Chapter NAZIR to NEGRAIS of N by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

NAZIR to NEGRAIS

NAZIR, s. Hind. from Ar. nazir, ‘inspector’ (nazr, ‘sight’). The title of a native official in the Anglo-Indian Courts, sometimes improperly rendered ‘sheriff,’ because he serves processes, &c.

1670.—“The Khan…ordered his Nassir, or Master of the Court, to assign something to the servants.…”—Andriesz, 41.

[1708.—“He especially, who is called Nader, that is the chief of the Mahal…”Catrou, H. of the Mogul Dynasty, E.T. 295.

[1826.—“The Nazir is a perpetual sheriff, and executes writs and summonses to all the parties required to attend in civil and criminal cases.”—Pandurang Hari, ed. 1873, ii. 118.]

1878.—“The Nazir had charge of the treasury, stamps, &c., and also the issue of summonses and processes.”—Life in the Mofussil, i. 204.

[In the following the word represents nakkara, ‘a kettle-drum.’

1763.—“His Excellency (Nawab Meer Cossim) had not eaten for three days, nor allowed his Nazir to be beaten.”—Diary of a Prisoner at Patna, in Wheeler, Early Records, 323.]

NEELÁM, LEELÁM, s. Hind. nilam, from Port. leilão. An auction or public outcry, as it used to be called in India (corresponding to Scotch roup; comp. Germ. rufen, and outroop of Linschoten’s translator below). The word is, however, Oriental in origin, for Mr. C. P. Brown (MS. notes) points out that the Portuguese word is from Ar. i’lam (al-i’lam), ‘proclamation, advertisement.’ It is omitted by Dozy and Engelmann. How old the custom in India of prompt disposal by auction of the effects of a deceased European is, may be seen in the quotation from Linschoten.

1515.—“Pero d’Alpoym came full of sorrow to Cochin with all the apparel and servants of Afonso d’Alboquerque, all of which Dom Gracia took charge of; but the Governor (Lopo Soares) gave orders that there should be a leilão (auction) of all the wardrobe, which indeed made a very poor show. Dom Gracia said to D. Aleixo in the church, where they met: The Governor your uncle orders a leilão of all the old wardrobe of Afonso d’Alboquerque. I can’t praise his intention, but what he has done only adds to my uncle’s honour; for all the people will see that he gathered no rich Indian stuffs, and that he despised everything but to be foremost in honour.”—Correa, ii. 469.

[1527.—“And should any man die, they at once make a Leylam of his property.”—India Office MSS., Corpo Chronologico, vol. i. Letter of Fernando Nunes to the King, Sept. 7.

[1554.—“All the spoil of Mombasa that came into the general stock was sold by leilão.”—Castanheda, Bk. ii. ch. 13.]

1598.—“In Goa there is holden a daylie assemblie…which is like the meeting upõ the burse in Andwarpe…and there are all kindes of Indian commodities to sell, so that in a manner it is like a Faire…it beginneth in y^e morning at 7 of the clocke, and continueth till 9…in the principal streete of the citie…and is called the Leylon, which is as much as to say, as an outroop…and when any man dieth, all his goods are brought thether and sold to the last pennieworth, in the same outroop, whosoever they be, yea although they were the Viceroyes goodes.…”—Linschoten, ch. xxix.; [Hak. Soc. i. 184; and compare Pyrard de Laval, Hak. Soc. ii. 52, who spells the word Laylon].

c. 1610.—“…le mary vient frapper à la porte, dont la femme faisant fort l’estonnée, prie le Portugais de se cacher dans vne petite cuue à pourcelaine, et l’ayant fait entrer là dedans, et ferme tres bien à clef, ouurit la porte a son mary, qui…le laissa tremper là iusqu’au lendemain matin, qu’il fit porter ceste cuue au marché, ou lailan ainsi qu’ils appellent.…”—Mocquet, 344.

Linschoten gives an engraving of the Rua Direita in Goa, with many of these auctions going on, and the superscription: “O Leilao que se faz cada dia pola menhã na Rua direita de Goa.” The Portuguese word has taken root at Canton Chinese in the form yélang; but more distinctly betrays its origin in the Amoy form lé-lang and Swatow loylang (see Giles; also Dennys’s Notes and Queries, vol. i.).

NEELGYE, NILGHAU, &c., s. Hind. nilgau, nilgai, lilgai, i.e. ‘blue cow’; the popular name of the great antelope, called by Pallas Antilope tragocamelus (Portax pictus, of Jerdon, [Boselaphus tragocamelus of Blanford, Mammalia, 517]), given from the slaty blue which is its predominant colour. The proper Hind. name of the animal is rojh (Skt. risya, or rishya).

1663.—“After these Elephants are brought divers tamed Gazelles, which are made to fight with one another; as also some Nilgaux, or grey oxen, which in my opinion are a kind of Elands, and Rhinoceross, and those great Buffalos of Bengala…to combat with a Lion or Tiger.”—Bernier, E.T. p. 84; [ed. Constable, 262; in 218 nilsgaus; in 364, 377, nil-ghaux].

1773.—“Captain Hamilton has been so obliging as to take charge of two deer, a male and a female, of a species which is called neelgow, and is, I believe,