( 38 ) 



is sold is stated, respecting the better sorts, to bear the same 

 proportion to that of the best mutton, as the inferior 

 does to that of inferior mutton, and varies from one-third that 

 of mutton to an equal price with it. In Sind, fish is gener- 

 ally eaten by the population of the province, whether 

 Mussulman or Hindu, except the Brahmans. In the North- 

 Western Provinces, containing about 28 millions of popu- 

 lation (p. cxliv), out of 20 returns received from native 

 officials, 17 give more than half of the people as not for- 

 bidden by religious scruples to eat fish. In Oudh, the 

 majority of the people appear to eat fish, which seems to be 

 more of a necessity than a luxury, whilst a larger number 

 would consume it were the supply equal to the demand. 

 In the Bombay Presidency, the returns appear to show 

 conclusively that the majority of the inhabitants of the 

 inland districts are consumers of fish when they can pro- 

 cure it. In the Assigned Districts of Haidarabad, fish, as 

 food, is esteemed by a very large proportion of the residents. 

 In Mysor and Coorg, that at least half the people are fish- 

 eaters when they are able to obtain this species of food. In 

 the Madras Presidency great numbers are fish-eaters, the 

 largest exceptions being Brahmans, goldsmiths, high-caste 

 Suclras, the followers of Siva, Jains, &c. The Collector of South 

 Canara gives the proportion of fish-eaters at 89 per cent. ; 

 advancing southwards into Malabar, this proportion appears to 

 decrease. In Tanjor and further towards Madras, exceptions to 

 this strict carrying into effect of the rule of not consuming 

 that which possessed animal life begins to be observed, but in 

 many parts of the presidency salt-fish appears to be preferred 

 to the fresh, more especially by the lower castes. In Orissa, 

 all but the Brahmans and some religious fanatics seem to 

 eat it, but not in its salted state. In Bengal Proper, from 90 

 to 95 per cent. (p. clxxix), and in Assam and Chittagong, 

 almost the entire population (see Bengal Supplementary 

 Report, p. ccxxvii). In Burma, the population, as Buddists, 

 profess a religious horror at taking the lives of the lower 

 animals ; but being universally fond of a fish diet, they judi- 

 ciously condemn the fishermen to eternal perdition, whilst 

 they consume their fish in the form of nga-pee. Without 

 entering more fully into this subject, it may be fairly 

 advanced that fish is more suitable as a general food to the 

 natives of the Indian Empire than the flesh of village sheep, 

 pigs, and fowls, whilst the majority of the people eat it when 

 they can procure it. 



