Page:Malabari, Behramji M. - Gujarat and the Gujaratis (1882).djvu/128

112 Gujarát. To-day the best-cultivated beard will not get the best known Sowcár a loan of Rs. 10. We see mutual distrust and petty jealousies amongst traders. Commercial morality is at a low ebb, as in Bombay. Let me give the instance of a Hindu merchant of extensive credit who took the benefit of the Insolvency Act some time ago, and thus ruined hundreds of widows and orphans who had entrusted their little all to his care. When these unlucky wights besought him for some relief as charity, the Sowcar mildly said to them, "My dear creatures, why do you want money? You are poor and can beg. Can I beg? And knowing this the Sirkár (Government) has relieved me of liability to you. But do not, I pray, think that I am happy. No, no; with your money I have to settle their dowries on my daughters," &c. &c.

A very pleasant way of settling dowries, to be sure! But instances of fraudulent insolvency are common both among the Hindus and Parsis. We have insolvents who have "taken the benefit" of what we call "the white-washing Act," half a dozen times each; and after each "white-washing" the insolvent has suddenly come into a fortune, with which he endows his wife or mother or a