it is necessary to -tell him that he will soon depart from this world, -it is broken to him gently by some one saying, -“You will soon ascend a palanquin carried by -bearers of your own caste.” On the way to the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>cemetery the procession is stopped three times -and the bier placed on the ground, the face uncovered, -and a prayer is said. If, as sometimes -occurs, the person is not really dead and he -revives, it is most unfortunate for all concerned, -the revived man included, as he is considered as -dead and not allowed to return to his home or -to his caste.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Arrival at the burning-ground, where the -funeral pile has been prepared by men whose -profession it is to attend to the dead, and who -are always of the pariah class, the untouchables, -the body is put on the pyre and the sacred thread -and loin-cloth are removed with the winding-sheet, -as the body must depart from the world in the -state in which it entered it, completely naked. The -head should be placed towards the south and the -legs towards the north. If near a sacred river, -like the Ganges, the body is laid for a few -moments with the feet in the sacred water, and -water is sprinkled over it. The heir performs the -sacrifices, and it is he who sets the pile alight, -while the priests repeat the prayers for the dead. -After the pyre is lighted the family retire to a -distance and leave the body to the administrations -of the men in charge. In some places the heir -is supposed to break the skull so that the gases -may escape and the body may not explode. I was -told of one woman who wished to establish her -right to a rich man’s property; consequently -at the critical moment she dashed from the arms -of her friends and with one blow of a stick -<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>broke the head of her late liege lord, thus clearly -showing her heirship, as only the legal heir is -entitled to perform this last kind office for the -dear departed.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I heard one rather peculiar story while in India -in regard to the cremation of the dead. I sat -at dinner beside an English official who had been -many years in the Government service of India. -In the course of the conversation I asked him -what he thought about cremation. He said, with -a smile: “Well, I am perhaps a little prejudiced -in regard to the cremation of the dead. -I had rather a peculiar experience.” I settled -back in my chair, hoping I was to hear one of -the many stories of Indian life which these old -officials have to tell us if they find we are interested -in the lives of the people amongst whom -they work. He said: “I had an acquaintance -once, a Scotchman, who died here in India, -and asked in his will that I and another -friend would cremate him, and not allow an -Indian hand to touch him, but that we should -personally attend to all the details. We were -young then in things Indian, and made our first -mistake in buying the wood for the pyre. Unfortunately -for our friend, the wily wood-merchant -sold us green wood, and for the first -day he only smoked. By the second day the -wood had dried out, and all would have been -well if we had known that the skull of a person -burned should be broken in order to allow the -gases to escape. We did not know this—our -<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>friend blew up. We spent the remainder of the -second day in gathering his remains and replacing -them upon the fire. The third day the -work was fully accomplished; his ashes were -collected and now repose in a beautiful urn in -his family chapel near Edinburgh.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Ceremonies are held and sacrifices are made -for ten days by the members of a family in which -there has been a death. If the deceased was -a married man, it is on the tenth day that the -widow is degraded into her state of widowhood. -This rite is called “the cutting of the cord,” -because then the tali, the symbol of wifehood, -is cut, and the woman has no more place in -Hindu society. The relatives and friends come -to the house and deck the poor woman in all -her festive clothing; jewels are put upon her, -flowers, and sandal paste. Her friends mourn -with her for a time, then her bright clothing is -removed, her beautiful black hair is cut, and she -must remain for ever close-shaven and clothed in -a garment of white. She may attend no feast, is -permitted to eat only one meal a day, and that -should be prepared by her own hands, may not -partake of meat, and if she is so unfortunate -as to be poor in this world’s goods she becomes -the drudge and servant of her husband’s family. -She is considered unclean, a thing of ill-omen, -so unlucky that if a man were starting on some -business venture and on leaving his doorway -should by chance meet a widow he would return -to his house and say a few prayers to counteract -his bad luck.</p> - -<div id='i_148' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_148.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>INDIAN WOMEN SPINNING.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_148'>148</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>When the widow is a child, not yet arrived -at the age of living with her husband, the only -ceremony at the death is the cutting of the tali -cord. The other ceremonies and degradations -are reserved for the time when she arrives at -the full age of wifehood, when the whole ceremony -is enacted as though the wife had been a -real wife, and the little girl-widow is compelled -to join that great army of women in India, nearly -twenty million strong, of whom a million are -child-widows.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I met a great many widows in India, and even -among the Brahmo Samaj, which sect is now -trying to break the tyrannical yoke of custom, -I never heard of one who dared to brave public -opinion and remarry. I knew one charming -widow—I think the most beautiful woman I saw -in India—who had practically broken all class -restrictions except this last. It was said that -she had been in love with a man for many years, -and he had repeatedly tried to persuade her to -undergo the censure of her people by marrying -him, but she dared not do it. She was only -thirty years old, but she must remain until the -end of her life a widow, almost an outcast.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the cities and among the modernized people -of India this state does not hold such sorrow for -women as in the villages and country districts, -where the people have not come into contact with -Western civilization. In these purely Hindu -towns, where all social life is controlled by -custom and the influences of superstition and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span>religion, when the woman can no longer wear -the red mark of wifehood upon her forehead, -her case is pitiable.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Indian Government has made laws -legalizing the remarriage of widows, but even -when it has the Government sanction, custom and -tradition are too strong, and practically no woman -will take advantage of it. It would mean not -only lifelong disgrace for her, but also would -reflect so severely upon her relatives and the -members of her caste that they would be involved -in endless disgrace.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are many homes scattered throughout -India for these helpless women. Pundita -Ramabai has a place near Poona where she -has nearly eight hundred widows in her charge, -and they are a sad sight as they go in squads -of from two to three hundred to their work at -the printing press or at the looms attached to -the mission. Some widows had been with her -for years, and quite likely will remain for life, -as no one will marry a widow, and they do not -seem to be acquiring a practical education with -which they could earn their living in the world. -The Gaekwar of Baroda is solving the widow -question by educating them as teachers at the -Government expense, only asking that in return -for his care they devote a certain number of -years as school-teachers in his State.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Pundita Ramabai’s home for widows is a very -remarkable institution, and well repays one for -a visit. It is a faith mission—that is, its members -<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>do not receive a salary, but depend upon donations -for their support. What remains after the -expenses of the establishment have been met is -divided among the workers according to their -needs. They are a very devoted band, with an -orthodox, old-fashioned brand of religion that -holds the wrath of God and the terrors of hell -over these emotional women, whose only outlet -for their emotions is their prayers, and at noon -they are permitted to pray aloud and express -their desires and their states of feeling. One -day we heard a great buzzing, sounding from -the distance like an immense swarm of bees, -and found it was the 1,350 widows, rescued street -women, and children having their noonday -prayer. Some of them worked themselves into -a veritable ecstasy of religious emotion, swaying -their bodies, the tears running down their faces -as they prayed for the forgiveness of their sins, -real or imaginary.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The business manager was more interested in -the practical than the religious aspects of the -mission, and looked at the whole question with -the eye of the man who has to provide for all -these people who give nothing to the common -good. When asked the outcome of it all, he -said he could not see what good was being -accomplished except in the actual saving of the -lives. They could not marry, they could not -support themselves, they were helpless, and would -be a burden on others’ shoulders so long as they -lived. He said: “Now look! There go four -<span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>hundred women who should be married to-morrow; -but who will marry them? No Hindu -would dare break his caste by marrying one of -them. It would completely ostracize him from -his community. And again, we would not want -to marry a Christian girl to a Hindu or a -Mohammedan.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>I asked: “Are there no Christian boys to -marry them?”</p> - -<p class='c005'>He replied: “There are not enough to go -around, and even a Christian does not marry a -widow.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>“Do you ever have any offers?” I asked.</p> - -<p class='c005'>He laughed. “Yes, once in a while some man -takes courage and comes here to find a wife, -but he generally goes away without one. We -seem here rather to go on the principle of getting -rid of the speckled apples first, and if there is -a girl with a hare lip, or only one eye, she is -the one trotted out for inspection. Naturally, -the boy beats a hasty retreat, saying he believes -he does not want to get married to-day.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>The lot of the widowed woman in India is -not so pitiable if she has been so fortunate as -to have borne sons. In India, as in all Eastern -countries, filial piety, the respect for parents, is -bred into the very fibre of the man’s soul. When -the mother becomes a widow and dons the gown -of white, her son cares for her and cherishes -her all her days. She is still the ruler of his -household, and it would be a most unfilial son, -on whom his world would soon cry shame, if -<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>he did not ask the advice of his mother on -matters of importance, nor heed her warnings -in times of stress. Her whole life is given for -others, as this world is supposed to have no -joys for her except the joy of service. For -her “this world is but a dream: God alone is -real”; and her days are passed in caring for -the many lives around her and in prayers and -religious rites that will help her to more swiftly -pass the time ere she may join her lost one. -The woman of India who has lost her mate turns -instinctively to the gods for solace, because she -has been taught from childhood that “the -religion of the wife lies in serving her husband: -the religion of the widow lies in serving God.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER X<br /> <span class='large'>HYDERABAD AND THE MOHAMMEDAN WOMAN</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>The city of Hyderabad seems to have been -dropped to the earth from an Oriental dream. -It is the most Eastern city in this most Eastern -land, and you are filled with a sense that it is not -at all real, but especially staged and set for your -amusement, and when you leave, it will all disappear. -The gaily painted shops will be pulled -down and put in the property-room, the goldsmiths -who make the bracelets, nose-rings, and -necklaces for the pretty, dark-eyed women within -the zenanas is only waiting for his cue to leave -the stage. The men on the corners with their -great wreaths of white flowers, with their marigolds -and garlands to be hung about the necks of -friends, or to curtain the doorways at some feast -or wedding, are there only for show, to add -colour to the picture. These women passing by -with saris of purple or crimson, with gleaming -bracelets and tinkling anklets, with kohl-blackened -eyes that stare at you wonderingly -from above the closely drawn sari, or, what is -more peculiar to visitors from the West, the -women draped in long white cloaks like winding-sheets, -which cover them completely from the -view of the passer-by, seem part of the chorus; -and the sheen of knives and guns and huge silver -chains hanging over the shoulder of the man from -the North, the elephant swaying slowly down the -street, looking with keen, twinkling eyes at the -people who make way for him, are all a part of -the pantomime, or a mirage caused by the -brilliant sunshine of this Southland.</p> - -<div id='i_154' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_154.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A CARRIAGE FOR WOMEN.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_154'>154</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>We are told that Hyderabad is the oldest and -greatest native State in the Indian Empire, and -we have heard from childhood of the magnificence -of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the man who -seemed to outrival Solomon with his palaces, his -jewels, and his wives. His hospitality was given -with Oriental lavishness. Those who were fortunate -enough to be his guests at the great Durbar -at Delhi, when King George was proclaimed -Emperor of India, will never forget the gorgeousness -and prodigality of his entertainment. For -sixteen months he had an army of workmen clearing -the ground, making the lawns and flower-gardens, -and erecting the tents that were to -accommodate his guests and the four thousand -people he took with him from Hyderabad. His -women were lodged in an old palace at a distance -from the tents of the guests and were unseen, -viewing the spectacle from afar.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Even those of the immediate circle surrounding -the Nizam at Hyderabad knew nothing of his -<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>private life within the zenana, and only conjectures -were made in regard to the number of -women within its walls. Gossip says that when -the late Nizam died there was a cartload of -broken glass bracelets (the bangles that are worn -by wives, but that are broken on their wrists -when they become widows) taken away from -the palace. This fortunate man was credited with -a great many more wives than he actually -possessed. Hyderabad is a feudal country, with -many of the customs that prevailed in France -under the old feudal régime. The Nizam is the -overlord. His feudal princes when possessing -a pretty daughter are always anxious to give her -as wife to the Nizam. He perhaps may accept -her and send her to his women’s quarters, never -seeing her again. But her people are satisfied, -as they have the honour of having a daughter in -the Imperial zenana, consequently a friend at -Court, as she will naturally remember her family -when Imperial offices or gifts are being distributed. -She receives a stated income, said to -range from sixty dollars to four hundred dollars -a month, according to her status, number of -children, etc.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Nizam was planning to give his first ball -while I was in Hyderabad, and every one was on -the <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">qui vive</span></i> regarding those who should be asked -and those who should not. It is remarkable how -everything seems to revolve around the ruler of -one of these principalities. His Highness is an -absolute autocrat concerning the life and actions -<span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>of his people, and the foreigners seem to have -caught the infection, because in every State we -visited the name of the ruler was on all tongues. -“His Highness thinks so and so,” or “His Highness -does not think so and so,” was the ultimate, -final word for everything. His greatness and his -Oriental splendour seem to overpower the people -and make them subservient. Yet it is not from -any personal contact, as few of even the Nizam’s -ministers have seen him, and his people never -have that honour, unless at some great Durbar, -where, arrayed in royal magnificence, he permits -them to view him upon his throne, or when, as -he is being swiftly whirled along in his motor, -four shrill blasts from the whistles of the police -notify the populace that their ruler is passing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A native ruler seems to attract a genuine -admiration and respect from his subjects. He -appeals to their instincts with his display. They -love to hear the glories of his magnificence, to -see his elephants, his guards, and his foreign -motors. He can understand his people and his -people understand him; and even if the taxes are -oppressive and he grinds the faces of the people -into the dust to get money to squander upon his -favourites and to build great palaces, the peasant -will bear it all and not complain, as he feels it -is ordained, and his Rajah is the child of the -gods and entitled to his very life.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is no fear in the State of Hyderabad -that the present race of rulers will become extinct. -When a child is born to the Nizam there is a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>public holiday in the State, the schools are closed, -cannon are fired, and every one is supposed to -rejoice with the happy father. While we were -there the people enjoyed four public holidays -within eight days arising from this fact, and -nine more were expected the following week.</p> - -<p class='c005'>While we were in this State there arose a case -that was causing a great deal of comment. The -son of a woman was killed and the murderer -was condemned to death. In this Mohammedan -country the law “a life for a life” prevails, and -the death penalty cannot be revoked unless the -heir of the dead man demands it. In some -Hindu communities, where the saving of life is -a meritorious performance, the village or city -will often raise a certain sum and offer it to the -heir in exchange for the life of the condemned -prisoner. Men, I was told, will sometimes take -the money, but women, especially if it was their -son or husband who was killed, will practically -always demand the life. In this instance the -woman, who was a devout Mohammedan, took -the money and sent it to help her fellow-Mohammedans -in their war with the infidel Italians. -Her religious zeal overcame the instinct for -revenge, so deeply planted within the breast -of all followers of the Arabian prophet.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At tea at the home of a Mohammedan I met -several ladies, who willingly discussed with me -the difference between the social customs of our -Western land and those governing the life of the -woman of the East. I was told that there is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>no society life as we know it, no calling, nor -promiscuous making of new acquaintances. The -social life centres around the three great events -of Indian life—births, weddings, and deaths. If -a wedding occurs in a family, the mother will -send invitations to all the ladies of the same -social standing as herself, and, dressed in their -most gorgeous saris and jewels, they come to the -house, where elaborate refreshments are served -with much gossiping and merry-making. The -guests stay hours or days, according to their -relationship to the family. Also at times of -death they go and offer their condolences to -the bereaved family, and although colours are -much more subdued at the time of sorrow than -at the time of rejoicing, it is often another place -in which to show off new finery. These secluded -women feel like the little girl who stopped to -see a friend on her way to a funeral. She was -dressed in a bright pink sari, and when remonstrated -with on wearing such a gay dress on -such a mournful occasion, said, “Why, how can -I be sure that I will get another chance to -show it.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>I said to my hostess in the course of the -conversation: “If I were a Mohammedan or a -Hindu lady and came here to live, would the -ladies whose husbands perhaps had business -associations with my husband come to call upon -me?” She said: “No, not at all. You would -never meet the ladies unless at the time of some -festivity you were invited.” I asked the reason -<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>for this, and they answered, “Custom”—the -word that rules the whole Eastern world. This -lack of exchange of courtesies between new -people is traced in some cases to the attitude of -the husbands, who seem afraid to allow their -wives to make new acquaintances. They must -decide whom the wife shall visit. They must -know that the house visited is strictly secluded, -that the hostess has no advanced ideas, and that -the husband is a man of standing before they -allow their women to make new friends. They -say that it is the desire of protection, not -deprivation of liberty, that causes them to take -such care of their dear ones.</p> - -<p class='c005'>An Englishwoman ten years ago tried to meet -the Indian ladies, and sent sixty invitations for -a tea. Only three of the invited guests put in -an appearance. She persisted, convinced the -husbands that no male eyes would gaze upon -their secluded treasures, and now the original -sixty have come with nearly every high-class -lady in Hyderabad, so that on her reception days -the house is crowded.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a club where the Mohammedan and -Hindu ladies meet once a month and play badminton, -and eat much cake and gossip. Still, -they are not as yet taking any active interest in -social work, nor in what is going on in the -world outside. Mme. Sarojinni Naidu, the -Indian poetess whose charming poems have been -so well received in England, and who is herself -a social favourite in that country, has been trying -<span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>to interest the ladies of Hyderabad in social -work among women. She has been specially -interested in reviving the old industry of silk-weaving, -and the weavers through her efforts -have been encouraged to do their best work. -She has sold thousands of rupees worth of the -beautiful silks to her friends within the zenanas, -but it is rather discouraging work, as it has caused -her to be looked upon with suspicion by many of -the officials, who fear that she may be using her -influence with the people for some Socialistic -movement.</p> - -<p class='c005'>While in Hyderabad I saw a great deal of -this wonderfully attractive woman, who looks like -a young girl, but who is the mother of children -nearly as big as herself. She herself is not -“purdah,” and she has violated the customs of -her caste by marrying a man of another caste. -She goes to public entertainments and lives the -life of an Englishwoman. I went with her to -see the “sports,” that form of entertainment -which always follow the English wherever they -go. They were held at the race track, and in the -grand stand were the entire foreign community, -with a mixture of Indian gentlemen. We -watched the riders in the field below, and I must -confess the Indian gentlemen easily carried the -honours. They are wonderful horsemen, and -are most picturesque. I think there is no handsomer -man in the world than the high-class -Indian gentleman. With his clear brown skin, -his large black eyes, his stately carriage, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>magnificent physique, accentuated by the pugaree -or turban on his head, he is a picture that, -once seen, cannot easily be forgotten. The -average Englishman looks either too fat or too -thin, does not hold himself well, has generally, if -a resident in the East, a most unhealthy complexion, -and in comparison with his Indian neighbour -makes a very poor showing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Mme. Naidu was the only Indian woman in the -grand stand, and after tea was served, she asked -me if I would like to visit the Indian women. -We went upstairs to an enclosed room, which was -filled with Indian ladies, who could see all that -was going on in the grounds below, but were -protected from view by the carved woodwork -enclosing the room. They came to a side -entrance in their carriages or motors; a screen -of canvas was made from their carriage to the -entrance so that they could pass immediately -from their carriage to a covered stairway, themselves -unseen.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There were about twenty ladies, dressed in -most brilliant colours and decked with an -immense amount of jewellery. One woman had -seven piercings in her ears, in four of which were -set small buttons of turquoises, and in the others -great hoops of gold in which were hanging pearls -about the size of a pea. In her right nostril was -a diamond and in her left a ruby. Her arms -were covered with bracelets, and there were five -necklaces of diamonds around her neck. Her -trousers, the ugly trousers of the Mohammedan -<span class='pageno' id='Page_163'>163</span>lady, were of bright pink brocade, the tunic was -of white, and over it all was a long veil of light -blue gauze. One would imagine a glaring -clash of colours, but all this riot of colour -blends and makes the right setting for the dark -beauty of these Indian women. They are extremely -pretty, with the colouring of an Italian -or Spaniard from the South; their big black eyes -are shaded by long silky lashes, their noses are -most delicate, and they have exquisitely shaped -mouths. I do not think that I saw an ugly woman -all the time I was visiting the “purdah” women -of India. Some of them with age become a little -too stout, but their dress disguises the figure if -too well blessed with flesh, and softens harsh -outlines if too thin.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The women in this secluded enclosure seemed -to be enjoying themselves much more than the -conventional Englishwomen below them. There -was a table with a varied assortment of non-alcoholic -drinks, and many kinds of cakes and -sweets. Each lady had her silver pan-box, -and made pan for her friends, all chatting -and laughing with the utmost freedom and good-fellowship. -They do not seem to feel it a deprivation -at all to be compelled to pass their lives with -women. I am sure they would feel very ill -at ease if they thought that they could be seen -by any man except their husband, brother, or -immediate relative.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I had an example of what instinct will do in -the fear of being seen by some one outside of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_164'>164</span>family circle. Mme. Naidu and I called upon -a Mohammedan lady who was strictly “purdah.” -We were taken into a drawing-room furnished -in European fashion, where the father-in-law -of our hostess was chatting with another gentleman. -The stranger left immediately, but the -father-in-law remained to talk with me while -Mme. Naidu went in search of the mistress of -the house. She returned soon, and said to the -man, “You must leave,” and after his departure -the lady entered. When she sat down she -noticed that one of the blinds of the window was -open, and she drew her sari across her face and -spoke to Mme. Naidu, who went to the window -and closed the blind. Even that did not satisfy -her, and a servant was called, who saw that all -the windows were securely closed and that no -one could possibly look into the room from the -outside. It seemed a useless precaution to me, as -the windows opened on to a garden, and no one -could pass unless some member of the household. -She laughed apologetically and said: “I know -what you think, but I cannot sit here with any -degree of comfort if I think some one, a servant -or one of my husband’s guests, might pass by. -It is instinct; my mother and my mother’s -mother were ‘purdah’ women, and it is in the -blood.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>She asked us to come to her rooms and look -at some new clothing. Her rooms were big and -rather bare, as are most rooms in this hot country, -but the furniture was all European. Bed, dressing-table, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_165'>165</span>and chairs all looked as if made in -England or France. She had a servant bring -her pan-box. This giving of pan is the first -thing offered to a guest on arrival and the -last thing on going away. Her pan-box was -of silver, about nine inches wide by twelve long. -It had a shallow tray in the top, in which was -kept in tiny compartments the betel-nut and -spices. In the bottom of the box, covered with -a damp cloth, were the leaves. The hostess takes -a leaf, covers it with a thin layer of lime, and with -a pair of scissors breaks a betel-nut into small -pieces, puts it with half a dozen different spices -into the leaf, folds it up, sticking a clove through -the leaf as a fastener, and hands it to the guest. -The guest removes the clove and places the leaf -in the mouth, where it makes a huge bunch on -the side of the face until it is slowly masticated. -It gives forth a juice which colours the inside -of the mouth and the teeth a dark red, but not -permanently, as it rinses quite easily. The -pan has a spicy taste, and leaves the mouth -feeling deliciously clean, I presume owing to the -lime in it. Many of the great houses have a -servant or slave whose only duty is to make -pan for the inmates of the zenana. One such -servant said she made five hundred a day and -her wrist became quite lame from time to time -caused by cutting the betel-nut.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Our hostess had a box of clothing put in front -of her on the floor, and she showed us a beautiful -collection of saris of woven gold cloth made in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_166'>166</span>Benares, long tunics of embroidered chiffon-like -gauze, and trousers of heavy gold and silver -goods, almost like tapestry.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I asked them to tell me the duties of a high-class -lady of Hyderabad. Mme. Naidu laughed -and said—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“About eight o’clock in the morning my lady -yawns, and a slave-girl will say, ‘Will not the -Begum rise?’ and the Begum will slowly get out -of bed and allow her slave to brush her teeth with -powdered charcoal and wash her face and hands. -Then she would sit down upon a mat and have -her hair dressed, while other slaves came in with -articles of dress or of the toilet. Soon the other -women of the household would join her, and -they would chew betel-nut and talk and gossip -until about ten o’clock, when a large tray would -be brought in with breakfast, consisting of rice -and curry and sweets. After breakfast, more -friends or relatives come in, and the sewing -women and higher servants, and they all talk -and laugh together. In the afternoon the silk -merchants may send their wares or the jewellers -their bracelets and rings and precious stones, -which are brought into the zenana by women. -These shopwomen are great gossips, and tell all -the news from other zenanas—who is engaged -and who married and what presents were given, -etc. The women shop and haggle, and perhaps -buy and perhaps do not, and by the time the -merchants leave it is time to eat again. In the -evening the husband or the sons visit the women’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_167'>167</span>quarters and brings the Begum the news of the -world of men outside, and then it is time to -sleep again.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>A great many women—nearly all Indian -women, in fact—attend personally to their households. -For instance, I went with one of my -friends, who belonged to a very rich and powerful -family, to call upon her mother, and found her -and her daughter-in-law sitting in the courtyard -preparing the vegetables for dinner. All ladies -know how to cook, and think it no disgrace to -prepare the dinner with their own hands. If a -guest is to be especially honoured, the mother or -wife will prepare the meal for him. In a Hindu -community, where the food must be cooked by -a person of their own or a higher caste, where -no one of a lower caste is even allowed to look -into the kitchen, it might cause great annoyance -if the women of the household did not know how -to cook, as even in India the mistress has the -servant question with which to contend from time -to time.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In these old families in Hyderabad there are a -great many people under the one roof. The -patriarchal family life prevails—that is, the sons -bring their wives to their father’s home, and a -large house shelters many families. The mother -is the head of the women’s quarters and her word -is law. Innumerable servants and poor relations -are ever present, and to our Western eyes -disorder and chaos seem to reign. There are -some old families in this city that keep up the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_168'>168</span>state of princes or petty kings. There is one -great lady who is surrounded by a bodyguard of -amazons, women dressed as soldiers, who salute -and present arms with military precision when -her courtyard is entered by a visitor.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We went from the house of our young hostess, -loaded down with pan and fruit, to the home -of a colonel in the Nizam’s bodyguard. His -wife is “purdah,” but his daughter is allowed -to be seen in public. In the drawing-room was -a man tuning the piano, and Mme. Naidu said to -the daughter, “Your mother cannot come here. -There is a man.” The daughter replied: “Oh, -it is all right, he is blind.” The mother had -travelled extensively in Europe, Egypt, and -Turkey. While abroad she went about freely -as any European, only becoming the secluded -Indian wife while in her own country. Her -daughter was to be married and she showed me -the clothes for the trousseau. There were about -fifty complete outfits, made of gorgeous Benares -cloth, heavy with gold. This clothing lasts a -lifetime, and is handed down from daughter to -daughter, as styles do not radically change. The -mother told me that the custom of giving so much -clothing is dying out, and money is given instead, -allowing the daughter to buy from time to time, -according to her fancy.</p> - -<p class='c005'>While we were talking the husband came in. -He was dressed in English riding clothes, and -was a very up-to-date man-of-the-world. The -moment he entered, the mother and daughter, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_169'>169</span>who up to this time had been chatting affably -and freely, became silent. They virtually did -not speak a word while he was in the room, but -became at once true Indian women, silent before -that superior being—the man.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_170'>170</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XI<br /> <span class='large'>MOHAMMEDANISM WITHIN THE ZENANA</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>We are often told that Mohammedan women are -not religious, that they leave all devotional exercises -for their lords and masters, who are -accountable to Allah for their salvation, and to -whom they must look for permission to enter the -abode of the blessed. It is a fact that the women -followers of the Arabian prophet are not seen in -the mosques, because no Mohammedan woman -appears in a public place where she may come in -contact with the other sex. Mohammed discouraged -the worship of women in public by -saying, “The presence of women in the mosques -inspires men with feelings other than those purely -devotional.”</p> - -<div id='i_170' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_170.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>MOHAMMEDAN WOMEN, HYDERABAD.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_171'>171</span>Although restricted to the home in which to -say her prayers, the Mohammedan woman is very -religious, and often more narrow and bigoted -than her husband, who has the opportunity of -broadening his religious views by contact with -those of other faiths. The Mohammedan -religion, like those of Western lands, has its -divisions and subdivisions, differing from each -other on the subject of ritualism and the different -interpretations of the Koran. The two most -important branches of El Islam are the Shiahs -and the Sunnis. At the death of the prophet, -Abu Bekr was elected to take his place—wrongfully, -as many believe. They feel that the mantle -of prophethood should have fallen upon the -shoulders of his son-in-law, Ali, who was one of -his first disciples and his cousin. The coterie -who adhered to the election of the caliph instead -of the hereditary descent are called the Sunnis. -All of the Egyptians, the Turks, and many Indians -are followers of this party. Those who think -that Ali was deprived of his just rights are called -the Shiahs; the Persians, many Arabs, and a -few Indians compose the main body of this -division. Ali was finally made caliph, but was -murdered, the caliphate passing out of his family -instead of descending to his grandsons, Hossain -and Hassan, who rebelled against the ruling -caliph and were killed in battle. They are considered -the great martyrs of the Mohammedan -faith, and their deaths are mourned annually by -the Shiahs.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We were in Hyderabad, the great Mohammedan -State of India, at the time of mourning, and -I was fortunate enough to be asked to a -“mourning party,” given by the women of one of -the old Mohammedan families. It was most -exceptional, as outsiders are never asked to these -homes during this time of religious emotion. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_172'>172</span>Even their Sunni friends and their acquaintances -in the Hindu faith, know that intruders are -not looked upon kindly during the days set apart -for sorrow.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We arrived at the home, which was surrounded -by a great wall, in which was a massive wooden -door studded with iron nails. In the olden time -these homes were used as fortresses, and were -made strong enough to repel an invasion by the -enemy. Within an embrasure by the side of -the gate was a man on guard, with a gun beside -him. It is true that the gun was of an obsolete -pattern, that would quite likely do the user more -damage than any one else, if the guard had been -called upon to act, but it looked picturesque. -The guard immediately turned his back when -he saw that the carriage contained ladies, and -our servant went ahead to see that all men-servants -were out of sight before my Mohammedan -friends would enter the courtyard. We -drove into what seemed an immense stable-yard. -Bullocks were standing by the side of great -lumbering carts, horses were in their stalls, and -stable accessories were scattered about in great -disorder. A curtain was raised by a woman-servant, -disclosing a short stone stairway, -ascending which we found ourselves in the -women’s quarters. It was a courtyard, with -rooms opening upon it from the four -sides. These rooms were more like large -alcoves, being separated from the court only -by arches.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_173'>173</span>At one end was a large room, where about -sixty ladies were sitting on the floor in front of -a strip of white cloth, that served as table and -tablecloth combined. They were seated on the -three sides of the room, leaving the open space -in the middle for the servants to pass while -serving the food. We left our shoes at the -entrance and were taken to a servant, who poured -water over our hands from a brass ewer, allowing -it to fall into a basin in which was some -finely chopped straw to conceal the water. Our -hostess seated us opposite her, and an old servant -dipped from a central bowl of rice a generous -helping for me, and then various curries, unknown -to me, were passed. I watched my friend, -and took from the dishes she favoured, mixing -it with the rice upon my plate, making rather a -sticky mess, that was conveyed to my mouth -with difficulty. Eating with the fingers is not -so easy as it may appear to a casual observer, -but evidently practice makes perfect, because all -seemed most adept, using only the thumb and -three fingers of the right hand. No food must -be touched with the left hand, as it is, religiously, -unclean.</p> - -<p class='c005'>After my feet had so thoroughly gone to sleep -that they ceased from paining me, I took the -opportunity of looking around and trying to -become acquainted with my neighbours. The -ladies wore no jewellery, and their dresses were -supposed to be of a subdued hue, yet every -colour of the rainbow was represented except -<span class='pageno' id='Page_174'>174</span>red, which is the colour of joy and associated -with festive occasions. The Mohammedan dress -is not so graceful as is the Indian sari. The -women wear a pair of tight trousers, made of -satin, silk, or brocade, coming to the tops of -their embroidered slippers. Over the chest is -a small sleeveless jacket, then a tunic of white -or embroidered gauze, and over all a chiffon-like -drapery which is drawn over the head. All -of these outer draperies were of so diaphanous -a material that they did not disguise the outlines -of the figure.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Down the centre of the strips of cloth which -served as table were great dishes of rice and -sweets, many curries, fruits, and an elaborate -assortment of cakes. Servants were everywhere, -and it was hard for a stranger to distinguish -between some of the servants and their mistresses, -as many of the former were very well dressed -and covered with jewellery. They wore bracelets, -anklets, nose-rings, ear-rings, and necklaces, -mainly of silver or glass; but one often saw the -glint of gold upon the neck of a serving-woman, -and found she was the personal slave of some -member of the family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Slavery exists still in Hyderabad, although in -a modified form. No person of good family -would think of selling a slave, and the slaves -themselves feel the honour of belonging to one -of the old families. In a quarrel with a servant -a slave will draw herself up proudly and say, -“You are only a servant—<em>I</em> belong to the family.” -<span class='pageno' id='Page_175'>175</span>Both servants and slaves are treated with a -familiarity unknown in the West. They take -part in the conversation, enter the rooms without -knocking—in fact, I don’t believe there is such a -thing as a locked door in all India—and talk to -the mistress on terms of equality. While at -dinner a small boy, very prettily dressed, came -to the hostess and snuggled his head against her, -while he stared at the peculiar-looking foreign -woman opposite. I asked if he was her son. -She turned his face up to study it more carefully, -then said, “No; he is the son of one of my -sister’s slaves.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Resisting all the importunities of my hostess -to have my plate refilled with the curry and rice, -we rose and went again to the servants in charge -of the ewer and basin, and our hands were -washed. We then adjourned to a courtyard, -where many of the guests had preceded us. -There appears to be no etiquette in regard to -leaving the table; when a guest has eaten her -dinner she rises and leaves, not asking to be -excused, nor feeling that it is necessary to wait -for her hostess.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The ladies were sitting on the floor of the -alcoves in groups of six or seven, and pan -boxes were much in evidence. Our hostess went -into the open courtyard and mounted a low, -square table, over which was thrown a rug. We -sat down opposite her and she proceeded to make -pan for us, and we remained there for perhaps -half an hour, waiting for the servants to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_176'>176</span>finish their dinner. There were at least fifty -servants and slaves, all running around aimlessly, -doing whatever they found to do at the time, -with what seemed no system nor order governing -their work. The mistress had rather a shrill -voice, and her orders could be heard very distinctly -as she called to some one in another part -of the court. I asked my friend if Indian ladies -generally had such loud voices and commanding -tones, and she laughed and said: “Well, if they -have not to begin with they soon acquire them, -as they must be heard above the confusion always -reigning in one of these great houses, where -there are innumerable servants, slaves, and -poor relations. It takes a strong-minded -woman, and one with no mean executive ability, -to keep peace and harmony in an Eastern -zenana.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>After every one had gossiped to her heart’s -content, we went to a large room at the end of -the courtyard, which was fitted up as a chapel. -In front of an altar were three pieces of wood -wreathed with flowers to represent the tombs of -Ali, Hossain, and Hassan. Facing the tombs -were ten girls, and the guests grouped themselves -around them on the floor. When we were all -seated they began to chant. One would sing -a line, then the rest would join their voices and -sing four or five lines; then a short pause, and -the leader would again start the chant. The -listeners were absolutely quiet, and the music -rose and fell in weird, minor strains that sounded -<span class='pageno' id='Page_177'>177</span>tragic even to ears that could not understand -the words. The whole story of the slaying of -the martyrs was told, and this recital of their -passion play moved the hearers deeply. From -one part of the room I heard a sob, then from -another, and soon there was not a dry eye in the -place. At a certain strain in the music all rose, -preceded by the women carrying the miniature -tombs, and marched slowly into an outer courtyard, -where incense was waved over the flower-wreathed -pieces of wood, after which a return -was made to the room and the chanting commenced -again. We did not sit down, and the -most dramatic part of the performance began. -All stood and beat their breasts in time with the -music, and, as chorus to the verses, would cry, -“Hossain, Hassan! Hossain, Hassan!” The -servants beat their breasts so severely that it -seemed they would seriously hurt themselves, and -it is considered a great mark of piety to severely -chastise themselves at this time, but the ladies -were more conservative and kept time with light -taps.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This continued, with slight intermissions, for -half an hour, some sobbing, others crying quietly. -At the end each one dropped to her knees with -her face towards Mecca, and from outside the -wall the voice of a man from the mosque chanted -a benediction. It was most exquisitely sung, -and added the final touch to a weirdly beautiful -scene—the moon shining down into the courtyard, -the flickering lights before the tiny flower-wreathed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_178'>178</span>tombs, the dark-faced women in their -pretty gowns, with the tears glistening on their -eyelashes, kneeling, while the unseen voice cried -softly, “Salaam! Peace be with you! There -is no God but God.”</p> - -<div id='i_179' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_179.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>HUSKING RICE IN A BURMESE VILLAGE.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_179'>179</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_179'>179</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XII<br /> <span class='large'>BURMAH</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>Passing from India to Burmah is in many ways -like going from darkness to sunlight, from tears -to gaiety. India is a land of tragedy; Burmah -is a land of comedy. In India you see faces -sad, worried, harassed, and life seems a bitter -struggle for the great masses in their endeavour -to keep the hungry wolf from the door. But -in Burmah you are greeted with smiles, no one -is serious, and no one except the Chinese seem -to be really working. The women in the little -booths within the bazaars, smoking their long -cheroots, gossiping with their neighbours, and -flirting with the youth passing by, give one the -impression that it is not business in which they -are interested, but that they are there for their -amusement and to pass a few hours with their -friends.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dress also shows the difference in the -temperaments of the people. In India the -women’s saris are made of dark reds, dark blues, -and heavy purples. In Burmah the colours are -light and gay; you rarely see a darkly clad -<span class='pageno' id='Page_180'>180</span>person. The long piece of silk wound tightly -around the woman’s body is always of light -blue, or pink, or yellow, or else a gay -check composed of all three colours. The loose -cotton or linen jacket is spotlessly white, and -around the neck is thrown carelessly a piece of -silk or a handkerchief of contrasting colour to -the skirt. The hair, of ebony blackness, is well -oiled and twisted high upon the head and twined -with flowers. Their toes are tucked into small -heelless slippers, which take a certain amount -of dexterity to keep in place; but all young girls -learn early in life to give that flirtatious outward -jerk of the heels which keep the slipper from -falling, and also prevents the folds of the skirt -from opening in front. The city belle when she -starts forth upon the street has well powdered -her nose and often touched her lips with carmine, -and goes forth boldly to claim the admiration -of all, not like the Indian woman, who is compelled -to hide her charms behind the sari.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The man of Burmah also dresses in gaily -coloured silks. He wears a long silk cloth -around his body, tucks it in with a twist in front, -and the remaining portion he allows to hang -in folds or throws jauntily over his shoulder. -He wears a short white cotton jacket, over which -another one of darker cloth is worn for street -wear. The old and wealthy when they are paying -visits of ceremony or going to worship at -the pagoda wear long white coats, closed only -at the neck and reaching to the knee. Men of -all classes wear flowered silk handkerchiefs -around their heads as turbans, but when age -comes these are exchanged for simple ones of -white muslin.</p> - -<div id='i_180' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_180.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>BURMESE GIRL.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_180'>180</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_181'>181</span>The women of Burmah have unlimited freedom -as compared with the women of other -Eastern countries. Unlike the women of India, -China, or Egypt, they may choose their own -husbands and have a courtship such as we of -the Western world so thoroughly understand. -From the time of the first great event in a young -girl’s life, the boring of her ears, which -announces to her world that she is no longer -a child but a woman, until her betrothal, the -Burmese girl looks forward to the finding of a -husband as the one aim of her life. Until her -ears are bored she is a child and may run and -play with her brothers upon the village street, -but finally the day arrives when her friends and -relatives bring with them the ear-borer and the -soothsayer, and the frightened girl must pay the -price of gaining maidenhood. Her cries are -drowned by the music and the talk and laughter -that seem so heartless; but the pain is soon -over, and she herself will make the hole -larger by every means in her power, because -until the hole is large enough to receive the -great round tube, nearly half an inch in diameter, -she does not feel that she is indeed a woman. It -is her initiation into womanhood, it corresponds -to the entrance into the monastery or the tattooing -of his legs of her brother, the sign that he -<span class='pageno' id='Page_182'>182</span>is no longer a boy, but may sit with men and -chew betel-nut and discuss affairs of the world -with wondrous wisdom.</p> - -<p class='c005'>After the ear-boring ceremony each man our -maiden sees may be a possible husband, and she -copies the coquettish sway of the hips that is so -effective in her older sister as she walks down the -street with mother, aunt, or married friend, who -carefully guards her from all improprieties now -that she has arrived at marriageable age.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When all these arts have had the desired effect -and her roving eye has alighted upon the man -of her choice, the Burmese girl may have her -days of courtship. She can meet her sweetheart -at pwés, those festive parties that seem -to occur every night in Burmah, at which she -may have a stall for selling tobacco, or long -cheroots, or flowers. This keeping of a stall -is not lowering to a woman’s social status, and -numbers of well-to-do women set them up at -all places where crowds are liable to congregate. -There may be a reason for this besides -the economic one, as it is said a stall or shop -or booth within the bazaar is the quickest way -of attracting a desirable husband. In the -smaller towns there is scarcely a house where -the women have not arranged a small shop for -sale of betel-nut, coco-nuts, little looking-glasses, -toilet articles, or cotton goods from Manchester. -The profits of this little trade are given as pin-money -to the wife or daughters. The English -say that the Burmese woman is a better businessman than her husband, and that in driving a -sharp bargain her successes are far in advance -of those of her less aggressive husband.</p> - -<div id='i_183' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_183.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>DANCING AT A VILLAGE FESTIVAL, BURMAH.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_183'>183</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_183'>183</span>Pagoda feasts offer exceptional opportunities -for lovelorn swains, and many young couples -have found their future happiness when gazing -into Buddha’s eyes. Evening-time is courting-time -in all the world, especially in this country, -which is too hot during the day to permit of -any useless expenditure of energy, even by an -ardent lover. They also say that the men of -Burmah are influenced by the proverb that says: -“In the morning women are cross and peevish, -in the middle of the day they are testy and -quarrelsome, but at night they are sweet and -amiable.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>If the lover does not expect to meet his sweetheart -at a festival or a theatrical entertainment, -he waits around until he thinks the old people -have retired for the night, and then with a friend -or two as chaperons he calls upon his adored -one, and finds her with powdered face and pretty -dress awaiting him in the moonlit veranda. There -is little privacy in this courtship, because divisions -between the rooms are often only made of -matting, and mothers in Burmah are proverbial -for the quickness of hearing when it concerns -the courtship of their daughters. There is no -lovemaking as we know it—kissing, and holding -of hands, and embracing—which would be -most shocking to the modest instincts of the -Burmese maiden. Yet love has signs, and finally -<span class='pageno' id='Page_184'>184</span>father’s and mother’s consent is asked, the dowry -fixed, and the astrologer consulted, who will tell -them if a boy born on Monday and a girl on -Wednesday may wed. No matter how ardently -the match is desired by the interested parties, -some unions, judged according to their birthdays, -would be most unlucky. For example:—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line in4'>Friday’s daughter</div> - <div class='line in4'>Didn’t oughter</div> - <div class='line'>Marry with a Monday’s son;</div> - <div class='line in4'>Should she do it</div> - <div class='line in4'>Both will rue it,</div> - <div class='line'>Life’s last lap will soon be run.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'>Each day of the week is guarded by an animal, -and it naturally follows that if a man was born -on a day that was ruled by a serpent and a -woman on a day ruled by a mongoose, the -serpent’s deadly enemy, they would surely not -live happily together. But if the parent’s consent -is given, the combination of birthdays are -lucky, the dowry is satisfactory to all concerned, -then the propitious day must be found from the -horoscope for the actual wedding to take place. -During June, July, August, and September, the -Buddhist Lent, all marriages are barred to the -strict followers of Buddha, and it would be a -very unregenerate son or daughter who would -shock his old father and mother by daring to -ask to marry during this time. Marriage is a -very precarious proceeding, because if it takes -place in certain months the couple will be rich, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_185'>185</span>in other months they will always love each other, -while there are unfortunate months that bring -sickness and death to those tempting Hymen at -this time. Nevertheless, notwithstanding all the -obstacles that seem to be placed in the way of -marriage, there are few spinsters in Burmah, and -virtually every man over twenty years of age -has a wife.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The marriage ceremony is a strictly civil -affair, no religious rite entering into the performance. -The friends meet at the house of -the bride’s parents, where a great feast has been -prepared at the expense of the bridegroom’s -father, and the eating and drinking and publicity -of the affair make the marriage as binding as -are any marriages in Burmah. Contrary to all -Eastern usages, the young couple take up their -abode with the bride’s parents instead of going -to the home of the groom’s people, which is -the custom in India, China, and Japan. If the -home roof is too small to shelter the new family, -they may build a new home for themselves. This -is not an expensive affair, as the houses are -extremely simple. They are practically all of -one story, because of the Burman’s aversion to -any one walking over his head. The house is -built on posts, thus raising the floor seven or -eight feet from the ground, which is very desirable -in rainy weather. It consists of two or -three rooms and an open balcony, where the -family may sit of an evening or where the -daughter of the house may receive her lover, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_186'>186</span>and not interrupt the slumbers of father and -mother, who have spread their sleeping-mats -upon the floor of the main living-room.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the rainy season the cooking is done in -one of the rooms, but in the long, dry months -the yard at the back of the house serves as -kitchen. In the smaller towns the roofs are -thatched with palm-leaves or with grass, but in -the cities the ugly iron roofs are now seen, with -here and there a more pretentious roof of tiling.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Moving is not a laborious process, as there -is little necessary furniture in a Burmese home. -A few rush mats, which serve for beds, some -rugs and blankets for use when nights are cold, -which during the day are rolled up and placed -in an unused corner of the room, a cooking-range, -which is simply a square box filled with -earth on which the wood is lighted, some earthen -pots for making curries and the cooking of the -rice, a water-jar, ladles made of the half of a -coconut placed on a handle, the huge round -lacquer tray, which serves as table, and the bowls -for the curries and deserts.</p> - -<p class='c005'>With nearly every house there is a small yard, -in which are found flowers if the wife is inclined -to love the beautiful; but if she is more practically -inclined chickens hold sway within the -small domain, until the evil day arrives for them -when they pass into the curry-pot. The strict -Buddhist does not utilize the eggs, believing that -they hold the germ of life which it would be -sinful to destroy. These Burmese roosters can -<span class='pageno' id='Page_187'>187</span>take the place of clocks, as it is said that they -crow regularly four times a day—at sunrise, noon, -sundown, and at midnight. The story goes that -in the olden time there was a great fire made of -books that contained unlawful teaching. Among -these books were those of a famous astrologer, -and after the fire the cocks came and ate the -ashes, thus taking into their very being the knowledge -of the stars and the actions of the sun.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If the wife lives in the city, she does not have -the weary task of husking the rice, as it is bought -ready for cooking, nor does she need waste much -thought in planning the menu for the day. The -two meals are practically the same—the plain -boiled rice upon the table-tray, around which -sit the household, squatting upon their heels. -No knives or forks are needed, as each takes -upon his plate from the central dish the rice, -pours over it curry, arranges on the top the -vegetables and condiments that he loves, and eats -it with the forks with which Nature has provided -him—his fingers. The food is very good -if too much dried fish, which is a delicacy loved -by Burmans, or garlic has not been incorporated -in the curries. Only water is drunk at mealtime. -If the husband has acquired the habit -of tippling, which has come to Burmah with -other foreign customs, he must go to the shop -where it is sold to indulge in what, to every good -householder, is still a thing of which to be -ashamed.</p> - -<p class='c005'>After meals every one smokes—father, mother, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_188'>188</span>and children. It is said that baby learns while -at his mother’s breast to take the long cigar -from between her lips and puff it between alternate -draughts at Nature’s font; but Burmese -deny this most indignantly, and say that smoking -is forbidden the children until they have learned -to walk. I can quite believe this, because it -would take a strong baby to manage the enormous -cheroot smoked by all Burmans, although -they are so mild that they would not affect the -nerves even of a child. The cigar seen in the -homes is from six to eight inches in length and -about an inch in diameter. It is made of the -pith of a plant mixed with chopped tobacco-leaves, -wrapped in the leaf of the teak-tree, the -ends tucked in and tied by a piece of red silk, -where stiff pieces of pith keep the loose tobacco -from the mouth. It splutters and scatters its -fine fire in all directions, and cannot be smoked -by an amateur without danger to himself and -all about him. These are often made within -the home by the wife and daughters, yet they -may be seen in tiny booths at all festivities, -where pretty girls sell them to admiring -swains who are too lazy to roll them for -themselves.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Chewing betel-nut is also indulged in by both -man and wife, and the stain it leaves upon the -lips and tongue is not an addition to the beauty -of the mouth; yet it can be easily cleansed, -as witness the pretty teeth and rosy lips of the -women one meets in the street. There is no -<span class='pageno' id='Page_189'>189</span>furniture to dust, few dishes to wash, and little -clothing to be sewn, and small care expended -upon the children. Their daily bath consists in -throwing a few buckets of water over their naked -bodies, which they learn early to do for themselves, -and often around a village well the tiny -babies, dressed in only an amulet string, may -be seen with coconut ladle throwing the cooling -water over their bodies and shrieking with -delight. The children of the poor go naked -until about eight or nine years old, and those -of the better class dress practically as do their -fathers and mothers while in the street, although, -even in houses of the rich, clothing is considered -a useless luxury for the young.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The simple life leaves much time for the wife, -which she employs in gossiping with friends, in -attending pagoda festivals and pwés until that -happy event arrives, the birth of the first child. -From the moment it is known that the wife is -to become a mother she is the recipient of much -care and attention and presents from her family -and from her friends, and when she can say, -“I am the mother of a son,” then, like all -Oriental women, she has attained the great crown -of womanhood. But because of the lack of -medical skill in Burmah she has to face a most -dreadful ordeal. As soon as her child is born -the mother is rubbed all over with saffron, a -fire lighted near her, and all the blankets that -can be begged or borrowed are heaped upon -her. She is given a drink prepared by the midwife -<span class='pageno' id='Page_190'>190</span>for the purpose of making her perspire. -This is given her many times a day, and together -with the large bricks that are heated and wrapped -in damp cloths and placed in her bed conspire -to have the desired effect, and the poor mother -passes seven days in a Turkish bath. Then on -the seventh day, as a finish to this trying ordeal -which she has undergone, she is forced to go -through a most elaborate steaming process, and -if this does not smother her completely, she is -pronounced well. The midwife receives her mats, -her allotment of rice and her shilling, and the -woman returns to her household duties. In the -larger towns now the Burmese woman may call -in the European-trained doctor, and there are -hospitals which answer the great need that the -women have for proper care at this critical time -of their lives. Yet I am told that the mortality -at child-bearing is not so great as that in India -and other Eastern countries. The main effect -upon the woman is to age her greatly; at the -birth of her first child she changes from the -pretty girl-wife to the middle-aged woman.</p> - -<p class='c005'>About two weeks after the birth of the child -a great feast is given to celebrate the naming -of the new arrival, and on this day also the young -man’s head is washed for the first time. All -the friends of the family and the neighbours are -invited, and they come, bringing presents with -them to help pay for the feast. The mother -sits down with her child in her arms, then some -elder or relation of the parents suggests the name, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_191'>191</span>and everybody accepts it at once, whereupon all -adjourn to the feast, where they eat, chew betel, -and smoke cheroots until nightfall. If the -people have sufficient means, there is a pwé, -which lasts until morning.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is a rule amongst families that a child’s -name must begin with one of the letters belonging -to the day on which it was born, and they -all believe that the stars which were in evidence -at the hour of birth decide a man’s character. -A man born on Monday will be jealous, on Tuesday -honest, on Wednesday bad-tempered, on -Thursday quiet, on Friday garrulous, on Saturday -quarrelsome, and on Sunday stingy. Each -day also has a particular animal which represents -it. Monday is represented by a tiger, -Tuesday, a lion, etc., and in temples one sees -yellow and wax candles made in the form of -these animals, representing his birthday, placed -before the god by the man who wishes special -benefits from lord Buddha.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Swinging by a couple of ropes from the roof -is a rude home-made basket, which is used for -baby’s cradle. Even this useful article of furniture -in which the Burmese baby passes his -sleeping hours is subject to the actions of -belligerent spirits, and must be hung in such a -manner as not to tempt the nats to use it for a -resting-place. Burmese mothers, like mothers -all over the world, croon lullabies to their babies -as they swing them back and forth while waiting -for the sand-man to come. I give a verse -<span class='pageno' id='Page_192'>192</span>of one of the popular lullabies known generally -to all babies in Burmah—</p> - -<div class='lg-container-b c018'> - <div class='linegroup'> - <div class='group'> - <div class='line'>Nasty, naughty, noisy baby,</div> - <div class='line'>If the cat won’t, nats will maybe</div> - <div class='line'>Come and pinch and punch and rend you—</div> - <div class='line'>If they do I won’t defend you.</div> - <div class='line in6'>Oh, now please,</div> - <div class='line in6'>Do not tease,</div> - <div class='line in6'>Do be good,</div> - <div class='line in6'>As babies should,</div> - <div class='line'>Just one tiny little while;</div> - <div class='line'>Try to sleep, or try to smile.</div> - </div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'>When the son is eight or nine years of age -he goes as a matter of course to the monastery -school, which is open to all alike, the poor and -rich, and which is practically the only thing that -the priests, which flood this country, afford the -people in return for the food which is placed -in their begging-bowls each day. Every -Buddhist boy is taught to read and write, and -he learns many of the formulas connected with -the tenets of his religion and the stories relating -to the existence and teachings of Buddha. Until -the English came, all little boys went to the -monastery schools, but now there are Government -schools and Burmese laymen schools and many -private schools, to which the more advanced -Burmans are sending their sons; yet the schoolrooms -in the monasteries are not vacant. The -young Burmese are not so forced by the economic -conditions to acquire the foreign education as -is the Indian boy, where life is much more difficult -<span class='pageno' id='Page_193'>193</span>and the Government certificate simply a -means to an end—Government employment. -Until lately it was not thought necessary to -educate the girls. To be pretty, to know how -to take care of her household, to smile -sweetly, and be of a gay disposition were -sufficient for a woman; and as book knowledge -would not help her in those accomplishments, -book knowledge was, therefore, dispensed with. -But now the larger towns provide educational -facilities for girls, and in Rangoon and Mandalay -there are many private schools for the daughters -of the better class.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Until a Buddhist has entered the monastery, -joining the noble order of the yellow robe, if -for no longer than a day, he is nothing more -than a mere animal. He has a name given -him for worldly purposes, so has a dog, a horse, -or a cow; but until he has shown himself ready -to leave the world by retiring into the quiet and -peace of the monasteries, he cannot expect to -reap the good that he has sown in the past -life, nor would it be possible for him to look -forward to a happy future. At the beginning -of the Buddhist Lent, all Buddhist boys from the -age of twelve to fifteen don the yellow robe -and carry the begging-bowl before the priest -on his daily rounds. On this most important -day in his life his parents give a feast, where -the young novice, dressed in finest clothes, loaded -with all the family jewels, goes slowly through -the village, preceded by a band of music and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_194'>194</span>his friends and relatives dressed in their gayest -clothing. He calls at the houses of his friends -and pays respects to the officials of his village. -Returning to his home, he finds, seated upon a -raised daïs, several priests from the monastery -to which he is soon to retire. They hold before -their faces the large lotus-leafed-shaped fans, so -as not to see the row of pretty women, dressed -in their pinks and blues and yellows, flowers -in their hair, jewels and chains on necks, and -bracelets on arms, and pearl powder softening -smiling faces. The solemnity of the ceremony -commences when the boy throws off his fine -clothing, and, binding a piece of white cloth -around his loins, sits down before the barber -and permits that glory of his boyhood, his long -black hair, to be cut off close to his head. After -he has been carefully shaved, water is poured -over his body, and, dressed again in his bright -clothing, he prostrates himself three times before -the monks, begging in Pali, which quite likely -he does not understand, that he may be admitted -to the holy assembly. Then the yellow garments -are given him, the begging-bowl is hung around -his neck, and he is formally a member of the -monastery. With the departure of the priests -and the novice feasting begins, which, according -to many Burmese festivities, lasts until dawn.</p> - -<div id='i_194' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_194.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A BUDDHIST SCHOOL, MANDALAY (SHOWING BEGGING-BOWL).<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_194'>194</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_195'>195</span>In many cases, if the boy is working and his -services are needed, he remains in the monastery -only long enough to enable him to go once -around the village begging from door to door in -the train of the priests. Some stay seven days, -some a fortnight, and others, if they are able, -remain throughout the four months of Lent. Of -course many of them enter the monastery for -life, and there is no country in the world where -there are so many priests as in Burmah. The -monasteries offer a refuge for men in trouble, -for those who desire to leave the cares of the -world and lead a life of meditation and repose. -And it is said that this departure from the world -is made by many a man in this country, where -women are noted for the strength of their -characters and the length of their tongues.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Burmese boy does not consider he has -attained manhood until he has been tattooed. -When I was first in Burmah, being rather nearsighted, -I thought all Burmese men of the lower -class wore short, dark, skin-tight drawers, but -when I became more courageous and examined -them more closely I found what I considered -underclothing was the man’s own skin. This -had been tattooed from the waistline down to -the kneecap with a series of pictures so closely -set together that they could not be distinguished -one from the other, and melted into a background -of blue and black, with here and there -a softened red to accentuate the fading colours -of the darker dye. This is a sign of manhood, -which, the Burmese say, will probably not die -out, because a Burman would be as ashamed to -have a spotless white skin without a mark of -the tattooer’s needle as would the American boy -<span class='pageno' id='Page_196'>196</span>to find no manly hairs upon his chin at the age -when other boys begin to shave. And woe to -the hapless youth if a wind-blown paso should -show the girl he was courting a white and -spotless leg; she would tell him that his place -was in the women’s quarters and offer him a -woman’s dress! Each figure in this mosaic has -a meaning, and there are charms for protection -of the body, for the gaining of a loved one, thus -assuring the wearer great riches, and, mixed with -these, are figures of all kinds—lizards, birds, -and pictures of the Buddha. Sometimes women -who wish to ensnare the object of their affection -endure the pain of having a love charm -tattooed upon the tongue or upon the lips. Often -a few round spots tattooed with the prescribed -formula repeated over it and placed between the -eyes will be enough to bring back a wandering -lover to her side. If this is not effectual or -if the maiden sees herself drifting towards a -lonely middle age with no lover in her view, she -cuts off the locks of hair hanging over her ears, -announcing to all the world that she is looking -for a lover. They say in Rangoon that if a -woman is tattooed it means that she desires an -Englishman for her husband.</p> - -<div id='i_196' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_196.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>BURMESE BOY WITH TATTOOED LEGS.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_196'>196</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_197'>197</span>In olden days Burmah shared with Japan in -the number of its women given in marriage <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">à -la mode</span></i> to men of alien races. Nearly every -English official and merchant had his house presided -over by a little native maiden. These -arrangements were very happy and tragedies did -not occur until the Englishman, longing for -home sights and sounds, and the dignity of an -English wife, went back home and returned to -his station with the woman of his choice. Then -there was sorrow, and even the English gold -could not repay the little Burmese woman for -the loss of the love of the kindly, careless man -who had been her master for the many years. -Often attempts were made to regain that master’s -love, and many a time the attempts succeeded, -because in the formality and dignity of his -English home and the coldness of his English -wife, the man remembered the happy days and -nights spent under the Burmese roof and the -pretty little Burmese girl who shyly slipped her -hand in his and called him master, lord of all -her days and nights.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a story told of an English official in -Upper Burmah who, when time for leave of -absence came, closed up his Burmese home, -giving to its little hostess money sufficient to -make her rich for life. On his return to Burmah -he brought with him the girl from Devonshire -to whom he had been betrothed for many years. -At dinner their first night soft steps were heard -upon the verandas, and curtains moved as if -in the swaying of an evening breeze, but nothing -could be seen. The next morning when starting -for his office the frightened horse shied madly -at a little mound of silk lying by the side of -the gateway. It was the little Burmese wife, -with a dagger through her heart. Pinned upon -<span class='pageno' id='Page_198'>198</span>her pretty dress was a letter for her lord, in -which she said: “I have looked upon thy -newly wedded wife and found her good. If I -had seen within her eyes—and love would quick -have told me—that she were not the worthy one, -that she were not fitted to be thy mate through -all these years to come, I would have plunged -my knife deep in her heart, but now I know -it is better for me to go, as life without thee -has no joy.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>One can understand the charm that these -happy, smiling, care-free little women have for -the men who come from homes where levity -and <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">laissez-faire</span></i> are things to be condemned. -The Burmese wife makes no demands upon her -lord and master; she is obedient, attendant to -his every want, and never scolding and discontented. -As far as material wants are concerned, -the native woman of any Eastern country makes -an ideal wife for the average European, yet they -can never be real companions one with the other. -There is more than the bar of language between -them; there is the bar of instincts, customs, and -traditions. The entire life of each has been -passed in different environments. Practically -always the woman has little or no education, -and knows nothing of the world outside the town -where she was born. There is never any question -of equality between the foreign husband and -the native wife; he is always her lord, she is -always his slave. To the light-hearted Burmese -woman, to whom the marriage tie even with a -man of her own race is not a binding cord, -these “marriages for a day” are not always -things of tragedy, but the curse falls heavily -upon the child if there should be one. In all -Eastern countries—Egypt, India, Burmah, China, -and Japan—the half-caste is a being set apart. -Ostracized by the members of his father’s race, -unrecognized by his mother’s people, he is a -social pariah, and one almost feels that, if society -could enforce it, he would be compelled to call -out, “Unclean, unclean!” as did the lepers in -the olden time.</p> - -<div id='i_198' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_198.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>EN ROUTE TO A FESTIVAL, BURMAH.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_198'>198</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_200'>200</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XIII<br /> <span class='large'>BURMESE RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>Judging from appearances, the Burmese woman -is deeply religious. We see her offering her -flowers before the many shrines scattered -throughout the country, and hear the deep-toned -bell hanging before the lord of light as she strikes -it three times to call the attention of the spirits -of the air to her piety. On days of festival the -pagoda is thronged with gaily dressed women, -and at the greatest of all pagoda feasts, that -of the Shwe Dagon in Rangoon, women pilgrims -from every part of Burmah come to lay their -tribute before the greatest shrine in Buddha-land. -They come by train and boat and bullock-cart, -and to many it is the most important event -of the whole year. Girls look forward to the -chance it offers to show their charms to the male -world, old ladies count on the meeting of friends -and the discussion of the events of the past -year, while to all it offers a chance to lay up -merit for themselves and advance a step on the -long road that leads to Neban.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Near the temple are marionette shows, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_201'>201</span>theatrical companies make these festivals their -place of greatest profit, while the merchants offer -their wares for sale, and the sellers of incense, -candles, flowers, and offerings for the different -shrines reap their harvest. Yet over the whole -joyous occasion, which would strike the casual -observer as simply a holiday for these happy -people, is thrown the veil of a deep religious -motive. In the fascination of the secular gaieties -around them, these spiritual women do not forget -the real object of their pilgrimage, and the -prayers and protestations before the altars, and -the constant booming of the deep-toned bells, -show that praise of the Lord of lords is not forgotten -amidst the excitement and pleasures of -the world outside.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Burmese woman may go to the pagoda -on the duty days of each month, of which there -are four, or she may stay at home. The only -force upon her is that of public opinion, yet she -generally goes, as it is the meeting-place of all -her world, and the care-free Burmese, both men -and women, are always looking for a chance of -amusement and a meeting with friends.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Whether or not she attends these duty days -once a week is solely dependent upon her piety, -or her love of companionship; but deeply ingrained -within her soul is a daily duty that no -Burman, unless of the very advanced class, -neglects—the propitiation of the nats, those spirits -inhabiting the air, the ground, the water, and all -things, both animate and inanimate. Even the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_202'>202</span>stones upon the roadside may be the home of -spirits who may prove destructive or hostile at -any time. To guard against the evils that might -come with neglect of such powerful enemies to -his happiness, the Burmese erects a shrine at -the extremity of his village, sometimes no larger -than a bird house built in the pipul-tree. There -he may offer food, and light his tiny lamps, and -pour his offerings of water, and burn his incense.</p> - -<p class='c005'>He leaves the nats of the household to the -especial care of his wife, who covers all the -posts within the rooms with white cloth, so that -they may be comfortable while sitting in their -favourite places. To counteract the effect of the -evil spirits who may wish to take up their dwelling -within the home, the careful housewife keeps -near at hand a jar of water that has been blessed, -and daily sprinkles floor and roof for the protection -of her family. It is believed that people -who have been executed for their crimes or who -have met a violent death become nats and haunt -the place where they so suddenly departed from -this world, and this belief led to many cruel -practices in former times. The burial of men -and women alive under the gates of a city originated -in this desire to protect its inhabitants, as -these spirits wander around the place of their -death, and bring disaster upon strangers who -may come with evil intent. It is said that under -the palace gates fifty men and women were buried -alive to protect those within the Imperial residence.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_203'>203</span>This belief in spirits leads to many evils, and -the woman’s life is one of constant fear for -herself and for her loved ones. She naturally -consults in time of trouble with those who have -a knowledge of spirit lore, or who have power to -control them and make of no avail their wrong -intentions. Consequently Burmah abounds in -astrologers, necromancers, wizards, and witch-doctors, -who impose upon the fears of the women -to a marvellous extent. These charlatans vie -with the doctors in their ignorance.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A man of medicine in this land ruled by superstition -needs no diploma, and he administers a -mixture of herbs and nasty tasting condiments -in such strong doses that they are bound to cure -or kill. Quantity, not quality, is what the sick -Burmese requires; and if after a medicine is -administered five times she is not better, another -kind is tried, and if the desired effect is not produced, -another doctor is called, who perhaps -makes a distinctly different diagnosis of the case, -and the dosing is commenced all over again with -another set of medicines. It is well known by -all that the body is composed of four elements—earth, -water, fire, and air—and derangement of -these four properties may cause the illness. -Before medicine is administered, the horoscope -must be consulted in order to learn the proportions -of the elements within the body, when perhaps -it is found that the sickness is caused by an -evil act committed in a former life, or the seasons -may be the cause of her misfortune. It is always -<span class='pageno' id='Page_204'>204</span>a most complicated affair, and perhaps the doctor -finds that the sufferer must refuse all food whose -initial letter begins with the same letter as that -of the day of her birth. There are ninety-six -diseases that afflict mankind, and it often takes -many doctors and much medicine to decide with -which one of the ninety-six ailments the woman -is contending.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If she should die, it is believed that the soul, -in the shape of a black butterfly, issues from the -mouth, and dies at the same time as that of the -body which it inhabited. Although the Buddhists -do not believe in the actuality of the soul as we -know it, this black butterfly is the real spirit of -the woman, and is with her constantly except at -times of sleep, when it may leave the earthly -body and go roaming over the world. It can -never visit places strange to its owner, as it might -lose its way and not come back again, when both -would die—the body because its spirit was gone, -the butterfly because it had lost its earthly home. -One reason why a Burman will not rouse one -suddenly from a deep slumber is because he is -afraid that the butterfly might be on a visit and -unable to return to its home upon the man’s -awakening, which, of course, would be most fatal. -This roaming spirit takes many chances, as there -are goblins and evil genii who desire nothing -better than to eat black butterflies, and often they -become so frightened that they return home in a -great panic, which throws the owner of the soul -into a fever. It sometimes happens that the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_205'>205</span>spirit is kept prisoner, and then the witch doctors -are brought in and many incantations are gone -through to induce the evil gnomes to release -their hold upon the poor butterfly before it is too -late.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Two souls who deeply love each other often -wish to leave the world together, or a mother -dies and wishes her loved one, perhaps her only -child, to join her in the other land, and her spirit -calls for her baby’s butterfly, who will follow -that of the mother unless frustrated by the -machinations of some wise woman who understands -the way of spirits. This woman comes -to the house, and placing a mirror on the floor -by the dead mother or wife who is calling for her -child or husband, entreats the dead not to demand -the soul of the living. As she pleads with her -she allows a piece of down to slip slowly on to -the face of the mirror and catches it in a handkerchief, -which is then gently placed on the -breast of the living, and the spirit comes back to -its resting-place.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Superstition dominates the life of the Burmese -woman as much as it does her Indian sister. -She believes in love potions and philtres to bring -a longed-for lover to her side. She consults with -wise men, who tell her whether the waning love -of husband is caused by the nat or guardian of -the house; or if she is not yet wedded, she finds -that the horoscopes of herself and lover are not -propitious and that he is not intended for her -mate. She also uses this man of science to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_206'>206</span>revenge herself upon a hated rival, and will cause -an image to be made of clay, over which are -chanted devilish rituals which will cause death or -madness to fall upon the unsuspecting person.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Not only do the spirits of all worlds influence -her, but each act of the things around her has -its meaning. If a hen should lay an egg upon a -cloth, the lucky owner will receive a present; and -if she is going on a journey and a snake should -cross her path, her misfortune would be certain. -If a dog should carry a bone into the house, she -blesses him, as great riches and honour will come -to all beneath her roof. But she is hampered in -her actions by the number of lucky and unlucky -days that control her destiny. There are days -unfortunate for all the world, and others that -apply only to her, when she must act with exceeding -care, and understand the lore of the -stars which were in the ascendant at her birth. -Thursday is generally a good day for all, but if -a woman was so foolhardy as to commence a -work on Tuesday it might be fatal and she would -lose her life. Friday is the day of days on which -to commence a new enterprise, as success is -bound to follow. The hair should be washed -once a month, if possible, but never on Monday, -Friday, or Saturday. A good mother on sending -her son into the monastery would see that the -rite of cutting the hair did not fall upon Monday, -Friday, or his birthday, and it limits the choice -of days, as this latter event, the birthday, occurs -once a week. There are also a few months -especially unlucky for a woman born under -certain stars, and no undertaking should be -commenced in those months. In fact, the Burmese -woman is ruled by signs and omens from -her birth to her death, and when the necromancers, -the wizards, the doctors, and the witches -are unable longer to keep the spirit, the little -black butterfly, within the body, and she is -gathered to her fathers, rules and traditions -govern her laying away to her last resting-place.</p> - -<div id='i_206' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_206.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>A BURMESE WOMAN AND HER CIGAR.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_206'>206</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_207'>207</span>In former days the dead were all cremated, -but now burying has come into general use. -When death comes to a family it means elaborate -preparations and feasting from the time that the -breath has left the body and the coin is put into -the mouth to pay the ferryman for the last -journey over the lonely river, until the seven -days of mourning are over. Yet it is hard to -speak of these days as days of mourning, for -music, dancing before the bier, and the feasting -in the home would cause the onlooker at a Burmese -funeral to believe that he was witnessing -a wedding-festival instead of a scene of sorrow.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Burmese, like most Eastern nations, spend -far too much upon their funeral observances; -and often a man goes into debt for life to pay -for the extravagances which custom and tradition -make necessary to uphold his standing in the -community when the Angel of Death visits his -household.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A new custom, or an old custom made more -elaborate, has increased the cost of living for the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_208'>208</span>hospitable Burman. When invitations are given -for any festivity, the invitation is accompanied -by a present, often a silk handkerchief or a -turban, but with the rich this present is growing -more expensive, until it is becoming a burden -that is causing many of the conservative to -complain. I was told while in Mandalay that -when a certain gentleman sent out invitations -for his daughter’s wedding, he accompanied each -invitation with a gold sovereign, and as he bade -more than two hundred guests to the feast, his -entertainment cost him a goodly sum before the -actual expense of the festival took place. This -useless expenditure falls heavily upon the small -official who is trying to live upon his salary, as -salaries are not large in Burmah. A gentleman -with a sense of humour was calling upon us, and -in the course of conversation we touched upon -the servant question. He asked us what a -Chinese butler received for his services in -America. I told him ten pounds a month. He -gasped, and then he laughed and a twinkle came -to his black eyes as he said: “I am an official -of the city of Mandalay, and I receive just that -amount. I think I will go to America.”</p> - -<div id='i_208' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_208.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>BURMESE WORKING WOMAN.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_208'>208</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_209'>209</span>The Burmese woman in her home is allowed -much more liberty than any other Oriental -woman. She is her husband’s equal, although -she is taught to look upon man as a superior -being; still, that is only theoretical. In actual -life she is one with him in business, his amusements, -and in his religious life. He consults -her upon matters of importance, and she has -proved worthy of trust and confidence, because -she has a good mind and has been allowed to use -her judgment in matters of business as well as -in her own particular realm—the home. She has -domestic troubles with which to contend, but -public opinion is helping her, especially in the -case of polygamy. This destroyer of woman’s -happiness is sometimes practised, but sentiment -is against it, and it is a very brave man who cares -to run counter to the general opinion of his village -or city in regard to the number of women he -shelters beneath his roof-tree. But if the Burman -may not marry more than one woman at a time, -he may divorce as many wives as he wishes. As -the woman also shares in this prerogative, the -law is not so one-sided as it is in Mohammedan -countries. Manu, the ancient law-maker, allowed -women to divorce their husbands if they were -too poor to support them; if they were lazy and -would not work; or if they were incapacitated -by reason of old age, or became cripples after -marriage. The husband may send his wife away -if she bears him no male children; if she is not -loving; or if she is disobedient. Divorce is -purely a personal affair, and the marriage tie -may be dissolved at any time the parties concerned -think fit, without calling in priest or -lawyer.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are very definite provisions in the laws -in regard to the property of the separating couple. -In the event of divorce each party takes with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_210'>210</span>them the property brought by them to the new -home, and what they accumulated since marriage -is either divided by mutual agreement or by a -decision of the village elders who sanction the -separation.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I am told that divorce is not so common as -one would believe, considering the ease with -which it may be obtained. The Burman is a -very easy-going man, the Burmese wife a clever -woman who makes it her business to understand -her lord and master, and consequently she -generally rules him. “Burmah is the land of -henpecked husbands,” one Burman told me, -“all the world knows our shame”—and then he -laughed.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Education is coming more slowly to the -Burmese woman than it is to the Indian or the -Egyptian. She has not seen its need, consequently -has not demanded it. But it will come -in time, and the intellectual broadening will free -her from the cloud of superstition that now -surrounds her and controls her actions to a -great extent.</p> - -<div id='i_210' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_210.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>GOLDEN PAGODA, MANDALAY.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_210'>210</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_211'>211</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XIV<br /> <span class='large'>THE LADY OF CHINA</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>It is not easy for the woman of the Occident to -understand the life of the woman of the Orient. -The woman of the West, in her freedom, her -complex social life, her husband’s love, looks -pityingly upon the Eastern woman in what -appears to be a seemingly restricted sphere—the -home. It is known that she is practically a -prisoner, not by force but by custom and convention; -that the wall of the compound are the walls -of the world to her. It is not realized, however, -that there she is supreme, and from within those -compound-walls, she sways to a great extent the -thought and life of China.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese lady does not lead a life of leisure -or indolence. The picture of the Eastern woman -sitting upon divans and eating sweetmeats does -not apply to the women of this country. If she -is the wife of an official or of a man of wealth, -she has a large household over which she must -preside. If the husband has a mother living the -mother is the head of the house, and her will is -absolute. This was shown rather forcibly a few -<span class='pageno' id='Page_212'>212</span>years ago in Peking. The son of a Chinese -official while abroad married a European woman. -She returned to Peking with her husband, and -within a few months fled to a foreign embassy -and asked protection, as she believed her life -in danger. The mother-in-law had said: -“While I was in Europe with you I was powerless, -but here I am absolute. I could even kill -you and no one would question the act. It is -my right to do with you as I wish.” The -minister could do nothing, as by her marriage the -girl had become a Chinese subject and was under -the laws of China, which gave the mother of her -husband absolute control over her life and -person.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Often there are an incredible number of people -living under one roof-tree, as all the sons bring -their wives to their father’s home instead of -establishing separate households. Sheng, the -director of railways, told me that there were -250 people who took rice each day within his -compound. The walls of his garden enclosed a -small village. There was a large building containing -his office and residence. Radiating from -this there were rows of smaller houses, where -his brothers and married sons lived with their -numerous families.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A Chinese house, even of the very rich, is -a shabby affair, judged from Western standards. -It is always surrounded by a wall, generally -painted white. Within the entrance gate is a -large wooden screen, placed to insure privacy, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_213'>213</span>and also to guard the doorways from evil spirits, -which are known to travel only in straight lines -and to abhor corners. If the family is large the -home consists of a series of houses built around -courtyards. Across the first court are the -master’s rooms and offices; then come the houses -of the different families, as each wife has a suite -of rooms for herself and her children. Some of -the wives of the more wealthy Chinese occupy -an entire building. The kitchen and the -servants’ quarters are at the end of the last -courtyard.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The floors of all the rooms are of rough -boards, with great cracks between them, sometimes -covered with a rug but more often bare. -The walls are composed of the same wide boards, -with here and there an embroidered hanging -or a scroll bearing the words of some honoured -sage. The furniture of the reception-room consists -of small tables alternating with straight-backed -chairs, arranged with mathematical -precision around the three sides of the room. -Opposite the doorway is the seat of honour, or an -opium-couch. Often the furniture is elaborately -carved or inlaid with mother-of-pearl, but it looks -formal and precise. The chairs, with their red -embroidered cushions, are very uncomfortable for -the Westerner, because of their straight, low -backs and high, narrow seats, that make one -long for a footstool. There are no buffets nor -sideboards in the dining-rooms, and stools are -used in place of chairs. The tables are square, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_214'>214</span>seating eight, and neither tablecloths nor napkins -are considered necessary adjuncts to dining.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The bedrooms are small, and filled wellnigh -to overflowing by an enormous carved bed, with -red embroidered curtains hanging from the heavy -canopy and long silken tassels draping the four -posts. The Chinese do not indulge in mattresses -nor springs, sheets, nor pillow-cases. The pillows -are small bolsters, and the bedclothing consists -of a series of wadded “comfortables” made of -silk or cotton. Their dislike of springs is very -intense. A hospital for the Chinese was opened -in one of the interior towns, and the doctors, -wishing to do the very best they could to make -their patients comfortable, bought, at great -expense, foreign beds with springs. They found, -to their disgust, that the patients, as soon as the -nurse turned her back, insisted on placing the -bedclothing upon the floor and lying there, -instead of in the nice comfortable beds that had -been provided for them. They claimed that the -springs made them “seasick.” When Chinese -ladies are calling upon a foreign woman, one of -the chief ways to amuse them is to take them -over the house and permit them to see the -furnishings of the homes of the people from -over the sea. They are always intensely interested -in the beds and look at the springs from all -sides, sitting on them and pressing them down -with their hands, finally shaking their heads, as -much as to say, “It is past all belief what these -strange people will have in their houses.”</p> - -<div id='i_214' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_214.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>CHINESE WOMEN WARMING HANDS AND FEET WITH BRAZIERS.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_214'>214</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_215'>215</span>The chief article of furniture in the kitchen is -the stove, a huge affair made of brick. This -stove has generally three holes, in which are -set the iron cooking-pots, shaped like large washbowls -and made of very thin metal, in order -that the ingredients may cook with the smallest -amount of heat necessary, as the question of fuel -is a serious one in China. In the country around -Shanghai, rice-straw and faggots are the main -fuel, while on every hillside in the country one -sees women and children cutting the dried grass -and gathering every available thing that may be -burned. Because of the lack of body in the fuel -it keeps one person busy feeding the fire while -another attends to the cooking.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The food served at a feast, and which the -average foreigner sees, is quite different from that -eaten every day. At a feast there are often twenty -or thirty courses. Swallow’s-nest soup, shark-fins, -pigeon eggs cooked with nuts, ducks prepared -in many ways, fowl, fish, and innumerable -sweets. Rice is served as the last course, while -at the ordinary dinner it is the principal dish. -It is to the Chinese what bread is to the European -or potatoes to the Irish. The food is cooked in -vegetable oil, made from beans or cabbages, or, -for the richer class, from peanuts. The chief -meat is pork, which is cut into little bits and -cooked with a vegetable. Beef is not used by -the average Chinese. The cow is a beast of -burden, and none of her products are eaten. I -have seen a great official, on being told that the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_216'>216</span>ice-cream he was eating was made of milk, -deposit upon his plate the contents of his mouth -with more haste than grace. One receives the -impression from pictures that the Chinese politely -picks up a few grains of rice with his chopsticks -and carries them slowly to his mouth. This is a -picture of Occidental imagination rather than -Oriental reality. He takes with his chopsticks -some vegetables from the dishes in the centre of -the table, to which all have access, and, after -depositing the chosen morsel on the top of his -rice, he lifts the bowl to his face and uses his -chopsticks to shovel as much of the rice into -the opening as its capacity will permit. The -Chinese are supposed to be a slow and phlegmatic -race, but if one were to judge by the -rapidity with which a bowl of rice will disappear, -one would easily give them a place among the -most rapid and progressive races of the world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Food used by the Chinese is very cheap. The -Viceroy at Nanking, a man of unlimited wealth -and power, told me that the food for himself -did not cost more than twenty cents a day. The -servants in the American Consulate had their -food bought by the second cook, paying him -five shillings each per month, which sum -included food, cooking, and service. On board -a foreign houseboat the captain is paid four -shillings per day for the hire of six men, and -they are fed by him out of this sum. It is made -possible by the cheapness of the vegetables. I -have seen him buy three bushels of a curly-leaved -<span class='pageno' id='Page_217'>217</span>vegetable resembling spinach for twopence.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The lady of China takes no part in her husband’s -business or social life. Much of the -business in China among the official and rich -class is transacted socially, and the dinners are -generally given at a tea-house or restaurant, or -on the pleasure-boats kept for that purpose. -Even the very finest of these entertainment-places -are very shabby affairs, from a Western standpoint. -They are also extremely dirty. The -floors are made of unmatched boards that have -never seen the scrubbing-brush, and the guests -throw their fish-bones, cigarette-ends, etc., under -the table.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese understand the art of dining, and -we who simply go to eat cannot appreciate the -social side of this form of entertainment as does -the Eastern man. He eats a few courses, sheds -a jacket, loosens a belt, talks to a singing girl, -smokes, then eats a few more courses, gambles -a while, and really enjoys himself for four or -five hours. When he enters the room for the -feast he is given a slip of paper, on which -he writes the name of his favourite singing girl -and her place of residence. When all the guests -arrive the slips are taken by a servant to the -different places, and at intervals during the -dinner the girls arrive. These girls are owned -by men or women who bought them when -they were very young, and have trained them -for singing girls or professional amusers. They -<span class='pageno' id='Page_218'>218</span>sway in on their tiny bound feet, beautifully -dressed, painted and powdered, and take their -place behind the man who sent for them. They -sit on a narrow stool, chat with the man, have -a few puffs from a water pipe, eat melon-seeds -(they never eat or drink anything from the -table); then their maid brings them their musical -instrument, and they sing, in a high falsetto voice, -a song or two. If the song and the singer are -admired, the guests show their approval by loud -“Hah, hah’s.” After her song the girl arises, -says good-bye to her patron, and leaves for her -next engagement. The girl’s owner receives from -four to sixteen shillings, according to the fame -of the girl; she receives nothing, unless a present -is given her by some admirer. Many of them -have beautiful bracelets and hair ornaments of -pearls and jade, and many own gold water pipes -that are very costly. They all carry little makeup -boxes, and powder their noses whenever the -desire seizes them. To Western eyes they are -not pretty, with their red and white faces. They -paint their forehead, nose, and around their -mouth white, the cheeks and under-lip bright -red, and to obtain the proper willow-leaf pattern -for the eyebrows their own are shaved and others -more slanting are painted in their place. It is -hard to see any charm in these little women. -They sing through their noses, talk very little, -and that the most inane gossip, powder themselves, -then bow and go away. They seem to -have neither ideas, expression, nor figure.</p> - -<div id='i_218' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_218.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>CHINESE WOMEN AND CHAIR-BEARERS.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_218'>218</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_219'>219</span>With each one of these entertainers is a maid, -who supports her as she sways along on her little -feet, and who sees that she does not try to run -away from her master. If the girl is popular and -in much demand she has a sedan chair and two -bearers; if a very young girl, she is carried on -the shoulders of a strong, husky coolie. Many -of them lead pitiful lives, and a singing girl’s -only hope of escape is to become the secondary -wife or concubine of a rich man; then, if she -should be so fortunate as to bear a son for her -husband she would hold an honourable position, -and nothing could be said against her because of -her former life.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A Chinese gentleman is out to dinner practically -every night, or else he is entertaining -friends. He sleeps until noon, goes to his particular -club for amusement and to meet his -friends in the afternoon, and returns to his home -in the wee sma’ hours of the night. The wife -or wives stay at home and take care of the house -and children. No Chinese lady ever dines at -a restaurant; in fact, no Chinese lady ever eats -at the same table with her husband; he would -“lose face” if he ate with a woman. Although -a lady is never seen dining in public, she frequently -gives dinner parties to her friends and -relatives. The courtyards are then filled with -the chattering chair-bearers, who, squatting on -their haunches as only an Eastern servant can, -drink innumerable cups of tea served by the -servants of the hostess. The guests are met at -<span class='pageno' id='Page_220'>220</span>the entrance to the women’s quarters by the lady -of the house, and a great many bows are made, -varying in depth according to the rank of the -guest.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Each guest has a maid, who from time to time -brings her mistress a vanity box, from which is -extracted powder and rouge; and she, like her -frailer sister, the sing-song girl, applies a little -more white to her already whitened nose, or -rouges her cheeks, or touches a little red paint -to the lower lip. Paint and powder are not confined -to the women of the amusement class, as -the Chinese lady (that is, the younger ones; -older women do not make up at all) paints her -face more than is beautiful to foreign eyes. Even -the hands are not forgotten, and within the palms -the rouge brush is used. The hands of a Chinese -lady are beautiful—long, slender, and delicate, -looking as helpless as a flower. In the olden -time long fingernails were worn as a mark of -ladyhood, and were often covered with jade or -gold, telling plainly that the wearer belonged -to the leisured class and did not need to toil. In -fact, the whole expression of a Chinese lady is -helplessness. From her exquisitely coiffured -head, with its mass of pearl and jade, to her -tiny feet, on which she sways instead of walks, -she impresses one as a dainty piece of jewellery, -too fragile for real life. The small feet accentuated -this, but now they are passing, and the -new woman of China is not binding her -daughter’s feet.</p> - -<div id='i_221' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_221.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>BOUND FEET OF CHINESE WOMAN.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_221'>221</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_221'>221</span>The curse of footbinding does not fall so -heavily upon women who may sit and embroider, -or if needs must travel can be borne upon the -shoulders of their chair-bearers; but it is upon -the poor girl, whose parents hope to have one -in the family who may better their fortunes by a -rich marriage, and, hoping thus, they bind their -feet. If this marriage fails and she is forced -to work within her household, or, even worse, if -poverty compels her to work in the fields, or add -her mite gained by most heavy labour to help fill -the many eager mouths at home, then she should -have our pity. We have seen the small-footed -woman pulling heavy boats along the tow-paths, -or leaning on their hoes to rest their tired feet -while working in the fields of cotton. To her -each day is a day of pain, and this new law forbidding -the binding of the feet of children will -come as a blessing from the gods. But it will -not pass at once, as so many now loudly proclaim; -it will take at least three generations: -the children of the present children will quite -likely all have natural feet. The people in -the country, far from the noise of change and -progress, will not feel immediately that they can -wander so far afield from the old ideas of what -is beautiful in their womenkind.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The most noticeable thing about a Chinese -woman, poor as well as rich, is her hair: it is -jet-black, and made shiny and smooth with a -paste until not a strand is out of place. At -certain times of the year small wreaths are made -<span class='pageno' id='Page_222'>222</span>from tiny yellow flowers and placed around the -knot at the back. The hair is never untidy, and -the artistic disorder of the hair of the foreign -woman is secretly much disliked by the Chinese. -The late Empress-Dowager once gave the wife of -a foreign Minister a set of combs as a present. -The Minister’s wife was delighted, as the gift -was enclosed in an elaborate silver box, and she -did not see the subtle suggestion in the present, -over which the Chinese of the province chuckled -for many a day.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A party of Chinese ladies presents a very gay -appearance. They wear silk or satin, nearly -always brocaded and often heavily embroidered. -In the winter, as the houses are not heated, many -furs are worn, but almost entirely, except in the -case of sable, as linings for the silken coats. -One garment is put on over the other until the -right degree of warmth is obtained. Instead -of speaking of degrees of cold, the Chinese say -it is three-coat weather or five-coat weather. The -children are clothed in wadded garments, so thick -that the overdressed babies look like little round -balls and can scarcely move. In the summer the -ladies wear delicate gauzes over their undergarments -of grass-linen.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Nearly every province in China has its own -customs and peculiarities in dress as well as in -everything else, but they all agree on the rich -reds and blues, the purples and mauves for the -making of their jackets, while their wide, skirt-like -trousers are often of a much deeper colour -<span class='pageno' id='Page_223'>223</span>than the jacket and trimmed with a wide band of -black. The mixture of tints sounds most incongruous -to foreign ears, but Chinese women have -the faculty of weaving the most clashing hues -into a work of harmonious art. Except in the -case of an old lady, black is seldom worn, and as -white is the colour of mourning, it is seen only -on occasions of sorrow. A Chinese lady can -never understand why European babies are -dressed in white. Children are the symbols of -happiness, and it seems to them most inappropriate -to garb them in sorrow’s colours. All the -gayest and brightest colours of China’s dye-pots -are made to produce the clothing for China’s -children.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dress of the Chinese woman, rich or poor, -is very modest, fastening close around the neck, -with sleeves coming to the hands and the loose -jacket formed so as to disguise the lines of the -body. European women are severely censured -in China because of their <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">décoletté</span></i> gowns and -tight dresses, which seem to the Chinese the -height of vulgarity. When one of the Imperial -princes was <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en route</span></i> to England, he attended -his first foreign dinner in Shanghai. About -twenty-five of the guests were English and -American ladies, dressed in their most elaborate -gowns, which means extreme <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">décoletté</span></i>. The -attachés of the prince had tried to prepare his -highness for the sight he was to witness; but -they had evidently underestimated its startling -qualities, because when the prince arrived and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_224'>224</span>gave one amazed look at his hostess and the line -of waiting ladies he was nonplussed. He looked -pitifully for his interpreter, and, not receiving -aid from him, put down his head, shut his eyes, -and bravely stumbled around the room, groping -blindly for each lady’s hand, as he had been -informed that he should shake hands with them. -This was another serious breach of Chinese -etiquette, as no Chinese man must ever touch -a woman. The Chinese views in regard to -modesty connected with the dress of women has -caused the missionaries in the interior to expurgate -from the magazines that may by chance fall -into the hands of Chinese visitors all pictures -of lightly clad ladies who are used to advertise -soaps and powders and the underwear of our -American markets.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese are very fond of their children. -They say, “In the children our parents return -to us; in the children we live again.” When -ladies visit each other they always ask for the -children, who are brought in by the nurses. With -their jackets of red, their trousers of bright green -or purple, their baby-caps with its rows of tiny -brass Buddhas that shine and glitter like gold, -and the mark of red paint on the forehead or on -the tip of the tiny nose, they look like brilliant -little elfs. The girls are dressed quite as richly -as the boys, and it is to the interest of the nurse -to make the children as attractive as possible, -because the pleased visitor generally gives her -a small present of money wrapped in red paper.</p> - -<div id='i_224' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_224.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>AN OLD-FASHIONED CHINESE GIRLS’ SCHOOL.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_224'>224</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_225'>225</span>Visiting a high-class Chinese lady, one is impressed -with the number of children and servants -that seem to be swarming over the place. When -one of a family has distinction or wealth, all the -poor relatives come to dwell with him. Li Hung-chang -built a home in Shanghai in which to -live when he should retire from private life. -When asked why he built so far from his home -province, which was contrary to Chinese custom, -he said he built as far as possible from his -native town, hoping that his poor relations could -not obtain the money with which to come to -Shanghai.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The servants in a Chinese family are not -expensive, so far as wages are concerned, -but they cost a great deal in perquisites. They -rarely receive more than eight shillings a month, -but they are given their food, and they help -themselves lavishly to anything they may desire. -They dress themselves from the old clothing of -the family, freely take the hairpins and the toilet -articles of the mistress, clothe their children from -the common wardrobe, and, in fact, are a part -of the family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a peculiar democratic custom which -servants may claim, but which is seldom used—the -right of reviling the family when discharged. -The youngest son of Li Hung-chang lived next -door to me, and an old serving-woman was discharged -for a reason that evidently did not appeal -to her sense of justice. She sat beneath the -gateway and for three hours called down curses -<span class='pageno' id='Page_226'>226</span>upon the Li family at the top of her voice. This -happened on one of the principal residence streets -of Shanghai, and the police passed and repassed, -but no one tried to stop her. The house steward -made two or three feeble attempts to persuade -her to leave, but she would turn her facile tongue -upon him, and he would gather his skirts in his -hands and start on a most undignified run for the -house, evidently believing discretion to be the -better part of valour. At the end of three hours, -when she was completely exhausted, she was led -away.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese lady and her servants gossip -together as friends, rooms are entered without -warning, conversations interrupted, and suggestions -offered which, to the foreigner, seem to -be of the grossest impertinence. This intimacy -is due partly to the restricted life the lady leads, -and partly to the fact that many of the servants -are distant relatives. Practically the only news -from the outside world that comes to the woman -behind the walls is brought by her sons or by -the servants. She makes few visits, and these -usually at the home of some relative, entering -her closely covered chair within her courtyard -and carried swiftly to the courtyard of the house -where she is to visit. There is no such thing as -“calling” between the wives of men who are -mutually interested in affairs or who are business -associates. The wife of a Treaty Commissioner -called upon the wives of the Chinese officials -who were associated with her husband in conducting -<span class='pageno' id='Page_227'>227</span>the treaty. They were very polite and -returned her call, but are still wondering <em>why</em> -she called.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The wife of a consul wished to give a luncheon -to the wife of the Mayor of Shanghai. She -asked the interpreter who was assisting her in -the arrangements if other Chinese ladies of the -same rank might be asked. The interpreter said, -“No; a Chinese lady would rather not meet -women other than relatives.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese wife lives entirely for her family -and with her family. She rarely goes to a public -place of amusement, although in some of the -ports, like Shanghai and Canton, entire families -are seen at the Chinese theatres. Theatrical -companies come to the houses of the rich and -official class for the amusement of guests, and -story-tellers and musicians, nearly always blind, -go from door to door asking to be taken into the -women’s courtyards to help while away the dreary -hours. Astrologers and fortune-tellers pass -along the resident streets, striking their little -gong to attract the notice of the women behind -the walls. They are extremely clever, and cast -horoscopes in a manner similar to that of the -Egyptians of olden times. They are very popular -among the Chinese women, as are fortune-tellers -with women of all races.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We are prone to sympathize with the Chinese -woman because of the plurality of wives, but -one sees little evidence of the need of our sympathy. -The Chinese have a saying: “The head -<span class='pageno' id='Page_228'>228</span>wife should cherish the inferior wives as the -great tree cherishes the creepers that gather -round it.” I do not know whether this sage -advice is always followed, but I have seen the -several wives of many officials, all friendly as -sisters and all working for the common good of -the home.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I called upon the wife of an official and was -met at the door by two ladies. One of them -was a very old Chinese lady, with the smallest -bound feet that I have ever seen; they could -not have been more than 2½ inches in length. -She was partially supported on one side by a -servant, and on the other by a beautifully dressed -Manchu woman. After I was seated in the place -of honour at the left of the elderly lady, and tea -was brought, I asked the usual question, “What -is your honourable age?” She replied, “Sixty-two”; -then, as always follows, I said, “How -many children have you?” She replied, “Five.” -I asked their ages, and, to my astonishment, -heard her say that the eldest was seventeen years -and the youngest two months. When I could -find words to continue the conversation, I turned -to the Manchu lady and asked her practically -the same questions. She replied that she was -thirty-five years old, was the mother of five -children, the eldest being seventeen years and -the youngest two months. Then I realized that -the first wife had no children, but, according to -Chinese custom, claimed as her own all children -born to the secondary wives.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_229'>229</span>The custom was further exemplified by the -wife of a magistrate who was calling upon me, -accompanied by the second wife. After the -usual questions in regard to age and health, -I asked this lady how many children she -possessed. She looked at me in a puzzled -manner for a moment, then turned to the other -wife and, keeping track of the names by turning -down a finger at each count, said: “Let me see—how -many children have I? Tsai-an has three, -Wo-kee has five—that is eight; Ma-lu has two—ten; -Sin Yun has four—fourteen; Sih-peh two—sixteen; -and you have three”; then, turning -to me, she said, “I have nineteen children.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>I have a Chinese friend who lived in Canton -until he became involved in some political trouble -that caused him to leave for Shanghai, where -he would be under the protection of the foreign -settlements. He left behind him his mother, four -wives, and sixteen children. He became lonely -in his exile, and asked his mother to send him -a couple of his wives. She wrote him that they -were busy attending to the education of their -children, and that they did not speak the dialect -in Shanghai and would feel like strangers; -consequently it would be better for him to marry -a couple of women native to the province, who -would be more contented. He took her -advice.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is an American woman doctor in -Shanghai who goes to the homes of the rich -Chinese in the practice of her profession. I -<span class='pageno' id='Page_230'>230</span>asked her one day if she knew the wife of -Mr. Lu, a prominent merchant who had a most -beautiful home on the smart drive in Shanghai. -She replied that she knew a part of her—numbers -one, four, seven, and eleven. A rich man is -only restricted in the number of wives he may -possess by his ability to support them. Gossip -says—I do not know how true it is—that Yuan -Shi-kai has the unlucky number of thirteen wives -beneath the roof-tree of the President’s palace -in Peking.</p> - -<p class='c005'>One would naturally suppose that endless complications -of a disagreeable nature, leading to -quarrels and bitterness, would arise, yet there -does not seem to be more unhappiness in the -average Chinese home than in those of any other -country. The first wife, she who has been chosen -by the parents, is the head of the household, and -her word is law, the other wives practically occupying -the position of servants. That is the -theory, but in actual practice she who is fortunate -enough to be the mother of sons, or -perhaps the last girl-wife, is generally the -favourite, and wields great influence over the -master of the household. I said to a woman -calling upon me one day that I should not feel -so badly after the first wife was chosen to replace -me, but that the choice of my immediate -successor would make me very unhappy. She -looked astonished, and said: “That depends -entirely upon the woman. If she is agreeable -and pleasant, it is a pleasure to have her -<span class='pageno' id='Page_231'>231</span>in the family. Often a first wife chooses a -second.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>We of the Western world look upon a great -many wives as a luxury only to be enjoyed by the -very rich. I have a friend who is very intimate -in a Chinese family in which there are five wives. -Since hearing her talk I have changed my mind -in regard to the luxury of the plurality of wives. -In this household the first wife lives with the -husband’s family at their country place; the -other four live with him. The husband supplies -a cook for the common use of the family, and -this cook provides rice, the staple article of food -for the household. Each wife is given a servant -and one pound a month with which to buy her -luxuries, and once a year she is given a complete -suit of silk or satin clothing, and if a favourite, -I presume she receives jewels, etc., from her -husband. A man told me that in the interior of -China (Shanghai, Peking, and some of the larger -cities are much more expensive) he could support -easily his four wives and fourteen children -on an income of £200 a year.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are many foolish women who marry -attachés of the Chinese embassies in England -and America, or, more foolish still, who marry a -Chinese merchant. They are, in fact, marrying -the romance of the East represented to them -in the person of the suave little almond-eyed -man, and they pay bitterly for their mistake if -they ever return to their husband’s country. They -are recognized by neither Chinese nor foreigners, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_232'>232</span>have no social standing in any community, and -lead an existence that calls for pity.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There lived in Shanghai a man who had once -been a secretary of the Legation in London. He -had a great career ahead of him until he married -an Englishwoman, when he was ordered home, -degraded, and lived for years as the petty official -in the office of the mayor of the city, at a wage -scarcely liveable even for a Chinese. His wife, -recognized by neither English nor Chinese, -became addicted to opium and drink, and died -after a few years of unhappiness. A woman -doctor told me that she found the body lying -in an outhouse, on a bundle of straw, waiting -for burial, where finally it found a resting-place -in a Chinese cemetery.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A few years ago a woman came to the English -Consul in Nanking and asked for protection. -She had married a Chinese merchant in London, -and on his return to his own country he met with -business reverses that reduced him practically -to the position of a coolie. She had been forced -to go into the paddy-fields transplanting rice. -It is bad enough to see a Chinese woman -standing in the mud and water to her knees, -doing this back-breaking work, but it would be -heartrending to see a woman of our race toiling -alongside of the ignorant Chinese peasant, under -the rays of the tropical sun, which beats down -so pitilessly upon the exposed rice-fields. The -Consul was extremely sorry for the woman, but -could not interfere in the domestic life of a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_233'>233</span>Chinese subject. When she found nothing could -be done for her, she took the little round ball of -sleep with which so many Chinese wives pass -across the bridge of death—opium.</p> - -<p class='c005'>If these women who think that it would be -such a wonderful experience to live in the -glorious East, of which they have read most -glittering tales, would realize that when the man -returns to his homeland his parents have the -right of choosing a wife for him, who is his real -wife, and the poor foreign woman is reduced to -the position of a concubine, I think many of -them would not take a step so fatal to happiness. -Dr. Barchet, of the Baptist Mission near Ningpo, -saw an American woman living in a small village -who was one of four wives, all occupying the -same peasant’s cottage. When asked why she -did not return to her homeland, she said that she -was ashamed to have her people learn of her -great mistake, as she married against their -wishes. The bad air and coarse food were -having their effect upon this delicately raised -girl, and she was a victim to the great white -plague that claims so many lives in China.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Suicide is very common among the women of -China. When the mother-in-law becomes too -oppressive, or life becomes intolerable from other -causes, the wife often takes the law into her own -hands and takes opium or jumps into the well. -She then not only receives surcease from her -sorrows, but, according to Chinese superstition, -her spirit will linger around the home, haunting -<span class='pageno' id='Page_234'>234</span>and tormenting the person who was the cause of -her taking the fatal step.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is very little intercourse between foreign -and Chinese women. The latter do not seem -to care about making the acquaintance of the -women from over the seas. It is only of late -years that the wives of foreign officials in -Shanghai have had any intercourse with the -families of the local officials. Such intercourse -consists simply in an interchange of calls, and -a luncheon given once a year by the wife of the -senior Consul, and returned by the wife of the -Chinese taotai or mayor. There can never be -any degree of friendship between the Chinese -woman and the European. Their lives are -radically different; the Chinese woman’s ideals -are not the same as those of her foreign sister. -Their only common subject of conversation is -in regard to their children; and even there a -bar is soon put across the conversation, as the -Chinese mother has different hopes and ambitions -for the future of her children than those of the -woman from England or America. She knows -nothing of the outside world, and her only subjects -of conversation relate to household gossip, -clothes, and the actions of her friends. In -Shanghai a society is formed that is trying to -bring the women of all nationalities into touch -with one another, but it is not a very great -success so far as the Chinese lady is concerned. -She feels awkward and ill at ease in the presence -of these women, who talk so easily on matters -<span class='pageno' id='Page_235'>235</span>of which she knows nothing, and she much -prefers the quiet of her courtyards, amidst the -life she understands.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When a Chinese lady is persuaded to go into -the world she is always most dignified, even -under embarrassing circumstances. I once gave -a luncheon for the wife of a Governor of a -province, to which the wives of the consuls and -a few other ladies were invited, about twenty -in all. When the guest of honour arrived all the -other guests rose to meet her. As she entered -the doorway her tiny bound feet stepped upon -a rug, which slipped from beneath her, and -instead of swaying gently across the room she -sat down and slid to the feet of her astonished -hostess. She was helped to rise by the frightened -guests, and turned and shook hands with them -gravely, without a flicker of the eyelids to indicate -that sliding was not the usual mode of entering -a drawing-room.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese lady is trained not to show -emotion of any kind. Her face, to be beautiful, -must be absolutely placid, care-free, “like -unto the full moon in its glory.” They consider -the foreign woman extremely ugly, with their -long, care-lined faces. They say that if it were -not for the clothing they could not distinguish -men from women. Their faces, with their prominent -noses and deep-set eyes, appear to them -coarse and unrefined. I have seen children when -suddenly confronted with a foreign woman -scream in terror.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_236'>236</span>The Chinese do not impress the casual visitor -as a nervous people. It is said that they can -bear without murmuring the most severe punishments, -and a torture that would reduce a foreign -man to frenzy will elicit only a groan from a -member of this phlegmatic race. The women -seem to share with their menfolk in this lack of -“nerves.” I once made a visit to the wife of -the city magistrate, whose home was in the -official “yamen.” She showed me over her -house, and on entering her bedroom I went to -the only window in the room to see what kind of -a view was to be obtained. What was my horror -to find that the window looked directly upon -the punishment courtyard, where a man was then -being held down upon his face and a bamboo -vigorously applied by the lictor. The moans -of the victim could be faintly heard, and what it -would be in the summer-time, when the windows -were open, could very well be imagined. I -turned to my hostess and said, “How frightful! -How can you stand it?” She shrugged her -shoulders and said, “Oh, one becomes used -to it.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese woman is very devout, and -observes all the feast days and days of fasting. -It is really the woman who keeps up the religion -of Confucius and Buddha. An official who had -just returned from sacrificing to the dragon who -was supposed to have swallowed the sun at the -time of an eclipse, was asked if he believed in -this dragon. He laughed and said, “Of course -not.” “Then,” the curious questioner continued, -“why do you do it?” He said, “Why do men -in America go to church? Mainly because their -wives wish them to go. It is the same here. -It is the women who are the spiritual force of -China. It is they who are devout, and it is they -who keep open the temples and preserve the -belief in the gods.”</p> - -<div id='i_236' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_236.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>WHEELBARROW AND COOLIE—USED IN PLACE OF WAGONS IN TOWNS AND COUNTRY VILLAGES NEAR SHANGHAI.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_236'>236</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_237'>237</span>The Chinese woman’s religion is difficult of -definition, but whatever she is, a follower of the -teachings of Confucius or of the Great Buddha, -she turns to her gods both in time of trouble -and in time of thanksgiving. It is a real factor -in her life. Buddhism has a great festival in -the spring, about the time of our Easter. Then -the roads are covered with processions of women -going or coming from the temples. All ranks -are seen—the lady borne swiftly along in her -sedan chair with the spirit money hanging from -the poles; the middle-class woman riding on -the passenger wheelbarrows with four or five -of her friends, with her incense and candles in -her lap; and the poor woman trudging along the -stone-covered road, carrying her offerings in a -basket of rice-straw which she has woven at -home. When they arrive at the temple they -are all of one great sisterhood. The spirit money -of rich and poor alike is placed in the great -incense-burner in the outer courtyard, where it -goes up in flames to the gods. Then the temple -is entered, the candles are lighted, and the -incense is placed before the particular deity -<span class='pageno' id='Page_238'>238</span>whose kind offices they implore; the head is -touched to the floor, prayers are uttered, and -the woman returns to the courtyards, where she -may pass the time with her friends, feeding the -carp in the ponds or admiring the great trees -which are found within the courts of many of -the big temples. If a special boon is to be -asked, or if there is doubt and trouble, she takes -a hollow bamboo vase, about the size of a quart -measure, in which are a couple of dozen sticks -of slit bamboo. She kneels three times, touching -her head to the floor each time, then shakes -the bamboo with a rotary motion until one of -the sticks detaches itself from the others and -falls to the floor. This she takes to a priest, who -reads the number upon it and gives her a slip -of yellow paper covered with Chinese characters, -and from it she will find the answer to her -prayers. It takes considerable imagination to -obtain solace from one of these pieces of paper, -as they are made to fit all cases, and carry about -as much meaning as does the “fortune” on the -card handed one by the figure in the slot-machine -for which we pay a penny.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The gods are not only worshipped at the -temples, but religious adoration plays an important -part in the home life. Over the kitchen -stove, in a niche, reposes the household god. -From that high place he watches all that goes -on within the household. He knows the sins -of commission and the sins of omission. Once -a year he is taken down and with great ceremony -<span class='pageno' id='Page_239'>239</span>burned and sent up to the Great God to report -upon the actions of the household for the year, -and a new god is installed in his place. In the -meantime he is propitiated in various ways. The -first thing in the morning a small bowl of rice -and another of water is placed before him, and -incense and candles are burned daily at his feet -to gain his favour.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Priests are frequent visitors at the homes, and -religious ceremonies attend all the great family -events, like the first shaving of the baby’s head, -or that most important day when the mother -attains her fiftieth year. This is a day of general -rejoicing, when her children unite and buy the -happy mother the greatest and most precious -present she can receive—her grave-clothes. They -are presented amidst much feasting, and chanting -of prayers, and burning of candles and incense, -and the mother is congratulated by all her friends -for the blessing of such filial children.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_240'>240</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XV<br /> <span class='large'>THE RED CHAIR OF MARRIAGE</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>The home must have its basis in marriage, and -to that important episode in woman’s life the -greatest attention is given. In China, as in India, -the betrothal ceremony is as binding as the -marriage, although I am told that the “new -woman” of China is rebelling at the child betrothals -and the lack of freedom granted her in -the choice of a mate. It is said that in Shanghai -a couple who have been betrothed in childhood -by their parents, on arriving at marriageable -age, may go before a magistrate and repudiate -the agreement, and in many instances their cases -have been upheld even against the protests of -father and mother. This shows the most extreme -progressiveness of present-day China, as hitherto -a child, especially a girl, was simply a chattel to -be disposed of according to the dictates of the -nearest male relative. Still, with the exception -of the foreign settlement of Shanghai, the old -customs of betrothal and marriage prevail, and -the principals in the marriage have very little -to say in regard to the disposal of their future. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_241'>241</span>Often children are betrothed before their birth -by parents, who, being good friends and desiring -to unite the families, agree that if a boy is born -in one family and a girl in the other, they shall -marry. Other matches are made by a professional -“go-between,” who is employed by the -parents of either the boy or girl to find a suitable -alliance for their child. This “go-between” is -so thoroughly recognized that the Chinese have -a saying, “Without a go-between no happy -marriage can be effected.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>After the search culminates in the discovery -of the bride and groom of equal social standing -and endowed with the proper amount of this -world’s goods, the names of the girl and boy -are written upon a paper and taken to the necromancer, -who decides whether the marriage will -be fortunate. Every child is born under the -protection of some animal; if the protecting -animal of the daughter is a sheep and that of her -fiancé a lion, naturally they should not marry. -But if the guardian animal of the bride-to-be -should be a bird, they will live in peace with one -another. The girl must be thirteen or fifteen -or seventeen years of age, as an even number -would be most unlucky. Seventeen years is -about the average marriageable age of a Chinese -girl at present, although formerly they married -when hardly more than children.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The marriage customs are essentially the same -all over China. The husband gives a certain sum -of money to the bride’s parents, which varies -<span class='pageno' id='Page_242'>242</span>with the position of the families. Among the -poor the girl is practically sold, although the -money is supposedly used for the purchase of -the wedding outfit. The bride’s standing in the -family of the husband often depends largely upon -the trousseau and the furnishings she takes with -her to her new home.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The outfit a girl of the middle class should -take with her, in order that she might command -the proper respect of her new relatives, should -include three red trunks, one table, two chairs, -one wardrobe, three tubs, two buckets, one washstand, -one dressing-case, a set of scissors, a footstove, -a teapot, wine-pot, two candlesticks, a -basin, sugar-bowl, tea-caddy, one set of cups, -a complete set of bowls and dishes, two wadded -quilts, two embroidered pillows, embroidered -curtain for the bed, and a complete outfit of -clothing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This donation of the bride’s parents to the -formation of a new home is carried before the -bride in the wedding procession. Often -musicians herald the coming of a bride, who, -from her closely covered red chair, watches with -beating heart the procession taking her to her -new mother-in-law, who can make of her future -home a prison or a palace of love. When she -finally arrives at the house, that is decorated with -red hangings and long scrolls of red silk and -flowers, both real and artificial, she sees her -husband for the first time as she steps over the -threshold. After the one quick look, they go -<span class='pageno' id='Page_243'>243</span>before the ancestral tablet, and, kneeling, touch -their heads three times to the floor. Thus she -shows that she is now one of the family, worshipping -her husband’s ancestors instead of those -of her own family; and after prostrating themselves -before her husband’s parents and drinking -from the same cup as a symbol of their unity, -they retire to a room, where they sit upon two -red chairs and the merry-making begins. Their -friends come in, and, facing them, try to make -the bride laugh, showing that she will be a most -frivolous woman. There is much music, feasting, -and playing of tricks on this joyous occasion, -and for this little woman, dressed in red satin -embroidered in gold, with a big crown upon her -head and bead-fringe hanging over her face, the -three days of the wedding festivities are most -wearying. But she realizes that she must enjoy -them if she can, because after they have passed -she settles down into the daughter-in-law, which -too often proves to be almost the place of a slave, -or at the most a household drudge. One can -imagine the discord and strife there is within a -household where there are several sons who are -married, each bringing his wife to his parents’ -home. I knew a family of grandparents, parents, -and children numbering thirty-eight, all living -in one modest house. We can understand the -Chinese savant making the character for discord -a roof with two women under it.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Often in a rich girl’s dowry are slave-girls, and -although it is really against the law to own slaves, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_244'>244</span>it is, in fact, one of the great evils of China. -These helpless people are owned by even the -poor. The mother of my maid possessed two -slave-girls whom she had bought when very -young. She treated them well, and when they -grew to marriageable age expected to find -husbands for them, giving them an outfit of -clothing and a small dowry. In times of famine -girls are sold for very small amounts of money -or exchanged for the more precious rice. This -seems most cruel; but in order that the rest of the -family may live, one must be sacrificed. When -everything of value is sold, when the winter -clothing is in the pawnshop, when there is no rice -to give to crying children, then there is but one -thing left for the despairing mother, she must -sell her daughter. Chinese mothers are the same -as mothers from all over the world, and she only -parts with her little girl as a last resort, to the -merchants who follow the disasters and fatten -on the misery of the Chinese peasant. When it -has become known that a famine has made -desperate the poor of a province, the merchants -from the tea-houses and the brothels of the great -cities go to the little towns and villages in the -track of the famine, and buy the girls from the -fathers and mothers, who can see nothing but -death ahead for all unless they sacrifice one. The -clever, pretty girls are trained for the tea-houses, -inmates of brothels, or concubines of rich men. -The ugly, stupid ones are domestics, and often -are most cruelly treated.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_245'>245</span>The owners prefer buying the girl very young, -from five to seven years of age, when she can be -more easily trained. If she is a pretty girl, her -feet must be bound, and if this is a cruel operation -under the tender hands of a mother, how -much more dreadful it may become when -attended to by some one whose only thought is -to profit by the girl’s beauty!</p> - -<p class='c005'>The slaves in a rich family fare very well. -Each child is given one or two personal servants, -and when the children grow up and marry they -follow them to the new home. Often a pretty, -attractive slave-girl becomes the secondary wife -of her master, and if she should be so fortunate -as to bear him sons, she ranks with her mistress -in the honour given her within the household.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a home in Shanghai for the rescue of -little girls whose mistresses are more than ordinarily -cruel. There is also a branch of the -Florence Crittenden work for the rescue of girls -sold to tea-houses. It is very hard for the people -who are engaged in this good work to obtain the -girls unless they are so badly treated that it -comes to the notice of the magistrate, who may -send the girl to the home for a given period.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I saw a pitiful case at a hospital at Soochow. -We were sitting in the clinic when a very pretty -woman came in and threw herself on her knees -before the doctor and began to cry. She said -between her sobs: “Oh, foreign doctor, help me -to get away, help me, help me!” She was a -respectable girl from Ningpo who had been sold -<span class='pageno' id='Page_246'>246</span>by her husband to a place in Soochow for four -years. She loathed the life, and when for the -first time she had eluded the old woman who -always goes out with these unfortunates to see -that they do not get away, she had appealed to -the only hope she knew. Yet that appeal was -useless, as nothing could be done for her. She -was nothing but a chattel of her husband, according -to Chinese law, and he had a perfect right -to sell her if he wished. I saw another pretty girl -of sixteen who had been sold for eighty dollars -to the same place. She came to the hospital to -have her back treated, as she had been severely -beaten with a brick because she would not make -herself sufficiently pleasing to a guest.</p> - -<p class='c005'>But the average Chinese girl goes to her -husband’s home quite likely within a short -distance of her girlhood village, and passes a -most uneventful life, one day being exactly like -another unless broken by the ceremonies attending -the births, weddings, and deaths of her husband’s -people. Every village is surrounded by -trees and is exactly like its neighbour, with its -one-story, thatched-roof houses, or, perhaps, if -the owner is especially prosperous, the pointed -roofs may be formed of blue-grey tiling. Part -of the front yard is beaten and made smooth to -be used for threshing the rice, the front room -of the house is used for the storing of the farming -implements, and the other rooms are given -to the different members of the family according -to their needs. There is no light and little ventilation in these rude village homes. Windows are -expensive and cold, as the houses are not heated -in the winter. The mothers may be seen sitting -in their doorways, holding in their hands brass -hand-warmers, in which are a few burning coals -of charcoal, and under their feet are the braziers -which provide the only heat for these poor people -during the cold months of the year.</p> - -<div id='i_246' class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/i_246.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>RAIN-COATS OF CHINESE WORKMEN.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_246'>246</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_247'>247</span>The life lived by these village people is life -reduced to its simplest form. The main food is -rice and a little cabbage. Meat is an unknown -quantity unless on special feast days. Beef is not -used, as the cow is a beast of burden, and the -Chinese have the same feeling in regard to its -flesh that we have for the flesh of horses. Ducks, -chicken, eggs, fish, crabs, snails, and clams are -the poor man’s luxuries. No hole is too muddy -nor water too filthy for a fish-net to be drawn -across it, or for the little crowd of boys who -catch the crabs to help fill the family pot.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The question of clothes is a simple one and -easily solved. The father wears a pair of blue -cotton trousers in the summer, while the mother -wears the same style garment with the addition -of an apron effect which covers the bust. An -amulet and a string are sufficient clothing for the -children during the warm days, but when winter -comes the wadded clothing must be brought -forth, often from the pawnshop, where it goes -in the spring to obtain money to buy the seed -for planting.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The great prayer which rises from the heart -<span class='pageno' id='Page_248'>248</span>of all Chinese women, rich and poor, peasant -and princess, is to Kwan-yin for the inestimable -blessing of sons. “Sons, give me sons!” is -heard in every temple. A woman is not honoured -until she has sons to worship at the tablets of -her husband’s ancestors. One of the chief -reasons for divorce in China is the lack of sons, -and if the first wife has no male children, and the -secondary wife has borne sons to her lord, the -lot of the first wife is very bitter. In one of the -foreign hospitals in Shanghai for Chinese women, -the wife of an official in Tientsin gave birth, much -to her sorrow, to a girl. She was inconsolable, -and would not allow the dreadful news to be -sent to her home, and the doctors feared that -she would take her life. But through a servant -the unhappy woman saw a way to regain the -love and respect of her family. At the same -time that the daughter was born to her a beggar-woman -in the charity department gave birth to -a boy. She bought the boy and telegraphed -her husband, “Thou art the father of twins.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>One of the upper servants in a consulate, growing -rich on the foreign spoils, took to himself a -second wife, giving as his excuse that he had -four daughters and no sons. At the birth of a -son to the new wife the first wife tried to starve -herself to death, and failing that, took opium -and gained her wish. She could not survive -the ignominy of being only the mother of girls.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Sons mean so much to a Chinese mother that -she feels that the gods must be jealous of her -<span class='pageno' id='Page_249'>249</span>happiness, consequently she puts an ear-ring in -one ear of her boy to deceive the god and make -him think the loved one is a girl. She also calls -him her “ugly one,” her “stupid one,” or simply -gives him a number so the gods will not see how -much he is loved and covet her treasure. There -is an economic reason behind all this love for -the man-child. A poor Chinese, a workman, -cannot save enough money to provide for even -his simple wants in his old age. Try as he may, -he can only earn enough to live upon from day -to day, but if he has sons he knows that when -old age comes, and he can no longer work, that -care will be given him and he will not want. -There is no crime so great as the lack of filial -piety, and the State punishes severely the son -who does not provide for his aged parents. -Indeed, of the five punishments of the criminal -code directed against three thousand offences, -disobedience or neglect of parents is the most -severe.</p> - -<p class='c005'>An illustration of this occurred not long ago -in the interior of China. A man arose in the -night at the sound of a burglar, and in the -struggle in the dark the robber was killed. On -bringing a light it was found that the robber was -the father of the man whose house he entered. -He was known to be a ne’er-do-well, but the -unparalleled act of killing one’s own father -aroused intense excitement in the whole province. -The case was deemed of such importance that it -could not be tried by the local magistrate, but -<span class='pageno' id='Page_250'>250</span>it was transferred to the courts in Peking, which -condemned the man to death, not because he -killed the robber, but because his father had -evidently been compelled to rob for a living.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another similar case came to the notice of the -foreigners in Shanghai. A man accidentally hit -his father with a hoe, causing his death. The -whole village took the man to the city, but while -on the road they met the magistrate, who asked -them not to bring the dreadful case before him -officially, but for the clan or village to mete out -the punishment and then report to him. They -buried the son alive.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Missionaries from a town in the interior asked -the American Consul to intervene in the case of -a boy nine years old, who, while in play, allowed -a stool accidentally to slip from his hand, hitting -his mother on the head and killing her. He was -condemned to death, but because of his youth was -to be kept in prison until he was sixteen, when -he would pay the penalty. The Consul did all -in his power to save the boy, but, outside of -friendly arguments, nothing could be done, as -he was a Chinese subject and came under the -jurisdiction of Chinese courts of law.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Because of this necessity for the provision for -the old age of parents, there are no homes for -the aged nor houses for the poor in China, unless -one excepts those established through foreign -influence. Each family must take care of its -own helpless, and if a person is so unfortunate -as to have no family, the begging-bowl by the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_251'>251</span>roadside is the only recourse when the years are -many and the once strong arms are weak.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The filial piety and respect for parents that are -so strongly entrenched in the Chinese character -causes the son to obey his father until the day -of his death. I know a man fifty years of age -who was offered the post of secretary of the -Embassy in London, but who declined this very -advantageous position because his mother did -not want him to go to a foreign land. He gave -up willingly the chance of a lifetime rather than -cause sorrow to his mother in her old age.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A mission in a certain town was very desirous -of buying a certain piece of ground on which to -erect a church, and the plan was balked by -the local official. The missionary conducting the -negotiations could find no suitable reason for the -official’s action in the matter, and finally asked -the help of his consul. The taotai was firm -in his refusal, and offered the mission land in -another part of the city for their church. When -pressed for a reason for his refusal he finally -said: “My mother passes that place each time -she goes to her favourite temple, and she objects -to a building holding a foreign god being erected -there. She thinks it would pollute the good -spirits of the air. I know it is what you call -superstition, but she is my mother and I must -obey her wishes.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Family life has been from time immemorial -the foundation-stone of the Chinese Empire, and -filial piety is the foundation-stone of the family -<span class='pageno' id='Page_252'>252</span>life. The Chinese is taught that the interest of -the family is always of greater importance than -the interest of the individual. This respect and -veneration is not only for the living, but also -for the dead. The death days of two generations -of parents are kept sacred with solemn -rites, and every home has its family shrine, to -which all the members must pay due reverence.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This respect and worship is paid by the woman -to the ancestors of her husband’s family, as it is -her destiny on reaching womanhood to go to a -new home and live in submission to her new -parents, and burn incense before the shrines of -her husband’s people. When she marries she -practically leaves her home for ever. If she is -returned to it—that is, if she is divorced—“shame -shall cover her to her latest hour.” Divorce is -very rare in China, but there are seven reasons -given for divorcing a wife. The first is disobedience -to father- or mother-in-law, barrenness, -lewdness, leprosy, overmuch talking, and -stealing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The woman is taught that her lifelong duty -is obedience. Her husband must be looked upon -as “heaven itself,” and she must pay all outward -respect to his parents. Her first duty each morning -is to bring a cup of tea to the bedside of her -husband’s mother, and to bow her head before -her as a sign of submission and respect. She -is taught that the only qualities that benefit a -woman are gentle obedience, chastity, quietness, -and mercy, and that the five worst infirmities -<span class='pageno' id='Page_253'>253</span>that may afflict a female are indocility, discontent, -slander, jealousy, and silliness. Confucius -says: “These five vices are found in seven or -eight out of every ten women, and it is from -these that arise the inferiority of the sex.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Generations of this teaching has made the -Chinese woman into a modest, quiet, lovable -woman, to be protected and cared for, appealing -to all that is chivalrous in her menfolk, her -very weakness her greatest strength.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_254'>254</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XVI<br /> <span class='large'>WHEN CHINESE WOMEN DIE</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>In a country where the worship of ancestors -plays such an important part in the religion, death -has a greater meaning than it has for those of -Western lands. The Chinese spend far too much -upon the ceremonies connected with death, rich -and poor alike vying with each other in the -elaborate arrangements for the disposal of their -dead. I met not long ago the funeral procession -accompanying the body of a captain of -labour to his last resting-place. He was many -times a millionaire, who began life as a boatman. -The sons boasted that they spent twenty -thousand dollars on his funeral. There were -eight native bands in the procession, led by the -European band of Shanghai, twenty men carrying -banners and umbrellas, about fifty men -carrying scrolls, on which were written the name -and rank of the deceased; there were over two -hundred Buddhist priests, dressed in their sackcloth -robes, and the wailing mourners and -friends in their mourning clothes of white, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_255'>255</span>followed in sedan-chairs and carriages. The -enormous coffin was covered with red -embroidered satin and carried by thirty chanting -coolies. Within the home the walls were -covered with white, and there were long scrolls -from friends telling of their sympathy and of -the greatness of the deceased family. At twenty -tables, seating eight each, feasting was carried -on day and night for a week.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the summer-time there are hundreds of -deaths, and the funerals of the poor pass our -house daily. They are very different from the -elaborate processions of the rich men. The -coffins, instead of being made of the finest teak -or heaviest ebony, are nothing but plain, rough -boxes, and the mourners either are on wheelbarrows -or they walk to the place of the dead, -the weeping wife being supported on each side -by a friend, who practically carries her as she -stumbles along in her grief. Paper money is -always scattered in front of the corpse in order -to pay his way into the new world; and -often one sees either a live rooster or an -imitation one standing on the coffin to bring -back to his home one of the man’s three -souls.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The body is often kept months within the -houses before a suitable day is found by the -necromancer on which to bury him, but because -of the manner of preparing for burial it is not -insanitary to keep a corpse in the house for a -few months. The coffins are made of hardwood -<span class='pageno' id='Page_256'>256</span>of four or five inches in thickness. First a -certain number of bags of lime are placed in -the bottom, varying according to the weight of -the person; over that is laid a wadded blanket, -if of a rich family it is of silk and often -embroidered, if the person be poor it is only -cotton; the body is laid in the coffin, dressed -in as handsome a suit of wadded clothing as is -consistent with the means of the family; the -ancestral tablet is laid upon the breast, paper -money at the feet; he is covered with the blanket -and the coffin hermetically sealed. The coffin -is the most precious possession of the Chinese, -and is often purchased years before death in -order that they may be sure of a dignified last -resting-place.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We often hear stories told at women’s clubs -of mothers who throw babies within the “baby -tower” to die. These baby towers are small, -round houses, situated on the outskirts of a city -or a village for the purpose of permitting the -poor to dispose of their dead children without -the expense of a coffin or a funeral. The interior -of the house is partially filled with quicklime, -and a small door opening on to a slanting chute -permits the poor mother to give her baby its -final resting-place. I have never heard of a -case of a live baby being sent to these baby -towers, as I found that a mother’s heart is the -same all over the world. My cook came to me -one morning with his eyes red from weeping. -I asked him the cause of his sorrow, and he -<span class='pageno' id='Page_257'>257</span>told me that his three-months-old baby had died -the evening before. He had no money with -which to pay for its burial, so in the night, when -the mother had at last fallen into a sleep, he -softly arose and, wrapping the tiny body in a -blanket, had laid it upon the table with twenty -cents beside it in order that the garbage-man -who came in the early morning might take it -to the baby tower outside the city. I said to -him: “But, cook, why did you not bury it -properly? Does not your wife feel very badly?” -He shook his head sorrowfully, and said: “Yes, -she too muchee cry, but what can we do? We -must buy rice for live babies.” That is the great -secret of the stoicism of the Chinese race. They -must buy rice for the living, and what often -seems to us as heartlessness and cruelty is -simply the effect of the great economic pressure -in a land where millions are on the verge of -starvation, and where the lack of a day’s work -means the lack of a day’s food.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In times of great epidemics rich Chinese and -the guilds or clubs of different forms of industry, -such as the Bankers’ Guild, the Tea Guild, or the -Goldsmiths’ Guild, provide coffins for the burial -of the poor, and in times of famine these same -guilds are most generous to their less fortunate -brothers. Near Soochow is a tomb of a man -who gave his entire fortune to relieving the wants -of the people of his province during a time of -famine. He is buried in the most picturesque -spot in the hills, the road to which is bordered -<span class='pageno' id='Page_258'>258</span>by a great many enormous boulders that rise -straight up from the ground. The Chinese say -that these stones stood up to show their -respect for the great man when his body -was carried to its last resting-place and that -they are waiting his commands to lie down -again.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dead are buried on the family estate; if -there is not room for all, a spot is leased from -a neighbour. The interment is not beneath the -surface except in a few provinces; the coffin -is set on the ground and the dirt is heaped over -it. Sometimes the fields are so thickly covered -with mounds that there is little room left for -cultivation. Especially is this so in the country -around Shanghai, which looks to the casual -passer-by like one vast graveyard. Funeral -expenses for parents are the most sacred of -obligations, and it is not uncommon for the sons -to part with everything they have in the world in -order to render proper respect to the memory -of their parents. A son is supposed to mourn -three years for his father, during which time all -occupation is to cease. In the case of a son -holding an important official position, he often -has to resign his post during the period of mourning, -or else be called unfilial. Strict mourning -for the mother only lasts three months, otherwise -the same honour is paid her memory as given -to the head of the household.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When a woman is left a widow, she often vows -that she will not remarry, and she spends her life -<span class='pageno' id='Page_259'>259</span>in pious acts that cause her village or her clan -at her death to erect a memorial to her honour. -This is generally in the form of an arch, built -of stone and erected near her village. In the -country districts one can see many of these concrete -evidences of the respect which the Chinese -have for loyal womanhood.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_260'>260</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XVII<br /> <span class='large'>CHANGING CHINA</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>China is changing so rapidly, and is becoming -so thoroughly Westernized, especially in the ports -where the Chinese come in contact with the -foreigner, that she can scarcely be recognized -by her old-time friends. We all admit that the -change is for the better so far as the nation is -concerned, but whether it makes for the individual -good is another and more serious question. -China is flooded with foreign adventurers who -want her untouched wealth, and who have cast -their greedy eyes upon her mines of coal and -iron and gold. These foreigners from all classes -and grades of society have brought dishonesty -and corruption in business dealings to the -merchant of China, whose word in the old time -was as good as his bond. In those days when -a Chinaman said, “Can putee book,” it was -known that the contract was settled and that -he would live up to his spoken word, whether -it meant loss or profit to him. But when dealing -with the foreigner the Chinese found that there -were no old-time customs to bind the merchant -from over the seas, except those of bond and -written agreement. If he had any traditions of -honour, he evidently left them in the homeland, -as nothing less than a court of law would hold -him to his contract if it seemed expedient for -him to break it.</p> - -<div id='i_260' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_260.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>RICE-BOATS ON CANAL, CHINA.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_260'>260</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_261'>261</span>For years the word “China” meant to the -adventurer of other lands a place for exploitation, -where money was to be obtained easily by -the man with fluent tongue and winning ways. -Even foreign officials did not scruple to use their -influence to enter trade. In one of the great -inland cities there was no water nearer than a -river several miles away. A foreign official, -boring an artesian well upon his place and finding -pure, clear water, conceived the idea of boring -wells throughout the city and bringing water to -the doors of the half-million of people who resided -in its narrow streets. He interested the -officials and raised a sum of money, and to doubly -assure the Chinese that their money was safe he -signed the contracts, not only with his name -but affixed to them the great seal of his Government. -After a few months’ trip to his homelands, -and a few aimless borings in the earth -in search of the water that never came, he relinquished -the project, but not the money, and -the officials could do nothing but gaze sadly into -the great holes that had taken their silver. They -learned that wisdom comes with experience and -now put into practice the proverb: “When a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_262'>262</span>man has been burned once with hot soup, he for -ever afterwards blows upon cold rice.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another case in which the Chinese officials -were duped by clever-tongued foreigners was in -Ningpo. Three Americans visited that city and -talked long and loud of the dark streets, the -continual fires caused by the flickering lamps of -oil that were being constantly overturned by the -many children. They showed the officials the -benefits of electricity, that a light upon -each corner would make it impossible for -robbers and evildoers to carry on their work, -which must be done in darkness. They promised -to turn night into day, to give poor as well as -rich the incandescent lamp at no greater cost than -the bean-oil wick. They were most plausible, -and raised thirty thousand dollars as contract -money. They left, ostensibly to buy machinery; -the years have passed; they never have returned. -Ningpo still has streets of darkness, men still -walk abroad with lighted lanterns, the lamp is -seen within the cottage, and will continue to be -quite likely until the hills shall fade, if electricity -depends upon the officials who once dreamed -dreams of a city lit by a light from Western lands.</p> - -<p class='c005'>This is one of the most serious handicaps of -the missionary in trying to Christianize China. -The dissolute white man is in every port, manifesting -a lust, greed, and brutality which the -Chinese, who are accustomed to associate the -citizenship of a person with his religion, attribute -to Christianity. It is no wonder that it is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_263'>263</span>hard for the missionary to make converts among -the people who have business dealings with men -from Christian nations.</p> - -<p class='c005'>But there are other questions besides those of -business integrity vitally affecting the Chinese -youth to-day. Along with the slight knowledge -which they have obtained of the manners and -customs of the Western world, they have absorbed -many of its vices. With their rose-wine and their -samshu the Chinese boy has learned to drink -champagne and brandy. I know the father of -five sons who told me that he would give all -that he possessed in the world if he had not -brought those sons to Shanghai.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Change is now the order of the day in China, -educationally as well as politically. We do not -hear the children shouting their tasks at the top -of their little voices, nor do they learn by heart -the thirteen classics. The simple schoolroom, -with hard benches and earthen floor, with a faint -light striking through the unglazed windows, is -no more. The old-time examinations at Peking -have gone, the degrees which have been the -nation’s pride have been abolished, the subjects -of study in the schools have been completely -changed. The privileges which were once given -the scholars, the social and political offices which -were once open to the winners of the highest -prizes, have been thrown upon the altar of -modernity. The faults of the old system of -education lay in the stress it placed upon -the memorizing of the many books whose contents -<span class='pageno' id='Page_264'>264</span>were not always understood by the young -mind, and in the lack of original ideas that might -be expressed by a student, who must give the -usual interpretation of the classics. Now the -introduction of free thought and private opinion -has produced an upheaval in the minds of China’s -young men, and they say what they think, even -trying to show that Confucius was at heart a -staunch Republican, and that Mencius only thinly -veiled his sentiments of modern philosophy. It -is generally conceded that the newer education -leads to the greater individualism which is now -the battle-cry of China.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese, both men and women, are reaching -out eager hands to obtain for themselves the -knowledge that is being brought from other -lands. Yet this thirst for education is not a -newly acquired virtue, for in no country is real -learning held in higher esteem than in China. -It is the greatest characteristic of the nation that -in every grade of society education is considered -above all else. As a race they have devoted -themselves to the cultivation of literature for a -longer period by some thousands of years than -any existing nation. To literature, and to it alone, -they look for the rule to guide them in their -conduct. To them all writing is sacred, and the -very symbols and materials used in the making -of the written character have become objects of -veneration. Even the smallest village is provided -with a scrap-box, into which every bit of -paper containing printed or written words is carefully -<span class='pageno' id='Page_265'>265</span>placed, to await a suitable occasion when -it may be burned.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The mission schools have been the pioneers -in the education of the young people of China, -and if the teaching of Christianity has not as -yet made many converts, the effect has been -great in the spread of higher ideals of education, -and much of the credit of the progress of -the modern life of China to-day must be given -to the mission schools, which have opened new -pathways in the field of learning and caused -the youth of China to demand a higher system -of education throughout the land.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is said that practically all the officials in -the new China are men who have been educated -abroad or who have been in one of the many -mission schools scattered throughout the country. -They are the ones who have taken what they -have learned of foreign lands and adapted it to -the needs of their country; but there are others -who have been abroad only long enough to -acquire the veneer of Western education, and -they are the young men who become the discontented -ones of China.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When Chinese boys go to a foreign land they -have many difficulties to overcome. They must -receive their information and instruction in a -language not their mother tongue. They have -small chance to finish their education by practical -work in bank or shop or factory. They get -a mass of book knowledge and little opportunity -to practise the theories that they learn, and they -<span class='pageno' id='Page_266'>266</span>are not clever enough to understand that their -textbook knowledge is nearly all foreign to their -country and to the temperament of their race. -When they return to their home they often find -that they have grown out of touch with their -people’s ways and customs. They come back -looking for employment, for a chance to use -their new-found knowledge; but they feel that -they should begin at the top of the ladder instead -of working up slowly rung by rung, as their -fathers did before them. They feel that they -are entitled to be masters, not realizing that -even with this wonderful foreign education -acquired, experience is necessary to make them -leaders of great enterprises or of men. It is -these boys who are the teashop orators and -preach the Socialistic dogma for which China -will not be prepared for many years to come.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Chinese boys and girls are going too far -and too fast in their thirst for the broader knowledge -and teaching of the Western world. It is -like the clothes that the Chinese girl is wearing, -trying to imitate her sisters of the Occident. She -has discarded the soft, clinging silks, the gay -embroideries, the jade and flowers in her black -locks, for the straight, dark skirt, the ugly -coats, and the untidy manner of dressing the -hair seen with the European women of the -coast towns. These do not become her, any -more than the scientific degrees become the -woman who has been for centuries a woman -of the home. We do not condemn education -<span class='pageno' id='Page_267'>267</span>for the Chinese woman any more than we -entirely condemn the change in the style of -clothing; but they should both be adapted to -the individual. This new education seems to -be too general, the personality of the boy or -girl being entirely left out. The youth are being -made into a set of jelly-moulds, all looking alike, -all trying to be formed upon the models brought -them from England or America.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Three things should be taken into account—who -the boy or girl is, where he is, and where -he is going. The mistake should not be made -in China that has been made in India—that is, -the turning out of a race of barristers and clerks -from her schools. China needs technical schools -for her boys and common sense applied to the -education of her girls. I have been in a school -for the education of the daughters of the better -class of Chinese, where the main accomplishment -for which the girl was applauded was her -facility in rendering a piece upon the piano. -I should have said “executing” a piece upon -the piano, because that is exactly what is -done when a Chinese girl attempts to interpret -foreign music. It is alien to her in every -way, and generations of study will not make the -Chinese maiden a musician in the foreign sense, -nor will they really care for the foreign music. -These girls who have wasted so many hours -in the practise of the piano will go to homes -where they cannot have a piano, or if they did -have one they would be the only persons in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_268'>268</span>the family who would appreciate its music. It -would be a conglomeration of bad sounds to -father, mother, husband. Many feel that the -young girls would be better employed in -learning a musical instrument understood -and appreciated by her people and one -that would give pleasure to her husband at -night, and perhaps be a factor in keeping -him from the tea-house, and the singing girls who -have a monopoly of the musical talent of China.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another thing that causes sorrow to the -conservative fathers and mothers is the fact that -as soon as their children receive a smattering -of the Western civilization they immediately -begin to scoff at their own modes of acquiring -knowledge and the text-books which have trained -their people’s minds for so many years. They -become proud of the fact that they know nothing -of the classics, and they quote Shelley, Byron, -Burns, and Browning instead of their own beautiful -poets. But, what is more serious for the -youth of this Eastern land, this worldly knowledge -seems to have freed his intelligence -without teaching him self-control, and it has -taken him away from the gods of his fathers -without replacing them with others. He, like -his cousin of Japan, is inclined to become -agnostic and say, “There are no gods.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>Whether the religion from the West is the -religion best suited for the Oriental we cannot -say, but whatever he receives from us must -be adapted to fit the needs and conditions -<span class='pageno' id='Page_269'>269</span>of his race and country. China must raise -up leaders from her own people, both men -and women, as her regeneration will come -from within, not without. More and more -the West must see that the East and the -West may meet, but they can never mingle. -Foreigners can never enter the inner door of -Chinese thought or feeling. The door is never -wholly opened, the curtain never quite drawn -aside between the two races. They are unlike -in almost every characteristic. The Westerner -is much more a materialist than is the cultured -man of China. To him the taste of the tea -is not so important as the aroma, and the -acquiring of wealth and honours is not so much -to be desired as is the ability to live the leisured -life, the life of thought and meditation, when -he may sit apart from the noise and cares -of the present day.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The rush and worry of the Western world seem -to have penetrated even to the women’s courtyard, -and there is no doubt that the new -China will be Westernized in every department -of her being. But we who love China -hope that she will not change too rapidly, -that she will take what is necessary for her -happiness from the knowledge and the mode -of life of the Occident, but that she will -touch it with her own individuality, making -it a real part of her and not simply becoming -an imitation of the alien people by whom she -is surrounded.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_270'>270</span>There is a charm about old China, and there -is more than a charm about the old-time -secluded Chinese women, who have been protected -and guarded from life’s worries and -battles, until they represent all that is most -beautiful and feminine and demand the chivalry -of the men of the world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Let the West come to China with all its -modern inventions and its politics and educational -policies, but let us always be able to -find within its quiet courtyards the quiet, sweet-faced -woman of China.</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_271'>271</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER XVIII<br /> <span class='large'>JAPANESE WOMEN AT HOME</span></h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>I have been eight times to Japan, living in the -big European hotels in Yokohama, Tokio, Kobe, -and Nagasaki, stopping for days at a time in the -native inns in the interior, or visiting at the homes -of friends. I decided that my ninth trip to the -little island would be different; consequently we -planned a few months’ stay in some out-of-the-way -place where we could keep house and live -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">à la Japonaise</span></i>. We had heard of the beauties of -Hakodate, the most northern port of any size in -Japan, and obtaining a letter to the American -Consul, we wrote him asking if it were possible -for him to find us a furnished Japanese house for -the summer months. We were delighted to hear -a few days later that he had found a place for us, -the summer home of a rich merchant, situated -on the mountain-side, overlooking the sea, and -surrounded by giant cryptomerias and pines. -Needless to say, we were soon on our way to this -paradise.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There were only four berths in the sleeping-car -on the Northern Express, and we engaged -<span class='pageno' id='Page_272'>272</span>two, but were not given the opportunity of using -them. At one of the stations a prince with his -retinue came on the train and pre-empted the -entire car. He used only one of the berths, as -no one could sleep over him, nor evidently near -him, and on all the long journey he selfishly -occupied the room by himself, while we, in company -with the half-dozen men composing his -suite, had to fit ourselves into a tiny compartment -that should have only accommodated four. The -men removed their elaborate outer robes, curled -themselves into comfortable positions, and -smoked and chatted or slept until a station of -any importance was neared, when they donned -their gowns, threw around their necks a long, -stiff piece of silk on which was embroidered the -Imperial chrysanthemum, and prepared to receive -the delegation of townspeople who were always -at the station to present an address to his Imperial -Highness, or to send in an elaborate meal, served -on beautifully lacquered trays.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I had a good look at the prince on his entrance, -and found him exactly like the representations -of the daimios of olden times that we see on the -fans and tea-boxes. He had the long, slim, pale -face of the aristocrat, absolutely different from the -round-faced Japanese who comprise the greatest -proportion of the island’s population. He looked -as if he might almost belong to another race. -I was told by one of his men that he represented -to many thousands of the people a god, as in his -branch of the family a certain godhead had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_273'>273</span>descended from father to son. When the train -stopped for any length of time at a station, the -people came in crowds and knelt, touching their -heads to the ground, and one old lady kept -bowing and holding up her hands, with the tears -streaming down her face at the joy of beholding -so great a divinity. He looked at them without -seeing them at all, never showing by any motion -or sign that there was anything to be seen except -the distant hills. I do not see how it was possible -for any human being to look so thoroughly impersonal -at a crowd of bowing, worshipping -people, when he knew he was the object of all -the adoration. Yet he looked at them as if their -faces were windows and their back hair the -landscape.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Train travel is interesting in Japan, if one will -travel in the ordinary day coach and watch the -people. The Japanese are great travellers, and -the clack-clack of their wooden clogs makes a -deafening noise at the stations, especially on the -bridges leading over the tracks. One sees whole -families going for an outing or on a visit to a -distant relative. They come on the train with -bundles and packages—most mysterious things -done up in large squares of cloth. They drop -their shoes before the seat and curl their feet -under them, and proceed thoroughly to enjoy -themselves. The seats run lengthwise of the -cars, and often a little woman gets tired of looking -out of the windows or at her fellow-passengers -opposite, and, turning her back on the car -<span class='pageno' id='Page_274'>274</span>and sitting practically upright, will lean her face -against the side of the window and go to sleep. -The manner in which they can sit upon their feet -for hours impresses a foreigner. At the larger -stations tea in tiny pots, with a little porcelain -cup, is brought in by the salesmen, and “bento,” -the lunch of cold rice, pickles, and fish of some -description, is sold in neat boxes, the dainty lunch -only costing ten cents, including a pair of new -wooden chopsticks. The Japanese masses, like -their prototypes everywhere, enjoy eating in -public, and the car is filled with the divers and -sundry odours of fruit, sweets, tea, and food. -They are not noisy, and always most polite, and -because of the dainty clothes of the women and -children, and the variety of their colouring, a -few hours can be spent quite well in studying -travelling Japanese close at hand. At one station -a party of pilgrims came on, dressed in white. -They belonged to some club in a far northern -village whose members paid a small assessment -each week, and each year lots were chosen to -judge who should benefit by the annual pilgrimage -to some famous shrine or to Mount Fuji. The -lucky winners in the lottery joined other pilgrims, -donned the pilgrim’s dress, and under the direction -of a guide made the one great visit of their -lives, the wonders of which they would be able -to tell their amazed neighbours when they -returned. These would listen with interest, as -it might be their good fortune to draw the lucky -number the coming year.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_275'>275</span>At the end of our long train ride, Amorri, we -went on the small boat bound for Hakodate, -where we were met by the Consul, a jolly, big, -whole-hearted man, who took us, metaphorically -speaking, at once to his bosom and became as a -long-lost brother. His wife, much to our surprise, -was a tiny little Japanese woman, no bigger -than a good-sized doll, and as pretty as a picture. -They looked so incongruous together that one -was inclined to smile. He weighed at least -250 lb., was over six feet tall; and I should -think that when dressed in all her finery, Mrs. -Consul might have weighed 85 lb. She was a -well-educated, well-informed little woman, who -needed all her charm and tact to keep her unruly -family in order. It was a big one, the last, a -boy, being the pride of the father’s heart, and -as nearly spoiled as the clever mother would -allow him to be by his worshipping father. -When I knew them better it was a joy to me to -see how she managed these children. The father, -who had been at one time captain of a sailing -vessel, always spoke to them as if they were at -the top of a mast on a wintry night with a -cyclone blowing. Tommy, the irrepressible, -would get up on the window seat, and his father -would hail him in a voice that could be heard -by the boats coming from Kamschatka: -“Tommy, get out of that window seat; you’ll -break your neck.” Tommy would not move; -again his father’s stentorian tone would offend the -evening air. The quiet little mother would turn -<span class='pageno' id='Page_276'>276</span>and give a nod of her pretty head to Tommy, -and Tommy would immediately climb down from -his perch and proceed to behave himself as young -boys should.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Consulate was partly foreign and partly -Japanese, and the children while at home in the -morning dressed in kimona and wooden clogs, -but in the afternoon they were gay in “home” -dresses and resplendent in hair ribbons, only -showing by the little turn of the eyes that they -were members of their mother’s race.</p> - -<div id='i_276' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_276.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>JAPANESE CHILDREN PLAYING.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_276'>276</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_277'>277</span>Soon after our arrival we went to see the place -that was to be our home for the next few months. -We did not see the house until we came to the -great gateway with its pointed roof leading into -a path shaded by giant cryptomerias, completely -guarding the house from view of the passer-by. -This hillside garden contained about five acres -of land, in which were winding pathways, giant -pine-trees, terraces of flowers, and here and there -a tori, a huge bronze stork, a grim stone lantern, -or a calmly reposing Buddha to show us we were -in the land of Nippon. We looked out over -the northern ocean, dotted here and there with -the sails of fishing-boats, or saw the smoke of -a steamer coming from Kamschatka, Saghlain, -or some of those mysterious northern ports, the -names of which were only places on a map. -After listening for awhile to the murmur of the -surf, we visited the interior of the house, which -contained five rooms. The furniture consisted -of the matting on the floor, the sliding “shojis,” -the fire-boxes, the cooking utensils, and dishes -for the serving of the meals. It was necessary -for us to buy our “futons”—that is, our bedding; -but otherwise the home was completely furnished -<i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">à la Japonaise</span></i>. The servant problem was easily -solved, as the daughter of the gardener wished -to be our maid, the gardener would run our -errands, and his wife would be the general superintendent -of the place. I expected to do the -cooking, as the time would be too short in Hakodate -to train a man in matters culinary. We -were soon installed, and then passed pleasant -days in <i><span lang="it" xml:lang="it">dolce far niente</span></i>, spending our mornings -in trips to the seashore, watching the fishermen -come in with their boatloads of squids. Their -arrival was the signal for all the women and -children of the village to flock to the shore and -unload the boats, then, after cleaning and pressing -these ugly fish, hang them upon lines to dry, -making the whole ocean front as far as the eye -could see a miniature wash-Monday. We were -not allowed to climb the mountain-sides except -to a certain distance, as the hills were heavily -fortified, and at sudden turns we were met by -great signs which stated plainly in English, -French, German, Japanese, and Russian that -further explorations were forbidden. We never -tried to disobey the laws in Japan, as these little -people are vigorous in their punishment of offenders, -to whatever race they may belong, and I -feel that they have been justified in upholding the -manhood of their people. In India and in China -<span class='pageno' id='Page_278'>278</span>you see the white man treat the native with barbarous -cruelty. While travelling once in India -our servant was making up the bed in the compartment -we had engaged on the train. A white -man entered, and without one word of explanation, -grabbed our man and beat and kicked him -and nearly threw him out of the car. In reply to -our indignant demands as to the cause of his -ill-treatment of our servant, he said that he -thought the man had made a mistake in the -berth and was taking one for which he had paid. -I said afterward to Ali, “Why did you not strike -him when he treated you so brutally?” Ali -replied: “Oh, mem-sahib, he was a white man. -If I had touched him I would have lain many -long days in prison.” In China also, on one hot -day in August I saw a rickshaw coolie, naked to -the waist, with the perspiration running down his -face in streams, running swiftly with a heavy -man inside his two-wheeled carriage. In passing -by a crowded corner, he brushed against -a white man, who was having his afternoon stroll. -The white man angrily turned, and, grabbing the -coolie by his hair, beat him across his bare back -with his cane until he stopped from sheer exhaustion. -The panting, perspiring coolie was -helpless as he could not drop the shafts, and so -was compelled to take the punishment. His -patron in the carriage, a richly-dressed Chinese, -dared not interfere because he also was a native -and understood there was no court of justice -when it was a question of a white man’s word -<span class='pageno' id='Page_279'>279</span>against that of the yellow man. They have a -saying in China, that when a Chinese walks along -the sidewalk of his own city of Shanghai, he is -pushed into the middle of the road by the American, -who only laughs at him, by the Englishman, -who swears at him, and by the German, who -kicks him, but—he is pushed into the middle of -the road. This could not happen in Japan, as -the Japanese courts punish severely any one who -dares to lay his hand in violence upon a Japanese, -however lowly may be his station or however -strong may be the provocation. While we were -in Yokohama, an officer of an American ship had -his hand severely hurt through the carelessness of -a Japanese longshoreman. In his pain and first -flush of anger he knocked the Japanese down, -and for his impatience was compelled to remain -six months in jail. His captain and his Consul -tried their best to help him, but it was in vain, -and he saw his ship sail away without him.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I came very near sharing his fate while in -Hakodate. The fisherman came to our doors each -morning with his enormous baskets of fish swung -over his shoulders. The maid, her mother, and -myself, spent many interesting moments in turning -over the scaly contents of his baskets in -order to make our choice amongst the varied -assortment he had for sale. I paid him by the -week, and one morning was called to the kitchen -by an indignant maid, who said the fisherman had -greatly overcharged me. The amount was far -too small, it seemed to me, to cause such keen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_280'>280</span>excitement, and I intended to dismiss the man, -saying I would pay him, but employ him no -more. I went over to a bucket of water, and -taking up the long-handled dipper to take a -drink, and not noticing that it was broken, I -gave it a little shake toward the fisherman, and -said, “Oh, go away, and don’t make so much -noise.” The cup part of the dipper flew off and -hit the indignant fisherman in the eye, whereupon -he immediately shouldered his baskets and -started for the magistrate. Needless to say, I -was frightened, and I immediately donned my -bonnet and started for the Consulate. The Consul -heard my story and sadly shook his head: -“If you really hit that coolie and he has you -arrested, I can do nothing. It will only make -matters worse to have me to interfere, so the -best thing for you to do is to go with me and -find that fisherman; offer him half of your estate, -but don’t get mixed up with the law in Japan.” -For two hours we haunted side-streets, where -at last we found our man, and, after a small -money payment and a promise to take fish from -him for the rest of the season, and practically -binding myself to listen to his insolence as long -as I was in Hakodate, he grudgingly assented to -withdraw his charge.</p> - -<p class='c005'>These itinerant dealers make housekeeping in -Japan easy. Men clad in blue cotton coats with -great straw hats on their heads and baskets piled -high with vegetables, come to the door each -morning; one passing along the streets both -<span class='pageno' id='Page_281'>281</span>night and day can hear the cries of the -travelling vendors, selling all that the average -householder may require.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Hakodate is filled with crows—monstrous, -black, impertinent thieves, who will come boldly -into the kitchen and take the fish from out the -frying-pan. Mornings I would take a pan of -corn, and in the rear of the house upon the hillside, -and hitting upon the pan’s side with a spoon, -would soon be surrounded by hundreds of these -beady-eyed birds, that are almost considered -sacred in this province. They were so tame that -they would fight at my feet for the kernels, and -I would be compelled to push them from my lap -and then, much to the maid’s disgust, the greedy -birds would follow me into the house.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We used to play a game, the crows and I. I -would pound on the pan until I had summoned -fifty or sixty, then I would start the song, -“Onward, Christian Soldiers,” and rapping on the -pan for accompaniment, would march solemnly -at the head of my serious, expectant army, up -hill and down dale, through the house, out again, -down the small paths, until even the maid who -considered the crows her enemies, would be compelled -to laugh.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Soon I found that if I was to live as -the Japanese, I certainly should dress in the -clothes of the country, as European clothes and -shoes are not comfortable in Japanese houses. -All my friends were Japanese, and I found I -must conform to their customs so far as was possible -<span class='pageno' id='Page_282'>282</span>if I would be happy and not an object of -curiosity. Consequently I went with the wife -of our Consul and passed two delightful hours -in choosing kimonas, which, if I had been allowed -to exercise my taste, would have been far too -gay for one of my years. I always associated -kimonas with pinks and blues and riotous -colours, but I found that, being a married -woman, I must confine my choice of colours -to greys and browns and soft-toned mauves. -I could indulge my love for ornamentation in -the obis, as these may be of stiff brocades in rose -and gold, or purple and gold, or, in fact, any -colour one may wish. I found also that the -Japanese dress itself may not be expensive, but -the price of the obis is ruinous to a small pocketbook. -It is in these last articles of adornment -that the Japanese lady spends her husband’s -money. She buys obis and puts them away in -her treasure-chest, only bringing them to the -light of day on occasions of festivity. The tying -of the obi is by no means a simple process, and -I could never learn its intricacies. The end must -be of a certain length, the big bow must be just -so correctly arranged or else it shows that one is -not <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">à la mode</span></i>. My friends were always lengthening -an end or tying a little tighter the roll that -gave the obi the correct tilt at the back. I found -it necessary to practise privately for several days -walking in the clogs before I dared try them in -public. The Japanese have three kinds of clogs—high -ones raised by two pieces of wood three or -<span class='pageno' id='Page_283'>283</span>four inches from the ground and with a piece -of leather as a mud-guard for use in wet weather; -another pair of dress clogs were necessary, with -the plain wooden sole covered with fine matting; -and still another pair of sandals, which were for -use around the garden or in places that did not -necessitate rough walking. The two pieces of -cord that pass between the great and the first -toe, and by which the clog is held on the foot, -compelled me to wear the Japanese sock, which -is made of white cotton, like a mitten, the great -toe being separated from the rest of the foot. -These socks are short, only coming to the ankle, -and are fastened by two or three metal clasps. -The shoes are never worn in the house, always -being left at the doorways, the thick cotton sole -of the stocking protecting the foot. It would be -as insulting to walk on the clean matting of a -Japanese house as it would be to walk on the -snowy damask of your hostess’s dining-table. -After a few falls and many awkward movements -I found the Japanese foot covering most comfortable, -the foot being absolutely free; but I soon -learned that my American stride did not conform -to the close-fitting dress of the kimona, as with -it the feet should not be set apart and one should -slightly “toe in” in order that the folds of the -kimona do not fly open. In one way Japanese -dress is not expensive, as the Japanese lady, -whatever her rank or wealth, does not wear -jewellery—no necklaces, nor bracelets, nor ear-rings, -nor brooches; even rings are an innovation -<span class='pageno' id='Page_284'>284</span>brought in with foreigners. Her only -jewels are the clasp of her obi fastener, generally -a piece of chased gold, and a couple of ornamental -hairpins or a comb for the hair.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I did not attempt the hair-dressing, as that is -a most complicated affair, and must be left to -the attentions of a hair-dresser, who comes to the -homes once or twice a week and makes the -elaborate coiffures that add so much to the beauty -of a Japanese face. Each age has its coiffure, -and a woman never tries to disguise her age in -Japan, because by her dress and style of hair-dressing -she frankly confesses the stage she has -reached in life. There is the baby with her -shaven head, then the little queue tied on the -crown; afterward the hair is cut square across the -neck, like the little dolls we see in the London -shops; then when she is ten years old the hair -is divided and made into a bow knot tied with a -piece of ornamental paper. As she arrives at -young ladyhood there is the elaborate “shimada,” -which in the case of the young woman is very -large, and, if Nature has not been generous, -helped out with tresses bought in the shops. The -married woman has a special coiffure which -grows smaller with age, until, when she is a -matron of forty, the age when the woman of the -Orient considers herself an old woman, it is quite -small. If the woman is so unfortunate as to -lose her husband, she cuts her hair, and thus -shows all the world that she is a widow. The -Japanese mature early, and old age comes to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_285'>285</span>them sooner than it does to people from the West. -A Japanese proverb says that man lives but fifty -years, and rarely does his span exceed seventy -years. In former days old age began at fifty, -and a man then considered himself unfit for business -and made over his name and property to -his son, passing the rest of his life in ease without -the cares of business. Old age is not a burden -to the Japanese woman, but is a paradise to be -looked for longingly. Then she, who has perhaps -been subservient to the mother of her -husband all her married life, knows that she will -be the head of her household, with her sons and -daughters ready to obey her, and, because of her -age and motherhood, respected and holding a -position in life denied her as a young woman.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Many of these quiet, soft-voiced mothers of -Japan were brought to call upon me by Mrs. -Consul. They taught me how to serve the tea, -the proper way of bowing, and even tried to -make of me a good follower of the Law by taking -me with them to the temples and visiting shrines -and holy places. One kindly woman brought -me a tablet for my “august-spirit-dwelling,” -which she placed in a tiny model of a Shinto -temple and put above the inner doorway of the -hall, where I was supposed to burn before it -each morning candles and incense, and keep the -little cups for rice and water filled. I was well -provided with gods, as another friend gave me a -Buddha for my household shrine, and all the paraphernalia -of service with which to worship him.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_286'>286</span>Below us on the hillside was the swagger tea-house -of the town, and the tinkle of the samisens -and the singing of the pretty girls came to us -faintly until late into the night. This pretty -music, mingled with the sound of the surf upon -the shore, was always the last sound we heard at -night after the maid had placed the night-light, -the tobacco-box, and the brazier for the tea at -our head, and then had knelt and said “Goodnight.” -In the morning we were wakened by -a softly murmured “O Hayo,” and a tray of -tea was respectfully slid across the matting to -give us strength to begin the morning’s work.</p> - -<p class='c005'>While in Hakodate I made the acquaintance of -many Japanese ladies and learned their customs -and the manner of their life, which is controlled -by thoughts and ideals entirely different from -those entertained by women of the Western -world. I think I much prefer the woman of -the old school, with her charming manners, her -elaborate bows, and her antiquated superstitions -and beliefs, to her daughter, who, like her sister -of China, India, and Egypt, is trying too hard to -wear clothes not made for her, and to adapt -customs and usages for which she is not formed -temperamentally or physically. The customs of -the modern world will come to the woman of -Japan, but they must be adapted to her conditions -and not be taken <i><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en masse</span></i>.</p> - -<p class='c005'>One of the most beautiful characteristics of -the Japanese is their reverence for old age and -their intense love for children. Japan has justly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_287'>287</span>been called the baby’s paradise, and certainly -in no country does the home life so thoroughly -revolve around the children as it does in Japan. -Like all Eastern women, the desire for children -is the most ardent wish of the Japanese woman’s -heart. The childless wife will move heaven and -earth in her desire to gain the blessing of motherhood. -She will visit watering-places, offer -prayers at temples, make long, irksome pilgrimages, -wear amulets, drink strange decoctions, and -allow herself to be imposed upon and robbed by -every charlatan who claims a knowledge that -will help her gain the craving of her heart—a -child. It will, therefore, be imagined with what -eagerness the arrival of a little stranger is -awaited in the home, and the happiest day in the -girl-wife’s life is the day on which they tell her -she is the mother of a son.</p> - -<p class='c005'>As soon as the event takes place, a special -messenger is dispatched to notify friends and relatives -while letters of announcement are sent to -those who are not so closely related in friendship -to the family. All thus notified must then make a -visit to the new baby and either send or bring with -them a present. Toys or clothing, always accompanied -by eggs or a fish to bring good luck, come -in great profusion, and when baby is about -thirty days old, return presents must be made to -all who remembered him at time of birth. When -baby is seven days old he receives his name, and -when he is thirty-one—or if a girl, when she is -thirty-three—days old, the first important occasion -<span class='pageno' id='Page_288'>288</span>of his life must be observed. He is dressed in -his best and gayest garments, and, accompanied -by members of his family, is taken to a temple -and placed under the protection of one of the -Shinto deities, who is supposed to become the -guardian of the child through life. This is a -day for present-giving also, and one especial gift -must come to the child, a papier mâché dog, -which is always placed at the head of the child’s -bed at night as a charm against evil influences.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The infant should not walk until it is a year -old; but if it is so precocious that it commences -to toddle before that time, a small bag of rice is -laid upon its back, and it is made to stumble -and fall. To walk before its first birthday is -a sign that it will die young or else become a -resident of a distant land. There are many superstitions -connected with the early life of a baby. -If he sucks his fingers before he does his thumb, -he will be a help to his parents in their old age. -If he crawls out of his covers at night, he will -rise in the world, but if he snuggles down in the -bed and is inclined to crawl towards the foot, -it augurs that a downward course is his fate in -life. If many of the children of a family have -died in infancy, the nervous mother will make -for this last gift of the gods a dress composed of -thirty-three pieces of cloth collected from thirty-three -different families, or she will shave his head -until he is seven years old, or give him a girl’s -name instead of a boy’s, thus deceiving the gods -who covet her treasure. If baby has prickly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_289'>289</span>heat, the first egg plant of the season is hung -over the door; while suspending the empty rice-pot, -still hot, over the baby’s head for a few -moments will make him immune from that affliction -of childhood, the measles. It passes its -days tied to the back of little brother or sister or -nurse until it can walk, then when it is two years -old the fifteenth of November is a great day for -all the babies. They are taken to the temple -and the blessing of the gods is invoked, and the -priests purify their bodies by waving over them -a sacred wand. This is the occasion for showing -new clothes and calling upon all friends, who -make presents to the child.</p> - -<p class='c005'>At three or four years children are sent to a -kindergarten, and at six years they enter the -Primary Schools, where there is a six-years’ compulsory -course for both boys and girls. Then -it only rests with the parents whether the child -receives a higher education, as there are in all -towns and villages a Middle School for boys and -a High School for girls. The average girl stops -her education with the Primary School, or at most -with the High School, but there is a University -in Tokio where the girl may complete her education -and fit herself for a vocation. But if she -has been six years at Primary School and four -years at High School, she is sixteen years old, -and of a marriageable age, although the average -girl does not marry until she is eighteen or nineteen.</p> - -<p class='c005'>There are a great many accomplishments -<span class='pageno' id='Page_290'>290</span>which it is necessary for a Japanese girl of good -family to know. The knowledge of needlework -is so general that it really is not considered an -accomplishment. But the art of letter-writing -must be known by all accomplished young ladies, -and the tea ceremony, which is the strictest -and most complicated of all the ceremonies -which surround the cultured Japanese, must be -thoroughly learned by the daughter of the house. -Each movement is regulated by custom, and a -mistake in turn of hand or position of the body -or the omission of any of the minute details in -regard to the bows and salutations in offering, -receiving, and returning the cups would show a -lack of proper training. The young girl is taught -the arrangement of flowers, which is an art by -itself in Japan. In the sitting-room of a -Japanese home there is a single vase of flowers -sitting in the tiny alcove, and they would lose -half of their attraction if they were not in some -manner symbolical in tone and colour with the -picture upon the kakemono which hangs above -them. The young girl is often taught to play -upon the koto, a kind of zither, although the -national musical instrument is the samisen, which -is played everywhere—at home, in story-tellers’ -halls and theatres, and at every tea-house party. -Girls start to learn this instrument at a very early -age, because it is necessary to learn it while the -fingers are still pliant. It takes time to learn -these instruments, as there are no scores and the -tunes must be committed to memory. Women -teachers come to the home to teach the girls in -all these arts, and often the samisen teacher has -been a famous geisha, whose support now is -teaching the music that once made her welcome -at the dinner-parties of gay Japan.</p> - -<div id='i_290' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/i_290.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic001'> -<p>AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN IN JAPAN.<br /><br /><span class='right'>To face p. <a href='#Page_290'>290</a>.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_291'>291</span>After mastering the accomplishments, her -business in life is now to marry, and few Japanese -maidens think seriously of any other lot in life -than that of marrying and becoming the mothers -of future Japanese. Japan is more progressive -than any other Oriental country, if we except -Burmah, in that it allows the girl to exercise a -certain amount of choice in the selection of a -husband. There are never cases of love matches, -but if she positively objects to a man who is -proposed to her, she is seldom forced to marry -him. It would be thought most immodest if -she refused to marry a man until she loved him, -as love is supposed to come with marriage and -the advent of the children. Only simple toleration -is expected before the marriage. The offices -of a go-between are asked to assist in the search -for a husband or wife, unless the match is made -by friends of the interested parties. When the -future husband has been selected, the go-between, -who must always be a married man, as -his wife takes an important part in the transactions, -brings about a meeting of the young couple -as if by accident. They may be strolling in a -garden looking at the hanging wistaria, or meet at -a theatre, where the families are introduced, and -the two most concerned have a chance to take -<span class='pageno' id='Page_292'>292</span>a good look at each other, and the next day, when -the anxious match-maker comes to the house to -learn whether his choice has met with favour, -they will give their consent, or the match will be -broken off, and the go-between will start again -the hunt for an eligible alliance. If everything -is satisfactory, a lucky day is appointed for the -formal proposal, presents are exchanged, and -then all look forward to the wedding. A couple -of days before the wedding the bride’s trousseau -and household goods are sent to her new home, -and its elaborateness is only limited by the -father’s wealth. Yet there are some things considered -indispensable in the outfit of a bride, -such as a bureau, a writing-table, a work-box, -two of the little trays on which meals are served, -together with the full dining outfit, and two or -more complete sets of bed furnishings. If she -is of a rich family, quite likely the clothing she -will bring with her will last her entire life, as -styles do not change so radically as to make -gowns go so completely out of fashion that -they cannot be worn. A wedding is a most expensive -proceeding for the father of the bride, -as each member of the groom’s family—father, -mother, brothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins, -even the servants—must all receive a present to -mark the joyous occasion. The wedding itself -is in the presence of only a few witnesses, and -consists in a few formal acts, the most important -of which is the drinking “three times three” -cups of saki together. To make the marriage -<span class='pageno' id='Page_293'>293</span>conform to the laws of Japan, the bride’s name is -removed from her family register and transferred -to that of her husband’s family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>After the ceremony there are entertainments -in the new home and at the home of the bride’s -parents, and then the couple settle down into -the married state for two or three months, when -the ultra-smart give a series of entertainments -to the friends who had no formal announcement -of the marriage.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The young wife does not have the happiness -of setting up an establishment of her own, but -she must go to the home of her husband’s father. -The mother-in-law question is a very serious one -in Japan, because she is absolutely the head of -the household, and the young wife has to -submit in all things to her mother-in-law’s will. -This is especially serious for the modern Japanese -girl, who perhaps has been educated in the -Government school, if she is compelled to go -to the home of a conservative old-time woman. -Naturally, the mother cannot understand why the -ideas with which she herself was brought up -should not be good enough for the other, and -finds fault with, what are in her eyes, outlandish -ways introduced by the new regime. These conservative -women are always loud in praise of -the old state of things, and believe that the -world is going to ruin, socially, morally, and -physically, because of the innovations brought -into their homes by their progressive sons -and daughters.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_294'>294</span>In addition to the parents of her husband, -the wife has to win the affection of his brothers, -sisters-in-law, and sisters, and her life is often -made intolerable by the envies, jealousies, and -petty faultfindings of the many women beneath -the new roof-tree. The patriarchal life prevails -in Japan as in all Eastern countries, and the -successful man finds he must support a crowd -of less successful relatives, whose claims are not -admitted by law, but whose appeals on the score -of kinship cannot be ignored, as custom allows -those related by blood or marriage to look for -help to the least unfortunate among them. The -new civil code forces the support of parents, -brothers, sisters, and other near relatives upon -the head of the household, in addition to that -of his wife and children. Thus a man is handicapped -in life and has to spend the money he -might otherwise use in educating his children -in the support of uncles, aunts, and cousins, and -perhaps a host of his wife’s relations. From -the social point of view this is undoubtedly an -excellent system, as it relieves the nation of the -support of its poor, but it bears heavily upon -the individual, and many a young man’s ambition -has been shattered and his road to success -blocked by the sordid cares and petty troubles -caused by the necessity of maintaining a large -household.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The great authority on the conduct of women -who marry was written by a Japanese scholar, -based on the teaching of the Chinese sages. In -<span class='pageno' id='Page_295'>295</span>it the wife is told she must give unconditional -obedience to her husband, who is in every respect -her superior and the absolute lord and master -of her body and soul; whatever he does is right -and she may not even murmur. She occupies -a position in her husband’s household practically -of an upper servant. She must not frequent -public resorts, nor go sight-seeing with the wealth -her husband may obtain, and until she is forty -years old is not to be seen in company, but -to remain at home attending to her household and -her children. This sounds very well, but women -are women the world over; and although -Japanese wives are gentle, docile, and obedient, -yet they have a virility and strength of character -that compel the respect of their husbands, and -in their own domain their word is law.</p> - -<p class='c005'>In the olden time each Japanese girl was supposed -to know the precepts contained in a book -called “Greater Learning for Women,” written -by a famous scholar several hundred years ago. -For nearly two hundred years it was one of the -indispensable articles that a bride took with her -to her new home, but the present modern -Japanese maiden knows very little of the -“Greater Learning.” I am afraid, indeed, that -she is more thoroughly conversant with a -parody of these famous precepts, which has -been written by a young man of modern Japan. -This is so radical that it is forbidden in the -libraries of the mission schools in the fear -that the Japanese girl will imbibe too early -<span class='pageno' id='Page_296'>296</span>the tendencies fatal to the happiness of -the Eastern woman, as she takes her first step -from her secluded doorway into the path that -leads to the higher learning of the Western -world.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Japanese women are womanly, kindly, gentle, -and pretty, and perhaps they owe this gentleness -and courtesy to the precepts taught by their -old sages.</p> - -<p class='c005'>According to Shingoro Takaishi, in his -“Wisdom and Women of Japan,” the famous -moralist left the following instructions to help -women in their perilous journey through life—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“Seeing that it is a girl’s destiny, on reaching -womanhood, to go to a new home, and live in -submission to her father-in-law, it is even more -incumbent upon her than it is on a boy to receive -with all reverence her parents’ instructions. -Should her parents, through their tenderness, -allow her to grow up self-willed, she will infallibly -show herself capricious in her husband’s -house, and thus alienate his affection; while, if -her father-in-law be a man of correct principles, -the girl will find the yoke of these principles -intolerable. She will hate and decry her father-in-law, -and the end of these domestic dissensions -will be her dismissal from her husband’s -house and the covering of herself with ignominy. -Her parents, forgetting the faulty education they -gave her, may, indeed, lay all the blame on -the father-in-law. But they will be in error; -for the whole disaster should rightly be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_297'>297</span>attributed to the faulty education the girl -received from her parents.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“More precious in a woman is a virtuous heart -than a face of beauty. The vicious woman’s -heart is ever excited; she glares wildly around -her, she vents her anger on others, her words -are harsh and her accent vulgar. When she -speaks it is to set herself above others, to -upbraid others, to envy others, to be puffed up -with individual pride, to jeer at others, to outdo -others—all things at variance with the way in -which a woman should walk. The only qualities -that befit a woman are gentle obedience, -chastity, mercy, and quietness.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“A woman has no particular lord. She must -look to her husband as her lord, and must serve -him with all worship and reverence, not despising -or thinking lightly of him. The great lifelong -duty of a woman is obedience.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“A woman shall be divorced for disobedience -to her father-in-law or mother-in-law. A woman -shall be divorced if she fail to bear children, -the reason for this rule being that women are -sought in marriage for the purpose of giving -men posterity. A barren woman should, however, -be retained if her heart be virtuous and -her conduct correct and free from jealousy, in -which case a child of the same blood must be -adopted; neither is there any just cause for a -man to divorce a barren wife if he have children -by a concubine. Lewdness is a reason for -divorce. Jealousy is a reason for divorce. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_298'>298</span>Leprosy or any like foul disease is a reason for -divorce. A woman shall be divorced who, by -talking overmuch and prattling disrespectfully, -disturbs the harmony of kinsmen and brings -trouble on her household. A woman shall be -divorced who is addicted to stealing.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“All the ‘Seven Reasons for Divorce’ were -taught by the sage. A woman once married -and then divorced has wandered from the -‘way,’ and is covered with great shame, even -if she should enter into a second union with a -man of wealth and position.</p> - -<p class='c005'>“It is the chief duty of a girl living in the -parental house to practise filial piety towards -her father and mother. But after marriage her -duty is to honour her father-in-law and -mother-in-law, to honour them beyond her -father and mother, to love and reverence them -with all ardour, and to tend them with practise -of every filial piety. While thou honourest thine -own parents, think not lightly of thy father-in-law. -Never should a woman fail, night and -morning, to pay her respects to her father-in-law -and mother-in-law. Never should she be -remiss in performing any tasks they may require -of her. With all reverence must she -carry out, and never rebel against, her father-in-law’s -commands. On every point must she -inquire of her father-in-law and mother-in-law, -and abandon herself to their direction. Even -if thy father-in-law and mother-in-law be pleased -to hate and vilify thee, be not angry with them, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_299'>299</span>and murmur not. If thou carry piety towards -them to its utmost limits, and minister to them -in all sincerity, it cannot be but that they will -end by becoming friendly to thee.”</p> - -<p class='c005'>There is a sword of Damocles always hanging -over the head of the Japanese woman—that -is, the fear of divorce. Among the higher -classes the dread of scandal and gossip serves -as a restraint upon the too free use of the -power of divorce, but even now one meets many -respectable and respected persons who, some -time in their life, have gone through such an -experience. Obtaining a divorce is not such a -complicated affair as it is in America. It -is enough that the parties agree to separate and -make a declaration, witnessed by two reputable -witnesses, at a local magistrate’s office, and the -divorce takes place by mutual consent. As in -the case of marriage the consent of the parents -or guardians of a girl under twenty-five years -of age and a man who is under thirty must be -obtained, so this consent of parents or guardians -is necessary before a divorce may be granted. -Then the domicile of the wife is retransferred in -the books of the registrar from the domicile of -the family in which she was married to that -of her original family. If one of the parties -concerned refuse to give their consent to the -divorce an application is made to the courts. -There are several grounds upon which judicial -divorce is granted—first, for bigamy; secondly, -the wife may be divorced for adultery, but not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_300'>300</span>the husband, unless the crime has been committed -with a married woman, when the unfaithful -wife and her lover are liable to penal -servitude for a term not exceeding two years, -if the charge is brought by the outraged -husband. The man cannot be punished alone; -the woman must share his fate. As in many -European countries, marriage is forbidden -between the respondent and the co-respondent -in a divorce case.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Another, and one of the chief causes for -divorce in Japan, are the complications that -naturally arise from the many people living in -one house. Either party may seek divorce if -ill-treated or insulted by the parents or grandparents -of the other, and mothers-in-law, with -their hard tongues and bitter words, are the -frequent causes of separation of husband and -wife. One provision of the law which serves -to make most mothers endure any evil of their -married life rather than sue for divorce is the -fact that the children belong to the father, and -the mother returns childless to her father’s house. -In this country, where the woman is economically -dependent upon her menfolk, even if she were -allowed to take the children, quite likely they -would not be made welcome in a home where -there are always too many mouths to feed; -therefore the Japanese mother puts up with many -brutalities and heartaches in order to keep with -her the only bright things she has in life, her -children.</p> - -<p class='c005'><span class='pageno' id='Page_301'>301</span>The Japanese wife leads a very busy life. In -all but the very wealthiest and most aristocratic -families the wife and daughters do a large part -of the housework. In a house with no furniture, -no carpets, no pictures, no stoves or -furnaces, no windows to wash, no latest styles to -be imitated in the making of clothing, there is -not so much work in the care of a house as -there is in the Western world, where the rooms -are filled with a multitude of unnecessary articles -that seem only made to give toil to women. -But because of the lack of conveniences it takes -time to properly care for the rooms in a Japanese -house. Every morning there are the beds to be -rolled up and placed in the closets, the mosquito-nets -to be taken down, the rooms to be swept, -dusted, and aired; and the veranda floor is -polished several times a day as if it were a -precious piece of silver. The cooking and washing -of the dishes take a great deal of time, as -the former is done over a tiny charcoal stove -and the dishes are washed in cold water. There -is not a moment of time that the wife is idle, -as there is always the family sewing to be superintended, -the mats and cushions to be recovered, -the wadding to be renewed in the bed -coverings and the winter kimonas. Many of -the Japanese dresses must be taken to pieces -whenever they are washed, and the wet breadths -smoothed upon a board and placed in the sun -to dry. The careful housewife makes over the -older daughters’ dresses for the younger -<span class='pageno' id='Page_302'>302</span>daughters, and these clothes are washed, -turned, dyed, and made over and over again -so long as there is a shred of the original material -left to work upon.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The Japanese believe that a woman passes -through three critical stages in her journey -through life. If she passes her nineteenth, her -thirty-third, and her thirty-seventh years safely, -she has a chance of living to a good old age -and seeing her children and her grandchildren -grow up around her. Her most critical year -is her thirty-third, and not only this year -itself, but the years immediately preceding -and following are considered inauspicious. -Consequently there are three years during -which period women will refrain as much -as possible from acts which may appear like -tempting Providence. When a woman attains -her sixtieth birthday it is an occasion for great -festivities, when she invites all her friends to -a dinner to celebrate this wonderful event. If -a man or woman should have occasion to celebrate -their seventieth birthday, they distribute -among their friends and relatives large red and -white cakes with the character signifying -“longevity” written upon them, and with each -increasing year the old man or woman gain in -the respect of their community.</p> - -<p class='c005'>When the last illness comes to father and -mother it would be considered most unfilial for -any of the children not to be present at the -parent’s death-bed. When all is over the son -<span class='pageno' id='Page_303'>303</span>or the wife wets his lips with water, and so -universal is this custom that the expression “to -wet the dying lips with water” has come to -signify the tending of a patient in his last -illness. One of the reasons why the Japanese -believe that the wife should be younger than -the husband is that she may be able to fulfil -this last office for her loved one.</p> - -<p class='c005'>It is known that death is in the room by the -placing upside down of a screen before the bed, -and the quilt covering the body is reversed, the -foot covering the dead man’s breast. A white -cloth is laid over the face, as its exposure would -be an obstacle to the soul’s journey on its road -to the other world. Everything done for the -dead is the reverse of that done for the living; -for example, in the tub for the last bath cold -water is poured first, then hot water added until -it is of the right temperature. The head is -shaved by touching it with the razor in small -patches instead of running it continuously as in -life. The burial garment is made by two women -relatives, sewing with the same piece of thread -in opposite directions, and the kimona is folded -from right to left instead of from left to right -as a man would wear it ordinarily. Mittens, -leggings, and sandals are worn, the sandals being -tied on the foot with the heel in the place of -the toe, to signify that the dead must not return, -drawn back by the love of the world. Around -the neck is suspended a bag of Buddhist charms, -and a small coin, or picture of a coin, with which -<span class='pageno' id='Page_304'>304</span>to pay the ferryman. If the wife dies, the -husband does not publicly mourn for her, -although her children do; but if the husband -dies the wife should mourn the rest of her life, -and she often cuts off her long hair and places -it in the coffin of her husband, showing that -she resolves to be always faithful to his memory. -In a child’s coffin a doll is placed to keep the -child company on its first journey without mother -or father. The last rite is to cover the body -with incense-powder or dried aniseed, and then -it is ready for the funeral ceremonies.</p> - -<p class='c005'>A funeral procession in Japan is an imposing -affair. The corpse, in its palanquin or in the -modern hearse, is preceded by men carrying large -white lanterns on poles, bundles of flowers stuck -in bamboo pedestals, stands of artificial flowers, -and birds in enormous cages, which are set free -at the temples as an act of merit. The priests, -friends, and relatives move slowly and sadly to -the temple, in which there is a service, then -the bier is taken to the crematory by the chief -mourner and the near relatives. The ashes are -removed the next day to their permanent home -in the public crematorium or in the temple -burying-ground of the family.</p> - -<p class='c005'>For fifty days after the death incense and -lights are kept burning before the tablet of the -deceased at his late home, and prayers are offered -at the grave for the same length of time. A -priest comes from the temple every seventh day -to offer incense and prayers with the sorrowing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_305'>305</span>family, who believe that for forty-nine days the -spirit of their dead wanders in the dark space -that lies between this world and the next. Every -seventh day it makes a step forward and is helped -by the prayers of loved ones left behind. The -sorrowing wife is taught that the spirit cannot -tear itself away from its old home and hovers -over it, and unless it is absolutely necessary no -loving woman would remove from her home until -the forty-nine days were past, for fear of giving -sorrow to the spirit of her husband, if he did -not find her in the place where they had passed -together their years of happiness.</p> - -<p class='c005'>The dead are not quickly forgotten in Japan. -Memorial services take place the forty-eighth -day, the hundredth day, and the first anniversary -of the death, and services are held for even fifty -years. Lafcadio Hearn expresses the reverence -which these people give their loved ones -who have gone before them by saying:—</p> - -<p class='c005'>“In this worship we give the dead they are -made divine. And the thought of this tender -reverence will temper with consolation the melancholy -that comes with age to all of us. Never -in our Japan are the dead too quickly forgotten; -by simple faith they are still thought to dwell -among their beloved and their place within the -home remains holy. When we pass to the land -of shadows we know that loving lips will nightly -murmur our names before the family shrine, that -our faithful ones will beseech us in their pain -and bless us in their joy. We will not be left -<span class='pageno' id='Page_306'>306</span>alone upon the hillside, but loving hands will -place before our tablet the fruit and flowers and -dainty food that we were wont to like, and will -pour for us the fragrant cup of tea or amber -rice-wine. Strange changes are coming upon -this land, old customs are vanishing, old beliefs -are weakening, the thoughts of to-day will not -be the thoughts of to-morrow; but of all this -we will know nothing. We dream that for us -as for our mothers the little lamps will burn -on through the generations; we see in fancy -the yet unborn, the children of our children’s -children, bowing their tiny heads and making -the filial obeisance before the tablet that bears -our family name.”</p> - -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_307'>307</span> - <h2 class='c006'>CONCLUSION</h2> -</div> - -<p class='c012'>The ocean that geographically divides the East -from the West is not more wide nor deep than -is that invisible ocean between the minds of the -woman of the Orient and the woman of the -Occident. A sympathetic understanding between -peoples whose ideals have been so differently -constructed, and who have had such radically -opposite training, is next to impossible. No -matter what the Western woman may do in the -hope of touching the emotional life of the woman -of the East, she soon finds that further progress -is barred, that a gate before unseen has closed, -shutting her out from the inner life.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I knew a very advanced woman in Southern -India who had broken caste and who went about -freely, mingling with both Europeans and Indians -with the same freedom as an American woman -would. She dressed in a costume partially -Indian and partially European, wore slippers, and -arranged her hair in the European fashion. One -day I went to her house rather earlier than the -usual hour for calling. I hardly recognized her, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_308'>308</span>as she was the Indian woman of the home, -dressed in a sari, her hair hanging down her -back in braids, and with heavy anklets over her -bare feet. She blushed and said: “Oh, I do -not want you to see me like this,” and she did -not understand me when I told her that I felt -that I was seeing the real woman for the first -time.</p> - -<p class='c005'>I thought many times in my long residence -in the East that I had really entered into the life -and understood the thoughts, hopes, and ambitions -of the Eastern woman, when at some -thoughtless word or action on my part a wall -of fog would come between us, with a thick, -impenetrable, blanket-like mist, made up of -custom, tradition, and the results of environment, -and when it would lift we would find our little -boats far from each other on a sea of mutual -misunderstanding.</p> - -<p class='c005'>Despite our incapacity to enter into the soul -life of this ancient East, we find ourselves -fascinated and bewitched by the charm of these -secluded women of the Orient, who live a life -of instinctive unselfishness, their days given to -the making of happiness for others.</p> - -<p class='c005'>We say: “Must there always remain the width -of the world between the Eastern woman and -the woman of the West? Will the education -which is being grasped so eagerly by the woman -of the Orient lessen the distance, and will it -break down the barriers?” Only time will tell. -The children of the present boys and girls -<span class='pageno' id='Page_309'>309</span>in school and college will have had the -foundation of the three generations of intellectual -training, and will have learned to take what -is best for them from Western knowledge and -use it as a means of breaking the iron bands of -ignorance, superstition, and loyalty to old-time -custom and tradition, which stands an immovable -mountain in the pathway of true -friendship between the woman of the West -and the woman of the East.</p> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div><span class='small'>UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> -<p> </p> - <hr class='pb c004' /> -<p> </p> -</div> -<div class='tnotes'> - -<div class='section ph2'> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c001'> - <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</div> - </div> -</div> - -</div> - - <ol class='ol_1 c003'> - <li>Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - - </li> - <li>Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. - </li> - <li>The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain. - </li> - </ol> -</div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="pgx" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HARIM AND THE PURDAH***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 63959-h.htm or 63959-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/3/9/5/63959">http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/9/5/63959</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - -<p>Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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