selves
to trade, some being Shroffs, i. e. money-changers or bankers, andthe
others brokers, by whose agency the merchants buy and sell. The members
of this caste are so subtle and skilful in trade that, as I have
elsewhere said,1 they could give lessons to the most cunning
Jews. They accustom their children at an early age to shun
slothfulness, and instead of letting them go into the streets to lose
their time at play, as we generally allow ours, teach them arithmetic,
which they learn perfectly, using for it neither pen nor counters, but
the memory alone, so that in a moment they will do a sum, however
difficult it may be. They are always with their fathers, who instruct
them in trade, and do nothing without at the same time explaining it to
them. These are the figures which they use in their books, both in the
Empire of the Great Mogul, as well as in other parts of India,2
although the languages may vary. If anyone gets in a rage with them
they listen with patience, without replying, and withdraw coldly, not
returning to see him for four or five days, when they anticipate his
rage will be over. They never eat anything which has enjoyed sentient
life, and they would rather die than slay the least animal, not even
excepting an insect or vermin, being in this respect very zealous
observers of their Law. It is sufficient to add that they never strike
one another, and that they never go to war, and can neither eat nor
drink in the houses of the Rajputs, because they slay animals and eat
meat, with the exception of that of the cow, which is never eaten.
The fourth caste is called Charados or Soudra.3
Like that of the Rajputs, it occupies itself with war ; but with this
difference, that the Rajputs serve on horse, and the Südras on foot.
Both glory in dying in battle, and a soldier, whether of the cavalry or
foot, is esteemed for ever infamous
therefore a Banian ought to possess the subtlety of nine Jews. (Yule, Hobson-Jobson, 63.)
1
Vol. i. 24. ' The chief Pleasure of the Gentiles, or Banyans, is to
Cheat one another, conceiving therein the highest Felicity ' (Fryer, i.
281).
2 These figures are not reproduced here.
3
Sanskrit Südra. Tavernier confines the name to infantry in the Indian
armies, perhaps with reference to the Nàyars of Malabar, who, by an
extension of the term, rank as Südras.
