Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 706

DEBTORS AND CREDITORS
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is granted, once and even twice, and each time
the debtor's fine promises end in smoke. At last the creditor
becomes tired of these interminable delays, grows angry,
and arrests the debtor in the name either of the ruler of the
The creditor
country or of the governor of the province l
forbids his debtor to eat or drink without his permission, and
If this method
at the same time he himself is bound to fast.
does not succeed, the creditor places a huge stone on the
debtor's head and a similar one on his own, and thus bur-
dened they remain motionless opposite each other, exposed
or they walk till one of them faints
to the heat of the sun
or they both stand on one foot like
from exhaustion
or sometimes the creditor seizes the debtor's cattle
cranes
and shuts them up, forbidding any one to feed them until
payment has been made in full. At last the debtor is so
he comes
worried that he is unable to bear it any longer
to terms, pays a large sum on account, and gives good
Creditor and debtor then part
security for the remainder.
on the best of terms. Very often the creditor is so hard
pushed himself that he is obliged to relinquish a part of
what is due to him in order to get back some of his money.
Is it likely, I may ask, that men who carry obstinacy and
tenacity to such lengths would be alarmed at the prospect of
enjoying a few idle weeks in prison ?
The only object of a prison, according to the Hindus, is to
No
prevent the accused or the criminal running away.
disgrace is attached to imprisonment, and consequently it is
no punishment at all. In fact mere imprisonment is not
looked upon as a punishment even by magistrates in native
Every one condemned to prison has to undergo
provinces.
more or less severe torture according to the gravity of his
offence.
If it is but a trifling misdemeanour, the delinquent
is beaten and then set at liberty.
All intelligent Hindus are agreed that the penal laws in-
More time
.
;
;
;
;
I arrest you,' one Hindu
This method of arrest is very common.
say to another, in the name of the King or the East India Company,
The person to whom
or in the name of the Collector of the district,' &c.
the summons is addressed is obliged to obey it, to leave his business,
If he attempted
and to place himself at the disposal of his adversary.
to escape, he would render himself liable to be punished for contempt of
Dubois.
the law.
No such private arrests are now permitted by law. Ed.
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