THE SAORIAS OF THE RAJMAHAL HILLS. 47 



collected goats, fowls, fish, pigs and other things. These were cooked in separate 

 pots. Beef, mutton, fish, fowls, pigs, etc., each had its own pot. The eldest brother 

 said, 'Let each take what best pleases him.' They were sitting in a line with 

 their wives, the youngest brother was given the preference as he had found the 

 wives. He chose beef and makai rice, and left, and became a Saoria Paharia taking 

 the cooking-pots with him. The other brothers took what pleased them and also left 

 with their wives, and they formed the other castes. Hence it is that Saorias, when 

 cooking away from their homes, never leave their cooking-pots behind them. They 

 always carry them to their homes." 



III. Ethics and Morals. 



Dalton, referring to Lieut. Shaw's Asiatic Researches , Vol. IV, p. 48, writes as fol- 

 lows : " The Paharias have a firm belief in the transmigration of souls. Their 

 high-toned moral code is, in respect to rewards and punishments, after death, entirely 

 based on that doctrine which, with the code, was, it is said, revealed to their first 

 parents by the Creator. It will be sufficiently understood by a perusal of the follow- 

 ing little homily : — 



" Whoever obeys God's commandments will behave well in all respects. He will 

 neither injure, abuse, beat, nor kill anyone ; nor rob, nor steal, nor waste food or 

 clothes, nor quarrel ; but he will praise God morning and evening ; and the women 

 must do this too. When a good man has lived this life as long as God pleases, God 

 sends for him and says, " You have behaved well and have kept my commandments, 

 and I will exalt you, but for a season you must remain with me." 



" The object of the sojourn is not stated, but, when it is completed, the spirit of 

 the good man is remitted to earth to be born again of a woman as a Rajah, or chief, 

 or in some higher position than that he previously held. If he show himself un- 

 mindful or ungrateful in his exaltation, his days are cut short, and he is born again 

 as an inferior animal.' ' 



" The abuse of riches or other good gifts is often punished in this world. The 

 riches disappear or calamity befalls the offender. Concealment of crime, as murder 

 or adultery, is looked upon as a great aggravation of the offence. It becomes still more 

 heinous if the object of the concealment is to throw blame on another. God sees 

 all that is done, and though mortals may be deceived, and punishment fall on the 

 innocent, the really guilty is sure, in the end, to suffer a greater calamity than he in- 

 flicts. Suicide is a crime in God's eyes, and the soul of one who so offends shall not 

 be admitted into heaven, but must hover, eternally, as a ghost between heaven and 

 earth, and a like fate awaits the soul of the murderer." 



Dalton (p. 268, Ethnology of Bengal) is inclined to doubt the genuineness of this 

 moral code. It is true, however, that the Saorias possess a " Code of Ethics and Morals," 

 although it is not nearly so elaborate as that quoted by Lieut. Shaw. The Saorias do 

 not believe in a life after death — they deny the truth of the doctrine of transmigration 

 of souls. I have described their ceremonies and am only concerned with facts : let 

 others draw the inferences ; in a paper of this kind speculation is out of place. 



