Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1883 — The Parsees. [ARTICLE]

The Parsees.

The Parsees of India are the decendants of the ancient Persian “fire-wor-shipers.” They claim a history back to Abraham. The Zendavesta is their holy book, and the venerated Zoroaster, who flourished B. C. 550, is their great prophet. Driven from Persia a thousand years ago, they found a refuge in India. Now there are but left in their ancient home. Of this strange people there are about 200,000 in all the world. Of this number 150,000 are in India. Bombay, “the city of the Parsees,” has 75,000, making one-tenth of the entire population. As you walk the streets of Bombay you cannot help noticing these deisciples of Zoroaster, differing as they do from both Mohammedans‘and Hindoos. The Parsee gentleman is tall and erect, with fair complexion and dignified air. His long white coat of silk or fine muslin is buttoned closiely frolh chin to waist, and hangs in a fall flowing skirt to the knee. 'He wears a tall, tapering, queep-looking, indescribable hat, without a brim&rfnolining backward from the and leoking very much like a sec®n,of a stovepipe. It is ap-paste-board covered with broWfi silk or muslin. In toiy he puts ips handkerchief. of the badgj&s 'st his remust ndvfer change it for any other style. The Parsee always keeps his head covered, indoors or out, day or night, asleep or awake. Around wears a silken cord, which he is to untie at prayer. Nosbargain is biftding if this cord is left off when the contract is made. These people are among the most intelligent, influential, and patriotic in the community. Most of them are merchants and bankers, and as such are honest, industrious, and polite, taking the in all commercid! enterprises. One-half of the wealth and three-fourth of the business of Bombay is in their hands. They are often called the Jews of the East.