The Eyes of Asia | Page 8

at home,
having been well taught in their childhood. We have only yoked one
buffalo to the plough up till now. It is now time to yoke up the
milch-buffaloes. Tell the village elders this and exercise influence."
[Write that down strongly, Sahib. We who have seen Franceville all
know it is true.]
"But as to cultivation. The methods in Franceville are good. All tools
are of iron. They do not break. A man keeps the tools he needs for his
work and his repairs in his house under his own hand. He has not to go

back to the village a mile away if anything breaks. We never thought,
as these people do, that all repairs to tools and ploughs can be done on
the very spot. All that is needed when a strap breaks, is that each
ploughman should have an awl and a leather-cutter to stitch the leather.
How is it with us in our country? If leather breaks, we farmers say that
leather is unclean, and we go back from the fields into the village to the
village cobbler that he may mend it. Unclean? Do not we handle that
same thing with the leather on it after it has been repaired? Do we not
even drink water all day with the very hand that has sweated into the
leather? Meantime, we have surely lost an hour or two in coming and
going from the fields." [He will understand that. He chatters like a
monkey when the men waste time. But the village cobbler will be very
angry with me!] "The people of Franceville are astonished to learn that
all our land is full of dogs which do no work--not even to keep the
cattle out of the tilled fields. Among the French, both men and women
and little children occupy themselves with work at all times on the land.
The children wear no jewelry, but they are more beautiful than I can
say. It is a country where the women are not veiled. Their marriage is at
their own choice, and takes place between their twentieth and
twenty-fifth year. They seldom quarrel or shout out. They do not pilfer
from each other. They do not tell lies at all. When calamity overtakes
them there is no ceremonial of grief such as tearing the hair or the like.
They swallow it down and endure silently. Doubtless, this is the fruit of
learning in youth."
[Now we will have a word for our Guru at home. He is a very holy man.
Write this carefully, Sahib.] "It is said that the French worship idols. I
have spoken of this with my old lady and her guru [priest]. It is not true
in any way. There are certainly images in their shrines and deotas [local
gods] to whom they present petitions as we do in our home affairs, but
the prayer of the heart goes to the God Himself. I have been assured
this by the old priests. All the young priests are fighting in the war. The
French men uncover the head but do not take off the shoes at prayer.
They do not speak of their religion to strangers, and they do not go
about to make converts. The old priest in the village where I was
billeted so long, said that all roads, at such times as these, return to
God." [Our Guru at home says that himself; so he cannot be surprised

if there are others who think it.] "The old priest gave me a little medal
which he wished me to wear round my neck. Such medals are reckoned
holy among the French. He was a very holy man and it averts the Evil
Eye. The Women also carry holy beads to help keep count of their
prayers.
"Certain men of our Regiment divided among themselves as many as
they could pick up of the string of such beads that used to be carried by
the small maiden whom the shell slew. It was found forty yards distant
from the hands. It was that small maiden who begged us for our buttons
and had no fear. The Regiment made an account of it, reckoning one
life of the enemy for each bead. They deposited the beads as a pledge
with the regimental clerk. When a man of the guarantors became killed,
the number of his beads which remained unredeemed was added to the
obligation of the other guarantors, or they elected an inheritor of the
debt in his place." [He will understand that. It was all very correct and
business-like, Sahib. Our Pathan Company arranged it.] "It was seven
weeks before all her beads were redeemed because the weather was bad
and our guns were strong and the enemy did not stir abroad after dark.