PRETEURS A LA PETITE-SEMAINE. The prêteurs à la petite-semaine are usurers of a particular class, who are to be found hardly any where else but in Paris. These men are so conscious of the baseness of the trade they carry on, that they never appear before their customers but in disguise. The poor women who sell vegetables, fruit, or fish, about the streets, or even in some markets, are often in want of a six livres piece to purchase peas, currants, pears and cherries. This crown the prêteur à la petite-semaine supplies them with, but on that day se'nnight, they are to return seven livres and four sous (six shillings). So that the interest of that crown at the year's end amounts to the enormous sum of £2. 12s. Which of the two is to appear the most surprising, the abominable distress of these retailers, who are so destitute of prudence as not to be able to command a crown, or the constant and shameful success of so shocking an usury? These usurers sell their money at the highest price it will fetch. On the other side, the poorer people are, the more they are in want of ready cash to commence business; for no one will trust the indigent. We must shudder indeed if we reflect on the non interrupted struggle between distress and opu lence. Notwithstanding the principals have their weekly brokers, or agents, they are desirous of seeing twice or three times a year, a meeting of their debtors who make them so rich, and of being able to ascertain at once the disposition of their minds, and the degree of confidence they may repose in their agents. The same man who generally appears richly dressed, with a gold-headed cane in his hand, a diamond ring on his finger, seldom goes out but in an elegant carriage, and though he frequents all the places of public amusement, and visits the first circles, will, upon a certain day, put on a threadbare coat, an old wig, old shoes, stockings that have been mended in different places, let grow his beard, and paint his hair and eye-brows. He then proceeds, thus attired, to some distant part of the town, where he has hired a small room, which exhibits only a sorry bed, three broken chairs, a mutilated table and crucifix. There are introduced three or four score poissardes, whom he addresses in the following words: "You see, my good friends, that I am no richer than yourselves: you see the whole of my furniture: that is the bed I sleep in when I come to town; I give you money, though on trust, and rely merely upon your principles of honesty and religion; for you know that I receive no bond, no security, so that, as you well know, I have no claim upon you, according to the laws of the country: but is it not right, however, that when I so gene rously trust you I should have some security? Come, be securities for one another, and swear upon this crucifix, the image of our divine Saviour, that you will never wrong me, but return most faithfully what I am going to lend you." In answer to this harangue, all the women lift up their hands, and swear to murder any one who would refuse punctually to discharge her debt. The crafty sycophant then takes down all their names, and gives them a crown each, saying: "I don't get as much by you, as you do by me; far from it."-The poor people withdraw, and the hypocrite settles with his emissaries. The next day he crosses the market-places and the streets in his carriage, but is not to be known again, on account of his superb dress. When in company, this very same individual will occasionally discourse on benevolence and humanity! No one around him has an idea of his mean practices, and he bears a good. name! has been a death-blow for some rapacious usurers; but has not affected the prêteurs à la petite semaine, who are the worst of all. The people who pledge their goods at the. Notwithstanding there always are sworn apMonte de Piété pay ten per cent. interest. praisers in attendance, the poor people who apply for pecuniary relief hardly get half of what their goods are worth. More than once, however, these appraisers have been taken in. Once, some years ago, a man who passed himself for a wax-chandler, offered to pledge a cart-load of cakes of wax. The cakes are known to be of such or such a weight: those offered were all of a size; one only was weighed, the supposed shopman received his money, and marched off; but never returned to redeem his pledge. At the expiration of a twelvemonth, the cakes were brought to the hammer, but the purchaser soon discovered that he had been buying blocks of wood skilfully covered with a thin coat of yellow wax. A lawsuit was very near taking place, but the proprietors of the establishment were advised not to expose themselves, refunded the money, and took back the blocks. The establishment of the Mont de Piété It may easily be imagined that in so extensive a metropolis as Paris, although the Mont de Piété stands in a centrical point, yet the distance must be very great for some people. The administration therefore has appointed a certain number of commissioners in many parts of the town, whose houses are open all the year round, and almost at every hour. They become appraisers, sometimes will lend more money than is allowed at the Mont de Piété, and then keep the ticket as a security; if they lend less they pay the balance as soon as called upon. The opulent will frequently have recourse to this establishment the same as the needy. Many a lady of fashion, muffled up in a cloak, has visited the Mont de Piété, and deposited there jewels to the amount of one thousand Louis d'ors, in order to be qualified to appear at a card party in the evening. Next to her, perhaps, coines another female, who parts with one of her petticoats to procure a loaf ! Diamonds being the first article which is pledged, they were for a time out of fashion. I have been told, that in the warehouses of the Mont de Piété there were no less than forty tuns* full of gold watches alone : I have been told that two thirds of the pledged goods were never redeemed. The auction rooms indeed offer an immense quantity of jewels and other articles of luxury that are sold at moderate prices, which may be of no small prejudice to the petty shopman. The Dr. is mistaken in supposing that préteurs à la petite-semaine are peculiar to Paris. The custom is well known in London; but the practice is conducted with less hypocrisy, and the borrower and lender are more nearly of a class. We might add, that London has its "ladies of fashion," who are adepts in the art of "muffling in cloaks :" and that there are regular seasons for the reception of superfluous articles of various kinds, in deposits well known at the fashicuable end of the town. In one of these, which was not long since in danger from fire, above a thousand pounds were charged, as the costs of restoring the velvet pelisses only that had been damaged by the water from the engines, to the state they were in when received! In every populous community, ingenuity will have recourse to various devices to answer its purposes, and supply its wants. A state of artificial life, and of those refinements to which it gives occasion, will furnish both opportunities and inducements to such as are disposed to embrace and adopt them. In vain may the virtuous portion of society exclaim against them: the present supply which they afford will always operate as a temptation to some.-But though the PANORAMA, which sets every thing before spectators, may occasionally admit a transient glance at such incidents, yet they are subjects on which it does not delight to dwell. We therefore dismiss this" Cursory View," of " More subjects than One." Tonneaux, casks, we suppose, not tons. A Journey from Bengal to England, through the Northern Part of India, Kashmire, Afghanistan, and Persia, and into Russia by the Caspian Sea. By George Foster, in the civil Service of the Hon. East-India Company. 2 Vols. 8vo. pp. 700, Price 16s. Faulder, London, 1808. NOT a word of introduction or preface informs the purchaser of these volumes, that part, if not the whole of them, has been already before the public; and that little other than a change of form distinguishes the present edition. The map prefixed dates the route of Mr. Foster in 1803, 1804. But, the dates given by the traveller himself, are of 1782, 1783. We presume not to explain this discrepance; we only observe it. So far, then, as information concerning the places visited by Mr. F. twenty-five years ago may be useful, this work is interesting: but those who desire later descriptions of the countries mentioned in the title page, must not expect to find it here. Very few Europeans have taken the same course as our author: the hazards and the delays attending it are too forbidding. Mr. F. was forced to consult his personal safety by assuming a character not his own; and he successively appeared as an officer, a merchant, a pilgrim, sometimes an Arab, sometimes a Turk, but for the most part a Mahometan, as the very name of Christian was dangerous, and increased power of the Seiks, through when not dangerous was impure. The whose dominions this route leads, has not tended to diminish the risques of travellers and trading merchants, in their passage from country to country, and though we believe that Major Harcourt proceeded to Europe by a course not unlike this of Mr. Foster, yet, as we have no accounts of his travels, we must derive all the benefit we can from such as are communicated to the world. Though much depends on the disposition of a sovereign, as to the exaltation or depression of his states, yet the people of most countries present a general and marked character, which is little less permanent than that of their mountains and plains. A lapse of years, not exceeding the extent of human life, seldom produces any striking difference in the geo To explore this route to Europe was a bold undertaking in a single traveller; yet, possibly, except in the case of illness, under which he suffered, Mr. F. was less exposed to detection and discovery of his real character by being alone, than if he had travelled in company with other Europeans. He complains of a suddenness and irritability of temper; which, he confesses, led him into some errors, and in company might have led him into more. the Afghans, hold the keys of the approaches to India from Persia. The character of the first of these may be gathered from the following relations. At Kheymsapoor I saw two Sicque horsemen who had been sent by their country to receive the Seringnaghur tribute, which is collected from the revenues of certain customhouses. From the manner in which these selves, I frequently wished for the power of men were treated, or rather regaled themmigrating into the body of a Sicque for a few weeks. No sooner had they alighted, than beds were prepared for their repose, and their horses were supplied with green barley pulled out of the field. The Kafilah travellers were contented to lodge on the ground, and expressed their thanks for permission to purchase what they required; such is the difference between those who are in, and who are out of power. We were informed that 200 Sicques who had been lately entertained in the Kangrah service, would soon appear. Aware of the licentious manners of the We shall select our extracts from those disciples of Nannock, (their founder) especi parts of this route, which being beyond ally when employed on foreign service, I the British dominions in India, are likely of my property to have had the other secured. would then willingly have sacrificed a moiety to be least known to our readers, keeping There was no other remedy than assuming also in our minds, the apprehended pro- the look of confidence and ease, which, ceedings of our continental antagonists, Heaven knows, ill corresponded with my who, if they proceed in hostile array for heart: so, pushing my horse into a quick India, must pass by the same road for the trot, I was speedily conveyed into the midst most part, as that taken by our traveller. of this formidable corps, who received me [Compare Panorama, Vol. IV. p. 1. et seq.] very attentively, but without offering any The Seringnaghur territory is bounded N. violence. Imagin ng our approach to have and N. E. by the districts of independent been that of the enemy, the Sicques were Hindoo Rajahs; S. by Oude, W. and N. W. preparing for the fight, to which they loudly by the Jumna, and S. W. by the dominions exclaimed, in the tone of religious ejaculatiou, of the Siques. From Lall Dong to the that their prophet had summoned them. In Ganges, the country forms with little inter- token of respect, I had dismounted, and ruption, a continued chain of woody hills. was leading my horse, when a Sicque, a The elephant, which abounds in these fosmart fellow, mounted on an active mare, rests, but of a size and quality inferior to that touched me in passing. The high-mettled found in the Chittagong and Malay quarters, animal, whether in contempt of me or my is here only valued for its ivory. From the horse, perhaps of both, attacked us fiercely Ganges to the Jumna, the road lies through from the rear, and in the assault, which was an extensive valley, of a good soil, but thinly violent, the Sicque fell to the ground. The inhabited, and interspersed with wood. The action having commenced on the top of a hill, food of the people is wheaten bread and he rolled with great rapidity to the bottom of the latter being usually made into a soup; and it, and in his way down, left behind him believe me, that in the course of my life I his matchlock, sword, and turban: so comnever eat a meal with a higher relish. Vi-plete a derangement, I feared, would have irritated the whole Sicque body; but, on gorous health indeed, daily labour, and a clear air, will recommend to the appetite evincing the show of much sorrow for the worse things than wheaten cakes and pease- disaster, and having assiduously assisted in soup. Sirinaghur is computed to give an an-investing the fallen horseman with his nual produce of about twenty lacs of rupees. scattered appurtenances, I received general In advancing from India, the first great people through whose territories Mr. F. journeyed was the Seiks, These, with pease, thanks. This district, by its approach to the head of the Punjab, lies wholly at the mercy of the Sicques, who are, I think, the plainest dealers in the world. The fort of Sebah, standing pleasantly on the brink of a rivulet, lay on our road; and in passing it, I saw two Sicque cavaliers strike a terror into the chief and all his people, though shut up within their fort. They had been sent to collect the tribute which the Sicques have imposed on all the mountain chiefs from the Ganges to Jumbo; and, offended at the delay of payment, these high-spoken men were holding to the affrighted Hindons, that style of language, which one of our provincial magistrates would direct at a gypsey, or sturdy beggar I quitted my companions, and going about a mile in front, fell in with a horseman, who had much the appearance of a freebooter; but being well armed, and evidently the stronger man, I did not apprehend any risk from a rencounter. Seeing me a stranger, and from the quality of my equipment, a fit subject for plunder, he stopped me, and in a peremptory manner asked my occupation and place of abode. My answers were neither explanatory nor gracious, and my departure [was] abrupt About a quarter of a mile farther on, I met a Sicque horseman, well armed, who was evidently in search of adventúre. After reconnoitring me attentively, and apprehending, I imagine, that a contest would be of doubtful event, for my sword was long, and my countenance, by the air I assumed, fierce, he politely saluted ine, and passed. These two marauders afterwards intended to have united in an attack on Mr. F. but the coming up of his party preserved him from it. Near Fulwara-In the evening, having reached the bottom of a hill, we observed a body of horsemen descending in our road. The sight of these men, who were immediately known to be Sicques, gave a serious alarm; and on their near approach, I deposited, unnoticed by my companions, my little property of bills and cash in an adjacent bush. This party consisted of about 200. Summoning an affected composure of coun tenance, we affected to smoke our pipes, from which some of the Mahometans took a whiff en passant, and at the same time gave us an assurance of protection against any ill designs of their associates;-After their departure, I took my valuables out of the bush without the observance of my companion, who was transported with joy at the escape, swearing by his beard, that on reaching our evening quarters, he would offer up to Mahomet, or to his national saint Mucdoom Saib, twopennyworth of brown sugar, in thanksgiving for the extraordinary preservation. We learn from Mr. F. that the (Mahometan) saints are as proud in India as else where: that he met with an attention from a singing girl, who with a hearty goodwill did him a culinary service, and supplied the Mahometan's lack of kindness, gratis. And that the beggars, to judge by a troop he met with, are merry; and merciful too, for they invited the traveller to" alight and take some refreshment--a coarse but cordial meal, which was served up with frequent professions of welcome." Mr. F. describes the region from the Ganges to Cashmire as mountainous, cold, and in many places, dreary. He mentions steeps, and acclivities, in ascending which, goods of every description are carried by men, and not without difficulty; horses or mules are incompetent to the purpose. From Lall Dong to the Ganges, says he, the face of the country forms a close chain of woody mountains, aud, did not one or two miserable hamlets feebly interpose, you would pronounce that division of Seringnaghur fitted only for the habitation of the beasts of the forest. Elephants abound there in numerous herds; but are not to be seen, it is said, on the west side of the Jumna. In the vicinity of Nhan, the country is interspersed with low hills, and frequently opens into extensive valleys; which having, perhaps, ever laid waste, are overgrown with low wood. From thence to Ballaspour, the scene is changed into piles of lofty mountains, whose narrow breaks barely serve to discharge the descending streams. From Ballaspour fertile valleys, though not wide, extend to Bissouly, where the country is again covered with high hillä, which, with little variation, stretch to the limits of Kashmire.......... The sides of the mountains produce wheat, barley, and a variety of the small grains. peculiar to India. The cultivated spaces project from the body of the hill, in separate Hats, in the form of a range of semicircular stairs, with a broad base and narrow summit. The ground, which is strong and productive, has been propelled, it should seem, into these projections by the action of the rains, which fall among these mountains with great violence from June to October; and is now preserved, in this divided and level state, by buttresses of loose stones, which bind in the edge of every flat. Rice is also cultivated in the narrow vallies, but not in a great quantity; nor is it the usual food of the inhabitants; who chiefy subsist on wheat, bread, and pease made into a thick soup. From Nhan, the northern sides of the hills produce the fir (that species called the Scotch fir) in great plenty; and in the country between Jumbo and Kashmire are seen many pines; but I observed they only grew on the north face of the mountains. I have frequently ate my meal under the shade of a spreading willow, which here, as in Europe, delights in hanging over a stream. The climate is not favourable to fruits and vegetables, being too hot for the Persian products, and not sufficiently warm to mature those of India, though the white mulberry must be excepted, which at Jumbo, is of a large size, and of an exquisite flavour. The villages of the mountaineers, or rather their hamlets, stand generally on the brow of a hill, and consist of from four to six or eight small scattered houses, which are built of rough stones, laid in a clay loam, and usually flat-roofed. I have also seen, though not often, sloping roofs of wood. The natives are Hindoos-have a rude simplicity of character have no spacious buildings for private or public use, nor in the performance of religious offices do they observe those minuter or refined ceremonies that are practised by the southern Hindoos. A small volcanic fire, that issues from the side of a mountain, is worshipped as a symbol. These mountaincers preserve the beard. The women are olivecomplexioned, delicately shaped, free yet modest. The Mahometan women are secluded. All are veiled, yet not wholly. Mr. F. speaks rapturously of Kashmire, of its lake, and of its roses : the otter of which is superior to any made in India. The season, when the rose first opens into blossom, is celebrated with much festivity by the Kashmirians, who resort in crowds to the adjacent gardens, and enter into scenes of gaiety and pleasure, rarely known among other Asiatic nations. There, all that exterior gravity which constitutes a grand part of the Mahometan character is thrown aside; and the Turk, Arab, and Persian, as if fatigued with exhibiting the serious and guarded deportment of their own country, give a licentious scope to their passions. The valley of Kashmire is of an eliptic form, and extends about 90 miles S. E. to N. W. and is about 40 miles in breadth. It has generally a flat surface, and being copiously watered, yields abundant crops of rice, which is the common food of the inhabitants. At the base of the surrounding hills, where the land is higher, wheat, barley, and various other grains are cultivated. A superior species of saffron is also produced in this province, and iron of an excellent quality is found in the adjacent mountains. But the wealth and fame of Kashmire have largely arisen from the manufacture of shawls, which it holds unrivalled, and almost without participation. The wool of the shawl is not produced in the country, but brought from districts of Thibet, lying at the distance of a month's journey, to the N. E. It is originally of a dark grey colour, and is bleached in Kashmire by the help of a certain preparation of rice flour. The yarn of this wool is stained with such colours as may be judged the best suited for sale, and after being woven the piece is once washed. The border, which usually displays a variety of figures and colours, is attached to the shawls after fabrication but in so nice a manner, that the junction is not discernable. The price at the loom is from 8 rupees to 40,-those highly ornamented 100 rupees. Our readers will compare this account with that translated from a French writer, Panorama Vol. I. p. 1281. Wine is made in Kashmire and a spirituous liquor, in which the people freely indulge, is also made from the grape. Also, the best writing paper of the East, lacquered wares, cutlery, and sugars. Under the Mogul dominion the province contained 40,000 looms: now about 16,000. Commercial agents from most of the principal cities of Northern India, also from Tartary, Persia, and Turkey, reside in Kashmire. The people suffer under the severities of an Afghan governor: his extreme rigour has sensibly affected the deportment and manners of the Kashmirians, who shrink with dread from the Afghan oppressions, and are fearful of making any display of opulence. From being licentous; volatile, and profuse, they are become dispirited; their way of living mean, their dress slovenly, and though of a temper proverbially loquacious, they are become silent and reserved. I often witnessed, (says Mr. F.) the harsh treatment which the common people received at the hands of their masters, who rarely issued an order without a blow from the side of their hatchet, a common weapon of the Afghaus, and used by them in war, as a battle axe. A revenue of between 20 and 30 lacs of rupees is collected from this province, of which seven are remitted to the Shah's treasury. Mr. F. crossed the Indus about 20 miles above the town of Attock; where the stream, though not agitated by the wind, was rapid, with a rough undulating motion, and about three quarters of a mile, or a mile in breadth, where it was not interrupted by islands. The water was discoloured by a fine black sand and was extremely cold. The Indus forms a strong barrier to Hindostan on the west, and it seems a manifest |