Chapter PARIAH-ARRACK to PASEI of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

PARIAH-ARRACK to PASEI

PARIAH-ARRACK, s. In the 17th and 18th centuries this was a name commonly given to the poisonous native spirit commonly sold to European soldiers and sailors. [See FOOL’S RACK.]

1671–72.—“The unwholesome liquor called Parrier-arrack. …”—Sir W. Langhorne, in Wheeler, iii. 422.

1711.—“The Tobacco, Beetle, and Pariar Arack, on which such great profit arises, are all expended by the Inhabitants.”—Lockyer, 13.

1754.—“I should be very glad to have your order to bring the ship up to Calcutta … as … the people cannot here have the opportunity of intoxicating and killing themselves with Pariar Arrack.”—In Long, 51.

PARIAH-DOG, s. The common ownerless yellow dog, that frequents all inhabited places in the East, is universally so called by Europeans, no doubt from being a low-bred casteless animal; often elliptically ‘pariah’ only.

1789.—“… A species of the common cur, called a pariar-dog.”—Munro, Narr. p. 36.

1810.—“The nuisance may be kept circling for days, until forcibly removed, or until the pariah dogs swim in, and draw the carcase to the shore.”—Williamson, V. M. ii. 261.

1824.—“The other beggar was a Pariah dog, who sneaked down in much bodily fear to our bivouac.”—Heber, ed. 1844, i. 79.

1875.—“Le Musulman qui va prier à la mosquée, maudit les parias honnis.”—Rev. des Deux Mondes, April, 539.

[1883.—“Paraya Dogs are found in every street.”—T. V. Row, Man. of Tanjore Dist. 104.]

PARIAH-KITE, s. The commonest Indian kite, Milvus Govinda, Sykes, notable for its great numbers, and its impudence. “They are excessively bold and fearless, often snatching morsels off a dish en route from kitchen to hall, and even, according to Adams, seizing a fragment from a man’s very mouth” (Jerdon). Compare quotation under BRAHMINY KITE.

[1880.—“I had often supposed that the scavenger or Pariah Kites (Milvus govinda), which though generally to be seen about the tents, are not common in the jungles, must follow the camp for long distances, and today I had evidence that such was the case. …”—Ball, Jungle Life, 655.]

PARSEE, n.p. This name, which distinguishes the descendants of those emigrants of the old Persian stock, who left their native country, and, retaining their Zoroastrian religion, settled in India to avoid Mahommedan persecution, is only the old form of the word for a Persian, viz., Parsi, which Arabic influences have in more modern times converted into Farsi. The Portuguese have used both Parseo and Perseo. From the latter some of our old travellers have taken the form Persee; from the former doubtless we got Parsee. It is a curious example of the way in which different accidental mouldings of the same word come to denote entirely different ideas, that Persian, in this form, in Western India, means a Zoroastrian fire-worshipper, whilst Pathi (see PANTHAY), a Burmese corruption of the same word, in Burma means a Mahommedan. c. 1328.—“There be also other pagan-folk in this India who worship fire; they bury not their dead, neither do they burn them, but cast them into the midst of a certain roofless tower, and there expose them totally uncovered to the fowls of heaven. These believe in two First Principles, to wit, of Evil and of Good, of Darkness and of Light.”—Friar Jordanus, 21.

1552.—“In any case he dismissed them with favour and hospitality, showing himself glad of the coming of such personages, and granting them protection for their ships as being (Parseos) Persians of the Kingdom of Ormuz.”—Barros, I. viii. 9.

” “… especially after these were induced by the Persian and Guzerati Moors (Mouros, Parseos e Guzarates) to be converted from heathen (Gentios) to the sect of Mahamed.”—Ibid. II. vi. i.

[1563.—“There are other herb-sellers (mercadores de boticas) called Coaris, and in the Kingdom of Cambay they call them Esparcis, and we Portuguese call them Jews, but they are not, only Hindus who came from Persia and have their own writing.”—Garcia, p. 213.]

1616.—“There is one sect among the Gentiles, which neither burne nor interre their dead (they are called Parcees) who incircle pieces of ground with high stone walls, remote from houses or Road-wayes, and therein lay their Carcasses, wrapped in Sheetes, thus having no other Tombes but the gorges of rauenous Fowles.”—Terry, in Purchas, ii. 1479.

1630.—“Whilst my observation was bestowed on such inquiry, I observed in the town of Surrat, the place where I resided, another Sect called the Persees. …”—Lord, Two Forraigne Sects.

1638.—“Outre les Benjans il y a encore vne autre sorte de Payens dans le royaume de Gusuratte, qu’ils appellent Parsis. Ce sont des Perses de Fars,