When a large number of servants are kept, making a full
compound, and there are also dogs and poultry to be looked
after, we strongly recommend the employment of an under or
mate sweeper, who should do the outdoor work. So much
of the cleanliness and consequent healthiness of a house and
compound depends upon the sweeper, that it is tvorth while
to make sure the work is not scamped ; and t)ie plan here
advocated, of having two sweepers, will be found to be far
more satisfactory in large establishments than the employ-
64 The Complete Indian
inent of an upper and under beai’er, neither of whom will do
any real cleaning. The under sweeper (who will seldom re-
quire more than five rupees a month) should have the charge
of the servants’ houses^ compound, and stableyard, look after
the dogs and poultry, sweep the verandahs, remove the
refuse from the cook-house, and be generally responsible for
outside cleanliness. The upper sweeper should be virtually
the under bearer, leaving the head man available as butler
and valet.
The sweeper’s first duty in the morning is to see to the
bath-rooms and empty the slops, taking care to observe all
regulations as to the disposal of refuse, and to keep every-
thing sweet and clean. His next is to SAveep the verandahs,
then the dining-room and hall, and lastly, the drawing-room.
If there has been a fire, he should, after placing the dust-cloth
over the rug, pi'oceed to remove the ashes, and thoroughly
clean the hearth. It will be found a good plan to make the
SAveeper keep a pot full of colour-Avash to take the place of
hearthstone. With this be should Avash over the inside of
the ai-ched recess Avhich in most Indian houses does duty as
a fireplace ; by thus removing the smoke and dust marks, the
heai-th has a much tidier appearance. Once a Aveek, every
room in the house should have a complete cleaning out,
beginning Avith the upper windoAvs and Avails, and finishing
Avith a rub doAvn to all the doors and frames. Such of the
boots and shoes as have not been cleaned over-night should
noAV be attended to : in some houses the bearer cleans the
boots, and he ahvays remains responsible for their being
ready AAdien Av.anted, and should always keep clean the patent
leather, and the finer kinds of shoes ; but in many respects it
is better to make the SAveeper do the dirty Avork.
After each meal it is the SAA^eeper’s duty to go into the
scullery, and, under the khitmutgars orders, remove all refuse
to Us proper place. In large stations there is generally a
recognised place for the refuse heap, Avhich is periodically
cleared aAvay by conservancy carts ; but in other cases the
best plan is to dig a long trench, three feet deep by tAVO
broad, in some convenient corner of the garden, piling up
the earth on one side only. As the SAveeper throAVS in the
refuse he shoidd cover it AA'ith dry earth from above, taking
care not to use the trench in various parts, but Avork steadily
Housekeeper and Cook 65
from one eml, and to fill it up only to about two feet, and
after that to make it level with pure earth. When one trench
is filled, another may be dug alongside. In this way all refuse
becomes valuable manure for the garden.
Page 43
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
When a large number of servants are kept, making a full compound, and there are also dogs and poultry to be looked after, we strongly recommend the employment of an under or mate sweeper, who should do the outdoor work. So much of the cleanliness and consequent healthiness of a house and compound depends upon the sweeper, that it is tvorth while to make sure the work is not scamped ; and t)ie plan here advocated, of having two sweepers, will be found to be far more satisfactory in large establishments than the employ-
64 The Complete Indian
ment of an upper and under bearer, neither of whom will do any real cleaning. The under sweeper (who will seldom require more than five rupees a month) should have the charge of the servants’ houses^ compound, and stableyard, look after the dogs and poultry, sweep the verandahs, remove the refuse from the cook-house, and be generally responsible for outside cleanliness. The upper sweeper should be virtually the under bearer, leaving the head man available as butler and valet.
The sweeper's first duty in the morning is to see to the bath-rooms and empty the slops, taking care to observe all regulations as to the disposal of refuse, and to keep everything sweet and clean. His next is to sweep the verandahs, then the dining-room and hall, and lastly, the drawing-room. If there has been a fire, he should, after placing the dust-cloth over the rug, proceed to remove the ashes, and thoroughly clean the hearth. It will be found a good plan to make the SAveeper keep a pot full of colour-wash to take the place of hearthstone. With this he should wash over the inside of the arched recess which in most Indian houses does duty as a fireplace ; by thus removing the smoke and dust marks, the hearth has a much tidier appearance. Once a week, every room in the house should have a complete cleaning out, beginning with the upper windows and walls, and finishing with a rub down to all the doors and frames. Such of the boots and shoes as have not been cleaned over-night should now be attended to : in some houses the bearer cleans the boots, and he always remains responsible for their being ready when wanted, and should always keep clean the patent leather, and the finer kinds of shoes ; but in many respects it is better to make the sweeper do the dirty work.
After each meal it is the sweeper's duty to go into the scullery, and, under the khitmutgar's orders, remove all refuse to its proper place. In large stations there is generally a recognised place for the refuse heap, which is periodically cleared away by conservancy carts ; but in other cases the best plan is to dig a long trench, three feet deep by two broad, in some convenient corner of the garden, piling up the earth on one side only. As the sweeper throws in the refuse he should cover it with dry earth from above, taking care not to use the trench in various parts, but work steadily
Housekeeper and Cook 65
from one eml, and to fill it up only to about two feet, and after that to make it level with pure earth. When one trench is filled, another may be dug alongside. In this way all refuse becomes valuable manure for the garden.