Chapter CULMUREEA to CURIA MURIA of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

CUMQUOT, s. The fruit of Citrus japonica, a miniature orange, often sent in jars of preserved fruits, from China. Kumkwat is the Canton pronunciation of kin-kü, ‘gold orange,’ the Chinese name of the fruit.

CUMRA, s. H. kamra, from Port. camara; a chamber, a cabin. [In Upper India the drawing-room is the gol kamra, so called because one end of it is usually semi-circular.]

CUMRUNGA, s. See CARAMBOLA.

CUMSHAW, s. Chin. Pigeon-English for bucksheesh (q.v.), or a present of any kind. According to Giles it is the Amoy pron. (kam-siä) of two characters signifying ‘grateful thanks.’ Bp. Moule suggests kan-siu (or Cantonese) kam-sau, ‘thank-gift.’

1879.—“…they pressed upon us, blocking out the light, uttering discordant cries, and clamouring with one voice, Kum-sha, i.e. backsheesh, looking more like demons than living men.”—Miss Bird’s Golden Chersonese, 70.

1882.—“As the ship got under weigh, the Compradore’s cumshas, according to ‘olo custom,’ were brought on board…dried lychee, Nankin dates…baskets of oranges, and preserved ginger.”—The Fankwae, 103.

CUNCHUNEE, s. H. kanchani. A dancing-girl. According to Shakespear, this is the feminine of a caste, Kanchan, whose women are dancers. But there is doubt as to this: [see Crooke, Tribes and Castes, N.W.P. iv. 364, for the Kanchan caste.] Kanchan is ‘gold’; also a yellow pigment, which the women may have used; see quot from Bernier. [See DANCING-GIRL.]

[c. 1590.—“The Kanjari; the men of this class play the Pakhawaj, the Rabab, and the Tala, while the women sing and dance. His Majesty calls them Kanchanis.”—Ain, ed. Jarrett, iii. 257.]

c. 1660.—“But there is one thing which seems to me a little too extravagant…the publick Women, I mean not those of the Bazar, but those more retired and considerable ones that go to the great marriages at the houses of the Omrahs and Mansebdars to sing and dance, those that are called Kenchen, as if you should say the guilded the blossoming ones.…”—Bernier, E.T. 88; [ed. Constable, 273 seq.].

c. 1661.—“On regala dans le Serrail, toutes ces Dames Etrangères, de festins et des dances des Quenchenies, qui sont des femmes et des filles d’une Caste de ce nom, qui n’ont point d’autre profession que celle de la danse.”—Thevenot, v. 151.

1689.—“And here the Dancing Wenches, or Quenchenies, entertain you, if you please.”—Ovington, 257.

1799.—“In the evening the Canchanis…have exhibited before the Prince and court.”—Diary in Life of Colebrooke, 153.

1810.—“The dancing-women are of different kinds…the Meeraseens never perform before assemblies of men.…The Kunchenee are of an opposite stamp; they dance and sing for the amusement of the male sex.”—Williamson, V. M. i. 386.

CURIA MURIA, n.p. The name of a group of islands off the S.E. coast of Arabia (Kharyan Maryan, of Edrisi).

1527.—“Thus as they sailed, the ship got lost upon the shore of Fartaque in (the region of) Curia Muria; and having swum ashore they got along in company of the Moors by land to Calayata, and thence on to Ormuz.”—Correa, iii. 562; see also i. 366.

c. 1535.—“Dopo Adem è Fartaque, e le isole Curia, Muria.…”—Sommario de’ Regni, in Ramusio, f. 325.

1540.—“We letted not to discover the Isles of Curia, Muria, and Avedalcuria (in orig. Abedalcuria).”—Mendez Pinto, E.T. p. 4.

[1553.—See quotation under ROSALGAT.]

1554.—“…it is necessary to come forth between Súkara and the islands Khúr or Múria (Khör Moriya).”—The Mohit, in Jour. As. Soc. Beng. v. 459.

[1833.—“The next place to Saugra is Koorya Moorya Bay, which is extensive, and has good soundings throughout; the islands are named Jibly, Hallanny, Soda, and Haskee.”—Owen, Narr. i. 348.]

1834.—“The next place to Saugra is Koorya Moorya Bay.”—J. R. Geog. Soc. ii. 208.