Chapter PROW to PUCKAULY of P by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

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1727.—“Fort William was built on an irregular Tetragon of Brick and Mortar, called Puckah, which is a Composition of Brick-dust, Lime, Molasses, and cut Hemp, and when it comes to be dry, it is as hard and tougher than firm Stone or Brick.”—A. Hamilton, ii. 19; [ed. 1744, ii. 7].

The word was also sometimes used substantively for “pucka pice” (see CUTCHA).

c. 1817.—“I am sure I strive, and strive, and yet last month I could only lay by eight rupees and four puckers.”—Mrs. Sherwood’s Stories, 66.


In (Stockdale’s) Indian Vocabulary of 1788 we find another substantive use, but it was perhaps even then inaccurate. 1788.—“Pucka—A putrid fever, generally fatal in 24 hours.”

Another habitual application of pucka and cutcha distinguishes between two classes of weights and measures. The existence of twofold weight, the pucka ser and the cutcha, used to be very general in India. It was equally common in Medieval Europe. Almost every city in Italy had its libra grossa and libra sottile (e.g. see Pegolotti, 4, 34, 153, 228, &c.), and we ourselves still have them, under the names of pound avoirdupois and pound troy.

1673.—“The Maund Pucka at Agra is double as much (as the Surat Maund).”—Fryer, 205.

1760.—“Les pacca cosses … repondent à une lieue de l’Isle de France.”—Lett. Edif. xv. 189.

1803.—“If the rice should be sent to Coraygaum, it should be in sufficient quantities to give 72 pucca seers for each load.”—Wellington, Desp. (ed. 1837), ii. 43.

In the next quotation the terms apply to the temporary or permanent character of the appointments held.

1866.—“Susan. Well, Miss, I don’t wonder you’re so fond of him. He is such a sweet young man, though he is cutcha. Thank goodness, my young man is pucka, though he is only a subordinate Government Salt Chowkee.”—Trevelyan, The Dawk Bungalow, 222.


The remaining quotations are examples of miscellaneous use: 1853.—“ ‘Well, Jenkyns, any news?’ ‘Nothing pucka that I know of.’ ”—Oakfield, ii. 57.

1866.—“I cannot endure a swell, even though his whiskers are pucka.”—Trevelyan, The Dawk Bungalow, in Fraser, lxxiii. 220.

The word has spread to China:

“Dis pukka sing-song makee show
How smart man make mistake, galow.”

Leland, Pidgin English Sing-Song, 54.

PUCKAULY, s.; also PUCKAUL. Hind. pakhali, ‘a water-carrier.’ In N. India the pakhal [Skt. payas, ‘water,’ khalla, ‘skin’] is a large water-skin (an entire ox-hide) of some 20 gallons content, of which a pair are carried by a bullock, and the pakhali is the man who fills the skins, and supplies the water thus. In the Madras Drill Regulations for 1785 (33), ten puckalies are allowed to a battalion. (See also Williamson’s V. M. (1810), i. 229.)

[1538.—Referring to the preparations for the siege of Diu, “which they brought from all the wells on the island by all the bullocks they could collect with their water-skins, which they call pacals (Pacais).”—Couto, Dec. V. Bk. iii. ch. 2.]

1780.—“There is another very necessary establishment to the European corps, which is two buccalies to each company: these are two large leathern bags for holding water, slung upon the back of a bullock. …”—Munro’s Narrative, 183.

1803.—“It (water) is brought by means of bullocks in leathern bags, called here puckally bags, a certain number of which is attached to every regiment and garrison in India. Black fellows called Puckauly-boys are employed to fill the bags, and drive the bullocks to the quarters of the different Europeans.”—Percival’s Ceylon, 102.

1804.—“It would be a much better arrangement to give the adjutants of corps an allowance of 26 rupees per mensam, to supply two puckalie men, and two bullocks with bags, for each company.”—Wellington, iii. 509.

1813.—“In cities, in the armies, and with Europeans on country excursions, the water for drinking is usually carried in large leather bags called pacaulies, formed by the entire skin of an ox.”—Forbes, Or. Mem. ii. 140; [2nd ed. i. 415].

1842.—“I lost no time in confidentially communicating with Capt. Oliver on the subject of trying some experiments as to the possibility of conveying empty ‘puckalls’ and ‘mussucks’ by sea to Suez.”—Sir G. Arthur, in Ellenborough’s Ind. Admin. 219.

[1850.—“On the reverse flank of companies march the Pickalliers, or men driving bullocks, carrying large leather bags filled with water. …”—Hervey, Ten Years in India, iii. 335.]