HINDOOSTAN. 
medicines veiy frequently have not time to operate before 
the great event has taken place. The illnefs of which 
moft people die is called here a pucker fever, i. e. the ftrong 
fever, which frequently carries a perfon off in a few hours ; 
the phyficians efteem it the higheft degree of putridity; 
but fome have a more lingering illnefs, fuch as a bile in 
the ftomach, which very few are exempt from in thefe 
cafes; the intenfe heat relaxes the coats of the ftomach, 
fo as to prevent digeftion, which occafions the illnefs and 
death that fo commonly fucceed." See Pennant's Hindoojian, 
vol. ii. p. 324, &c. 
It is a ufual charity with the rich Hindoos at this feafon 
of the year, to ftation perfons at the gates of the different 
choultries, to adminifter gruel made of rice to the faint¬ 
ing traveller, with other comforts, of which he may ftand 
in need. They even erect temporary choultries, or /beds, 
at Ihort diftances from each other, that thofe who ficken 
on the road, and are fuddenly overcome by the heat, 
may find immediate relief, and have places of fafety to 
reft and repofe in. A moft noble example of national 
benevolence! 
Yet notwithftanding the extreme heat of the climate, 
and the- generally delicate conftitutions of the natives, 
many examples are to be found of extraordinary longevity, 
both among the Mohammedans and Hindoos. In north¬ 
ern Hindooltan, Aurungzebe, after all the fatigues he had 
undergone, died at the age of ninety, retaining his forti¬ 
tude and other mental faculties to the laft; and the late 
emperor of the Moguls, Shah Aulum, notwithftanding all 
his perfecutions and afflictions, lived to count upwards of 
fourfcore years. In fouthern Hindooltan, where the heat 
is more intenfe, inftances of ftiil longer lives are recorded : 
the celebrated Nizam ul Muluk, viceroy of the Deccan, 
died at the age of one hundred and four; Mohammed 
Ali Khan, nabob of the Carnatic, the ally of the Englifh, 
lived upwards of eighty years 5 and La Croze mentions an 
inftance of a Hindoo, who was converted to Chrillianity 
at Tana, that lived to the great age of one hundred and 
thirty-nine. But, fays Pennant, “ while thefe few inftances 
of longevity are boafted of as proofs of the goodnefs of 
the climate, the thoufands, and tens of thoufands, who 
fall fuddenly in the prime of life, are melancholy convic¬ 
tions of its general infalubrity.” 
In a country fo much diverfified, and of fuch vaft ex¬ 
tent of latitude, the complexion, as well as the phyfical 
conformation, of the people, mult be liable to confiderable 
variation; thofe in the northern being more fair and ro- 
buft than thofe in the fouthern provinces But the Hin¬ 
doo women, in general, are finely lhaped, gentle in their 
manners, and have fomething foft and mufical in their 
voices Mr. Forfter, fpeaking of the women, fays: u They 
have a bright olive complexion, fine features, and are de¬ 
licately lhaped. There is a pleating freedom in their man¬ 
ners, without any tendency to immodefty, which feems 
the refult of that confidence which the Hindoo hulbands 
in general repofe in their wives.” 
The bodily as well as mental faculties of the human 
fpecies, appear to arrive fooner at maturity in Hindooltan, 
than in colder climates; and it is not uncommon to fee 
children behave and fpeak with a degree of gravity and 
propriety that feems incompatible with their age. But 
neither the mind, nor the body, perhaps, enjoys that vigour 
which is to be found among the natives of Europe. 
A luxuriant climate is commonly the parent of indo¬ 
lence and inaftivity. But, when applied to this people, 
we have to add the influence of their religion, l’econded 
by the great temperance of a life which is palled in a very 
fparing ufe of animal food, and a total abttinence from 
intoxicating liquors; the influence likewife of the mildeft 
feafons, by which the great fertility of the foil leffens 
moft of the wants to which mankind are fubjeft in aufterer 
regions,and fupplies the reft without much labour; thefe 
caufes, with many confequences refulting from them, have 
all together contributed to render-the-bulk of the inha¬ 
bitants of Hindooftan the molt enervated people of the 
175 
globe. We muft not, however, involve the more northern 
provinces in this general conclufion; fmce the Afghan , 
Patans, Seiks, Rajapouts, and other hardy races bred upo n 
the hills, have in all ages been celebrated for their aftivity 
and courage. The Mahrattas alfo, by being long inured 
to war, and kept under a ft rift difcipline, overcome, as it 
were, the influence of climate, and affume the activity and 
hardinefs of the northern inhabitants. It has been further 
obferved, as a proof of the enervating tendency of the cli¬ 
mate, that all the Mohammedan and Mogul conquerors, 
with their followers, who have been eftablilhed in India, 
acquire, in the third generation, the indolence and timi¬ 
dity of the original inhabitants ; but retaining, at the fame 
time, a brutality or cruelty of charafter, to which the Hin¬ 
doos are in general happily ftrangers. 
Under this remarkable relaxation of the magnanimous 
fpirit manifelted in other countries, that this people fhould 
poffefs patience and refignation under calamity, is perhaps 
not fo much to be wondered at, fince the fame caufes that 
tend to damp exertion may produce thofe qualities; but 
we have abundant inftances of firmnefs and aftive cou¬ 
rage, that occafion a confiderable degree of furprife. The 
gentle, and generally timid, Hindoo, while under the in¬ 
fluence of his religion, or his ideas of duty and honour, 
will not only meet death with indifference, but embrace 
it by choice. An Engliftiman, whiift on a hunting-party, 
haftily {truck a peon, for improperly letting loole a grey¬ 
hound. The peon happened to be a rajapout, which is 
the higheft tribe of Hindoo foldiers. On receiving the 
blow, he Itarted back with an appearance of horror and- 
amazement, and drew his poignard. But again compofing 
himfelf, and looking ftedfaftly at his matter, he faid, “ I 
am your lervant; I have long eaten your rice:”—and, 
having pronounced this, he plunged the dagger into his 
own bofom. In thofe few words he pathetically exprefled, 
“ The arm that has been nouriflied by you {hall not be 
employed to take away your life; but, in fparing yours, 
I muft give up my own, as I cannot lurvive my dif- 
honour.” 
’ Some Hindoo fepoys in the Englifh fervice being con¬ 
demned to death on account of a mutiny, it was ordered 
that they thould be blown off from cannon in front of the 
army. Some of the offenders being grenadiers, on feeing 
others who were not, led forth to fuffer before them, they 
called out: <c As we have generally {hown the way on fer- 
vices of danger, why thould we be denied that diftinftion 
now?” They walked towards the guns with firmnefs and 
compofure; requefted to be {pared the indignity of being 
tied ; and, placing their breafts to the muzzles of the can¬ 
non, were lhot away. Though feveral had been con¬ 
demned, the behaviour of thefe men operated fo ftrongly 
on the feelings of the commanding officer, that the reft 
were pardoned. 
A native Hindoo, who was employed in an eminent 
poft at an Englifh fettlement, being prevailed on in a dan¬ 
gerous illnefs to receive a vifit from an European doftor, 
it was found advifable to give the bark in Jirong wine ; 
but the Hindoo pofitively refuted to take it, notwithftand¬ 
ing many arguments that were ufed both by the doftor, 
and the governor, who accompanied him. They promifed 
that his taking the wine {horrid remain an inviolable fe- 
cret: but he replied with great calmnefs, “ that he could 
not conceal it from himfelf;” and a few days afterwards 
he fell a victim to his perleverance. 
Among all the Hindoo cafts, the rage for modes and 
faftiions is entirely unknown; and their dreffes, like their 
cuftoms, are the fame to-day that they were at the begin¬ 
ning of the Cali-Yug. Almoft all the Hindoos {have the 
head, except a lock on the back part of it, which is 
covered by their turbans; and they likewife {have their 
beards, leaving only fmall whifkers, which they preferve 
with neatnefs and care. The Brahmins, who officiate at 
the temples, generally go with their heads uncovered, and 
the upper part of the body almoft naked.- A piece of 
white cotton cloth is wrapped round the loins, which 
defceijds 
