The Hindus in the West Indies. 27 



It was a hold yet a noble step on the part of the British Government 

 to prohibit '-widow burning " and though the condition of woman is still 

 a forlorn one, yet matters are improving. In the after literature of India, 

 woman is made to perform great wonders through the burning of her 

 body. "• By it she saves her husband from hell tire."' By sacrificing 

 herself " she is abl^ to save her husband and all her relatives ! Even if a 

 woman's husband is a murderer " suttee " oblitex-ates all his sins ! But 

 if woman is considered to be " sin personified when alive, what extra- 

 ordinary things she is able to do by her death ! •' As the eajjle snatches 

 a serpent from his hole, so a woman by performing ' suttee ' delivers her 

 husban i from hell and rejoices together with him in heaven. " (11.) 



A local writer (2) states that woman " has no choice in any matter 

 throughout life." To prove that abject obedience is required of women, we 

 will quote the following : " A woman 's not allowed to go out of the house 

 without the consent of her husband, nor to laugh without a veil over her 

 face, nor to stand at the door, nor look out at the window. She was 

 made for servitude to her husband, she has no fitness for his equal 

 companionship." (2.) 



We have frequently asked women to give us the names of their 



husbands, and invariably they have refused so to do. The reason of this 



seems to be that a slave has no business to pollute the very sound of her 



ord and master's name. We have also been told that if a woman dare 



mention her husband's name, " something " will of a surety happen to him. 



The women of India are celebrated for their modesty, and we have 

 frequently noticed the women here to cover their heads as soon as they 

 have noticed a man pass by. We believe we are correct in stating that 

 the women in India are as moral as the women of Ireland. Such a thing 

 as a woman 1 aving her husband is unknown. Here in Demerara quite 

 the reverse prevails. Is it any wonder then that the Hindu who, 

 according to his own religion, is so far superior to the woman, when he 

 finds that his wife has proved unfaithful, takes his ' ; cutlass'" and makes 

 mincemeat of such a thing ? He considers woman a mere chattel. We 

 feel for the man. We could almost wish that capital punishment were 

 abolished for such as he — until he learns to understand that woman is his 

 equal — his help-mate — his "wife." 



Here in Demerara, the condition of the woman is greatly enhanced. 

 She earns her own living. The manager pays her wages into her hands 

 and she altogether feels that she is a rational being. We have known 

 some Indian women keep their husbands in proper subjection as their 

 sisters do, or try to, in the West. Just imagine a woman daring to 

 • : summons " her lord and master in India ! Here on the other hand it is 

 frequently done and we see " Sanichari " suing " Mangal " for money lent. 



Immigration to this and other countries has greatly improve* I the 

 conditions of the East Indian woman and as women are so scarce in this 

 colony they feel their power. They are also sure that they can exchange 



