Within the purdah; also, In the Zenana homes of Indian princes, and Heroes and heroines of Zion

Front matter

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Cliap.„ Copyright No.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Preface

DEAR FRIENDS, I know I have aone a very unfashionable thing in harrowing up your feelings by the recital of some heartrending facts. Facts, indeed, they are, for each particular case which I have cited is a real case. In every instance I have had some particular patient in mind, and have given you the exact details and history of that particular patient ; and yet each of these particular patients is but a sample of many similar cases such as I treated again and again during my dispensary life. I know that returned missionaries love to cite instances of natives coming from distant villages to the mission inquiring the way of salvation. They love to describe revival efforts in country towns, where, perhaps, the whole village has been brought to the foot of the cross. All this can be done. All this is true. The cause of God is making wonderful strides in that strange, dark land. I, too, could tell of similar cases of conversions from darkest heathendom ; even of Hindu priests who have left all and chosen affliction with the people of God rather than to continue the worship of idols ; but, dear friends, I have chosen to tell you these more unpleasant facts. I have done it deliberately and ''with malice aforethought." At every opportu-

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nity I desire to make known these facts to the people of my own country. Why? Because I believe in them; I believe in the chivalry of my own countrymen. Because I believe in my countrywomen and in the children of my native land. Because I am convinced that the religion of Jesus Christ, as professed and lived by the people of this blessed country, is not a farce ; is not a mere garment intended for Sunday wear, which is put off and on at discretion. I believe that you who profess to love the Lord Jesus Christ, who have taken his name upon yourselves, do partake of his nature who left his Father's throne and his Father's house and came to earth — the great Medical Missionary — to help, and to heal, and to save his people. When I was in India, and from day to day witnessed such horrible sights, and heard from the pale, trembling lips of wee sufferers heartrending stories such as I have here depicted, I resolved that, if God spared my life and permitted me again to visit my own native land, I would raise the purdah of these zenana homes ; I would acquaint the people of this country with the real condition of the women and children of that dark continent. For I am sure that you need but for one short hour to gaze upon the wretchedness, to look down, as I have looked, into the depths of these dark places where women and children, in utter helpnessness, crouch in pain and woe such as beggar description — that you need only to see with another's eyes — in order to stir your Christian hearts to do something to relieve ; something

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to save. I believed, and I do believe, that for you to know is to do. That you who have felt the thrill w^hich comes from the heart of the All Father in the secret place of prayer, who have reached up and taken hold of the omnipotent hand of God in your secret closets, need but to know the facts in order to run with swift feet to deliver, in order to reach out glad, helping hands to lift up, in order to be willing to sacrifice somewhat of your luxuries, somewhat of your comforts, somewhat, perhaps, of those things which you call the necessities of life, in order to do your part toward sending the Gospel message to those people who sit in darkness and see no light ; remembering that inasmuch as you do it unto one of the least of these, you do it unto him.

Do you remind me that I have already confessed that medicine and surgery and all that the English government can accomplish by establishing great hospitals throughout India are of comparatively little avail, and cannot fully meet the needs of these people, because the tortures arising from mental and spiritual conditions are so much greater than any physical suffering? That their customs and barbarous practices are so deeply rooted that nothing can overthrow them? True ; but, dear friends, I am glad to add that there is one remedy — one remedy — and only one. It is the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is sufficient. Send it to them. Send out your missionaries with God's word. Let them go to these suffering women and children, and tell

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the story of the love of God and of the love of Christ for them. Their hearts are aching and bleeding and famishing for love. In their lives they have never known it; never felt it. They have no hope of anything better beyond the grave. Send this glad, beautiful message ; send it quickly. They will embrace it ; they will receive it ; they will forsake all for it. And when once they do accept this blessed Gospel message all these shackles of superstition, heathen beliefs, prejudices, and barbarous practices will fall off, and they will arise in all the emancipated freedom and liberty of glad children of God. Nothing but this can meet the case. God's word is a sufficient remedy. Won't you take it? Won't you send it? Won't you sacrifice something in order to do this? O, do it! In the name of God Almighty, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom you love and revere, I entreat you to send the Gospel to these poor women and children, and to send it quickly!

SINDH

The gloom that here is found

Is like to that of Hell ; While ghastly specters 'round

The bravest spirit quell.

O God, thou Source of light,

This darkness all dispel ; Drive back the heathen's night,

Till they thy praise shall swell.

Amen.

Book I

Within the Purdah The Native of Hindustan — Attributes and Ciiaracteristics — Incorrect Statement in Parliament of Religions — Seeming Truthfulness — ^Care for Animal Life Explained — Government Hospitals and Equipments — Sindh — Hyderabad — Hospital Building — Patients — Caravan Journey — Dispensary Work — Purdah Garment — Baby Patient — Flattening the Head — Piercing the Ears and Nose- Mother Love— Child Marriage— Unmarried Girls — Betrothals — Bangles— Her Husband's Bank— The Mother-in-law— " Tell Me the Truth "—The Small-cause Court — The DauglUer-in-law — No Real Child Life— The Starving Wife of a Prince—"! Do Not Wish to Get Well " 17

Book II

In the Zenana Homes of Indian Princes The Taj Mahal— The Tomb of the Dead and the Tomb of the Living Wife — The Zenana Woman and Her Purdah Home— The Zenana Woman — Mr. Syed Mohammed, Aide-de-camp to His Excellency Nawab Khurshed Jah— Emissaries from His Highness Saght Sing, the Maharajah of Bhinai District— From Bombay to Ajmere — A Curious Medico-legal Consultation— A Professional Visit to the Harem of a Mohammedan Prince— The Nawab's European Palace— His Excellency Nawab Khurshed Jah— Her Excel-

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lency the Begam Sahib — Another Strange Medical Consultation — The Nawab's Six Palaces — A Diet of Costly Gems — His Excellency Dewan Luchman Dass, ex-Prime Minister of Kashmir — The Wives and Daughter of Dewan Luchman Dass — Mrs. Luchman Dass, the Rich Hindu Widow — The Peer — The Peer's Daughter — A Prophecy and a Prayer 85

Book III

Heroes and Heroines of Zion Who are They? — The Methodist Missionary of the Parent Board — The Servant Question — The Assistant Missionary — The Missionary Evangelist — Missionaries of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church — The Missionary Teacher of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society — The Zenana Missionary of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society — The Medical Missionary of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society i79

Conclusion

By the Rev. George F. Hopkins, A.M. A Poem , . . . 247

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Saleni Armstrong-Hopkins Frontispiece

The Punjapole Asylum for Animals 22

Her Excellency the Countess of Dufferin 25

A Purdah Carriage, with Curtain Removed 30

Woman Patient in her Silk Costume 35

Woman Patient in her Purdah Garment 35

Wealthy Hindu Bridegroom and his Child-bride 49

A Little Daughter-in-law Scouring the Degchas 65

A Young Hindu Prince 73

A Wealthy Mohammedan Nawab, or Prince 73

" My Esther," Mrs. Mary Esther Isaac Ilahi Baksh ']'j

Facsimile of Legal Agreement 97

Her Highness Sarupkanwar Bai 107

His Excellency Nawab Khurshed Jah „..„ 117

His Excellency Dewan Luchman Dass and his Daughter 137

Mrs. Molie Luchman Dass in her Kashmeri Costume 141

Mrs. Dalie Luchman Dass in her Punjabi Costume 141

Rare Trophies 15a

South India Conference 178

Butler Preparing Tea 184

The Ayah „ „ 184

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PAGE

Three Zenana Missionaries with Servants and Two of Miss Levermore's Little Adopted Native Children, and Chung,

Dena's Son 1 84

Rev. S. P. Jacobs with the Boys of One of his Native Schools. 187

An Indian Mud Fire-place with Degcha 194

Domingo, the Cook , 194

The New Missionary and her Moonshee 210

A Mohammedan Moonshee 213

The Girls' Boarding School of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, Bombay, India 220

A Wealthy High-caste Zenana Lady of Bombay 227

A Zenana Missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church and

her Assistants in Bombay 236

Book I

''And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'' — Matthew xxv, 40.

BOOK I

THE native of Hindustan — the Hindu, the Mohammedan, the Parsee, the Eurasian, but, perhaps, more particularly the Hindu — has somehow acquired a reputation throughout Europe, and doubtless in America as well, for possessing by nature all those attributes and characteristics which we in this Christian land have learned to regard as emanating from the Spirit of God alone, and which we expect to find more often and more fully exemplified in the lives of those who live nearest to the Lord Jesus Christ and who partake most of his nature. The Hindu is supposed to be, of all creatures on earth, the most generous, the most kind-hearted, the most gentle, the most sympathetic, and the most unselfish. After living for nearly seven years in India I must tell you that the reverse of this is true. The great principle which we, as Christians, were taught at our mother's knee holds true. Charity, kindness, unselfishness, thoughtful consideration for others, love, and tenderness, emanate in large measure from God, and from him only, and those who live nearest to him and walk most closely in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ do most fully exemplify these characteristics.

It has been said that among the many languages spoken by the peoples of Hindustan there is no such word as home, in the sense in which we understand it ; that among all the languages spoken there is no such word as love, in the sense in which we know it. I cannot vouch for the truth of this, as I am not acquainted with the languages of India, but I do know that among all the heathen people of that country there is no such place as home, as we understand it; there is no such sentiment as love, as we feel it. And yet it is not difficult to understand how the Hindu has gained the reputation of being all that we have mentioned — kind-hearted, gentle, loving, etc.

Those who attended the Parliament of Religions at our great Columbian Exposition may have heard some educated, proud Brahman declare before the civilized nations of the world that the Hindu religion is better than the Christian religion, because it inculcates such kindness of heart and gentleness of nature as to render its follower incapable of stretching forth his hand to slay any living creature. This same proud Brahman, true to his training in deceit and misrepresentation, did not further explain why the Hindu refuses to slay even the creeping thing which crosses his pathway or the deadly serpent which imperils his life. At the first glance his statement has a seeming truthfulness. There is a trite saying to the effect that a half truth, or a lie which contains a partial truth, is the worst kind of a lie. It is true that a Hindu will not, under arty circumstance, put any living thing to death. If you lived in India, and a venomous serpent, whose sting is death in twenty minutes — and without remedy — were to cross your threshold, you might call in vain upon your Hindu servant to slay that serpent. He would fall at your feet and declare his willingness to serve you to the utmost of his ability, but would beg you to forgive him for refusing to kill the serpent which threatens your life.

There are three explanations of the foregoing fact, the first of which seems almost to bear out our educated Brahman in his statement concerning the superiority of the Hindu as compared with the Christian religion. In the religious history of the Hindu, after a reign of terror in which the priests are said to have ' ' multiplied religious ceremonies and made ritual the soul of worship," and when ** sacrifice assumed still more and more exaggerated forms, becoming more protracted, more expensive, more bloody — a hecatomb of victims was but a small offering," came a time when ''the tension seemed too great, and the bow snapped. Buddhism arose. We may call this remarkable system the product of the age — an inevitable rebellion against intolerable sacerdotalism; and yet we must not overlook the importance of the very distinct and lofty personality of Buddha (Sakya Muni) as a power molding it into shape." Buddha effected a vast revolution in Indian thought. *' My law," said he, " is a law of mercy for all." In the forefront of his religious system he put certain great fundamental principles of morality ; he made religion consist in duty rather than in rites, and reduced duty, for the most part, to mercy and kindness toward all living creatures. This did away with all slaughter of animals. The people, having grown weary of priestcraft and ritualism, gladly embraced the teachings of this great reformer. This religious system was, in fact, a rebound or reaction from the excessive cruelties which had preceded it.

The second explanation is found in the fact that the Hindu worships a large number of animals, and would not naturally be disposed to slay the object of his w^orship. It is a common thing to see a Hindu doing poojah (worship) to the ants by the wayside, and bringing flour or boiled rice with which to feed them. They are his gods. He also worships the serpent, the monkey, the bull, and many other animals.

The third explanation may be traced as follows : The Hindu religion leads its follower to believe in the transmigration of souls ; therefore a Hindu will not kill the ant which crosses his path in the street, or the deadly serpent, or the venomous scorpion, or the rabid dog which has torn the limbs of his own child, not because of kind-heartedness on the part of this same Hindu, but because by so doing he fears he may slay his deceased mother-in-law, or great aunt, or second cousin, or some other near and dear relative whose spirit is at this time in

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oi inhabiting the body of this serpent, scorpion, or rabid dog; and for this great crime he may, in some future state of existence, be doomed to occupy the body of this same creature which he has wickedly put to death.

One of the practical outgrowths of this religious belief may be seen in the city of Bombay, in the establishment of an asylum or place of refuge where all diseased, maimed, decrepit, aged, or otherwise dangerous animals may be confined. Just as the English government provides places of refuge for unfortunate mortals afflicted with leprosy, cholera, smallpox, and insanity, so have the high-caste Brahmans of Bombay established such an asylum or hospital for animals. Howxver, one can hardly speak of it correctly as either an asylum or a hospital, because there is no effort made to restore these inmates to health, to prolong their lives, or to promote their comfort. It is merely a place of banishment where offensive or harmful domestic animals are kept until they die, in order that no Brahman may be compelled in selfprotection to put any of these creatures to death, and so bring a curse upon his own soul. This same Brahman will beat his domestic animals most cruelly starve and torture them in many ways, thus exhibiting his lack of kindness. Indeed, you need only to acquaint yourself with the inner home-life of the Hindu, you need only to pass in behind the purdah of his zenana home and behold his conduct toward the members of his own household, in order to know for yourself that my first proposition is true, and that the Hindu is of all people the most cowardly and the most cruel ; for a cruel man is always a coward, and a coward is always cruel. In order that you may know the Hindu personally, become acquainted with the members of his family, and understand the principles which govern his life, I shall invite you to accompany me to the English government hospital of Hyderabad, Sindh.

You know about the splendid work that has been done for India by the English government through the efforts of that beautiful woman, the Countess of Dufferin, in establishing government hospitals in all the great cities of that empire. Beautiful hospitals they are ; thoroughly equipped with all modern improvements, conveniences, instruments, and apparatus such as you find in the best English hospitals of to-day, having an efficient staff of officers — servants, nurses, compounder or druggist, clerk, interpreter, house surgeon — and at the head of all, the English or American lady physician in charge. It was to such a position as this in the Woman's Hospital, Dispensary, and Training School for Nurses, of Hyderabad, Sindh, that I was called in January, 1893.

Before proceeding further allow me to state that most of the fashions, heathen customs, prejudices, and barbarous practices which I shall here describe are peculiar to the district of Sindh, and would not hold true if applied to the people of Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, or perhaps to any other people of India.

Her Excellency the Countess of Dufferin

Sindh is a province in the northwestern part of British India, having an area of 56,632 square miles and, in 1891, a population of 2,900,000.

Hyderabad is the historical capital of Sindh and chief city of that province. It stands three and a half miles east of the left bank of the Indus River. Its population in 1891 was 58,048, of whom 23,000 were Mohammedans, the remainder being, for the most part, Hindus ; unlike the great native city of Hyderabad, Deccan, which is purely Mohammedan , and a walled city.

Our hospital building is a fine brick structure of but one story, surrounded by a very deep veranda, which is shut in from outside gaze by broad pillars, with close lattice w^ork intervening, and over all the Indian chick — a sort of curtain made from split bamboo or reed grass. To this hospital and dispensary come patients representing all classes and castes, rich and poor, Hindu, Mohammedan, and Eurasian. Not only do they come from Hyderabad city, but also from the country villages round about, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty miles distant. Some of the poorer classes from these country villages come walking. I have often seen a little frail woman, weak and ill, who had walked a distance of forty miles from her country village to the hospital — not alone ; one never goes alone through the jungles of India. It would not be safe to do so on account of the wild beasts which prowl about and the many venomous and deadly serpents which infest the plains.

It generally happens in a country village that some peer or wealthy native — one of the aristocracy of the place — has a son who is ill. Perhaps he would scarcely undertake such a journey for the sake of a wife or a daughter, but his son, whose life is far more valuable than the life of any woman could be, is ill. There are no hospitals in the country villages, and no English physicians, or even properly educated native doctors. He determines, therefore, to make a trip to the government hospital at Hyderabad, and forthwith proceeds to gather together all the sick people in his village until a large company has arranged to make the journey. Those who are most ill, sons, wives, and daughters of the wealthier members of the community, make the journey on camels, while the poorer people, men, women, and children, and also, perhaps, a large number of strong men, even though of the wealthier class, and high caste, will travel on foot. It is a great sight to see such a caravan en route from some distant village to Hyderabad city. The camels, with their slow and measured tread, you may see in the distance, marching single file. The head camel is ridden by one man, who holds one end of a little string not much larger than the cord with which your groceries are bound. The further end of this string is attached to the outer swell of a little wooden nose ring, very much the shape of a thread spool with a very thin stem, which passes through the right nostril of the great docile beast. This nose ring and slender cotton cord serve the o >

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purpose of halter, bridle, and all. A slight tightening of this cord will indicate to the camel that the rider wishes to turn, and a tap on his great neck will serve to guide him in the right direction. The second camel has a similar nose ring, to which is attached a similar cord, this cord being tied to the tail of the first camel ; and thus all the twentyfive or fifty camels are tied together, noses and tails, and all with a string so slender that you would think a toss of the head would break it. All the camels except the first one described, which leads the others, are loaded with the women, children, and sick people of the company, while their robust friends and neighbors follow after on foot. The journey is begun late in the afternoon, as soon as the heat of the day begins to abate ; and they travel all night, until the morning sun grows so intensely hot as to render further travel hazardous to their lives. Then, if possible, they find a tree with broad, expanded branches, in the shade of which they rest until evening, when they start on again. So it is that early, early in the morning, often before the dawn of day, such a caravan as this arrives at our hospital in Hyderabad. At a signal or a word from the man who sits upon the first camel all these gentle brutes kneel down in the fashion peculiar to themselves, slowly lowering the closed carriages, or baskets, which are loaded with human freight. Then four men — fathers, husbands, or brothers of the occupants of this particular carriage — approach the second camel, and with two long poles attached to its floor raise it (the carriage) to the level of their shoulders, and thus carry it to the great door which opens into the deep veranda of our hospital. Here they leave it, just outside the threshold, and run away and hide themselves, while four of our Christian nurses from the hospital go out and carry the precious burden inside of the veranda, closing the door after them. Here the carriage door is opened, and the occupants are taken out and allowed to rest on the floor of this great veranda until the hour arrives for opening the dispensary. When this load is properly settled the carriage is put outside the door, and other men bring the next carriage in the caravan of camels, and so on, until all the camels have been unloaded and their occupants deposited on our hospital veranda, where they are quite secluded from public gaze, as before intimated, by the broad pillars, close lattice work, and bamboo chicks. Of course the hospital is a purdah or zenana hospital, no men being allowed inside its gates.

At half past nine o'clock a. m. the physician in charge arrives in her carriage, and then the dispensary work begins. Passing through a large folding door in the center of the great front of the hospital, we find ourselves in a large and pleasant consulting room. The ceiling is very lofty, and from its center is suspended a huge punkah, which swings from side to side, keeping the sultry air in motion and rendering the room comfortably cool. The members of the hospital staff have arranged themselves in rows on either side of the space between the door and the doctor's table, and bow low in respectful salaams as we pass ; afterward standing about in their pure white sarees, gracefully draped in Indian fashion, respectfully awaiting orders. Parina, the native interpreter, a Christian woman, stands near by, ready to interpret into English any of the many tongues which may be spoken by the various patients who have gathered from all directions. The side door, leading into the outer hall, is opened, and one patient at a time, each taking her turn, passes into the clerk's office, where her name, approximate age, and any particulars which can be gleaned concerning her personal history and illness are recorded. These people never know the date of their birth, but they approximate their age by certain great epochs. This one says, "I was so big," indicating a height of two feet, ''at the time of the mutiny," and so on. Having registered, the patients are admitted, in twos and threes, to the consulting room. I shall endeavor to make them known to you, one at a time, as they come into our presence.

A tiny woman, not larger than a child of ten in this country, makes her way slowly from the clerk's office. She is shrouded in her long white purdah garment, which consists of a cap about the shape of a gentleman's smoking or skull cap, pure white, and hand embroidered. Into the lower edge of this cap is gathered a full flounce of unbleached muslin, which falls to the ground, and even trails about her, being as long in front as behind. Thus her entire person is wholly concealed from view. If you separate the thick folds near the rim of the cap, about where the eyes are supposed to be, you will find two small holes in the muslin. They are about one inch long and two thirds of an inch in width, and are veiled by a close net, something like mosquito netting, only of coarser texture. Through these tiny openings the patient is supposed to be able to see sufficiently to avoid a fall. Of course one from without cannot see the face nor even the eyes of the patient through these small and closelyscreened openings. As she comes near our interpreter, with tender persuasion, seeks to remove this heavy garment ; but the little patient is timid and shrinking, and resists her overtures. At length, however, she herself slowly gathers the heavy folds together and raises them a little at a time, until from underneath she is able to peer out and look about. She does this to make sure that there are no boys or men folk in the room. Later on she is persuaded to allow the nurses to remove this heavy and oppressive garment, and when this is done she stands before us in her manycolored pure silk garments, which are so gracefully adjusted and so artistically arranged, in point of coloring and in every other detail, as to render her a beautiful picture to look upon.

So tiny and wan is she, so emaciated and sad of face, that you judge her to be the patient ; but your mind is presently disabused of this thought, for she steps forward and, unwrapping from the folds of her garment an infant, she lays it on the table before you. Its arms and legs are tightly bound down, stiff and straight, by strong strips of cotton cloth. This is the custom throughout the district of Sindh. Be it a boy or a girl, be it Hindu or Mohammedan, all are thus strapped during the first months of their existence ; so that the slight exercise, relaxation, and rest which an un trammeled baby naturally gets from tossing its limbs about is denied to infants here. These strips of cloth are tied so tightly about the soft, emaciated limbs that you can almost bury your finger in the groove caused by this pressure. But it is not for this condition we are consulted. The child-mother turns the infant on its side, and you see that the whole back of the head has been crushed until it is quite flat. It is swollen, hot, inflamed, and in the center of the head, at the back, there is a running sore about the size of a silver half-dollar. If you do not know the cause of this condition, your interpreter will explain that every child born of heathen parents in the district of Sindh, boy or girl, Hindu or Mohammedan, is, immediately after birth, placed upon a solid stone bed. Its head rests lower than its trunk, and in order that the child may not slide off headwise and be injured a little ledge is arranged as a headpiece. During the day, every two or three hours, some member of the father-in-law's family, with the strong palm of the hand, presses the soft, mobile little head against this hard stone.