﻿456 AN ACCOUNT OF THE BAZEEGURS, 



sional abilities. The girls, who are merely tang-ht- 

 to dance and sing, like the common Nark 2;irls of 

 Hindoosfan, have no restrictions on their moral con- 

 duct as +emales ; but the chastity of those damsels 

 whose peculiar department is tumbling, is strictly 

 enjoined, until their stations can he supplied by 

 younger ones, trained up in the same line When 

 this e\ ent takes place, the older pertbruiers are then 

 ptrmitted to join the mere dancers, from among 

 whom the men, though aware of their incontinence, 

 make no difficulty of selecting a wife. -After the 

 matrimonial ceremony is over, • they no longer ex- 

 hibit as public dancers. \ total change of conduct 

 is now looked for, and generally, 1 believe, ensues. To 

 reconcile this in some manner to our- belief, it may 

 be necessary to mention, that contrary to the pre- 

 vailing practice in Iiulia, the lady is allowed the 

 priviLge of judging for herself, nor arc r.i.y prepara- 

 tions tor the marriage thought ot till her assent has 

 been given, in cases where no previous choice has 

 been made. • 



There are in and about the environs of Calcutta, 

 five sets of these people, each consisting of from 

 twenty to tiiirty, exclusive of children There is a 

 Surdar 'to each set, one of v hom is considered as the 

 chief or Nardar Boutah, at tliis station ; the name of 

 the present is Munb hungee^'^, which in one sense 

 of the word, may be translated l-on I'lxarit, or Jovial 

 Soul; and it is probable, his social qualities may have 

 obtained tor him his present exalted situation as well 



as 



* The hemp plant, well known here as an intoxicating drug, under 

 the name oib,hiing corrupted to hang, is probably the word whence 

 bjmrigee is derived, as this is oftcii a term ot reproach like our 

 dncnkarJ, sot, &c. applied to thore who indulge in the various pre- 

 parations of his pernicious vegeiable, named subzee, ganja, churus, 

 &c. Mun expresses the Latin mens, tnhid, and is tht- root ot many 

 common U'ludostanee words. From it the name di Mur.oo (Menu) the 

 famous Hindoo law-givcr, is regularly formed, and might be trans- 

 lated Intell'igeiice, The being, Sec. It is frequently used as a term of 

 endearment to Children^ Mojik'tes, Sec. like our Jackey, 



