Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1875 — Lying and Honesty in India. [ARTICLE]

Lying and Honesty in India.

It is a common expression on the lips of those who traveled in India: “ The natives have no regard for truth; it seems easier to them to lie, and they prefer doing so.” And yet no one can have much intercourse with the inhabitants of India without finding out that, in many respects, they are an especially trustworthy race. The explanation of this apparent paradox may perhaps lie in the circumstance that the natives draw a wide distinction between spoken and acted truth. For instance, it is a well-known fact that the fidelity of bankers was so great before the English rule that a breach of trust in their case was quite unknown, and bankruptcy is'fttlmitted to lie a transaction they have learned wholly from their conquerors. Indeed, all business dealings were singularly straightforward and borui fide. But' the unfortunate notion seems to have prevailed from’the first in Hindostan that language was chiefly intended to conceal one’s thoughts. Before a native of India answers a question correctly he wishes to know why it wAs asked. His’ first replies, therefore, are equivocal; and when to tlris element of caution is added the atmosphere of miracle and wonder surrounding all intellects out there—deceiving, as it does, every sense—two very fair reasons are already forthcoming why spoken truth should be far from a common performance. • But it is an undoubted fact, notwithstanding, that with a singular and sovereign disregard lor veracity, in the restricted sense of the word,, there do co-exist a fidelity to engagements and a staunchness in fulfilling conditions which amount to not less than a national characteristic. There is a high caste called Bhats, who are now engaged in agriculture and service, and have no specialty except singing legends and relating stories ; but in former days they were employed to carry jewelry or articles of value from place to place. Absolute reliance could be put on their trustworthiness; they fell back on their religious rank to secure themselves against marauders, as they would threaten to destroy themselves if molested and thus bring Divine vengeance down on their assailants; and indeed have done so when hard pushed. Property might, of course, be lost when the robber took his chance of being punished by unseen powers, but embezzled or misappropriated it certainly never was. An .instance of singular trustworthiness in a native servant, which occurred within the personal knowledge of an English writer, may here be mentioned. During the mutiny, when preparing to leave his station, then on the eve of outbreak, there was au old family seal he wished especially to possess; but, unwilling to incumber himself xvitli any valuables except money, he asked a. domestic servant to take charge of it as long as he could, though the chances of seeing it again seemed small. It was grax-ely taken, with a peculiar look, which indicated that the commission was considered a sacred one. The outbreak came, escapes and iiiovings followed, and master and servant were separated for many months. At length the former was settled pretty securely at Cawnpore, and in time the communication with Agra was to a certain degree opened out, though the countryside was still seething with confusion. One day a ragged figure —who had forced his way through villages tumultuous with riot, and by outposts at which every passer-by was searched lest ho should be traveling in the interests of the English, and had at length reached the main road through fields "which the heavy rain had turned into swamps —rushed up to his master, who was sitting out in an open space, and, kneeling before him, let down the long lock of hair worn on the scalp, and from among its folds produced the family seal ! —All the Tear Hound.