Chapter SIRDAR to SITTING-UP. of S by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

exported to Egypt, (see Forskal, quoted by Royle, Hindu Medicine, 128). Royle notices the resemblance of the Biblical shittim wood to shisham.

c. A.D. 80.—“… Thither they are wont to despatch from Barygaza (Broach) to both these ports of Persia, great vessels with brass, and timbers, and beams of teak ( [Greek Text] xulwn sagalinwn kai dokwn) … and logs of shisham ( [Greek Text] falaggwn sasaminwn) …”—Periplus, Maris Erythr., cap 36.

c. 545.—“These again are passed on from Sielediba to the marts on this side, such as Malé, where the pepper is grown, and Kalliana, whence are exported brass, and shisham logs ( [Greek Text] shsamina xula), and other wares.”—Cosmas, lib. xi.

? before 1200.—

“There are the wolf and the parrot, and the peacock, and the dove,
And the plant of Zinj, and al-sasim, and pepper. …”

Verses on India by Abu’l-dhal’i, the Sindi, quoted by Kazvini, in Gildemeister, p. 218.

1810.—“Sissoo grows in most of the great forests, intermixed with saul. … This wood is extraordinarily hard and heavy, of a dark brown, inclining to a purple tint when polished.”—Williamson, V.M. ii. 71.

1839.—“As I rode through the city one day I saw a considerable quantity of timber lying in an obscure street. On examining it I found it was shisham, a wood of the most valuable kind, being not liable to the attacks of white ants.”—Dry Leaves from Young Egypt, ed. 1851, p. 102.

SITTING-UP. A curious custom, in vogue at the Presidency towns more than a century ago, and the nature of which is indicated by the quotations. Was it of Dutch origin?

1777.—“Lady Impey sits up with Mrs Hastings; vulgo toad-eating.”—Ph. Francis’s Diary, quoted in Busteed, Echoes of Old Calcutta, 124; [3rd ed. 125].

1780.—“When a young lady arrives at Madras, she must, in a few days afterwards sit up to receive company, attended by some beau or master of the ceremonies, which perhaps continues for a week, or until she has seen all the fair sex, and gentlemen of the settlement.”—Munro’s Narr., 56.

1795.—“You see how many good reasons there are against your scheme of my taking horse instantly, and hastening to throw myself at the lady’s feet; as to the other, of proxy, I can only agree to it under certain conditions. … I am not to be forced to sit up, and receive male or female visitors. … I am not to be obliged to deliver my opinion on patterns for caps or petticoats for any lady. …”—T. Munro to his Sister, in Life, i. 169.

1810.—“Among the several justly exploded ceremonies we may reckon that … of ‘Sitting up.’ … This ‘Sitting up,’ as it was termed, generally took place at the house of some lady of rank or fortune, who, for three successive nights, threw open her mansion for the purpose of receiving all … who chose to pay their respects to such ladies as might have recently arrived in the country.”—Williamson, V.M. i. 113.

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