77
12
32
50
14
10
20
1000
Tliese are the nearest figures available, but the data from
Ceylon varied so greatly that it appears likely that the cost
is difl'erent in difl’erent places.
32 The Complete Indian
The prices of furniture, native made, are roughly
Sideboard . .
Bs.
a.
Rs.
a.
... 50
0
Little tables ....
3
0
Dining table
... 30
0
Dining chairs ....
5
0
liasy-cbairs
... 8
0
Small cbairs ....
2
50
Dressing-table .
... 5
0
Red complete, with bed-
^Casllst^lnd . .
... 5
0
ding and nets . . .
40
0
AVardrobe .
... 20
0
Towel-horse ....
1
50
Teapoys .
... 1
50
Coir matting, Its. 15 per roll of 60 feet, 1 yard wide.
Rattan matting, 25 cents per square foot.
It appears quite possible to live comfortably in some
parts of Ceylon for Rs. 300 a month. House rent varies.
In Kandy, one should be got for Rs. 50. In Colombo it may
be Rs. 80 or more. Four house servants are quite sufficient ;
some authorities say three, and one outdoor servant, a
garden coolie, who apparently does waterman’s and sweeper’s
work combined ; but the whole arrangements of Ceylon life
approximate much more closely to England than in any other
part of India. Their wages should be about Rs. 67 ; to this
must be added washing at Rs. 5 a head, bringing the total up
to Rs. 77. The servants may be Cinghalese or Tamil. The
former are Buddhists, the latter Hindoo, Christian, or Pariah.
The former are largely employed up country. In Kandy it
is apparently the custom to give some of the servants their
food, allowing for it in the wage. All over Ceylon European
servants are largely emjjloyed.
The keep of a horse is by several authorities estimated at
Rs. 50 a month, including the horsekeeper’s wages. In Ceylon
the servants do not live in the compound except the house
coolie, who lives in the kitchen.
The daily bazaar account should, it appears, not exceed
Rs. 50 a month, but this does not include milk or the bread
account. Several correspondents put Rs. 3 a day as ample for
the total commissariat expenditure for two people per diem.
This is exactly what is said in the Punjab. English cooking-
stoves are largely used, and coke or coal burnt ; otherwise
wood. As the currency is different in Ceylon, it will be w-ell
to mention here that the ru[)ee is considered equivalent to
two shillings, and is divided into 100 cents. The weights
Housekeeper and Cook 33
used are the English pound and its divisions. The cost of
firing is variously estimated from Rs. 15 to Rs 30 a month.
Provisions are fairly cheap, but not good. Beef about 4d., or
25 cents a lb. ; mutton, double the price ; milk, about six
beer bottles for the rupee, but cows are very generally kept.
Those of island breed cost about Rs. 50, and do not give more
than three bottles' a day. Indian ones, costing Rs. 80, give
five bottles. The authors fail to understand this last piece of
information, as the commonest Indian cow in India gives at
least eight bottles, and many fourteen. Perhaps a reference
to the chapter on Cows may be useful. Butter is not made
at home; it is generally Rs. 1'25 a lb. Chickens cost about
4*5 cents.
Page 21
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
These are the nearest figures available, but the data from Ceylon varied so greatly that it appears likely that the cost is different in different places.
32 The Complete Indian
The prices of furniture, native made, are roughly
Sideboard . .
Bs.
a.
Rs.
a.
... 50
Little tables ....
Dining table
... 30
Dining chairs ....
Easy-chairs
... 8
Small chairs ....
Dressing-table .
... 5
Red complete, with bed-
Castlwind . .
... 5
ding and nets . . .
AVardrobe .
... 20
Towel-horse ....
Teapoys .
... 1
Coir matting, Its. 15 per roll of 60 feet, 1 yard wide. Rattan matting, 25 cents per square foot.
It appears quite possible to live comfortably in some parts of Ceylon for Rs. 300 a month. House rent varies. In Kandy, one should be got for Rs. 50. In Colombo it may be Rs. 80 or more. Four house servants are quite sufficient ; some authorities say three, and one outdoor servant, a garden coolie, who apparently does waterman’s and sweeper’s work combined ; but the whole arrangements of Ceylon life approximate much more closely to England than in any other part of India. Their wages should be about Rs. 67 ; to this must be added washing at Rs. 5 a head, bringing the total up to Rs. 77. The servants may be Cinghalese or Tamil. The former are Buddhists, the latter Hindoo, Christian, or Pariah. The former are largely employed up country. In Kandy it is apparently the custom to give some of the servants their food, allowing for it in the wage. All over Ceylon European servants are largely employed.
The keep of a horse is by several authorities estimated at Rs. 50 a month, including the horsekeeper’s wages. In Ceylon the servants do not live in the compound except the house coolie, who lives in the kitchen.
The daily bazaar account should, it appears, not exceed Rs. 50 a month, but this does not include milk or the bread account. Several correspondents put Rs. 3 a day as ample for the total commissariat expenditure for two people per diem. This is exactly what is said in the Punjab. English cookingstoves are largely used, and coke or coal burnt ; otherwise wood. As the currency is different in Ceylon, it will be w-ell to mention here that the rupee is considered equivalent to two shillings, and is divided into 100 cents. The weights
Housekeeper and Cook 33
used are the English pound and its divisions. The cost of firing is variously estimated from Rs. 15 to Rs 30 a month. Provisions are fairly cheap, but not good. Beef about 4d., or 25 cents a lb. ; mutton, double the price ; milk, about six beer bottles for the rupee, but cows are very generally kept. Those of island breed cost about Rs. 50, and do not give more than three bottles' a day. Indian ones, costing Rs. 80, give five bottles. The authors fail to understand this last piece of information, as the commonest Indian cow in India gives at least eight bottles, and many fourteen. Perhaps a reference to the chapter on Cows may be useful. Butter is not made at home; it is generally Rs. 1'25 a lb. Chickens cost about 4*5 cents.