Storia do Mogor 265.17.5

265.17.5

In Europe there is no idea about whether people in India are punctual or not in satisfying their debts to their creditors, because when they are in need they ask with much modesty, making a thousand bows, promising to pay the debt according to the obligations of a written bond. They show themselves as being very much obliged, and offer with humility to be [215] of service in any way. But, the money once in their hands, they remember no more about it and make no effort to pay. When the term of payment arrives they invent pretexts, making moan that the voyage they had just made ended in a loss because their goods had not sold. As they have no intention of paying, they invent such-like excuses. Thus to secure payment is a laborious business, and often one must have recourse to the law courts, wearing one's self out with fatigue, and all the while spending money. Over and over again the principal sum is lost, and from being friends you and your debtor turn into enemies. I have often seen this. Some men, in place of recovering their due, lose their lives by a blow on the head, or lose an arm, or some other similar mishap befalls them. This can be seen by the following case :