The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.92.5

v1.c10.92.5

Next day they came to tent at noon, and whilst I conversed with the males on their customs, language, and religion, the girls sat nestled together in a corner for a long time silent and motionless as statues, but after an hour or two elapsed, the crouching nymphs showed signs of life and symptoms of uneasiness, and, more attentively regarding them, I found that great tears were dropping from the downcast eyes like dew-drops on the green leaves. On my tenderly seeking the cause of their distress, I was told that the leaves were becoming dry, stiff, and uncomfortable, and if they were not allowed to go to the woods for a change, the consequences would be serious, and they certainly could not dance. It was a bright, dry day, and the crisp rustling, as they rose to depart, confirmed the statement".⁶⁰ The tears of the Juāng nymphs are remarkably expressive. A similar instance is narrated by Lieutenant, afterwards Commodore, Lambert in the voyage of one of Her Majesty's ships in the Pacific Ocean. The ship was at anchor close by an island inhabited by savages, who used the smallest possible amount of clothing "that could be made to serve the purposes of decency", and yet when they beheld the ship's crew jumping into the sea-water for a bath without any clothing on their person, they were sorely scandalised. Other instances it would be easy to adduce; but they are not wanted.