Chapter INDIAN to INTERLOPER of I by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

identifies Belondri with Valabhi, 20 m. N.W. of Bhavnagar.

[1610.—“Anil or Indigue, which is a violet- blue dye.”—Pyrard de Laval, Hak. Soc. ii. 246.]

1610.—“In the country thereabouts is made some Indigo.”—Sir H. Middleton, in Purchas, i. 259.

[1616.—“Indigo is made thus. In the prime June they sow it, which the rains bring up about the prime September: this they cut and it is called the Newty (H. naudha, ‘a young plant’), formerly mentioned, and is a good sort. Next year it sprouts again in the prime August, which they cut and is the best Indigo, called Jerry (H. jari, ‘growing from the root (jar).’ ”— Foster, Letters, iv. 241.]

c. 1670.—Tavernier gives a detailed account of the manufacture as it was in his time. “They that sift this Indigo must be careful to keep a Linnen-cloath before their faces, and that their nostrils be well stopt. … Yet … they that have sifted Indigo for 9 or 10 days shall spit nothing but blew for a good while together. Once I laid an egg in the morning among the sifters, and when I came to break it in the evening it was all blew within.”—E.T. ii. 128-9; [ed. Ball, ii. 11].

We have no conception what is meant by the following singular (apparently sarcastic) entry in the Indian Vocabulary:—

1788.—“Indergo—a drug of no estimation that grows wild in the woods.” [This is H. indarjau, Skt. indra- yava, “barley of Indra,” the Wrightia tinctoria, from the leaves of which a sort of indigo is made. See Watt, Econ. Dict. VI. pt. iv. 316. “Inderjò of the species of warm bitters.”— Halhed, Code, ed. 1781, p. 9.]

1881.—“Découvertes et Inventions.—Décidément le cabinet Gladstone est poursuivi par la malechance. Voici un savant chimiste de Munich qui vient de trouver le moyen se preparer artificiellement et à très bon marché le bleu Indigo. Cette découverte peut amener la ruine du gouvernement des Indes anglaises, qui est déjà menacé de la banqueroute. L’indigo, en effet, est le principal article de commerce des Indes (!); dans l’Allemagne, seulement, on en importe par an pour plus de cent cinquante millions de francs.”—Havre Commercial Paper, quoted in Pioneer Mail, Feb. 3.

INGLEES, s. Hind. Inglis and Inglis. Wilson gives as the explanation of this: “Invalid soldiers and sipahis, to whom allotments of land were assigned as pensions; the lands so granted.” But the word is now used as the equivalent of (sepoy’s) pension simply. Mr. Carnegie, [who is followed by Platts], says the word is “probably a corruption of English, as pensions were unknown among native Governments, whose rewards invariably took the shape of land assignments.” This, however, is quite unsatisfactory; and Sir H. Elliot’s suggestion (mentioned by Wilson) that the word was a corruption of invalid (which the sepoys may have confounded in some way with English) is most probable.

INTERLOPER, s. One in former days who traded without the license, or outside the service, of a company (such as the E.I.C.) which had a charter of monopoly. The etymology of the word remains obscure. It looks like Dutch, but intelligent Dutch friends have sought in vain for a Dutch original. Onderloopen, the nearest word we can find, means ‘to be inundated.’ The hybrid etymology given by Bailey, though allowed by Skeat, seems hardly possible. Perhaps it is an English corruption from ontloopen, ‘to evade, escape, run away from.’ [The N.E.D. without hesitation gives interlope, a form of leap. Skeat, in his Concise Dict., 2nd ed., agrees, and quotes Low Germ. and Dutch enterloper, ‘a runner between.’]

1627.—“Interlopers in trade, ¶ Attur Acad. pa. 54.”—Minsheu. (What is the meaning of the reference?) [It refers to “The Atturneyes Academie” by Thomas Powell or Powel, for which see 9 ser. Notes and Queries, vii. 198, 392].

1680.—“The commissions relating to the Interloper, or private trader, being considered, it is resolved that a notice be fixed up warning all the Inhabitants of the Towne, not, directly or indirectly, to trade, negotiate, aid, assist, countenance, or hold any correspondence, with Captain William Alley or any person belonging to him or his ship without the license of the Honorable Company. Whoever shall offend herein shall answeare it at their Perill.”—Notes and Exts., Pt. iii. 29.

1681.—“The Shippe EXPECTATION, Capt. Ally Comand^r, an Interloper, arrived in ye Downes from Porto Novo.”—Hedges, Diary, Jan. 4; [Hak. Soc. i. 15].

[1682.—“The Agent having notice of an Interloper lying in Titticorin Bay, immediately sent for ye Councell to consult about it. …”—Pringle, Diary of Ft. St. Geo. 1st ser. i. 69.]

„ “The Spirit of Commerce, which sees its drifts with eagle’s eyes, formed associations at the risque of trying the consequence at law … since the statutes did not authorize the Company to seize or stop the ships of these adventurers, whom they called Interlopers.”—Orme’s Fragments, 127.

1683.—“If God gives me life to get this Phirmaund into my possession, ye Honble. Compy, shall never more be much troubled with Interlopers.”—Hedges, Diary, Jan. 6; [Hak. Soc. i. 62].

„ “May 28. About 9 this