BOMBAY 
187 
per cent, when they could so easily make eight or twelve. His answer, 
I believe, conveyed the real sentiments of his nation. " This is our 
native country, where we are also to die : we have now no other home 
to look to, and therefore like to have some certain property for our 
children to inherit : you English are only here for a short time, 
and therefore wish to make as much of your money as possible, 
that you may i^eturn to your country, where I suppose you act, as 
we do here." They are a very rich, active, and loyal body of men, 
greatly increasing the prosperity of the settlement by their resi- 
dence in it. There is not an European house of trade in which one 
of them has not a share, and generally indeed it is the Persee that 
produces the largest part of the capital. Their influence is conse- 
quently very great, and the kind of brotherly connection that sub- 
sists among them, enables them to act with the force of an united 
family. The conduct of the Government towards them has been 
indulgent and wise. They openly avow their obligations, and ex- 
press their conviction, that in no other part of the East could they 
obtain the same advantages. I consider them as a most valuable 
body of subjects, and am convinced that, unless from mismanage- 
ment, they will ever continue so, and form an important barrier 
against the more powerful casts of India. 
From the length of time which Bombay has been under the 
control of Europeans, the Persees, since their arrival there, have 
adopted little of the Asiatic manners. They indeed wear the 
dress, which they informed me had been adopted on their arrival, 
but they eat and drink like the English. Ardiseer Dady, one of 
their richest members, gave me a most magnificent entertainment. 
The table for the Europeans was chiefly covered with English 
VOL. II. B B 
