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INDIA 
 
 Pictorial and Descriptive 
 
 By the Author of 
 
 "THE MEDITERRANEAN ILLUSTRATED" . 
 
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 Shah Jehax's Palace lit the Island or Jugmundee, Oodeypue. 
 
 LON DON 
 
 T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW 
 
 EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK 
 1888 
 

 ■ • • 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IN the history of the world nothing is more wonderful than the acquisition by England 
 of her Indian Empire, except her retention of it. That, at a distance of some thou- 
 sands of miles, a population of thirty-five million should control the destinies of a 
 population of two hundred and fifty million is a fact the romantic and extraordinary character 
 of which cannot be wholly explained away. 
 
 It must be regarded as exceptional that, until a very recent period, the English public 
 took very little interest in that great Eastern dependency which had been conquered by the 
 most brilliant courage and preserved by the most consummate statesmanship. No doubt it 
 exercised a certain influence on the popular imagination, which was not insensible to the attrac- 
 tions of its " barbaric magnificence " and singular civilization, and could not fail to be dazzled 
 by pictures of gorgeous palaces, prosperous cities, glowing landscapes, and inexhaustible re- 
 sources. Nor could it fail to be stirred by narratives of successful campaigns, and of glorious 
 victories, in which the heroism of England's soldiers prevailed over vastly superior numbers. 
 Moreover, a large class of English society, which contributed its sons to the military and civil 
 services of India, was necessarily alive to the importance of the transactions by which a com- 
 pany of " merchant adventurers " had gradually extended its rule over the great eastern penin- 
 sula. But England as a whole gave little thought to India. Neither in Parliament nor in the 
 country did it command the attention it deserved. Englishmen were proud of it ; but, conscious 
 of their ignorance of its necessities as of its responsibilities, committed its destinies, without 
 hesitation, to the hands of a few officials. It was the catastrophe of the Sepoy Mutiny that 
 rudely awakened the national conscience, that reminded us of a truth we had forgotten, and 
 taught us that a great trust cannot be safely neglected. The last twenty years have done a 
 good deal in the way of educating Englishmen, so far as our Eastern Empire is concerned. 
 The more thoughtful have learned something of its capabilities, of its history, of its inhabitants, 
 of the nature of the responsibility that its government devolves upon them. And as their 
 knowledge of it has extended, their interest in it has deepened. This is shown by the constant 
 discussion of the weighty question, Is India a gain to England ? To this question it is not easy 
 to furnish an answer which everybody will accept. If we do not take into account the indirect 
 advantages which India confers, by opening up to our young men a variety of careers, by 
 elevating the standard of imperial policy, and by extending our national sympathies beyond the 
 comparatively limited sphere of our home interests, we may find it difficult to demonstrate that 
 
 ' 17080 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 any tangible profit results from our possession of India. The theory that commerce follows 
 the flag is probably true ; but against the commercial advantages which our occupation of the 
 principal Indian seaports offers must be set the drain on our military strength necessitated 
 by the maintenance of a sufficient army to garrison India, and the extent to which the protec- 
 tion of our communications with it renders us liable to entanglement in Continental quarrels. 
 For our part, we are convinced that both morally and materially the nation is benefited by its 
 Eastern Empire. It is, no doubt, a strain upon us ; but the very strain tends to strengthen 
 the fibre of the national character, and to develop all the best qualities of the national manhood. 
 The trust has fallen into our hands — the trust of training the peoples of India to self-govern- 
 ment, of raising them to the level of the Western civilization, of securing them in the possession 
 of the blessings of peace, order, and individual freedom ; and it is one which we cannot lay 
 down, except at the call of the Indian peoples themselves, or when we have grown too weak to 
 discharge it honestly. 
 
 What is really necessary and desirable is, that the recently-awakened popular interest in 
 India should be confirmed and extended by the diffusion of trustworthy information respecting 
 it. We ought to make the public as well acquainted with its affairs as they are with the affairs 
 of the United Kingdom. We ought to accustom them to look upon it as an integral part of 
 the Empire, to regard its inhabitants as their fellow-subjects, and to quicken in them an anxiety 
 to promote the welfare of the masses of its population. The present volume is a contribution 
 towards this great end. It does not, we admit, touch upon delicate points of religion or 
 education ; it does not profess to examine into the condition of the natives, or to adjust their 
 relations towards the Imperial Government : it is, in fact, a book of description, and not of 
 criticism ; and yet we are willing to hope that its usefulness will be recognized. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 TBI WAT TO IHDIA. 
 Gibraltar— Malta— Alexandria— Suea— Aden .. 
 
 16 II 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CEXEBAL T1EW Or THE ISDIAX PEXIX8CLA. 
 
 Boandsries-IVovinces-Modes of sdministratiou-Gr«*raphieel fea- 
 tures— Climate— Mountains— Hirers: The Pang— The Indus— 
 The Brahmaputra— The Narbada— Minor rivers 90-9 
 
 CHAPTKR III. 
 
 Island of Bombay— Appearance from the sea— The Fort, or Kilah- 
 The Parsees- bataar-A bungalow described - Malabar Hill 
 Walkeahwsr- A sacred spot— The Tower of Silence—The Bycnl- 
 lah qnarter— PopnlatioB of Bombajr— Various nationalities— A 
 I through rU streets- Indian Ju gg l ers The Jain Asylum 
 jiimals— Architectural features of the city- About the Par 
 -A Parsee" reception".. 33-11 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 iurii«u-ii>iir. 
 
 Island of Elephanta-Its cares- Image of the god Mahadeo— The 
 Sanctuary of the Lingam- Ancient sculptures-Island of Salsette 
 -Cave-tcnples of Kenery- Buddhist temple.. 48-46 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Guik war's capital— The suburbs— The Pa l a c e A regal sowari, or 
 procession- Its gorgeous aspects— Antelope hunting -The Moti- 
 b-gh 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 rCXA— EABU— EI.LORA. 
 
 Puss-Hill of Pervati -Caves of KmrU-The finest chaitya in India— 
 A Buddhist "vihura "-Cave, of Bllora- A scene of beauty-The 
 < ireat Caye— Grottoes of Ajunta— The Valley of Cave*— An ex- 
 i to (kJconda— Aurungabad Bo-flO 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THI NORTH-WEST CAPITAL: ALLAHABAD. 
 
 Its central situation— Its English character— The cantonments— Its 
 streets— Confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna— The great 
 Triveni— Bathing pilgrimages— The Indian quarter— An indigo- 
 planter's bungalow and factory— The railroad bridge — Allahabad 
 in the Mutiny— A touching incident 61-66 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DELHI, THE ("ITT OF THE MOOCL. 
 
 1. General description of Delhi— The Chandnee Chowk, or "Street of 
 Light" — About the houses — About the shops — Trades of the 
 people— The Great Mosque— Its marble domes— Mohammedan 
 rites— View of Delhi from a minaret— The Palace — Court of the 
 Mogul — Grand Hall of Audience— Private Hall of Audience — In 
 the days of old— Ruins of earlier cities.— 2. Excursion to the 
 Kootub— The Black Mosque — Humayoon's mausoleum— Mauso- 
 leum of Suftur Jung— The Kootub described— Aklwr's college — 
 Ruins of the Kootub Mosque — An iron column — An ancient 
 legend — An imperial mausoleum — Ruins of Toghliikabad— The 
 Old Fort— Return to Delhi — 3. A saunter through its streets— 
 Another visit to the Chandnee Chowk— The Kotwali, or town- 
 hall. -4. Historical sketch of Delhi -The Great Mutiny- An 
 alarming telegram— Outbreak in Delhi— A scene of massacre- 
 Preparations to recover the city— Position of tin; British army— 
 The besieg ers besieged— Plan of attack— Storming of Delhi 
 Death of Nicholson— The city taken— The Royal Family of Delhi 
 — Hodson captures the king— Later history of Delhi— The Prince 
 of Wales's visit 66-« 
 
 I'll WTKR IX. 
 
 rmOM DELHI TO PEHHAWAB. 
 
 1. At Meerut- Description of the town-The "Monkey Tank"— A 
 Moslem tomb.— 2. Umballa— The English cantonment. - 3. Simla: 
 A mountain sanitarium- Travelling by post-garry— Arrival at 
 Kalka— View of the Himalaya— What is a doolio ?- A dAk bunga- 
 low—A forest of rhododendrons— The road from Kalka to Simla. 
 —4. In and about Simla — The native town — British Simla- 
 Winter at Simla— The Mall- Something about monkeys- -A mis- 
 adventure—The Himalayan forest— Some lofty trees.— 6. Return 
 tolTmballa, and visit to Dehra— Mussoorie - Landoor— The Rod 
 Mill HsnUtii.ru of the Dehra Tea Company.— 6. At Amritsar 
 —About the Sikhs.— 7. Lahore— Descriptive sketeli The Eort— 
 The Great Mosque— Tomb of Runjest Singh— Mosque of Wuzir 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Ali — Tomb and Garden of Jehangir — The Montgomery Hall— 
 Meanmeer. — 8. To Jummoo — Wazirabad — Sealkote — The bound- 
 ary of our Indian Empire — Jummoo — The Grand Trunk Road — 
 The Cabul River— Nowshera— Peshawar 87-101 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The North-West Provinces —City of Agra — Description of the Taj 
 Mahal — Eulogies by different writers— A palace among tombs — 
 The memorial of an emperor's love — Terraces and gardens — The 
 Imperial Palace— Akbar's Tribunal— The Great Hall, or Armoury 
 —The Somnauth Gates— Bath-room of the Zenana— The Jasmine 
 Bower — Tomb of Akbar— Its inscriptions— Curious narrative of 
 the death of the empress— Futteypur Sikri — Akbar's Summer- 
 Palace— Tomb of Itmad-ood-Doulah — Later history of Agra — The 
 durbar of 1866— The Prince of Wales's visit 102-117 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE STOKT OF CAWNPUR. 
 
 Situation of Cawnpur — Its military importance — The English canton- 
 ments in 1857 — Outbreak of the Mutiny — Sir Hugh Wheeler's 
 excessive confidence in the Sepoys— Nana Sahib — Open revolt — 
 The British besieged — A gallant defence — Nana's, device — Terms 
 of surrender agreed upon — The British march to the place of 
 embarkation — A massacre — The Savada House and its captives — 
 A second massacre — The Well of Slaughter — Arrival of Havelock 
 — Cawnpur recovered — The Memorial 118-123 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LACKNOW. 
 
 View of Lacknow— Its origin— The Imperial Palace — The Martiniere 
 — Story of Claude Martin— The Kaiser Bagh— Its associations — 
 Court of the kings of Audh — The Sepoy Mutiny— Siege of the 
 Residency — Death of Sir Henry Lawrence — Memorable places — 
 Lord Lawrence's durbar — The Hosseinabad Imambara — The 
 Prince of Wales's visit 124-130 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE CITY OP TEMPLES. 
 
 The holy city of the Hindus— Its name and origin— Its ancient splen- 
 dour — Temples of Benares — Bathing in the Sacred River — Life in 
 Benares — Street-scenes — A festival day — Shops and shopkeepers 
 — A Hindu tradesman — The temples described — The Golden 
 Temple — Worship of Siva — The Sacred Well — The Mirror of 
 Doorga — The Temple of Ganesa — Great festival of Ganesa — The 
 river — A succession of novel scenes — Scindia's Ghat — A lively 
 picture — Ramnuggur — Hindu ceremonies of sepulture — Crema- 
 tion — Some other aspects of life in Benares — The Prince of Wales's 
 visit 131-143 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 IN CENTRAL INDIA. 
 
 Visit to Dholepur — Its mosque — Sacred Lake of Muchkoondo — 
 Temple of Juggernaut — In the Bundelcund — Duttiah — Its temples 
 — The Golden Mountain — Jhansi — Its Ranee, and her share in 
 the Mutiny— Oorcha — A garden of flowers— Chutterpur— Hindu 
 festival of the Holi 144-151 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 AJMIR— JAIPUR— BHURTPUR. 
 
 Situation of Ajmir — Its bazaars — Its women— A saint's shrine — A 
 Jain mosque — Kishengurh visited — Jaipur — Founded by Jay 
 Sing II. — The Royal Palace — Jay Sing's Observatory — Ulwur — 
 Its romantic position — Bhurtpur — About the Jats— Two great 
 sieges of Bhurtpur— The Prince of Wales's visit 152-158 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 OODEYPUR AND THE RAJPUTANA. 
 
 From Bombay to Ahmadabad — Ahmadabad described — The Great 
 Mosque of Shah Alum — The " Tomb of the Queens " — The land of 
 the Bheels — Characteristics of the Bheels — Tintool, the residence 
 of a Rajput Thakoor — Khairwara— Oodeypur — The Maharana's 
 palace — Another durbar 159-167 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 GWALIOR— AN INDIAN FORTRESS. 
 
 Situation and history of Gwalior — The old town— The fortress — The 
 King Pal Palace — The Vihara temple — A Valley of Silence— The 
 " Tirthankars " — About the Jains 168-175 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 BHOPAL. 
 
 The Begum of Bhopal — Her territory — Her capital — A mountain- 
 bordered lake — The Moti Masjid, or Mosque of Pearls— Citadel 
 of Futtehgurh — The Mohammedan New- Year festival— Phases of 
 life at Bhopal — Reception of the Begum — Route to Gwalior 
 and Agra indicated — Nursingurh and its temple — Chopaya- 
 travelling 176-186 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 SANOHI TO PCNNA. 
 
 An ancient Buddhist settlement — The Lions' Lat — What is a tSpe ? — 
 About the gaur or Indian bison — The Indian forest — The land of 
 the Gonds — Kingdom of Myhere — Govindgurh — A man-ape — 
 Tiger-hunting — Palace of Govindgurh — Kingdom of Rewah — 
 Punna, the "Land of Diamonds" — A diamond-mine described — 
 Two great fortresses 187-199 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 MADRAS AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
 
 Madras from the sea— Difficult of access— Mussulah boats— The cata- 
 marans — The English quarter of Madras — About caste — A 
 Deccan village described — Visit to Conjeveram— Indian agricul- 
 ture — Temple of Siva — Its idols — The arrack-palm — How the 
 juice is obtained — Mahabalipur — Temples of Vishnu — A cave- 
 temple — Its sculptures — Other antiquities — Monolithic temples — 
 A French settlement, Pondicherry — Its inhabitants — Its houses — 
 Tour to Trichinopoli — Its Fort — The Prince of Wales's visit — 
 The Great Temple of Seringham— Sect of the Vishnavites— Tan- 
 jore — Its temples — Madura— Tank of the Golden Lotus... 200-210 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 XI 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 HI7BDWAE: AND THE GANGES. 
 
 The sacred city and the sacred river— The Indian grasses— The plan- 
 Uin— In the jangle — The "Gate of Hart" — Description of the 
 city— The temple*— The great Gauge* Canal— A bathing-ghat— 
 The great fair of Hurdwar. 111-216 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 CALCUTTA : THE CTTT OF PALACES. 
 
 Situation of Calcutta— It* general aspect— Described by M. C randidier 
 —The English quarter— Native quarter— Native house* — About 
 the Baboo*— The burning-ghat —The Temple of Kali— Sanguinary 
 eultuM of the goddea*— The Churuk-Puoja— Animal sacrifice* pre- 
 sented—The adjutant-bird*— The hackrie, or bullock-cart— Cal- 
 cutta merchant* and shopkeeper* — "Piece-good*" merchants— 
 —Afghan traders— The Maidan, or Esplanade— The Botanical 
 Garden. 217-236 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Of TBI NEIGUOCBHOOD OT CALCCTTA. 
 
 The road to Oriasa— Wayside relics— Scenes on the road— At Puri— 
 Temple of Jufgemath— The sacred bulls— Within the temple— 
 ■ages of the gods J ugg ernath's daily ration*— A curi- 
 
 ous spectacle — The ape-god — A sacred pool— The triumphal car — 
 The Sundarbans— Chandemagar — Ghat of Triveni— Pandooah— 
 Burdwan— Murshidabad— Rajinahal Mountains— Patna.. 227-233 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE ISLAND OK CETLON. 
 
 Dimensions— Physical characteristic* — Vegetation— Animal life— In- 
 habitant* — The chief town* — A coffee-farm — Visit to Kandy — 
 Lake of Kandely 234-239 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 VEGETABLE LIFE IN INDIA. 
 
 Cotton— Opium— Cereals— Fruit trees— Spices— Forest and timber 
 trees— The banian— The bamboo— The deodar— The phulwara — 
 Thembowa 240-249 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ANIMAL LIFE IN INDIA. 
 
 IU Fauna— Birds— Reptiles 250-367 
 
 lvi'K\ 
 
 im m 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 1. BRAND ALLET OT THB TAJ MAHAL, Fronlitpieet 
 
 1 CIBBALTAB, ... ... ... ... ... ... 1* 
 
 1 HAEBOCB OF VALBTTA, MALTA, ... ... ... ... 18 
 
 4. SCEXEBT OT TBI HIMALAYA, ... ... ... ... » 
 
 I. Monrr mun, tub himalata, 14 
 
 6. KASCBCUIXOA, THB HIMALATA, ... » 
 
 T. BOATS AXD BOATMEN Oil THB GASOES ( Full-page ), 17 
 
 & CROCODILE OT THB GASGE8, ... ... ... » 
 
 9. BCXDEB-BOAT, BOMBAT, ... ... SI 
 
 10. COTTON-MARKET— MERCHANTS AT BOMBAT, ■ 
 
 11. THB TOWS-HALL— IS THB rOBT, BOMBAT, 16 
 It THB VILLACB OT WALKESHWAB, BOMBAT, 87 
 IX A PALANQUIN, BOMBAT, ... SS 
 
 14. RMDC WOMBS OT BOMBAT t» CERENOXIAL DRESS, 41 
 
 15. ENTRANCE Or CAVES, ELKPHANTA, 4* 
 ML CATB OT UONS, ELEPHANT A, 44 
 
 17. fACADI OT A OBOTTO AT EENEBT, 48 
 
 18. THB CU1KWAR IX THB OBBAT BOWAB1, BABODA (Full-page), 47 
 IB. AXTELOPK-HUTnXG WITH THB CHBSTAH, BABODA [Full-page), 81 
 SB. ENTRANCE OP THB OBBAT CATB OT BABLI, ■ 
 SL TEMPLE OT EAILAS, BLLOBA, N 
 H. ESTBBJOB OT CHAITTA, AJUXTA, .'-8 
 B MOSTMEXT IS BOTAL NECROPOLIS AT GOLCOXDA (Full-page), 87 
 •4. nLLAB OT ASOKA, ALLAHABAD. « 
 
 js. isdioo-plaxtbr's bungalow, allahabad. a 
 
 ML INDIGO PACTOBT, ALLAHABAD, «4 
 
 t!. THB CBAXDXEE CHOWK, DELHI (Full-page), «7 
 
 tS. THB JUMA MABJ1D. «B 
 
 ». rACADB OT THB JCMA MAIUIIl, DELHI I Full-page), 71 
 *). PBISCIPAL ENTRANCE OT THB PALACE Or THB MOGULS, DELHI 
 
 iFaUpaoe), 
 
 81. TOWEB OT KOOTCB, IS THE PLUS OK DELHI, 
 K. RHODODENDRONS or THE HIMALATA, 
 
 U. SIMLA {Full-page), 
 
 U. AROUB PHEASANT, 
 
 84. Ticismr or lahobe, northern isdia, 
 
 ML EASHMIBIAN BOATMEM [Full-page), 
 
 SI. AOBA, rBOM THE OPPOSITE BASK Or THB JUMNA. 
 
 ■ 
 
 VL 
 43. 
 41. 
 
 m 
 ■ 
 
 47 
 I- 
 
 M. 
 
 r.«. 
 
 u. 
 
 t 
 
 ■ 
 
 m. 
 
 i.i. 
 
 78 
 
 67. 
 
 T» 
 
 as. 
 
 90 
 
 69. 
 
 91 
 
 7a 
 
 94 
 
 7L 
 
 96 
 
 7* 
 
 97 
 
 78. 
 
 10* 
 
 74. 
 
 OESEBAL VIEW OT THB TAJ MAHAL [Full-page), ... ... 103 
 
 OATE Or THB OABDENS Or THB TAJ MAHAL, ... ... 106 
 
 GRAND ALLET Or THE TAJ MAHAL [Full-page), ... ... 107 
 
 ORNAMENTS Or THE GATES OF SOMXAITH, ... ... Ill 
 
 AS IMPERIAL DISBAR AT AOBA [Full-page), ... ... 116 
 
 MEMORIAL AT CAWNPUR, ... ... ... ... IS 
 
 PAVILION OF LANKA, IN THB KAIHEK BAGH, ... ... 116 
 
 IMAMBABA, LACKSOW [Full page), ... ... ... 117 
 
 THE MADHORAT GHAT AND THE MOSQUE OP AURUNGZEBE, 
 
 benarem (Full page), ... ... iss 
 
 rtAHT or gaxeka [Full-page), ... ... IN 
 
 PALACE OP BIBBINO-DEO [Full page), ... ... ... 146 
 
 MAUSOLEUM Or BIRSIMG-DEO AT OORCII \, ... 148 
 
 THB "GOLDEN MOUNTAIN," BKKN PROM VILLAGE [Full-page), 14» 
 
 GENERAL VIEW or Bill BTI'IR [Full-page), ... . . 186 
 
 PALACE Or DUROUN SAL, CITADEL OP Bill RTPl R, ... 167 
 
 TRAVELLER* ATTACKED BT BHEEL8 [Full-page), ... ... 161 
 
 SAMBHOO SINO, MAHABASA Or METWAR, . . ... 164 
 
 DURBAR Or THE MAHARANA Or OOllETITR [Full page), 166 
 
 JAIN TEMPLE OP ADINATH, GWALIOR, ... ... ... 168 
 
 THE EISG PAL PALACE, QWALIOR (Full-page), ... ... 169 
 
 VIHABA TEMPLE, IN THE PORTRESS OP OWALIOR, ... ... 171 
 
 "tirthaskark," is the niRWHAi, gwalior (Full-page), 17s 
 
 HER HIGHSESS SBCCNDKB, BEOl'M Or BHOPAL, ... 176 
 
 PBOCB8S10N or THB TAZEBAS (Full-page), ... 177 
 
 HEB HIOHSESS SHAH JEHAS, REfll'M OP BHOPAL, ... IT'.i 
 
 MOOLLAHS OP BHOPAL, ... ... ... 180 
 
 RECEPTIOS OP A KHILLUT AT COCBT Or BHOPAL (Full-page), 181 
 
 MAIL-CART TRAVELLING, ... ... ... 184 
 
 rORDISO THE BIVBH PARBLTTI (Full-page), ... 186 
 
 ■bui mm, ..iss 
 
 CHOPATA-TRAVELLIBG (Full-page). ... 189 
 
 ENTRANCE TO THE PALACB OP GOV1NDOCRH, ... 191 
 
 AT THE TABLE OP THE BAIS OP MTIIP.RK (Full-page), ... 198 
 
 COCBT OP THE PALACE OP GOV1NDOURH, ... ... ... 196 
 
 DASCINO-GIRLS AT THE COURT OP REWAH, ... ... 196 
 
 HUSTINO-PABTT AT OOVINDOURH (Full-page), ... ... 197 
 
 A DIAMOND-MINK, PUSSA, ... ... 190 
 
XIV 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 75. 
 78. 
 77. 
 78. 
 79. 
 80. 
 SI. 
 
 as. 
 
 gft 
 
 8t. 
 85. 
 
 M. 
 
 87. 
 
 TIGER-HUNTING NEAR GOVINDGURH (Full-page), 
 
 IMAGE OF HANUMAN, THE MONKEY-GOD, 
 
 TEMPLE AT SERINGHAM, 
 
 BAMBOOS, 
 
 CARAVAN ON THE BOAD TO HURDWAR [Full-page), 
 
 THE PORT OP CALCUTTA, 
 
 LOW CASTE BENGALEES, ... 
 
 THE GODDESS KALI, OR DURGA, ... 
 
 WATER-CARRIERS OF CALCUTTA, ... 
 
 THE MAIDAN, CALCUTTA (Full-page), 
 
 MARWARI MERCHANTS, CALCUTTA, 
 
 DIAMOND HARBOUR, AT THE MOUTH OF THE HUGLI 
 
 THE GRAND MOSQUE OF HUGLI (Full-page), 
 
 BREADFRUIT-TREE OF CEYLON, ... 
 
 BRANCH OF THE CINNAMON-LAUREL, 
 
 AN ELEPHANT CORRAL, CEYLON, ... 
 
 THE OPIUM POPPY, 
 
 CAPSULE OF THE OPIUM POPPY, ... 
 
 BANANA-TREE, ... 
 
 201 
 
 94. 
 
 205 
 
 95. 
 
 209 
 
 96. 
 
 212 
 
 97. 
 
 215 
 
 98. 
 
 218 
 
 99. 
 
 219 
 
 100. 
 
 221 
 
 101. 
 
 222 
 
 102. 
 
 223 
 
 103. 
 
 226 
 
 104. 
 
 230 
 
 105. 
 
 231 
 
 106. 
 
 235 
 
 107. 
 
 235 
 
 108. 
 
 236 
 
 109. 
 
 241 
 
 110. 
 
 241 
 
 111. 
 
 242 
 
 112. 
 
 COCOA-NUT PALMS— A SCENE IN THE VICINITY OF BOMBAY, 
 
 THE BANIAN-TREE, 
 
 A THICKET OF BAMBOOS, 
 
 CEDRUS DEODARA, 
 
 THE INDIAN ELEPHANT, 
 
 THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS 
 
 THE ROYAL TIGER, 
 
 THE PANTHER, 
 
 THE ORYX, 
 
 THE ZEBU, 
 
 YAKS, 
 
 THE PEACOCK, ... 
 
 THE IMPEYAN PHEASANT, 
 
 THE RHINOCEROS HORNBILL, 
 
 NESTS OF THE GROSBEAK, 
 
 ARGALIS, OR ADJUTANTS, 
 
 COBRA DI CAPELLA, 
 
 SERPENT-CHARMERS, 
 
 THE GIANT PHASMA, 
 
 243 
 246 
 247 
 248 
 251 
 252 
 253 
 254 
 255 
 256 
 256 
 258 
 259 
 261 
 262 
 263 
 264 
 265 
 267 
 
INDIA PICTORIAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 CHAPTEK I. 
 
 THE WAY TO INDIA. 
 
 CIBKALTAK— MALTA— AUCXAXDR1A— BCH— ADBC. 
 
 [HE Indian traveller, bound for " far Cathay," usually embarks at London on board 
 one of the noble steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, and thence 
 proceeds to Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, through the Suez Canal, by Aden, to 
 Bombay. But he can also adopt the Marseilles or the Brindisi route, each of which materially 
 shortens the maritime part of his expedition. We shall suppose, however, that he prefers to 
 proceed by steamer direct. After crossing the Bay of Biscay, he approaches the coast of the 
 Iberian Peninsula at Cape Kinist.rre, and runs along the verdant shores of Portugal, with their 
 picturesque bays, stretches of high cliffs, and jutting headlands, surmounted by lighthouses. 
 
 As the voyager draws near the broad estuary of the Tagus, he catches sight of the Rock of 
 Lisbon, a sea-mark of strange and almost savage character; and then, looking up the gleaming 
 river, he sees the spires and roofs of the Portuguese capital. To the south of the Tagus he 
 passes Cape Espartel, easily recognized by its boldness of configuration and the lighthouse on its 
 summit; and strikes across to Cape St. Vincent, where, in 1797, Sir John Jervis and Nelson 
 almost annihilated the Spanish fleet. He enters next the Bay of Cadiz, and loses sight of land 
 until the vessel nears Cape Trafalgar. We need not dwell upon the associations which it recalls 
 to the mind of every Englishman, or tell again the oft-told tale of the victory which so gloriously 
 terminated the career of the greatest " sea-general" the world has ever seen, and finally 
 established the naval supremacy of Great Britain. The. voyager, as he gazes on the misty 
 headland, may remember, perhaps, the noble " home thoughts " of Robert Browning, suggested 
 by the very scene which now meets his eye : — 
 
 " Nobly, nobly Cape St Vincent to the north-west died away ; 
 Sttnaet ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into Cadiz Bay; 
 Bluish 'mid the burning water, full in face Trafalgar lay ; 
 In the dimmest north-east distance dawned Gibraltar grand and gray. 
 ' Here, and here, did England help me : how can I help England!' — say, 
 Whoso turn* as I, this evening, turn to God to praise and pray, 
 While .lore's planet rises yonder, silent over Africa." 
 
16 
 
 ROUK OF GIBRALTAR. 
 
 
 GIBRALTAR. 
 
 At the entrance of the Mediterranean rises the huge Rock of Gibraltar, one of those 
 Pillars of Hercules which, to the early navigators, marked the boundary-line between the 
 Known and the Infinite. 
 
 Gibraltar derives its name from the Moorish commander, Tarik, who captured it from the 
 Spaniards in 711 ; hence, Jabalal Tarik, "The Mountain of Tarik." The Moors kept posses- 
 sion of it until the beginning of the fourteenth century, when it was recovered by the 
 Spaniards. In 1333 the Moors again made themselves masters of it; but in 1462 it finally 
 fell into the hands of the Christians. 
 
 In July 1704, the combined fleet of England and Holland laid siege to the fortress. On 
 the 21st, about eighteen hundred English soldiers and marines, under the Prince of Hesse, were 
 
 GIBRALTAR. 
 
 disembarked, and on the following day the fleet opened up a terrific cannonade, firing fifteen 
 thousand shot in half-a-dozen hours. The sea-defences were carried on the 23rd by a small 
 body of seamen, and next day the town capitulated. Thus, in three days, with a loss of only 
 sixty-three men killed and two hundred and twenty-five wounded, this great military position, 
 " the stronghold where the tyrant comes in vain," passed into the power of Great Britain. 
 
 A powerful French and Spanish fleet was despatched to regain it. Fifty line-of-battle 
 ships, besides frigates, carrying twenty-six thousand men, and about four thousand guns, were 
 under the command of Admiral le Comte de Thoulouse. The English fleet, under Sir George 
 Rooke, did not exceed forty-five sail of the line, besides frigates, fire-ships, and small vessels, 
 and carried twenty-three thousand men and three thousand seven hundred guns. Its victory, 
 however, was complete ; and, after losing three thousand men, the French were driven back to 
 Toulon, leaving Gibraltar in the hands of England, to whom it was confirmed by the Treaty 
 of Utrecht. 
 
ISLAND OF MALTA. 17 
 
 Numerous attempts have been made to wrest it from us ; but in vain. The most memorable 
 was in 1779-1783, when it was besieged by an immense French and Spanish armament, 
 and the most vigorous and persistent efforts were undertaken with a view to its recapture. 
 The defence, however, under General Elliot, afterwards Lord Heathfield, was conducted with 
 equal skill and resolution. The huge floating batteries of the enemy were set on fire by red- 
 hot shot A well-directed cannonade shattered the attacking ships ; and reinforcements and 
 supplies arriving, under convoy of a powerful English squadron, the besiegers eventually 
 abandoned their enterprise, after sustaining a heavy loss in killed and wounded. During the 
 prolonged war of 1800 to 1815, it was left unmolested; and as its fortifications have of late 
 wars been strengthened and enlarged on the most approved principles of engineering science, 
 we may safely predict that, as long as England holds the command of the sea, it will never be 
 conquered. Our flag will continue to wave from a post which, more than any other, testifies to 
 the strength and resources of the Empire; a post which seems to guard the path to our vast 
 possessions in the East. 
 
 W -• now steer our course toward* Malta, keeping tolerably close to the African mainland, 
 " whose shores were empires " in the times of old. Bright and beautiful is the view of Algiers, 
 with its surrounding orchards and gardens, and the blue Atlas Mountains towering against the 
 distant horizon. We pass Cape Faroe, the romantic group of the Seven Capes, Cape Bon, and 
 the island of Pantellaria, with its lava-black sides, and memorials of volcanic convulsion. 
 
 MALTA. 
 
 We now arrive at Malta, the second of the great fortified posts which guard our com- 
 munications with India. It lies about two hundred miles from Africa, and sixty miles from 
 Sicily : an arid. rocky mass, seventy miles long, nine miles wide, one hundred and sixty miles 
 in circumference, and attaining at its culminating point an elevation of six hundred feet. It 
 can lay no claim to the possession of beautiful scenery; but its connection with the history 
 of the famous order of the Knights of St John gives it a perpetual attraction. Nor can 
 the Christian traveller fail to remember that it is probably identified with the Melita visited 
 by St Paul in the course of his voyage to Rome ; the M<lit<t where he wrought the miracle 
 that filled the minds of the savage islanders with wonder. 
 
 The port of Malta is divided by the rocky ridge of Mount Xiberras into two fine harbours. 
 The capital, Valetta, is situated on this ridge ; with Marsamusatta, or the quarantine harbour, 
 on the west, and Valetta, or the Great Harbour, on the east. The former is defended by Fort 
 liicardi ; the latter by Fort St Elmo ; — both of them amazingly strong, and armed with the 
 heaviest ordnance. Numerous creeks branch off from the Great Harbour, as they do at Ports- 
 mouth, and these are lined with quays, docks, warehouses, the victualling-yard, and the arsenal. 
 All around the town, and along the coast, bristle military works of the most formidable 
 character ; so that Malta is as strong as science can make it, but not stronger than our great 
 Mediterranean rendezvous and naval station needs to be. 
 
 There is much in Valetta to interest the visitor ; and he will constantly come upon places 
 associated with the long rule of the Knights. The Cathedral of St. John is specially worthy 
 of a pilgrimage. It dates from 1580, and its internal decorations testify to the wealth and 
 
18 
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 taste of the old chivalric order. The mosaic marble pavement is relieved with numerous 
 figures of the dead Knights buried beneath, each figure being inlaid in white marble. The 
 palace of the Grand Master is now occupied as the residence of the English Governor. Its 
 armoury contains ten thousand stand of muskets, besides a superb collection of medieval arms 
 and armour, many of which are beautifully emblazoned with gold. 
 
 One of the most brilliant episodes in the history of the island was its defence by the 
 Knights against a powerful Turkish armada. It was in this siege that the Grand Master, La 
 Valette, distinguished himself by his chivalrous heroism. The gallant spirit which then 
 animated the Knights gradually decayed, as the Order became less in harmony with modern 
 institutions ; and the island was surrendered without a blow to Napoleon Buonaparte, on his 
 
 HARBOUB OF VALETTA, MALTA. 
 
 expedition to Egypt. It was soon afterwards besieged and captured by a British fleet; and 
 ever since has been jealously held as, in effect, the key of the Mediterranean. 
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 From Malta our course lies direct to Alexandria. Before we approach the harbour we 
 catch sight, one by one, of tower, and minaret, and windmill, the lighthouse, Pompey's Pillar, 
 and Cleopatra's Needle, rising high above the level sandy shore. From Lake Mareotis to the 
 Egyptian sea-port, or for a length of about one mile, the dunes or sand-hills of the littoral 
 waste are crowded with windmills, which, as they are about thirty feet in height, with arms 
 twenty feet long, and are provided with eight vanes, all set in different directions and moving 
 with the wind, produce a very singular and striking effect. 
 
 On landing in Alexandria, the traveller feels at once that he has crossed the threshold of the 
 Eastern World. The sights and sounds around him are Eastern, though he recognizes the exist- 
 
CHARACTERISTICS OF ALEXANDRIA. 19 
 
 ence of a strong European element. It is true that this element increases yearly ; but while the 
 dockyards and arsenals, the steam-engines and steam cranes, the mills and the factories, are all 
 familiar enough to the Western pilgrim, he is conscious of a refreshing air of novelty when he 
 marks the long processions of camels and mules, the groups of turbaned Moslems, eunuchs, and 
 veiled inmates of the harem, the wares exhibited in the shops, and the palms, orange-trees, and 
 bananas, which make up, as it were, the framework of the picture. Here, says a recent writer, 
 comes a file of tall camels, laden with merchandise, stalking with deliberate, solemn step through 
 the bazaars ; there rides a stately-looking native gentleman, in all the pomp of ample turban and 
 flowing robes ; yonder passes a lady on her donkey, shrouded in black silk habura and the 
 immemorial white muslin veil. And if the carriages have a European touch, they are driven and 
 attended by men in Oriental dress ; and, even stranger still, preceded by bare-legged Arab 
 runners, who shout to the pedestrian to get out of the way — the shrill cries of these avant- 
 coureurs resounding on every side At the platform of the Alexandria railway-station, as Mr. 
 Hopley reminds us, we may see a similar mixture of East and West, of old and new. "A 
 motley crowd," he says, "of wily Greeks, dusky Arabs, and soft-featured Syrians, ferments before 
 you : men, women, and children in every variety of costume, and no costume ; water-sellers, 
 sweetmeat-sellers, bread-sellers persistently pestering everybody ; ghostly women in white, 
 visible as human by their flashing dark eyes and naked feet, flitting hither and thither in frantic 
 search for a lost husband or friend. You will see solemn Turks and crafty-looking Jews, and, 
 perhaps, a batch of recruits for the Khedive's army." 
 
 The principal objects of interest in or near the city which Alexander the Great founded, 
 which the Ptolemies endowed, and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar and Antony have dignified with 
 their memories, — the city which founded a new philosophy, and was the scene of the great 
 struggle between Arians and Athanasians, — are, Pompey's Pillar, Cleopatra's Needle, and Lake 
 Mareotis. 
 
 The old route from Alexandria to Suez was by railway, canal, and river ; and it enabled the 
 traveller to catch a glimpse of Cairo, the "great Alcairo" of Milton, the city of Saladin and the 
 Arabian Nights, which still retains a truly Eastern air. Thence he was at liberty to make a 
 visit to the Pyramids, or the Petrified Forest ; and, afterwards, on his way to Suez, he gained 
 an experience of the Desert 
 
 But the enterprise of M. de Lesseps has diverted the stream of travel into a different 
 channel. The steamer, after stopping at Alexandria, continues her eastward journey as far as 
 Port Said, — an artificial harbour, formed by two massive piers, — and enters upon the Suez 
 Canal, passing through it to 
 
 ran, 
 
 once " a poor walled town," but now a thriving and populous " commercial emporium," where 
 the traders of the East and West meet together, and fleets of steamers and sailing-vessels make 
 a goodly show. 
 
 The Gulf of Suez, or northern part of the Red Sea, is about thn ■<• mil.-s wide at this point. 
 11 Suez to Ad. ii the distance is 1308 miles due south-east; and from Aden to Bombay, 
 16G4 miles east by north. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 GENERAL VIEW OF THE INDIAN PENINSULA. 
 
 BOUNDARIES — PROVINCES — MODES OE ADMINISTRATION GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES -CLIMATE— MOUNTAINS— RIVERS : THE GANGES— THE INDUS — 
 
 THE BRAHMAPUTRA — THE NARBADA — MINOR RIVERS. 
 
 HE great Indian peninsula, which has been the scene of so many important events 
 in the history of the world, is bounded on the north by the lofty range of the 
 Himalaya Mountains, which, under various names, stretch their huge barrier from 
 the Indus on the west to the Brahmaputra on the east. On the south it is washed by the 
 Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. On the west it is separated by the Suliman range 
 from Afghanistan and Baluchistan. From the mouth of the Indus to its southern extremity, 
 Cape Comorin, the Arabian Sea defines its limits. Thus it assumes the configuration of an 
 irregular triangle, each side of which has a coast-line of about two thousand miles ; while 
 its breadth, measured along the 25th parallel of north latitude, may be estimated at sixteen 
 hundred miles. 
 
 British India, however, adds to the vast area included within the above boundaries several 
 provinces, such as Pegu and Burmah, on the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal. Roughly 
 speaking, the Empress of India holds rule over a realm that extends from the Himalaya to 
 Cape Comorin, or about 1800 miles; and from Karachi to beyond Mandalay, or about 2300 
 miles. The area of our Indian Empire covers 1,770,000 square miles, with a land boundary of 
 about 5000 miles. 
 
 For the purposes of government, British India is divided into various presidencies and 
 provinces, which are subdivided into certain local governments. There are several native 
 states, moreover, which are under the direct control of the Indian administration ; while others, 
 though ruled by native princes, own its absolute supremacy. The Queen is, in fact, the 
 Empress of all India, representing the Mogul, and, indeed, extending her sway over a wider 
 domain than was ever ruled from the throne of Delhi or Agra. The following are the chief 
 political and administrative divisions of her empire : — 
 
 PRESIDENCIES AND PROVINCES. 
 
 1. Assam. 
 
 4. Madras. 
 
 6. Punjab. 
 
 9. Ajmir. 
 
 2. Burmah. 
 
 5. North-West Provinces, 
 
 7. Bombay and Sind. 
 
 10. Curg and Mysore 
 
 3. Bengal. 
 
 Oudh. 
 
 8. Central Provinces. 
 
 11. Berar. 
 
 At home the Indian administration, as settled by the Act of 1858, which terminated the 
 one hundred years' raj, or rule, of the East India Company, is vested in a Secretary of State, 
 assisted by a council of fifteen members, chosen from men who have distinguished themselves 
 
INDIAN ADMINISTRATION. 21 
 
 i 
 
 by their Indian services. The secretary is independent of the council, and has a seat in the 
 British Cabinet. He has an under-secretary, who must be also a member of the legislature ; 
 and there are a permanent under-secretary and an assistant-secretary. 
 
 The executive government, which has its principal seat at Calcutta, consists of a Governor- 
 General, or Viceroy, who is appointed by the Crown for a term of six years ; and of a council of 
 rive ordinary members, three of whom are named by the Secretary of State in council from 
 servants of the Crown of not less than ten years' standing, and the other two by the royal 
 warrant. The Commander-in-chief is generally an extraordinary member ; and there is also a 
 financial member, who may be described as chancellor of the exchequer for India. The 
 executive council is transformed into a legislative council by the addition of from six to twelve 
 members — half of whom must be non-official, and at least three of whom may be natives of 
 India nominated for two years by the Viceroy. 
 
 The Governor of the old presidency of Madras is assisted by a council, consisting of the 
 commander-in-chief and two civilians, and the Governor of Bombay by a similar council and a 
 legislative council of from four to eight members ; but their acts are not valid until confirmed 
 by the Viceroy, and they are also subject to the veto of the Crown. Bengal is now administered 
 by the Governor-General of India in Council. It has of late been the wise policy of Great 
 Britain to open up to native talent a share in the administration of the empire ; and the various 
 councils, therefore, have each their quota of native members. 
 
 The administration of the native states varies in detail according to circumstances ; but 
 usually the hereditary prince has a native minister and a council of nobles, under the more or 
 less direct control of a British agent or Resident The strength of his army is regulated by 
 treaty, and in some cases he retains the power of life and death ; but whatever his position, he 
 is distinctly subordinate to the British Crown, and a failure of allegiance would be punished by 
 deposition. 
 
 The Indian military force, since the Mutiny, has been completely reorganized, though it is 
 considered to be in urgent need of another reorganization. It is no longer a distinct army, but 
 simply a portion of the regular British army, enlisted for service in India, and usually numbering 
 about 70,000 men of all arms. The auxiliary native force consists of about 120,000 men, with 
 a certain proportion of European officers. The civil and military police, moreover, forms a 
 strong and efficient body. 
 
 We now return to the geographical features of the Indian peninsula. 
 
 But, first, we may observe that the names Indus, India, are derived from the Sanskrit 
 appellation of the great river Sindhu, which, in the plural form, applied also to the people 
 who dwelt along its banks. The appellation, with some slight modifications, spread to the 
 adjoining countries. Thus, IJendu is the form in the Zend or Old Persian, and lloddu in the 
 Hebrew. The Greeks, after their manner, softened down the word by omitting the aspirate 
 "h"; hence, 'Iv&ot, 'Iv&ia. The native form is preserved by Pliny, who says, "Indus incolis 
 Sindus appellatus." 
 
 The vast area of India necessarily includes a great diversity of surface, and, with its 
 mountains, plains, valleys, rivers, forests, deserts, it presents, as has been said, an epitome of the 
 whole earth. Its mountains are the loftiest, its rivers among the largest, of the world. It 
 
22 GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES— CLIMATE. 
 
 comprises the extremes of arctic cold and tropical heat. It exhibits Nature in her most 
 exuberant fertility and in her dreariest barrenness. Its landscapes, at one time cold and stern 
 and uninviting, are at another full of harmony and colour. Its forests are composed of trees 
 which clothe the sides of European uplands, and of palms which overshadow the vales of 
 Polynesian islands. In a word, it is inexhaustible in its variety. 
 
 Physically speaking, however, we are assisted in studying its details by the recognition of 
 four principal features, — the northern mountain-mass of the Himalaya and its tributary ranges, 
 the river-basins or valley-plains of the Indus and the Ganges, and the table-land of Central 
 India. To these may be added the southern peninsular region, beyond the Vindhya Moun- 
 tains, and generally known as the Deccan. 
 
 Roughly speaking, India may be defined as an elevated peninsular plateau, bounded by 
 mountain- chains, with a couple of extensive river-basins to the north-west and north, and beyond 
 them a mighty mass of snow-crowned mountains, extending fifteen hundred miles in length, and 
 varying in breadth from fifty to one hundred and twenty miles. Its climate necessarily differs 
 greatly in different regions ; but all over India three distinct seasons divide the year between 
 them, — the cool, the hot, and the rainy. The cool season begins in October, and lasts until 
 about the middle of February ; the hot, dry season follows, terminating at the beginning of 
 June ; then comes the rainy season, which, with a few refreshing breaks, endures until October. 
 Even in the cool season, however, the heat of day, at least in the lowlands, is very consider- 
 able, though frosts will occur in the morning. It is this rapidity of change which renders the 
 Indian climate so trying for Europeans, rather than the intense summer-heat. At Calcutta 
 the mean annual temperature is 79" ; at Madras, 83° ; at Bombay, 84°. Some mitigation of 
 the heat is produced by the monsoons, which blow periodically from the south-west and 
 north-east, prevailing alternately for about half the year ; the south-west blowing from the 
 middle of April until the end of September, and the north-east from the end of September 
 until the middle of April. It is the south-west which, rolling across the expanse of ocean in 
 cloud and mist, brings the heavy rains to the Malabar coast and the basin of the Ganges. The 
 north-east is less rainy in character, but its arrival on the Coromandel coast is always attended 
 by heavy showers. Owing to the course and momentum of these winds, the amount of rain- 
 fall varies greatly at various points. Thus it does not exceed 20 inches in the year at Delhi, 
 and 27 inches at Allahabad, but it amounts to 64 at Calcutta. 
 
 THE MOUNTAINS OF INDIA. 
 
 The principal mountains of India, and those which naturally occur to every mind as 
 connected with the grandest aspects of its physical character, are the Himalaya. 
 
 The Himalaya (from the Sanskrit hima, snow, and dlaya, abode — " abode of snow ") is the 
 loftiest and grandest mountain-system on the globe. The popular conception of it, as of most 
 mountain-masses, is that of a single stupendous chain of snow-crowned peaks ; but it is, in 
 reality, an immense congeries of rugged heights, of the most diverse size and shape, thrown out, 
 as it were, from the Tibetan table-lands, and spreading, with an average breadth of eighty to 
 one hundred miles, from the Indus in the west to the Brahmaputra in the east (long. 73° 23' to 
 95° 40' E.), a distance of nearly fifteen hundred miles. No marvel that in the Hindu myth- 
 ology it is associated with the celestial residences of the gods ! 
 
THK HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS. 
 
 23 
 
 The slopes of the Himalaya are clothed with abundant vegetation, and up to the very 
 snow -line — which on the south is about fifteen thousand feet high, and on the north eighteen 
 thousand feet — breadths of forest foliage extend. 
 
 Three distinct zones or regions may be traced on the southern slope of the Himalaya : the 
 Tumi, a grassy, marshy plain, rising slowly from the plains of Hindustan ; the Sal or Said 
 
 Of THE HIMALAYA. 
 
 Forest i and, above it, the Dhoons, an area of detritus, which extends to the foot of the true 
 
 mountain-peaks. 
 
 Above four thousand feet, oaks and rhododendrons largely increase in number ; and, along 
 
 with andromeda, form the great mass of the forest, from six thousand to eight thousand feet. 
 
 Species of the deciduous trees of the temperate clime are gradually introduced as we rise ; and 
 • , ■gam, with the addition of other conifers, predominate in the upper forest-region, or from 
 t thousand to eleven thousand five hundred feet. The rhododendron flourishes as high as 
 
24 
 
 MOUNTAIN-RANGES. 
 
 twelve thousand feet ; and a few species, though greatly dwarfed and stunted, battle with the 
 elements even at an altitude of fifteen thousand feet. With these are associated the birch, the 
 alder, and the willow ; while their shade protects an innumerable host of ranunculacese, com- 
 positse, saxifrage, and primulacese. To these succeeds all the varied army of mosses and 
 lichens, until we reach the broad expanse of everlasting snow. 
 
 The highest summit of the Himalaya, and probably of the world, is Mount Everest (lat. 
 27° 59'), 29,002 feet. Kanchinjinga is 28,156 feet; Dhaulagiri, 26,826 feet; and Juwahir, 
 25,670 feet. 
 
 The western boundary of the trans-Indus region is formed by the Suliman Mountains, 
 which reach their greatest altitude in Takht-i-Suliman, or Solomon's Throne, 11,000 feet 
 
 MOUNT EVEREST— THE HIMALAYA. 
 
 above the sea-level, in X. lat. 31° 35'. The average breadth of this range does not exceed ten 
 to twelve miles. 
 
 Hindustan proper is separated from the peninsula of the Deccan by the Vindhya range, 
 which strikes across India between the twenty-second and twenty-fifth parallels of north 
 latitude, and connects the northern extremities of the Western and Eastern Ghats. Their 
 spurs intersect the table-lands of Central India, and shelter deep-wooded valleys, the haunt of 
 the panther, the hyena, and the jackal. This is the great Indian hunting-ground, where the 
 greediest sportsman is sure to find abundance of game, and where the native princes have long 
 been accustomed to indulge their passion for the chase. 
 
 Affiliated to the Himalaya, if such an expression may be used, are the Hindu Kush, or 
 Indian Caucasus, extending from the Paropamisan Mountains of Afghanistan to the beautiful 
 
RIVEKS OF INDIA. 
 
 25 
 
 valleys of Kashmir : and. in a different direction, the Bhotan and Assam Himalaya, the lower 
 slopes of which are extensively cultivated as tea-plantations. 
 
 Above the rich plains and valleys of Nepal and Bhotan, the summits of the Himalaya, at 
 an elevation of twenty -eight thousand feet, whiten with everlasting snows. In Bhotan, how- 
 ever, the range declines with great rapidity — the fall being equal to one thousand feet in a mile. 
 The valleys, says a traveller, are so deep and narrow, and the mountains that hang over them 
 in menacing cliffs are so lofty, that their recesses are shrouded in perpetual gloom, except where 
 the rays of a vertical sun penetrate their depths. Owing to the steepness of the descent, the 
 rivers shoot down with the swiftness of an arrow, filling the caverns with foam and the air with 
 mist. At the very base of this wild region lies the elevated and peaceful valley of Bhotan, 
 
 KAXCHtXJIXOA— TH« HIMALAYA. 
 
 vividly green, and shaded by glorious forests. Another swift descent of one thousand feet, and 
 the great mountains sink into the plain of the Ganges. 
 
 RIVERS OP INDIA. 
 
 The three great rivers of India are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Indus, all fed 
 by the perpetual snows and secret waters of the colossal range of the Himalaya. 
 
 The Ganges, Ganga, the sacred river, is made up of three separate streams — the Janahir, 
 the Bhagirathi, and the Alaknanda. The second is the one to which pilgrims chiefly resort, 
 and it is esteemed the holiest, many Hindu myths being associated with it. The Alaknanda, 
 however, is the most copious, and its source is the most remote. It wells out from the southern 
 slope of the Kamet peak, near the tillage of Xiti, at an elevation of 25,733 feet above the sea- 
 
26 COURSE OF THE GANGES. 
 
 level. The Bhagirathi rises in a rugged, wild, and romantic glen above Gungutri, forty miles 
 to the westward of the sister-source, issuing from an ice-cave, called " The Cow's Mouth," at the 
 bottom of a glacier, about three hundred feet in perpendicular height. These streams unite at 
 Deoprayag, ten miles below the enchanting groves of Srinuggur, and 1500 feet above the sea; 
 whence in a single channel the combined waters flow on to the holy city of Hurdwar, one of the 
 most famous shrines of Hindu pilgrimage. 
 
 Here the Ganges emerges upon the broad plain of Hindustan proper, and takes a south- 
 easterly direction, passing Agra and Allahabad, and receiving the tributary streams of the 
 Jumna and Son, on the right bank ; the Ramgunga, the Gumti, the Gogra, the Gunduk, the 
 Cosi, the Mahanada, and the Atri, on the left. It swells to a great breadth after its confluence 
 with the Jumna, frequently measuring three miles across, with a depth of about sixty feet in the 
 wet, diminished to thirty feet in the dry season. Its valley is remarkable for the richness of its 
 soil and the consequent exuberance of its vegetation. On either side spread carefully cultivated 
 fields, yielding immense crops of rice, cotton, sugar, opium, and indigo, while wheat and cereals 
 generally flourish in the northern section. The Ganges is, in fact, the main artery of India, to 
 which it owes its life and vigour. In the rainy season its waters, rising far above their usual 
 level, overspread the country for hundreds of miles, with as fertilizing an influence as that of 
 the Egyptian river; and like it, in retiring, it deposits a layer of the richest mould. Moreover, 
 in conjunction with its tributaries, it provides inner India with facile routes of intercommunica- 
 tion ; and its importance has scarcely been affected by the construction of the great lines of rail- 
 road. As it is navigable for boats of a large size for nearly fifteen hundred miles, it necessarily 
 constitutes a highway of the utmost value ; and hence its banks are studded with populous and 
 prosperous cities, with Farakhabad, Cawnpur, Allahabad, Benares, Patna, Behar, Murshidabad, 
 and Calcutta, which it serves to connect with one another and with the sea. 
 
 In the religion of the Hindus the Ganges has long played a conspicuous part. It is pre- 
 eminently their sacred river, and its goddess is endowed with all the attributes of beneficence. 
 To die on its banks is to die in the assurance of future bliss ; to wash in its waters is to be 
 cleansed from the most heinous sins. The odour of sanctity prevails all along its course, from 
 Gungutri and Hurdwar to the island of Sagur, at the mouth of the Hugh, or Hooghly. Its 
 water is esteemed for its supposed medicinal properties; and Brahmans are sworn upon it in 
 the British courts of justice. To such stations as Hurdwar and Benares and Allahabad 
 pilgrims flock in great numbers to perform their ablutions ; and to purchase from the priests 
 small phials of its water, to be carried away for use in future ceremonies. 
 
 At Sahibgunge, about two hundred miles from the sea, the river forms a delta, the area 
 of which is more than double that of the Nile. This alluvial level measures from eighty to two 
 hundred miles in breadth, and below Calcutta is known as the Sundarbans, a malarious and 
 dreary region, partly covered with wood, and intersected with a complete network of streams and 
 canals, fresh, salt, and brackish, some of which are connected with the deltoid channels of the 
 Brahmaputra. These watercourses teem with fish, and mostly run through tracts of forest and 
 jungle, which are haunted by tigers and other wild beasts, while crocodiles frequent their 
 shallower parts. The latter are often of a very ferocious nature, and will attack men as well as 
 cattle, though their chief sustenance is provided by the dead bodies which come down the river. 
 On the sea- coast eight openings are visible, each of which forms a mouth of the Ganges; but 
 
- 
 > 
 
INUNDATION OF THE GANGES. 
 
 29 
 
 navigation is possible only through the Sundarban passage, which opens into the Hooghly, 
 about sixty-five miles below Calcutta, and the Balliaghat, which leads into a shallow lake on 
 the east side of the city. The Hooghly is the sole channel practicable for ships that draw fifteen 
 feet of water. 
 
 The valley-plain of the Ganges is, as we have said, abundantly fertile, but, generally speak- 
 ing, the scenery is neither very striking nor very beautiful. There are occasional landscapes, 
 however, of singular charm, where the deep colouring of tropical vegetation fills in the outlines 
 of a glowing picture. These we shall hereafter describe ; and in this place we shall be content 
 to point to the Fakir's Rock, near Sultangunge, in the province of Behar, as the centre of an 
 eminently picturesque scene. Masses of gray granite are here piled upon one another in a 
 succession of terraces, each of which is the site of a temple, the summit being crowned with a 
 
 CIOOOOILI 
 
 principal temple, like the crest of a pyramid. A few trees raise their tall trunks here and there, 
 and reflect their shifting shadows in the calm wave beneath. For ages this spot has been an 
 abode of Fakirs, whose supposed sanctity generally extracts a tribute from the passing voyager. 
 In the neighbourhood of Hurdwar, we may add, and from thence to Gangutri, the scenery is of 
 a very impressive character. 
 
 Early in the rainy season begins the periodical inundation of the Ganges, the heavy tropical 
 storms filling its channel with a turbid, swelling, rapidly rolling flood, that quickly bursts the 
 accustomed bounds, and extends itself far and wide in one immense lake. The rise, at first slow 
 and gradual, begins about the end of April, and for the first fortnight does not exceed an inch a 
 day. Then, as the area of the river increases, and the highlands send down a larger supply of 
 
30 THE INDUS. 
 
 water, the swell amounts to five inches ; and so continues until the river has attained, near Sahib- 
 gunge, a height of thirty-two feet above the ordinary level. The Bengal plains, adjacent to the 
 Ganges and the Brahmaputra, are completely covered, over a breadth of about one hundred 
 miles, by the end of July ; and the stranger, as he surveys the vast expanse, broken only by the 
 mound-built villages and the tops of the taller trees, is almost inclined to believe that he looks 
 upon a repetition of the Deluge. From point to point the natives convey themselves in quaintly- 
 constructed boats of the lightest kind, and the whole population seems given over to aquatic 
 pursuits. Towards the end of August begins the subsidence of the waters ; and the overflow is 
 entirely carried off by the beginning of the following April. 
 
 Figures are not very successful in conveying ideas of quantity to the mind ; and yet the 
 reader may be assisted to realize the extent of the Gangetic inundation if we tell him that the 
 volume of water poured into the ocean by the sacred river rises from 100,000 cubic feet per second 
 in ordinary months to 500,000 cubic feet per second in the four months of flood — May, June, July, 
 and August. The quantity of mud brought down annually by the current has been computed at 
 235,521,387 cubic yards ; and it discolours the sea to a distance of sixty miles from the coast. 
 
 The boundary of the conquests of Alexander the Great was defined by the broad channel of 
 the Indus, the greatest of the Indian rivers, and one of the greatest of the rivers of Asia. Its 
 classical and modern name is obviously derived from the Sanskrit Sindhu, and has furnished the 
 designation of the peninsula of which it forms the western limit. 
 
 Rising in Tibet, on the north side of the sacred peak of Kailas, near the sources of the 
 Sutlej and the Brahmaputra, and not far distant from those of the Ganges and the Jumna, — at 
 an elevation of 18,000 feet above the sea, — it flows in a north-westerly direction, chiefly through 
 ravines of a rugged and savage aspect, for some five hundred and seventy miles, when its vexed 
 waters escape from the gorges and precipices of the Himalaya, and take a south-west course. 
 This change takes place at Makpon-i-Shagaron ; and thence, down to Mittun-Kote, it forms the 
 western boundary of the province of the Punjab, passing the towns of Derbend, Attock, Kala- 
 bagh, Bukkur, and Dera-Ghazee-Khan. Opposite Attock it is joined by the river of Cabul, 
 which comes from the west with bright clear waters ; and near Mittun-Kote it receives, from the 
 east, the united stream of the "five rivers," — namely, the Sutlej, the Bais, the Ravi, the 
 Chenab, and the Jelum or Jailum (the ancient Hydaspes). At Derbend its maximum breadth 
 is three hundred feet ; at Attock, it is crossed by two bridges of boats, one of which is eight 
 hundred and the other five hundred and forty feet in length. The rivers of the Punjab, it should 
 be observed, vary in width according to the season. Thus the Chenab, during the rains, swells 
 into a terribly rapid torrent, fully three miles and a quarter across. Communication between the 
 banks is often impossible, as no boat can live in waves which swirl and roll like those of a 
 storm-tossed sea. 
 
 The total length of the Indus is estimated at sixteen hundred and fifty miles ; and the 
 annual quantity of water it pours into the sea cannot be less than one hundred and fifty million 
 tons. 
 
 Let us now turn our attention to the Brahmaputra — that is, the " son of Brahma" — 
 which, though a river of considerable importance, is less useful to commerce than the Indus or 
 
COURSE OF THE BRAHMAPUTRA. 31 
 
 the Ganges, and less famous in history. Nor can it compete in sanctity with either of the fore- 
 going ; though it has its god, and, at a place three days' journey from Dacca, pilgrims annually 
 assemble to offer propitiatory sacrifices on the day it begins to rise. 
 
 It is formed by the* junction, in Upper Assam, of three streams — the Dihong, Dibong, 
 and Lohit Which of these should be regarded as the head stream is a matter of dispute ; 
 but we shall do no wrong if we ascribe that honour to the Dihong, which seems to be a 
 continuation of the Sanpo. The Sanpo is a noble river, with its source on the northern slope of 
 the Himalaya, nearly opposite that of the Ganges on the southern, and at no great distance 
 from that of the Indus. Rolling eastward through the rugged defiles and precipices of Tibet, it 
 passes Lassa, the residence of the Grand Lama, and, curving boldly to the southward, forces its 
 way in a succession of mighty torrents and cataracts through the colossal barrier of the Himalaya, 
 and descends into Upper Assam under the name of the Dihong. Receiving the Dibong and the 
 Lohit, it becomes known as the Brahmaputra, strikes through the centre of Assam in a south- 
 west direction, and enters Bengal at the frontier-town of Goalpara. 
 
 There it makes a circuit round the western extremity of the Garo Mountains, and rolls 
 its great volume of waters through Dacca, until it receives the Megna, which, though a com- 
 paratively small stream, gives its name to tin- united channel for the remainder of its course. 
 Broadening into a turbid expanse of four to five miles, it takes a south-easterly course to the 
 Bay of Bengal, swollen by the Issamutti and the Pudda, which is an eastern branch of the 
 Ganges. Here it forms a delta, contiguous to the Gangetic, and spreads its numerous arms over 
 a considerable tract of country. Assuming that the Sanpo is the head stream, the total length 
 of the Brahmaputra will exceed fourteen hundred miles; while the Brahmaputra proper will 
 measure between five hundred and six hundred miles. From the Himalayan snows it receives 
 immense quantities of water; and from the middle of June to the middle of September the 
 plains of Upper Assam are converted into an inland sea, and the only means of communication 
 between the different villages are the elevated causeways, ten to twelve feet high. 
 
 At the other chief Indian rivers we can permit ourselves but a glance. The Deccan is 
 watered by the Narbada ("pleasure-giving"), the Tapti, flowing westward; the Mahanadi, the 
 Godavari, the Krishna, flowing eastward. The Narbada is a considerable stream, and fertilizes 
 the provinces of Khandeish, Malwa, and Gujerat. It falls into the Gulf of Catnbay. 
 
 About ten miles from Jabalpur, or Jubbuljwre, the Narbada rolls its waters through the 
 defile known as the Marble Rocks. First, it spreads over a rocky ledge, in a turbid, foamy 
 sheet, about three hundred feet wide, and after a fall of thirty feet enters a chasm not exceeding 
 sixty feet, the glittering cliffs on either side rising from eighty to one hundred and twenty feet 
 high — clifTs of solid marble, being composed of dolomite and magnesian limestone. 
 
 " I went up between the Marble Rocks," says a traveller, " in the early morning in a boat, 
 by moonlight, and floated down in sunlight; and as we moved slowly up that romantic chasm, the 
 drip of water from the paddles, and the wash of the stream, only showed how deep the silence 
 waa, A tiger had been doing some devastation in the neighbourhood, and one of the boatmen 
 whispered that we might have a chance of seeing it come down to drink at the entrance of the 
 'I- ft, or moving along the rocks above, — which, of course, made the position more interesting. 
 The marble walls on one side, which sparkled like silver in the moonlight, reflected so white a 
 
32 THE INDIAN LAKES. 
 
 radiance as almost to illumine the shadow of the opposite cliff's ; but the stream itself lay in deeper 
 shadow, with here and there shafts of dazzling light falling upon it : and above, the moonbeams 
 had woven in the air a silvery veil, through which even the largest stars shone only dimly. It 
 did not look at all like a scene on earth, but rather as if we were entering the portals of another 
 world." 
 
 South of the Krishna the principal rivers revealed to us by the map are the Pennair, the 
 Palar, and the Kaveri. The first-named waters the Carnatic, and flows into the sea at Gunga- 
 patnam, one hundred and eight miles north of Madras. Crossing Mysore and the Carnatic, the 
 Palar falls into the sea at Sadras. Mysore and the Carnatic are largely indebted for their 
 agricultural wealth to the celebrated Kaveri, which rises from several sources in the hills of 
 Curg and Mysore, near the Malabar coast, and falls into the Bay of Bengal by numerous 
 mouths, after a winding course of about four hundred and fifty miles. The Hindus regard it as 
 one of the most beneficent of their deities; and the rising of the waters is an occasion of annual 
 festivity. The anniversary of the marriage of the river-goddess to the god Renganadur is also 
 observed with great pomp and rejoicing. 
 
 At one part of its course the Kaveri forms an island called Siva Samudra, and descends 
 in a couple of magnificent cataracts. The great fall of Gangan Chuka occurs in the northern 
 channel, where the water leaps over a precipice of two hundred feet; the southern, that of Bur 
 Chuka, is divided into ten or twelve streams, with a total descent of one hundred feet. 
 
 From the nature of the country, India has but few lakes. There are no deep hollows or 
 confined basins within which the waters can accumulate. Of the few which exist, the largest 
 would seem to be the Chilka, which divides Cuttack from the Northern Circars. It lies close 
 to the sea, and apparently has been formed by the influx of the billows over the narrow strip of 
 sand that lies between. Its length is thirty-five miles, and its breadth eight miles. It is fed by 
 a branch of the Mahanadi, and sends its overflow into the sea through a deep, narrow channel. 
 The water is salt, and very shallow. The Pulikat Lake, or Lagoon, has evidently originated in 
 the same manner. Its length is thirty- three miles, its greatest breadth eleven miles. The 
 Kolair Lake, between the Krishna and the Godavari, is nothing more than a reservoir of the 
 waters collected by these rivers during their periodical inundation. There are two small lakes 
 beneath the walls of Ajmir, which we shall hereafter describe; and North Canara contains the 
 Lake of Honore, the waters of which are salt during the dry season, but fresh during the rainy 
 season, when they are swollen by the torrents and springs of the mountains. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 BOMBAY. 
 blast; or nvuT-irnuuxn from the kea— the fobt, or eilah— the pamdb' bazaar— a btooalow described— malabar hill— 
 
 WALKRBHWAR— A SACRED SFOT— THI TOWER Of SILENCE— THE BTCCLLAH QCARTER— POFCLATION OF BOMBAT— VARIOCS NATIONALITIES — A 
 RAMBLE THROCUH IT* STREETS— INDIA* J COOLERS— THI JAM ASTLCM FOB ANIMALS— ARCHITECTCRAL FEATURES OF THE CTTT— ABOUT THE 
 FARSEE8-- A FARKEE " RECEmo.X." 
 
 j<>M15AY may appropriately be termed the Western Gate of India. It is the chief 
 port of communication with the ruling country, and has been brought into com- 
 paratively close connection with it by the construction of the Suez Canal. Gibraltar, 
 Malta, Suez, Aden, Bombay — these are the main landmarks and resting-places on the highway 
 to India. On reaching Bombay, the traveller stands, as it were, on the threshold of our Indian 
 Empire; and certainly nowhere else in all India, not even in Calcutta, does he find such 
 palpable evidence of the reality of British supremacy. Nowhere else has the conquering race 
 made so deep a mark. In truth, to British enterprise and industry it may be said to owe its 
 existence. It is really and truly an Anglo-Indian city. 
 
 Bombay proper, be it rememliered, is a small island, about eighteen square miles, forming 
 one of a group of islands which may be regarded as the delta of several river streams. These 
 islands, lying close together, constitute, along with the mainland, a noble and spacious bay, 
 capable of accommodating securely all the navies of the world. The convenience of this great 
 natural harbour was appreciated by the earliest races ; and hence many cities of importance 
 were successively founded along its shores, and carried on a flourishing commerce with Hin- 
 dustan and the Deccan. How wealthy and prosperous some of these must have been, we 
 learn from the gigantic ruins of Kenery and Elephanta. And there can be no doubt but 
 that the archipelago we speak of is identical with the Sesekreienai nesoi of the geographer 
 Ptolemy. 
 
 When the Portuguese first trafficked in the precious products of Cathay, they colonized 
 the largest of the group, the island of Salsette ; and it was long after the foundation of 
 Baasein and Tannah that they fortified Bombay — so called from the goddess Bomba, or 
 Mumba Devi, to whom it was consecrated. In 1 66 1 Bombay was ceded to England, as part 
 of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza ; and in 1669 the Crown made it over to the 
 East India Company, then in the very infancy of its astonishing career. It soon sprang 
 into commercial importance, but, for a time, was closely rivalled by Surat and Goa ; until 
 
34 
 
 VIEW OF BOMBAY. 
 
 the conquest of Salsette in 1775, and the gradual extension of British power, threw them out 
 of competition. 
 
 To the voyager, Bombay, with its mast-studded harbour, its terraces of square-built, 
 Venetian-windowed houses, its masses of tropical vegetation, and its grand background of azure- 
 tinted mountains, presents a most attractive spectacle. He sees it as a whole, and is deeply 
 
 impressed by its vast extent and picturesque 
 
 aspect ; and it is not until he has been some days 
 on shore that he finds it to be "a conglomeration 
 of vast districts," at a short distance from one 
 another. In some respects it may be said of 
 Bombay, that distance lends enchantment to the 
 view. At all events, from the sea it exhibits a 
 beauty and even a grandeur which are scarcely 
 confirmed upon closer inspection. The view from 
 the harbour is one of the loveliest of the world's 
 lovely scenes. The traveller gazes upon it Avith 
 ever-increasing delight. A soft, transparent air 
 rests on the palm-groves which thickly clothe the 
 lower hills. Island after island, each blooming 
 with verdure, is brought into the sparkling, many- 
 coloured panorama ; and glittering inlets of sea 
 reach far up into the hearts of mountains which 
 attract by the infinite variety of their outline. 
 Then the waters are crowded with ships from 
 every clime and of every rig : ships at anchor in 
 the bay ; ships loading or unloading at the 
 wharves ; steamers churning the blue waters into shining foam ; and numberless native boats, 
 with large sails of canvas, and covered poop, darting to and fro as if possessed with a 
 supernatural activity. Beyond the ships and masts are seen tiers of white houses embosomed 
 in foliage, and here and there a steeple, indicating the position of Colaba, and the long, 
 far-spreading area of the great city, with its motley population of gold-worshippers and 
 fire-worshippers, gathered from almost all parts of the known world. 
 
 On that side of the island which faces the harbour stands the Fort, or Kilah, the oldest 
 quarter of Bombay. Here are the crowded docks, the vast loaded warehouses, and some 
 cotton -presses, side by side with huge chaotic heaps of the all-important fibre, which will shortly 
 be converted into bales, and despatched to the looms of Manchester. In the centre of the town, 
 and around a large circle, are situated the great commercial houses, — "factories," as they 
 were once called, — the banks, the town-hall, and the Mint. In a word, the Fort is to Bombay 
 what " the City " is to London. During the day it is a scene of incessant toil and bustle ; at 
 night it is deserted. " Go to the Fort at seven o'clock in the morning," says a recent writer, 
 " and traverse those long, dark, narrow streets ; you will find them abandoned, except by the 
 policemen on duty. But about ten o'clock a change comes o'er the spirit of the dream ! At 
 the extremity of the vast esplanade that surrounds it on three sides, appears an army of carriages, 
 
 BUNDER-BOAT, BOMBAY. 
 
A SCF.NE IN THE FORT. 
 
 35 
 
 conveying masters, employes, merchants, and purchasers. All direct their course to the Fort ; 
 the streets fill, and in a few minutes the silence gives place to the noise and tumult of a great, 
 
 COTTOB-MABUT— XEBCMABTB AT BOMBAY. 
 
 busy town. At four o'clock a fresh change is seen. The population retire from the Fort with 
 greater haste than they used in entering it ; the carriages are filled ; horsemen ride away ; and 
 files of natives, armed with umbrellas, and clad in white, pass along the esplanade. Half an 
 hour later, the streets are again given up to the rats and the policemen." 
 
 THB TOWB-BALL-IB THB FOBT, BOMBAY. 
 
 The district lying between the Bombay Green and Fort George, northward of the Fort 
 proper, is called the Parsees' Bazaar, and is almost wholly occupied by the Parsee and Bhorah 
 
36 A BUNGALOW. 
 
 traders. The long winding street is lined on either side by tall and beautiful houses with 
 wooden balconies, gaily painted, and numerous windows with carved lintels. The ground-floors 
 are laid out as stalls and warerooms. 
 
 Colaba, a long narrow promontory separating the harbour from the Back Bay, is one ol 
 the European quarters, and, with its gardens and bungalows, is not unlike a London suburb. 
 The barracks are situated on the extreme tongue of the promontory, in a healthy and airy 
 situation, and beyond them rises the tall white tower of the lighthouse. 
 
 But here we must pause to describe a bungalow, which still forms the favourite residence 
 of the European, though handsome stone houses are being built in considerable numbers. It 
 is a villa or cottage of one floor only, with wide doors, and an abundance of large windows, 
 provided with Venetian blinds or lattices instead of glass. It is built of brick, but plastered 
 with a fine white lime, called chunam, made from sea-shells; and is always surrounded by a 
 wide verandah, where the inmates may recline at ease, enjoying the grateful shade and the 
 cool sea-air. Within, the bungalow consists of clean, neat, spacious apartments, having chunam 
 floors covered with matting, and furniture tastefully made of the blackwood from the Malabar 
 coast, together with objects of ornament in sandal-wood or ivory. Over the dining-table and 
 over the couches hang punkahs, or movable ventilators, which by their motion diffuse a pleasant 
 coolness. The curtains are of bobbinet, and hung so as to complete the elegant ensemble of the 
 fairy-like abode. Nearly every bed in the bungalow is likewise enclosed in bobbinet curtains, 
 without which protection the ubiquitous mosquitoes would assuredly murder rest. 
 
 The kitchen and " offices " are in the " compound," or enclosed ground to the side or rear of 
 the house ; and here the large staff of native servants, nearly all men, obtain accommodation. 
 Shrubs of much beauty and variety, mingled with feathery palms and acacias, render the 
 compound attractive; and frequently a garden is formed, with soft lawns and beds of flowers. 
 But unless it is plentifully watered by artificial irrigation, its appearance is anything but inviting. 
 
 Another of the English quarters is Malabar Hill,— a wooded, undulating ground three miles 
 beyond the city, which slopes gently to the sea-shore. Here the bungalows are arranged in a 
 succession of open sunny terraces, which are shaded by groves of palms and adorned with ferny 
 growths. At certain points huge blocks of granite overhang the road ; and among them are 
 interspersed leafy clumps of cocoa and date, palms, aloes, and daturas, with their violaceous 
 bell-like blossoms. Some of the houses are on a very large scale, and excessively rich in their 
 ornaments and "appointments." Shapely pillars support portico and verandah, and broad flights 
 of stone steps lead to terraces enriched with statues, vases, fountains, both of European and 
 Asiatic design. In the gardens are cultivated some of the finest trees of the country, — the gold 
 mohur (properly, gul rnoha) acacia, with its clusters of golden flowers ; the papayer, with its 
 enormous fruit ; the Chinese pine, and the colossal baobab. 
 
 Beyond the Governor's House, on the west coast of the promontory, lies the village of 
 Walkeshwar, a place of peculiar sanctity. The legend avers that the god Rama, when on his 
 way to conquer Lunka (or Ceylon), in order to punish the king Ravana, who had carried off his 
 wife Sita, halted here for one night. His brother Lukshman, through the agency of a genie, 
 sent him every night an emblem from Benares, that he might not intermit his devotions to Siva. 
 
THE TOWER OF SILENCE. 37 
 
 On this occasion, however, the emblem did not appear ; and 1 Jama, taking a little sand from the 
 sea-shore, fashioned it into an idol. The spot from which the sand was taken became a deep 
 pool ; and the village that grew up around the divine idol is to this day known as Walkeshwar, 
 " the Lord of Sand." 
 
 THE V1LLAOI Of WALKKSHWAK, BOMBAY. 
 
 The pool of Rama is now situated in the centre of a square, surrounded by temples. 
 It lies some forty feet below the level, and large flights of steps lead down to the water. Here 
 may be seen, almost always, a great crowd of Hindus, male and female, engaged in religious 
 ceremonies — either plunging into, or besprinkling themselves with, the holy water, or absorbed in 
 an ecstasy of devout meditation. 
 
 At the highest point of the Malabar Hill rises the Tower of Silence, the Great Dokhma 
 of the Parsees, whither they bring their dead to be devoured by the vultures that crowd the 
 surrounding trees. None but the Dustoors, or Priests of the Fire, are permitted to enter the 
 sacred precincts. The body of the departed is left by his kinsmen at the door ; the priests ca in- 
 to within the tower, where it is placed on a grating, which enables the vultures to tear off 
 the flesh, while the bones remain intact. From the grove which encloses and parti}' conceals the 
 tower a delightful view may be obtained. 
 
 Descending the hill in an easterly direction, the traveller reaches the Bycullah quarter, 
 extending over a wide, marshy, and unhealthy plain, and inhabited chiefly by Parsees, half- 
 castes, and the scum of the motley population of Bombay. Round the hills of Mazagon, just 
 beyond, clusters the suburb of the Portuguese, the climate of which is injuriously affected by 
 the exhalations rising from a too luxuriant vegetation. Here flourish dense thickets of palm- 
 trees, nims, and acacias, woven together by festoons of parasitical plants ; groups of colossal 
 banian-trees, in the shade of which thrive euphorbias, cactuses, daturas, and tall grasses ; 
 and groves of mango-trees, famous for their height and the lusciousness of their fruit. The 
 mango, called in India the "amb," is of an oblong shape, about three or four inches in length, 
 
38 
 
 POPULATION OF BOMBAY. 
 
 containing, under a thick green rind, a delicious aromatic pulp of an orange yellow, with a laige 
 stone in the centre. 
 
 Into this Eden, however, the serpent enters; being no less formidable a reptile than the 
 ndga, or cobra di capella, the bite of which is death. The luxuriant vegetation nourishes, 
 moreover, a plague of insects. Jackals frequent the thickets, and make night hideous with their 
 melancholy howls ; and the animal life of the district also includes the flying-fox, with its black 
 wings extending a couple of feet ; the immense bandycoot rat ; the strongly-smelling musk-rat ; 
 and the sonorous and enormous bull-frog, which constitutes a living negation of a well-known 
 fable of ^Esop's. 
 
 "With this general view of the quarters of the city we must be content. Let us now 
 proceed to mingle with its population, and examine their avocations and customs. The most 
 
 A PALANQUIN — BOMBAY. 
 
 melancholy-minded of men would surely be stirred into something like animation by the variety 
 of the aspects of life which meet us on every side. The hot, dusty streets seethe with continual 
 currents of heterogeneous crowds, together with the curious conveyances common to the place : 
 carts and waggons, hackneys, with meek-eyed bullocks in front and shouting drivers behind, 
 buggies, cabs, and palanquins, or "palkies." The last-named are not unlike our eighteenth 
 century sedan-chairs ; only the poles on which they swing are carried on the shoulders of 
 muscular coolies. The said coolies wear little else than a cloth around their loins. Among 
 well-dressed men the usual garment is a piece of bleached shirting, folded with much grace about 
 
INDIAN JUGGLEK& 39 
 
 the body; the legs being bare from a little below the knee, and the feet cased in coarse red slippers 
 with curved toes, like the peaked shoes of the Plantagenet period. The head is protected by 
 a huge turban, or else by a fantastic and brightly-coloured "puggery." The Parsees are easily 
 distinguished by their characteristic costume. They wear the angrika, a kind of surtout of white 
 silk or cotton, with silk payjamas, or trousers, and a peculiar high square hat. Much more 
 gorgeous is the attire of the Persian citizens, who figure in velvet and gold, and may be 
 contrasted with the Fakir, who crouches in the thick dust, begging for alms, his naked 
 distorted body and filthy matted hair rendering him an unwholesome and ungrateful object. 
 
 As we pass along we are attracted by a group of jugglers, — the Indian jugglers being 
 famous all the world over for their superior dexterity and invention. One of them rapidly beats 
 a tom-tom with his hard, sinewy fingers ; another extracts monotonously doleful tones from a 
 curiously-shaped flageolet ; while a third is opening his display of " properties," including a 
 cobra and a large rock-snake. The chief juggler, seeing us pause, prepares to astonish us with 
 the celebrated mango-trick. Singing a kind of low chant, he smooths a place in the gravel, and 
 places over it a basket covered with a thin blanket The said basket is made of open wicker- 
 work, and careful examination convinces the bystander that neither about his person nor in the 
 basket is anything concealed. Sitting down, the juggler, singing and smiling, stretches his naked 
 arms under the basket, lifts it off the ground, and, behold ! a green plant about a foot in height. 
 Of course you applaud so remarkable a trick, and the incantation is resumed. A little time is 
 allowed for the plant to grow ; the basket is again removed, and the plant is two feet high. 
 Wait a little longer, and you are asked to taste the fruit You then examine the ground 
 with a stony stare of surprise, but find it perfectly smooth and solid. 
 
 Resuming our excursions, we shall next pay a visit to the Jain Asylum for Animals. It 
 is the creed of the Jain that every man is purified of his sins by the gradual passage of his 
 spirit through various forms of animal life, until at length, the process of cleansing being 
 complete, the spotless soul finally enters into nirvdna (extinction). Such a creed necessarily 
 implies on the part of its believers a great reverence for animal life, as every animal is simply 
 the embodiment of some suffering human soul. 
 
 Architecturally, till of late, little has been done for Bombay. It has its Christian 
 churches, Mohammedan mosques, Hindu temples ; its colleges, hospitals, and town-hall. The 
 University buildings, Post-Office, Secretariate, and several other tasteful erections, are quite 
 recent. Some of the private houses, however, are very rich and handsome ; and many are 
 fitted up with a profound feeling for the aesthetic. Otherwise, it is an Indian Liverpool or 
 Glasgow, though more finely situated, and rejoicing in a brighter sky and warmer sun. Busi- 
 ness is its primum mobile; and the commercial transactions of which it is the centre arc truly 
 immense. Many of the principal merchants are Parsees ; and if their wealth be enormous, it 
 is but fair to own that they dispense it with great liberality. As for their hospitality, it is 
 boundless ; and Europeans with respectable credentials are sure of a cordial welcome. 
 
 A " nautch party " is a recognized form of receiving friends ; and evilly as it sounds in 
 lish ears, we are bound to say that the taste of the most fastidious spectator is seldom 
 offended. 
 
40 
 
 A NAUTCH PARTY. 
 
 The reader may suppose himself to have received an invitation to such an entertainment, 
 and we will accompany him to the house where it is to be held. As we approach, we observe 
 that every window of the two-storied mansion is ablaze with light ; while lanterns, like 
 
 HINDU WOMEN OF BOMBAY, IN CEREMONIAL DKE88. 
 
 fireflies, gleam among the branches of the trees and shrubberies. At the hall door, to which 
 we make our way through a dazzling illumination, we are received by the host, surrounded 
 by a staff of native servants in livery ; and, after a few words of courtesy, conducted upstairs 
 to the grand drawing-room, which occupies the entire length of the building, and is lighted by 
 
A NAUTCH PARTY. 41 
 
 upwards of a hundred lamps of cocoa-nut oil. What a radiance bursts upon us as we enter, — 
 a radiance reflected and intensified by the bright colours and rich sheeny stuffs of the assembled 
 guests, who form a dazzling and romantic circle ! 
 
 Having taken our places on the seats of honour prepared for us, rose-water, flowers, and 
 betel-nut are successively presented. These preliminaries happily over, a nautch-girl makes 
 her appearance, at the head of a cortege of musicians. Three of the latter squat upon the 
 floor, and proceed to elicit from a tom-tom, a triangle, and a two-stringed banjo, an exceedingly 
 doleful, not to say discordant music, the characteristic of which is that it consists of a single 
 two-barred phrase, continually repeated. The nautcli now advances into the centre of the 
 room, and moves her hands and feet, slowly and gently, to the plaintive cadence of the orchestral 
 accompaniment. After a while, she breaks forth into a kind of recitative, which gradually 
 increases in force and spirit, produc in g a corresponding acceleration of the movements of the 
 feet and hands. 
 
 This performance at an end, a second performer steps forward, and goes through very 
 similar evolutions to those of her predecessor. Her dress is of a peculiarly gorgeous descrip- 
 tion, from which we infer that she enjoys greater distinction in her profession; and her per- 
 formance is decidedly more dramatic, while the ■mompanying or explanatory recitative is given 
 with much greater energy. This, however, may be accounted for by the difference of theme. 
 She is narrating a story of love which has not run smoothly : while her companion had simply 
 to moralize on the Divine compassion, as exemplified in the date tree, which drops its fruit to 
 the ground lor the benefit of the ]>oor. 
 
 length the two performers advance together, and a kind of duet or dialogue ensues, in 
 which the one solicits the love the other seems reluctant or coy to give. The pantomime is 
 expressive, but it is still accompanied by a droning chant; and as we weary of it, the two 
 nautch-girls are liberally rewarded and bidden to retire. If we have shown no great interest 
 in the performance, the rest of the company have exhibited less, sitting all the time with blank 
 faces, and in complete silence, as if they had no concern whatever in what was going on. This 
 is not to be wondered at, when we reflect that no women are present, and that the nautch is an 
 amusement which does not improve upon, repetition. 
 
 If we are afterwards introduced to the ladies of the family, we observe that they are 
 splendidly attired in Kashmir shawls, embroidered silks, and a profusion <>f jewellery. But as 
 conversation is contrary to etiquette, and a silent interview has no particular charms, we are 
 glad when, after a due exchange of salutations, we are at liberty to take our leave. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ELEPHANTA KENERY. 
 
 ISLAND OF ELEPHANTA — ITS CAVES— IMAGE OF THE GOD MAHADEO— THE SANCTUARY OF THE LINGAM — ANCIENT SCULPTURES — 
 ISLAND OF SALSETTE — CAVE-TEMPLES OF KENERY — BUDDHIST TEMPLE. 
 
 JLEPHANTA, of which in one's' boyhood one hears so much and dreams so vividly, is 
 an island in Bombay Harbour. To this ancient asylum and sanctuary of the Hindu 
 creed the visitor is now conveyed in a small steamer, which in itself seems to express, 
 as it were, the vast changes of human history and progress since Elephanta was first frequented 
 by priests and devotees. About five hundred yards from the place where we disembark are 
 situated the famous Caves, to which we ascend by means of a long flight of stone steps, con- 
 structed at the cost of a Hindu merchant. As we climb the steep, we revel in the glorious 
 vegetation which so profusely surrounds us — in the plumed crests of the palms and the tall 
 pillar-like trunks of the baobabs, in the beautiful blossoms of the creeping plants which hang in 
 festoons from every stalwart bough, and in the balmy airs which steal upon our sense ; while the 
 picture is everywhere full of light and colour, with blue sky and blue sea, hazy isles, and long 
 curving shores. 
 
 The name of Elephanta was given to the island by the Portuguese, in allusion to a colossal 
 elephant of stone which reared its head near the landing-place, and was formerly represented with 
 an animal on its back, but is now a shapeless mass, in which the hand of the sculptor can 
 with difficulty be recognized. 
 
 From the shade of thickets of cocoa palms we emerge upon the threshold of a large cave 
 excavated in the front of a precipice, the height and mass of which have been concealed from us 
 by the exuberant vegetation. Two columns and two pilasters form three great square gateways, 
 through which we peer into the darkness of the temple-cave. 
 
 The cavern has been excavated on a cruciform plan ; and it has three fronts — one towards 
 the interior, the other two over the lateral passages. The extreme length is one hundred and 
 thirty -two feet ; and the roof rests upon twenty-six columns and sixteen pilasters, each from 
 sixteen to eighteen feet in height, of which nearly half are now reduced to ruins. 
 
 At the back a basement supports a gigantic bust, representing a divinity with three heads, 
 two of which only are in profile. At one time this was supposed to be Brahma ; but it is now 
 correctly identified with the god Mahadeo or Siva, to whom the temple was formerly conse- 
 crated. The principal face is calm and benevolent, and, though mutilated, not deficient in 
 expression. A mitre-like diadem, enriched with delicate carvings in imitation of necklaces and 
 trinkets, crowns the forehead. 
 
BA&RELIEFS IN THE CAVE-TEMPLE. 
 
 43 
 
 The sanctuary which enshiiiu-s the lingam, or emblem, of Siva, is to the right of Trimoorti ; 
 the said lingam being a stone pillar, rounded at the top, which stands upon a square stone, the 
 yoni, having a small trench round it to carry off the water with which it is besprinkled by the 
 faithful. The lingam is Siva, the symbol of Generation ; the yoni, the emblem of Reproduc- 
 tion : in other words, they represent the two great principles of Nature. 
 
 The walls of the cave are covered with lofty figures in relief. These describe the mythic 
 actions "of the god, and his various incarnations : they are executed with spirit rather than with 
 grace. But the trap rock on which they are carved being of a friable character, and the 
 
 J— ILXPHAJ.TA. 
 
 Portuguese having found here a vent for iconoclastic zeal, they are considerably defaced, and, 
 in many places, cannot be identified. A recent traveller, however, asserts that it is still easy 
 to follow the subjects suggested by the fertile imagination of the ancient sculptor. Siva and 
 his wife Parvati appear in the most diverse attitudes : sometimes sitting together in Kailas, or 
 tenderly embracing each other ; sometimes surrounded by all the deities of the Hindu Olym- 
 pus, who are engaged in paying them homage. The spaces between the pilasters are filled 
 with the details of their marriage, the birth of Ganesa, the sacrifice of Daksha, and numerous 
 other scenes of Saiva mythology. To describe them would be impossible ; enough to say that 
 they throw a flood of light on the customs and manners of the far-distant time in which they 
 were executed. 
 
44 
 
 ISLAND OF SALSETTK 
 
 KENERY. 
 
 The island of Salsette, to which reference has been made in a preceding section, lies to the 
 north of Bombay, with which it is connected by a narrow causeway. Its principal town is 
 Tanna, but Ghora Bandar is more picturesque. The objects of attraction to the traveller, 
 however, are its Caves, of which there are several groups ; the most important being that of 
 Kenery, on the western slope of the hills. Tanna lies beyond the eastern slope. 
 
 Numerous excavations are found on the two declivities of the hill of Kanha. Most of the 
 temples and monasteries date from the beginning of the present era, and are simple square cells, 
 or chambers, hollowed in the rock, to which access is obtained by a gallery or vestibule with or 
 without columns. According to some Oriental scholars who have tried to decipher the frag- 
 ments of obscure inscriptions engraved on the walls of these sanctuaries, one of the most ancient 
 may probably date as far back as 65 B.C., to receive the precious relic of a tooth of Buddha — 
 
 CAVE OF LIONS— ELEPHANTA. 
 
 which, two centuries and a half later, was placed in a dagoba by one of the sovereigns of the 
 Andhra dynasty. 
 
 The Great Chaitya, or temple, claims our attention. Passing into the vestibule, we find 
 each end occupied by a figure of Buddha, fully twenty feet high. The philosopher is repre- 
 sented in a long floating robe, with his right arm raised, and the hand half-open, apparently in 
 the act of blessing ; while the left hand is opened wide, in token of liberality and benevolence. 
 The face is calm and thoughtful ; the lobes of the ears droop to the shoulders, and the crisped 
 hair is gathered on the head so as to form a diadem. 
 
 The wall separating the vestibule from the body of the temple is pierced by three door- 
 ways. Within, the roof is supported by thirty columns, of which eleven on the left and six 
 on the right are enriched with sculptures ; the remainder are octagons without either base or 
 capital. The plinth is composed of three courses of stone of gradually diminishing size ; they 
 are surrounded by a string of pearls. The base takes the form of a chatti — the splendid large- 
 
BUDDHIST TEMPLE 
 
 45 
 
 mouthed copper vessel which the Hindus from time immemorial have used for drawing water. 
 At the extremity of the nave, or central aisle — for this vast hall is divided by its rows of 
 columns into three aisles — rises a huge altar, sixteen feet high, representing the dagoba, or 
 reliquary, almost always found in Buddhist temples. Its shape is that of a hemispherical 
 
 rACAni or a oaorro at keckbt. 
 
 dome, resting on a cylindrical base, and bearing on its summit the pedestal or capital which 
 formerly supported the venerated emblem. Through a great arched window the light falls 
 on this altar with startling effect, the rest <»f tin; hall remaining in shadow. In this way the 
 attention of the worshiper was entirely concentrated on the idol to which he addressed his 
 prayers. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 BARODA. 
 
 THE GUIKWAR'S CAPITAL— THE SUBURBS— THE PALACE— A ROTAL SOWARI, OR PROCESSION— ITS GORGEOUS ASPECTS — 
 
 ANTELOPE-HUNTING— THE MOTIBAGH. 
 
 jARODA is the capital of the territory of one of the roost powerful princes in Western 
 India, the Guikwar. It is seated on the river Vishwamitra, an impetuous and 
 irregular stream, which flows in a deep channel,, spanned by an old Hindu bridge of 
 two rows of arches, one above the other. Great nights of stairs lead down to the water's edge ; 
 and above them rise a thousand bell-towers of temples, together with tombs and kiosks, half- 
 hidden among the clustering foliage. 
 
 The suburbs consist of a maze of narrow crowded streets, teeming with a population of one 
 hundred and fifty thousand souls, — a larger population than that of the town itself. The houses 
 are nearly all of timber, and built in the most picturesque varieties of style. At all the cross- 
 ways stand pagodas and idols, surmounted with coloured banners. 
 
 Passing through this busy labyrinth, the visitor arrives at a large monumental gateway, 
 flanked by high round towers, the facade of which is painted with huge figures of monsters and 
 divinities, and enters the city. It is crossed by two spacious streets, which, bisecting each other 
 at right angles, divides it into four quarters, — one being occupied by the Guikwar's Palace, 
 while in the other three cluster the houses of the rich and noble. At the point of intersection 
 rises an immense pavilion, a pyramid of wood, with balconies in several stories, supported upon a 
 foundation of lofty stone arches. The stories are all painted of different colours ; and the whole 
 is surmounted by a large clock. 
 
 In the time of the late Guikwar, deposed by the Indian Government on account of his 
 sensual and cruel tyranny, Baroda glittered, day after day, with splendid spectacles. Amongst 
 these, the most conspicuous for Oriental magnificence would seem to have been the regal 
 sowari, or procession, in which the Guikwar himself appeared in state. It is thus described 
 by M. Rousselet, an eye-witness : — 
 
 The road was obstructed by the multitudes who hurried to the festival ; and our escort had 
 much difficulty in forcing a way for us by the use of strong language. Crowds covered the 
 approaches to the river, and banners and oriflammes gaily decorated every house. At a little 
 distance a balcony had been fitted up for us with arm-chairs and carpets, overlooking a long 
 street, through which the sowari would pass. The maharajah, a short time before, had purchased 
 one of the most famous diamonds in the world, the " Star of the South," and had resolved to 
 give this new acquisition the honour of a triumphal entry into his capital, and a solemn 
 
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A PROCESSION IN BARODA— ANTELOPE-HUNTING. 49 
 
 procession to the chief temple, where it would receive the benediction of the priests. Delighting 
 in such spectacles, all the inhabitants of Baroda had poured out to see the procession, and lined 
 the streets awaiting its approach. 
 
 The scenes were wonderful in their variety. A magnificent giraffe, saddled, bridled, and 
 splendidly harnessed, was led through the bazaars by the royal servants, — the crowd expressing 
 their admiration in loud shouts which might well have startled the timid creature. The air 
 resounded with a tumultuous din of songs, and shouts, and instrumental music, which swelled 
 into a tempest as the sowari drew near. The march was led by the prince's regular troops, 
 under the command of European officers ; then came corps of Arabs, squadrons of Mahratta 
 cavalry, pendams, field-artillery, musketeers, halberdiers, and gunners mounted upon drome- 
 daries ; and, lastly, some regiments of the Guikwar's army. Behind them stalked a magnificent 
 elephant, covered with embroidered housings, and carrying the bearer of the royal standard, — a 
 flag of cloth of gold, waving from a staff" more than forty feet in length. He was surrounded 
 by picked horsemen, whose duty it is to protect the standard in the stress of battle. They are 
 armed with long lances and broad curved tulwars, or sabres ; steel gauntlets cover their hands ; 
 and they are richly attired in close-fitting tunics of crimson velvet, with tight breeches, and 
 (minted shoes. Some wear a small steel morion, bound on by the turban, and a Saracenic coat- 
 of-mail ; others thick cuirasses of buffalo-hide, richly embroidered. Their lance-heads are of 
 silver, and their shields of transparent rhinoceros-skin adorned with bosses of gold. 
 
 A favourite sport with the nobles of Baroda is antelope-hunting. For this purpose 
 cheetahs, or hunting-leopards, are carefully trained. A day being ti\><l for the chase, and a 
 rendezvous appointed, the animals are conveyed thither in palanquins, each carried by four 
 men. Their eyes are covered with small leather hoods, and notwithstanding the tumult that 
 Nrraandi then they remain perfectly quiet A great gathering of huntsmen — some attired in 
 
 or green, others in felt helmets and boots of <1« ■< r -kin— fill the air with their shouts. On 
 all sides herds of antelopes may be seen, either watching the proceedings with curiosity, or 
 hurrying out of danger. They feel no alarm at the presence of the horsemen, as the}' are in 
 the daily habit of seeing people in the fields ; but some of the more timid are disturbed by the 
 increasing commotion. When the hunting-party have arrived within a sufficient distance, a 
 cheetah is let go, the hood being removed from its eyes. For a moment it is motionless ; then 
 it darts arrow-like on the nearest herd, which take to flight at its approach ; but, with two or 
 three swift, vigorous bounds, it leaps upon a victim, and brings it to the ground. At full gallop, 
 up come the horsemen, to be in at the death. The cheetah holds the prey with its claws, and 
 plunges its teeth into the creatures neck, until an attendant comes up, replaces the hood, and 
 drags it away from the wished-for banquet. In compensation, it receives a bowlful of the 
 antelopes blood ; after which the cheetah is replaced in its palanquin, and the chase resumed. 
 
 The public buildings of Baroda are not specially interesting. The Palace is striking only 
 fp'in its immense size. At a short distance from the suburbs stands the ejfi^ant summer-palace 
 of the Motibagh, or "Garden of Pearls," which is surrounded by shrubberies and orchards, and 
 adorned with pavilions, statues, and fountains. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PUNA — KARLI — ELLORA. 
 
 PUNA— HILL OF PAKV ATI— CAVES OP KARLI— THE FINEST CHAITYA IN INDIA— A BUDDHIST " VIHAEA " — OAVES OF ELLORA— A SCENE OF BEAUTT 
 — THE GREAT CAVE — GROTTOES OF AJUNTA — THE VALLEY OF CAVES — AN EXCURSION TO GOLCONDA — AURUNGABAD. 
 
 | UNA, the capital of the Deccan (seventy miles from Bombay), is situated, with its 
 gardens and picturesque native houses, on the banks of the Muta (Mula), in the centre 
 of a vast and almost treeless plain, which stretches far away to the blue mountains of 
 Sattara. The English cantonments stand apart from the town, in a broad open parade-ground, 
 close to the barracks. The town itself is divided into seven quarters, each named after one of 
 the days of the week. Some of the streets are wide and well-built, but most of them are little 
 better than narrow winding lanes. Here, as in other Hindu cities, the houses of the more 
 opulent natives are covered with painted devices of gods, elephants, and tigers. The temples 
 are small, but their bell-towers and turrets produce a pleasing effect. Indeed, the general aspect 
 is not unlike that of a medieval European city, with its combination of gables, high peaked 
 roofs, and towers, and its massive palaces, battlemented, and with loopholed windows. 
 
 Westward of Puna rises the hill of Parvati, covered with temples, and crowned with the 
 sanctuary of Parvati herself, containing, among other treasures, a massive silver statue of Siva, 
 holding on his knees the golden and jewelled images of Parvati and Ganesa. 
 
 Erom Puna to Lanowli we travel by rail. At Lanowli we engage a bullock-garry to 
 convey us to the Caves of Karli, which, though less known, are not less remarkable than the 
 Caves of Elephanta. 
 
 The garry is one of the most primitive of vehicles. As it was in the days of the Veda, so 
 is it now. Reform has not meddled with it, and the hand of change has passed it by. It is 
 neither more nor less than a square wooden box, mounted on wheels, but without springs, and 
 drawn by a couple of bullocks. As an easy vehicle, it cannot be commended ; but it is certainly 
 safe. 
 
 At last we reach Khandala, where we take our rest in a dak bungalow, erected by the 
 British Government for the convenience and accommodation of travellers. Similar asylums are 
 placed at intervals along all the great roads which have not been rendered obsolete by railways. 
 The Great Indian Peninsula line now traverses this part of the country, and here completes 
 its ascent of the Ghats — a stupendous engineering work, which Europe itself cannot surpass. 
 The total height surmounted is one thousand eight hundred and thirty feet on a line of fifteen 
 miles, and with a mean incline of one in forty-eight. Eight viaducts, of from thirty to fifty 
 arches, and from fifty to one hundred and forty feet in height, have been constructed, and 
 
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THE KARLI CAVES. 
 
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 twenty-two tunnels, of a total length of about one mile and three-quarters. The various 
 embankments contain upwards of six millions of cubic feet; and the entire work, which occupied 
 seven years, cost upwards of £800,000. 
 
 The Karli Caves are situated on the west side of a low hill, a few miles east from Khan- 
 dala. The principal excavation is considered the finest chaitya in India, and was unquestionably 
 worked and elaborated when the Buddhist style had reached its climax of purity. The facade is 
 singularly imposing. In a recess on each side of the entrance elephants in bold relief front the 
 spectators with huge heads and trunks, and seem to uphold on their mighty backs the whole mass 
 of sculptured rock above. Not less imposing is the vast interior. The central aisle has fifteen 
 
 umu*CE or the oriat CAvr or karli. 
 
 pillars,t ive feet high, on each side, separating it from the lateral aisles. At the end, within 
 
 a seven-columned apse, rises the dome-shaped dagoba, on which the light falls dazzlingly from 
 the great open window in front. The total length of this subterranean temple is one hundred 
 and twenty-six feet, while the breadth is forty-five feet, and the height forty-five feet. 
 
 Around the Great Cave are the various cells and apartments of a vihara, or monastery, all 
 hewn out of the solid rock. They are arranged in three stories, and the ascent is not altogether 
 convenient The uppermost is a hall, with an open balcony supported by stone pillars, from 
 which is obtained a view so extensive and romantic that one might be tempted to turn anchorite 
 in order always to enjoy it. Cells branch off on either hand, and the walls are enriched with 
 the carved figures of halo-crowned saints. 
 
54 
 
 CAVES OF ELLORA. 
 
 Returning to Puna, we next arrange for a visit to the Caves of Ellora and Ajunta. 
 
 Our road takes us through a somewhat bare country to Ahmednuggur, a busy and populous 
 town ; and thence to Aurungabad, which was a favourite residence of the Emperor Aurungzebe, 
 and owes to him its ramparts and round towers, its mosques with their shapely minarets, and 
 its palaces embowered in bloom and leaf. The Hindu temples and the Tomb of Rabia Daurani, 
 erected in imitation of the Taj of Agra, but inferior to it in beauty, are worth examination. 
 
 About twelve miles to the north, an isolated conical mass of granite, one hundred and 
 eighty feet high, is crowned with the celebrated fortress of Dovvlatabad, the "Abode of 
 Fortune," formerly the capital of the rulers of the Deccan. 
 
 Proceeding across a hilly country, we debouch upon a plain, enriched with venerable trees 
 which overshadow the ruins of Mohammedan tombs and mausoleums. At its further extremity 
 lies the village of Rauzah, or " Paradise," where, in the Mohammedan cemetery, stands the 
 tomb of Aurungzebe. At the foot of a curved wall of rock on the south-west side of Rauzah 
 we come to the village of Ellora ; and here, in the face of the hill, are the well-known Caves. 
 They are between thirty and forty in number, including four temples, or chaityas, and 
 some Buddhist viharas, or monasteries ; besides a few Jain caves, which combine the character- 
 istics of both. 
 
 TEMPLE OF KAILAS, ELLORA. 
 
 The whole mass of rock at Ellora is excavated into temples of wonderful grandeur, sug- 
 gesting the lofty conceptions of the architects, as well as the extraordinary resources which they 
 must have had at their command. It is evident, too, that they were not without a profound 
 sense of natural beauty; for the scenery around is of a beautiful and picturesque character, where 
 the charm is heightened by the deep shadows of luxuriant foliage and the music of falling waters. 
 The broken crags are shrouded thick in brushwood ; dark gorge and glen, sheltering venerable 
 but stalwart trees, penetrate into the mountain. An impression of awe has been produced upon 
 the mind before the visitor reaches the chief wonder of this place of wonders — the temple of 
 Kailas — which the skill and industry of man has sculptured out of a single rock in all the per- 
 fection of its swelling pinnacles and tapering obelisks. In the centre of a spacious court rises a 
 
CAVES OF AJUNTA. 
 
 great pagoda to an elevation of one hundred feet. Ascending by a twofold flight of giant steps 
 to a handsome portico, we pass into a noble hall, supported by sixteen columns, and opening upon 
 an area on which are five chapels. The court itself, which is overhung by graceful balconies, 
 measures upwards of three hundred and seventy feet in length by a hundred and fifty in breadth, 
 and is shut in between ramparts of rock of varying elevation. At the back of the temple are 
 placed colossal lions and elephants, in such a manner that they seem to uphold the entire 
 structure, as Atlas sustains the world. The portico is connected by light bridges of stone with 
 a graceful pavilion in front, which stands between two shapely obelisks. The whole is a miracle 
 of symmetry, grace, and grandeur, and overpowers us with the thought of the continuous labour 
 that, .inspired by devotion and directed by genius, accomplished this truly colossal work. 
 
 About fifty miles from Ellora lie the grottoes of Ajunta, which may fitly be described in 
 this connection. Their latest visitor, M. Rousselet, says of them : — 
 
 The valley of caves is nearly four miles from the town, and is gained by a picturesque path 
 winding through a narrow defile, hemmed in between the mountains, and abounding with full- 
 grown forest-trees ; among which we recognize the banian, the peepul, and the nim — the 
 giants of the Indian forest. Monkeys leap from bough to bough, and parrots disport them- 
 selves over the banks of the torrent The gorge contracts rapidly until it reaches the beautiful 
 
 IXTMIuft OF CHAITTA, AJCXTA. 
 
 waterfall of the BMkound, which tumbles headlong from a height of three hundred feet. It 
 Htm diwgM raddeoly to the right; and in tin- hjgb perpendicular wall that faces it are found 
 the caves. For nearly six hundred yards tin- mountain-side is pierced with doors and verandahs, 
 which at a distance, owing to their great elevation, seem little better than pigeon-holes, but are 
 really of enormous dimensions. Considered archaeologically, India can furnish no other group 
 of Buddhist caves equally complete and beautiful. They surpass anything to be seen at Ellora 
 or in the Concan ; and, in truth, they are not caverns, but subterraneous palaces, of admirable 
 proportions, of exquisite workmanship, and richly adorned with paintings which still retain much 
 of their original vividness of colour. Every column has its wreaths of flowers, its masks, and its 
 graceful geometrical designs ; every ceiling is enriched with rosework, where the figures of men 
 and women and animals are fantastically blended with the outlines of cunning arabesques; while 
 
56 VISIT TO HAIDARABAD. 
 
 every panelled wall lives with living scenes of the manners and customs of a remote age. Here 
 a group of princes and nobles bend in adoration before the sacred emblems ; there a multitude of 
 believers are gathered with ears intent round a Buddhist missionary. Here a splendid procession 
 winds its way to the temple — the king on horseback surrounded by his warriors, and elephants 
 carrying the sacred relics in costly caskets ; there contending armies meet in the shock of battle, 
 and soldiers from massive battlements hurl their weapons full upon an attacking foe. Other and 
 softer scenes — those of the court and the harem, the convent and the school — are portrayed with 
 similar vigour and fidelity ; and so perfect an exposition of the life of a people is nowhere else to 
 be found, perhaps, except in the tombs and temples of Egypt. But the reader must understand 
 that all does not belong to the same period : on the contrary, while the most ancient exca- 
 vations may date from a hundred years before Christ, the most recent will not be under thirteen 
 hundred years old. 
 
 From Ajunta a visit may be paid to Golconda, the fortress of the Deccan — " a regular 
 eagle's nest, perched on the summit of a steep and rocky hill." It is within the walls of this 
 almost inaccessible stronghold that the Nizam keeps his treasures ; a fact which, in M. Rousselet's 
 opinion, has given rise to the proverbial employment of " Golconda" as a synonym for boundless 
 wealth. We are more inclined, however, to ascribe the origin of the allusion to the diamond- 
 mines which lie some miles to the east of the fortress. From these mines have been obtained 
 many of the most precious jewels that flash in the crowns and coronets of the rulers of the 
 world ; but lately they have declined in productiveness, and their present value is comparatively 
 insignificant. 
 
 The necropolis at Golconda — which is now a ruined and deserted city — contains some 
 superb monuments : conspicuous among them the domed mausoleum of Mohammed Shah, with 
 a dome larger than that of St. Peter's at Rome. This magnificent pile is quadrangular in 
 shape, surrounded by an open colonnade, and adorned with sculptured work of the finest 
 execution. 
 
 Another route to Ellora is from Haidarabad to Madras, taking Aurungabad and Dowlatabad, 
 a fortress of considerable strength, on the way. The former city is of sufficient importance to 
 justify us in devoting a page or two to its description. 
 
 Aurungabad, on the route to Ellora, was formerly called Kirki. It is reputed to have 
 been founded by Malik Ambar in the early part of the seventeenth century ; but it was not 
 until Aurungzebe made it his place of residence, in 1650, that it attained to any degree of 
 fame or opulence. In honour of the emperor it received its present name, which means " Throne- 
 town." At one time its population exceeded one hundred thousand, but now does not do more 
 than reach half that number. It stands on the left bank of the Dudhna, a tributary of the 
 Godavari ; and is surrounded by a wall rather lower than the ramparts of most Indian towns, 
 but strengthened at intervals by round towers. 
 
 The plain in which it is situated is eighteen hundred feet above the sea, swept by cool and 
 pleasant airs, fertile, and relieved by much picturesque scenery, and bounded by low green hills 
 at a considerable distance. Woods abound, and grassy coverts; and these afford a retreat for tigers 
 and jackals, wild hogs and deer, peacocks, partridges, and quails — so that for the English sports- 
 
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AT AU RUNG ABA D. 59 
 
 man Aurungabad affords a convenient and attractive centre. The traveller as he approaches the 
 citv cannot fail to be charmed by its appearance. It rises from the plain " like an exhalation" — 
 a fairy vision of terraced houses, bright and shining, of large white domes glittering in the sun, 
 and shapelv minarets soaring above masses of glossy foliage. It seems a perfect realization of 
 the dreams that all of us form in the days when our fancy is fed by books of Oriental travel and 
 
 utal fable ; but the charm vanishes as the traveller penetrates into the streets, and finds 
 that decay has set its seal on the most conspicuous monuments. Yet the city is still famous 
 for its manufacture of rich gold and silver brocades and sheeny silks : its thoroughfares are 
 broad, and many of them busy ; and its public buildings are mostly of superior architectural 
 |.reteii.-ions. 
 
 The principal "objects of interest," to use a guide-book phrase, are the Imperial Palace, 
 Rabia Duarani s Mausoleum, and the Juma (or Jama') Masjid. 
 
 The Palace stands on the south bank of the river, and is now a ruin. It must at one time 
 have been of considerable dimensions, though never equal in splendour to the magnificent piles 
 erected by Akbar and Shah Jehan. It is not the less to be regretted that here, as elsewhere, so 
 few remains of Aurungzebe's works are extent 
 
 On the other side of the riv.i. 1>< vond the city wall, is the Tomb of Rabia Daurani, erected 
 in 1645, after the model of the beautiful Taj at Agra; that is, the general arrangement of the 
 body of the building is the same, but the details are different; and the general degradation of 
 style is truly remarkable, when it is remembered that the Taj was built by Aurungzebe's father. 
 Something may be allowed, says Mr. Fergusson, for its being a provincial building ; and, more- 
 over, it cost only £90,000 — a small sum compared with Shah Jehan's outlay on the Taj. But. 
 with all this, it is not easy to understand how anything so tasteless, though so rich, could be 
 erected by the immediate successor of the sovereign who built the beautiful tomb to which it has 
 been unworthily compared. As the Taj was a memorial to Shah Jehan's favourite sultana, so 
 the tomb we are speaking of was raised in honour of Aurungzebe's first wife. The enclosed 
 space around it, covering about thirty acres, is laid out in blooming gardens. The approach is 
 through a gateway with doors of embossed brass, which open upon a noble paved avenue, having 
 a basin of water with thirteen glittering fountains in the centre, and lined by orange, lime, peach, 
 apple, and pomegranate trees. When these are in blossom, the scene is one of great beauty, and 
 the air seems burdened with fragrance. 
 
 The tomb stands upon a terraced platform, and forms a square of seventy-two feet. It 
 is built of white marble for five feet from the base, and thence upwards of stone faced with 
 glittering chunam. The marble portion is pierced with three windows, the carving of which is 
 as exquisite as the most delicate lacework, so that it is a perpetual wonder to the spectator how 
 even the most ingenious chisel could carve a material like marble into such airy filagree. The 
 great dome which crowns the building is also of marble. It rises out of a ring of four minarets 
 and two smaller domes, while a tall and graceful minaret springs arrow-like from each angle of 
 the platform. 
 
 I n the centre of the building is the sepulchre, to which the visitor descends by four-and- 
 twenty steps. Its summit reaches to a level with the terrace. Round it runs an elegant 
 octagonal screen of marble trellis-work. This is loaded with delicate carving, though each face 
 of the octagon, while measuring nine feet in length and height, is only four inches thick. The 
 
60 THE SULTANA'S TOMB. 
 
 entire vault is faced with white marble ; and this part ot the building is certainly as pure in 
 design as it is marvellous in execution. 
 
 A few feet above the tomb, the interior of the building is encircled by a gallery, running 
 on a level with the three windows previously described. It is wholly built of marble. 
 
 Tbe tomb of the whilom sultana, now but " a handful of dust," is covered with a rich gold- 
 fringed pall of scarlet velvet, fastened by eight marble studs. 
 
 The marble used in the construction of this monument was brought from the quarries of 
 Lahore, which, according to the rate of locomotion in Aurungzebe's reign, was distant a four 
 months' journey. Tavernier, the French traveller, describes in his quaint and graphic narrative 
 how he encountered a caravan of three hundred carts conveying large marble blocks from Lahore 
 to Aurungabad (1645). 
 
 The minarets which spring from the angles of the platform are seventy-two feet high ; and 
 their summit, which commands a wide and varied prospect, instinct with all the glow of Oriental 
 colouring, is reached by a spiral stone staircase of one hundred and twenty-two steps. At the 
 top is a balcony thirty-one feet in circumference. Each minaret measures sixteen feet in 
 diameter at its base. 
 
 To the left of the Mausoleum, between it and the gardens, and raised upon a terrace, stands 
 a handsome pavilion, open on one side, twenty-two feet high, and twelve feet long by fifty-four 
 feet broad. The floor, somewhat dilapidated now, was originally a mosaic of white and black 
 marble. The entrance is by a Saracenic arch, which is enriched with much fine carving of the 
 usual pattern. To this pavilion is given the name of the Jama Khanah, or Assembly-room of 
 the Priests. Near a grove of "murmurous limes" is another and smaller pavilion, whither 
 Aurungzebe was accustomed to retire, with his wife Rabia and a learned Moollah, for 
 purposes of study and devotion. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE NORTH-WEST CAPITAL i ALLAHABAD. 
 its cnrui gnTATtos— its English character— the cantonments— its Bnuacrs— ooxrutxcB or the canoes and the jcmna— the great 
 
 TBIVENI— BATHING FILCBIMACEA -THE INDIAN QUARTER— AN INDIGO-PLAXTEK'h BUNGALOW AND KACTOBT— THE BAIUtOAD BRIDGE— ALLAHA- 
 BAD « THE MITINT— A TOCCHING INCIDENT. 
 
 IT the confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna, about eighty miles north of Benares, 
 and four hundred and ninety-eight miles north-west of Calcutta, stands Allahabad, 
 the capital of the North- West 1 'rovinces, and the residence of the Lieutenant-Governor, 
 who rules over a territory equal in area to the whole of what was once known as Hindustan. 
 The Government House is a double-storied white building, with spacious verandahs and Italian 
 balconies ; a smooth, well-kept lawn in front, and a grove of green and fragrant trees in the 
 rear. Close at hand lies the Park, or Public Garden, pleasantly diversified by excellent carriage- 
 drives, beds blooming with gorgeous flowers, and shining orange-groves. . In the centre is an 
 elevated circular parterre of Eastern roses, oleanders, and heliotropes, which runs riot with a 
 wealth of colour; while a small paddock or enclosure is stocked with graceful antelopes. 
 
 "Take a glance over the surrounding country from this pleasant stand-point," says Mr. 
 Wheeler, "and you will see how like an Kuglish landscape the scene is. There are visible two 
 sharp spires of churches rising above the trees east and west; a majestic stone building, the 
 nucleus of a college, to be called after the ex- Lieutenant-Governor, Sir William Muir. On a 
 piece of hard ground yonder, in front of the Public Library and Museum, bands of laughing 
 boys are playing with kites and ]>eg-to] 
 
 The Enrjlish aspect of Allahabad struck If. Kousselet. The "cantonments" of Allahabad, 
 he says, are a town in every sense of the word, and contain at the present day the largest 
 assemblage of Europeans out of the three Presidential cities. The houses are separated from 
 each other by extensive gardens, as in the suburbs of southern London ; the streets are lined 
 with trees, and broad as highroads ; the squares as large as esplanades. Allahabad, he adds, is 
 now the model of a European city. 
 
 It is difficult to understand why the British Government still fix the capital of the Empire 
 at malarious Calcutta, when Allahabad offers so many superior facilities. Situated at the 
 confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna, it commands the passage of both these great river- 
 highways ; while, being at an almost equal distance from Calcutta. Madras, Bombay, and 
 Lahore, it is necessarily the centre to which all the great Indian railways converge. Its climate 
 is warm, but healthy; and the surrou!idin_ r country wants nothing but scientific cultivation to 
 make it the Garden of India. 
 
 Across a plain of white sand the traveller proceeds to visit the junction-point of the two 
 
62 
 
 THE THREE SACRED RIVERS. 
 
 rivers, which there widen into a broad, gleaming lake, that disappears on the horizon between 
 glittering banks crowned with palms. This plain has always been reverenced for its sanctity 
 by the Hindus, who regard as sacred the confluence of all rivers, but more particularly the 
 confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna. Here they place the great Triveni, the centre of 
 three sacred streams ; the third being a mystic river, the Saraswati, which falls from heaven. 
 In their united waters lies the power of cleansing even the most terrible sins. The moral leper, 
 bathing in them, is henceforth pure as snow. And it is no marvel that the 
 pioneers of the Aryan race, when first they looked upon the two great rivers 
 flowing through a rich and sunny country to mingle in one channel their 
 abundant waters, should have been moved by a feeling of awe and venera- 
 tion, that found expression afterwards in traditional observances. Descend- 
 ing from the mountains of Afghanistan or the wastes of the Punjab, they 
 seemed to have discovered at last the Earthly Paradise ; and there they 
 erected one of their earliest cities, Prayaga, which retained its splendour 
 when, many centuries later, it was visited by the Chinese traveller, Hiouen 
 Thsang (a.d. 640). After alluding to its palaces, temples, and topes, he 
 writes : — " To the eastward of it two rivers meet together ; and beyond this 
 junction spreads a plateau of from fourteen to fifteen leagues in circum- 
 ference, the ground of which is even and smooth. From remote antiquity 
 === down to our own days, kings and great personages, endowed with humanity 
 
 and affection, resort to this spot to distribute their 
 alms and benefits. For this reason it is called the 
 great Plain of Almsgiving." 
 
 The bathing pilgrimages to the confluent waters 
 of the Ganges and the Jumna are falling into 
 desuetude, but crowds may still be seen, especially 
 on great festivals, along the banks of both rivers. 
 A Brahman, enthroned beneath the shade of a 
 far-spreading parasol, receives the pious pilgrim, 
 and guides him through the various processes of purification. Whether man or woman, the 
 votary must throw off all clothing, except a light scarf, which is girt about the loins. Entering 
 the water until immersed to his waist, he begins cutting off locks of hair, which are committed 
 to the stream with all due caution ; for each hair thus offered secures the remission of a sin. 
 Thereafter the Brahman who acts as officiating priest takes up a position in front of the hydro- 
 pathic devotees, and plunges into the water once or twice, and throws a handful towards each 
 of the cardinal points ; in all these operations being faithfully imitated by the pilgrims — the 
 imitation being so exact and punctual as to produce the effect of dolls set in simultaneous 
 motion by invisible machinery. 
 
 To the west of the plain, and near the confluence, stands the stately fort erected by Akbar 
 in the sixteenth century. Here, too, may be seen a lat or pillar of Asoka, dating from about 
 B.C. 250, and resembling that which towers above the palace of Feroze at Delhi ; a fine cylin- 
 drical monolith, forty-two feet seven inches in height, tapering slightly towards the summit, 
 and crowned with a delicate honeysuckle moulding. 
 
 PILLAR OF ASOKA, ALLAHABAD. 
 
IX Ml JO MANCKAi TIKK. 
 
 63 
 
 The Indian quarter of Allahabad is meanly built, with close narrow streets, and pervaded 
 by a disagreeable odour of garlic and ghee. Yet to a European it is full of interest. He 
 observes with pleasure the tall, slender, dusky-skinned Hindus, in their white linen garments ; 
 the women, some of whom are comely enough, wearing a long, full-plaited skirt, and a narrow 
 piece of cloth round the upper part of the body, which leaves the bosom bare. He notes the 
 different trades and avocations of the people : the pawnbroker in his store, appraising some silver 
 ornament; the lapidary in his atelier, cutting gems with bore and wheel. A peep into a 
 manufactory of lac bracelets is not to be despised ; and toy -shops, guitar-shops, sweetmeat-shops, 
 all have their attractions. Or he pauses, if he has an hour to spare, to witness some such scene 
 as this : — A weaver with five shillings' worth of gold presents himself before a working jeweller, 
 and pays him a penny (thirty-two anna) to make it into a nose-ring. The jeweller sets to work 
 and beats the pea into a bar, and shapes the bar into a ring, while the weaver sits by and 
 watches that none of the gold be purloined. 
 
 UDIOO-PLAXTU'* DLXOALOW— ALLAHABAD. 
 
 Our next vi>it shall be made, in company with M. Rousselet, to an indigo-planter's bungalow 
 and factory. The bungalow, which faces the Ganges, is a large but low brick-walled house, the 
 immense pyramidal roof of which is thickly covered with maize thatching. The simplicity of 
 the exterior contrasts strongly with the elegance and comfort of the interior, which contains 
 four handsome bedrooms, each with ita own verandah and bath-room, opening out of a large 
 quadrangular and luxuriously furnished sitting-room. A kitchen-garden, planted with European 
 vegetables, surrounds the house, and separates it from the buildings of the factory. 
 
 As for the indigo manufacture : — It is the young shoots, and not the flowers, that supply 
 the material used for dyeing. The gathering of these shoots is a very delicate operation. As 
 soon as they are properly mature, it is essential they should at once be removed; and each 
 mg must be executed with rapidity, and during the night, for the sun would wither the 
 branches, and deprive them of their properties. A great many hands, therefore, are required ; 
 these are distributed through the fields at midnight ; and in the morning the produce of their 
 
64 
 
 RUINS OF A HINDU PALACE. 
 
 labours is deposited in stone troughs which have been previously filled with water. Then the 
 sun has an important part to play. Under the influence of its beams the substances undergo 
 a kind of fermentation ; the water becomes variously tinted, the tints rapidly merging into 
 a uniform blue. After a period of about forty-eight hours the liquid is drawn off from the 
 smallest troughs ; its colour is then a bluish-black, and it emits a slight ammoniacal odour. 
 After undergoing a second evaporation, it is drawn off into metal vats, heated by steam, in 
 which, when the evaporation has ceased, a deposit of pure indigo is formed. 
 
 Allahabad is about the western limit of indigo-culture, which spreads eastward over vast 
 districts, and supplies the staple trade of Tirhoot, Upper Behar, and Bengal. 
 
 INDIGO-FACTORY— ALLAHABAD. 
 
 The railroad at Allahabad crosses the Jumna on an iron bridge of admirable workmanship, 
 supported bv sixteen massive piers ; and then, turning eastward, follows the right bank of the 
 Ganges. To the south of the buttressed table-land of the Rewah, which is visible from the line, 
 lies Mirzapur, with its manufactures of carpets and hangings ; and at Chunar, twenty-one miles 
 further, a formidable stronghold is perched on the summit of an isolated rock, one of the sides of 
 which is a precipice of nearly one hundred and fifty feet. Here may be seen the ruins of a 
 Hindu palace, gloomy and massive. In the centre of one of the courts, beneath the shade of a 
 banian-tree, lies a slab of black marble, consecrating what the Hindus regard as the sacredest 
 spot in the whole world. Tradition reports that for nine hours of each day the eternal and 
 
 A 
 
 invisible god, whose awful symbol, Om, may not be spoken aloud — the Zeus of the Hindu 
 pantheon, ruler of both gods and men — is. wont to seat himself upon it. The court is without 
 
Ml TINY AT ALLAHABAD. 65 
 
 idol or sculpture, but contains a solitary mystic symbol — a circle enclosed within a triangle, the 
 >iu r nitkation of which has been forgotten by the Hindus. 
 
 In the Great Mutiny of 1857 Allahabad played an important part. The possession of its 
 Fort would have been of immense value to the rebel Sepoys, and have enabled them to com- 
 mand the passage of both the Ganges and the Jumna. When the news of the outbreak at 
 M' rut reached the officer in command, he gathered the Europeans of Allahabad, with their 
 wives and children, within the walls of the Fort, and put arms in the hands of all who were 
 able to use them. Its occupants, however, were too few to defend it successfully, nor was it 
 provided for a siege. Happily, on the 7th of June fifty gallant fellows of Neil's famous regi- 
 ment, the " Madras Lambs," arrived, after a night-march of eighty miles, at the Benares end of 
 the bridge of boats, and in the evening were smuggled into the Fort. On the 9th another 
 detachment was sent forward by the indefatigable Neil On the 11th he himself appeared, 
 having pushed on with incredible speed under a burning sun, and, though nearly prosti 
 by his sufferings, drove the mutineers out of their position* around the Fort, and secured 
 Allahabad for the British. 
 
 On the 18th of June cholera broke out in Allahabad, and carried off forty out of a hundred 
 Fusiliers. Reinfbrosaeente, however, rapidly arrived from Calcutta, and on the 30th Neil was 
 able- to despatch a small relieving force towards Cawnpur. Next day llavelock came up. 
 By the 7th of July he had started for the city of the massacre, and <»n the loth he was 
 followed by Nefl. 
 
 A touching incident is related in connection with the Allahabad outbreak. When the 
 inoulvee. who had placed himself at the head of the rebels, took to flight, he left behind him a 
 number <>t" native Christiana who had been his prisoners. One of them was a cadet named 
 1 k. who died the same evening, his body covered with wounds and sores, and his mind 
 wandering. Nundinath, a native Christian and a feDow-priaooer, related that when the 
 moulvee endeavoured by threats and cajolery to make him abjure Christianity, this brave lad 
 w«>uld call out to him, " Never let go the faith ! " And. thus encouraged, Nundinath remained 
 true to the religion of the Cross. 
 
 On the 7th of March 1876 Allahabad was visited by the Prince of Wales, who held then 
 a Chapter of the Order <>t' the Star of India. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DELHI, THE CITY OF THE MOGUL. 
 
 1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DELHI— THE CHANDNEE CHOWK, OR "STREET OF LIGHT" — ABOUT THE HOUSES— ABOUT THE SHOI"S— TRADES OF THE 
 PEOPLE— THE GREAT MOSQUE — ITS MARBLE DOMES— MOHAMMEDAN KITES — VIEW OF DELHI FROM A MINARET — THE PALACE — COURT OF THE 
 MOGUL — GRAND HALL OF AUDIENCE— PRIVATE HALL OF AUDIENCE— IN THE DAYS OF OLD — RUINS OF EARLIER CITIES. — 2. EXCURSION TO THE 
 KOOTUB— THE BLACK MOSQUE — HUMATOON's MAUSOLEUM— MAUSOLEUM OF SUFTUH JUNG— THE KOOTUB DESCRIBED— AKBAR's COLLEGE— RUINS 
 OF THE KOOTUB MOSQUE— AN IRON COLUMN — AN ANCIENT LEGEND — AN IMPERIAL MAUSOLEUM — RUINS OF TOGHLUKABAD — THE OLD FORT — 
 RETURN TO DELHI. — 3. A SAUNTER THROUGH ITS STREETS — ANOTHER VISIT TO THE CHANDNEE CHOWK — THE KOTWALI, OR TOWN-HALL.— 
 4. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DELHI— THE GREAT MUTINT— AN ALARMING TELEGRAM — OUTBREAK IN DELHI— A SCENE OF MASSACRE— PREPARA- 
 TIONS TO RECOVER THE CITY — POSITION OF THE BRITISH ARMY— THE BESIEGERS BESIEGED— PLAN OF ATTACK— STORMING OF DELHI — DEATH 
 OF NICHOLSON— THE CITY TAKEN— THE ROYAL FAMILY OF DELHI— HODSON CAPTURES THE KING— LATER HISTORY OF DELHI— THE PRINCE OF 
 WALES'S VISIT. 
 
 ELHI, the capital of India during the brief supremacy of Mohammedanism, is situated 
 on the bank of the river Jamna or Jumna. Called in native language Shahjehanabad, 
 it was founded by Shah Jehan in 1631. Former Delhis there had been, but each had 
 been destroyed, or had silently decayed with the dynasty to which it owed its rise ; so that now an 
 area of four and twenty miles round the modern city is covered with their ruins. Delhi itself is 
 about seven miles in circumference ; it is surrounded by formidable walls, the strength of which 
 was proved by British guns in 1857. At a distance the traveller sees a host of glittering domes 
 and cupolas rising above these fortifications, with the spires of the Juma Masjid glittering in 
 the centre of the picture. As he draws near, he makes his way through the remains of 
 enormous forts, huge tombs with colossal gateways, and marble mosques, contrasting strangely 
 with the piles of red sandstone in their immediate vicinity. At length he arrives on the marge 
 of the Jumna, which waters the sandy plain with numerous winding rills ; and here the 
 washermen and washerwomen are plying their useful trade, chattering loudly and volubly 
 the while. Opposite stands the fort or citadel, with its embattled walls of red granite, towering 
 full forty feet in height ; and above the famous Kashmir Gate swells the white dome of the 
 Christian church. 
 
 Crossing the bridge of boats, he enters Delhi, and finds himself involved in a maze of streets 
 filled with all the bustle and picturesque confusion of an Eastern crowd. By degrees he notes 
 that though many of the streets are tortuous, and others squalid, yet as a whole the city has a 
 prosperous and even imposing aspect. The Hindu element is scarcely noticeable ; but while 
 Afghans and Sikhs, with their stalwart forms and bright costumes, are numerous, the general 
 character of the crowd is Mohammedan, and the atmosphere, as it were, suggestive rather of 
 Turkey than of Hindustan. 
 
 The principal thoroughfare is the Chandnee Chowk, or " Street of Light," which leads direct 
 from the Lahore Gate to the ancient Palace, and measures about ninety feet in width, and a mile 
 
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 m 
 
 ■ 
 
 r 
 : 
 
 * 
 r. 
 
INSIDE THE CITY. 
 
 G9 
 
 in length. A row of trees runs down the centre, and casts a pleasant shade ; while on either side 
 is an uninterrupted succession of verandah-girt houses and well-filled shops. 
 
 THE Jl'lll n.tsJin. 
 
 The buildings, however, are generally of small dimensions, while overloaded with terraces 
 and balconies. Some of them exhibit faint traces of the gilding which adorned them in the 
 - of Mogul splendour, others are covered with sculptured ornaments in more or less complete 
 preservation. The walls and doorways are generally illuminated with painted symbols and 
 figures, chiefly of a religious significance. Among them figures the sacred and favoured peacock, 
 with glittering tail outspread, and in an attitude of prudent watchfulness. Elephants, standing 
 on nothing, or else perched on terrestrial spheres "a world too small" for their colossal bulk, 
 are of frequent occurrence. Brahma may also be seen, sitting cross-legged on a lotus-leaf, or 
 ascending to heaven with uplifted arms ; or some demon, sufficiently hideous in aspect, and 
 depicted as terrifying out of their senses a group of unbelievers. It must be remembered that 
 these designs are intended for something more than mere ornament; like the horse-shoes 
 formerly affixed to cottage-doors in England, they are talismans to ward off the approach 
 of evil. 
 
 The ■hope ul the Chandnee Chowk are abundantly stocked with wares which would enchant 
 a rluropean lady, and artistic products that would rouse the cupidity of a European virtuoso. 
 y literally coruscate with their show of gold and silver embroidery, beads and bangles, 
 sheeny silken stuffs, delicate lace-work, fantastic toys, gorgeous headdresses, and still more 
 gorgeous marriage-caskets. The jewellers do not make much display, but if you express a 
 desire to purchase they will quickly unfold the most bewildering variety of filagree 
 ornaments in gold and silver, gold studs exquisitely wrought, links and jewelled breast- 
 I'i"~, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and ivory paintings, not less wonderful for complexity 
 of design than brilliancy of colouring. In some of the thoroughfares which branch off in 
 many directions from the Chandnee Chowk, the various pumuti of the people may be studied 
 
70 THE GREAT MOSQUE. 
 
 at the visitor's leisure. Men- milliners, dyers, toy-makers, pipe-makers, and the rest, may he seen, 
 seated in tailor-fashion generally, busy at work in their respective shops. It is remarkable with 
 what success the dyers and calico-printers carry on their avocations in narrow recesses that seem 
 scarcely to afford elbow-room. One end of the tiny cell constitutes the print-shop, the other the 
 dye-work. The process of dyeing is simple : the cloth is dipped in pots of clay or brass con- 
 taining a supply of the requisite liquids. That of printing is not less devoid of mystery — the 
 patterns being carved on little blocks of wood, and the printing-table being a board supported on 
 the crossed legs of the operator. Yet, rude as is this apparatus, the printed stuffs of India are 
 excellent in design and colouring, though the superior cheapness of British manufactures is 
 rapidly driving them out of the market. 
 
 As at Agra men speak of the Fort and the Taj, so at Delhi they speak of the Great 
 Mosque and the Palace. These are the crowning glories and special attractions of the city. 
 Dr. Macleod speaks of them as both unquestionably Avorthy of the capital of the once great 
 Mohammedan Empire of the East. Mr. Grant Duff, on the other hand, does not consider either 
 equal to the Jasmine Bower or the Pearl Mosque of Agra, though built on a larger scale. Yet 
 the Great Mosque is a pile which commands and deserves admiration. It may lack the 
 simplicity of the Taj, and its oneness of design, but it is infinitely more imposing. If it has less 
 beauty, it exhibits more grandeur. 
 
 The rocky eminence on which it stands was scarped and levelled on the summit, so as to 
 supply a great natural platform — an open square of fourteen hundred yards. This quadrangle is 
 enclosed by an immense outer wall of red sandstone arches, at each corner of which is built up a 
 tower, with a marble dome resting on shapely red pillars. The entrances are three in number ; 
 the most magnificent facing Mecca-wards, or to the east, and each being approached by a noble 
 flight of stairs. Through the gateways you pass into an open court, surrounded on three sides 
 by airy arched colonnades of red sandstone, interrupted at intervals by seated pavilions. In the 
 centre sparkles a marble fountain for ceremonial ablutions. The fourth side of the square is 
 occupied by the Mosque, with its front towards the east. It measures in length about two 
 hundred and sixty-six feet. A fine effect is produced by its richness and vividness of colour ; 
 for while the sandstone is of a deep red, this is relieved by white marble ornament, and verses 
 from the Koran in huge letters of black marble. The three domes on the summit are of pure 
 white marble, fluted with black ; while the tall minarets, one hundred and thirty feet high, are 
 variegated with red and white alternately, and enriched with three projecting galleries of marble 
 white as sea-foam. Every little turret, moreover, is crowned with a marble dome resting upon 
 red pillars. To complete the picture thus faintly outlined, we must add the marble roofs and 
 walls seen within a soft subdued light, the cornice extending along the whole building, and 
 divided into compartments two and a half feet broad ; and the whole culminating in the gilded 
 pinnacles which crown the whitely-shining domes, and flash like arrows of gold against the clear 
 blue sky. 
 
 The cost of this mosque to Shah Jehan is placed at £120,000 ; equal, probably, to ten times 
 that amount at the present value of money. Like all other mosques — and it is said there 
 are forty in Delhi — it is open at all hours and seasons, and you seldom enter it without finding 
 some worshippers at their devotions. They take off their shoes, lay down their bundles, go 
 
> 
 
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 c 
 
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 K 
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 K 
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THE PALACE OF THE MOGULS. 73 
 
 through the necessary ablutions at the central fountain, utter their few words of prayer, and 
 then resume their ordinary occupations. It is incumbent upon every faithful Mohammedan to 
 pray five times a day — at dawn, at noon, in the afternoon, at sunset, and at nightfall. Before 
 praying, if he cannot bathe he cleanses his hands, feet, and face; using earth or sand, should not 
 water be obtainable. Then he bows to the ground, laying his forehead in the dust. His prayer 
 is accompanied by numerous changes of posture ; and when he is pressed for time, these will 
 occur as often as eight or ten times in a minute. Now with hands extended he stands erect, 
 repeating the ninety-nine attributes of God ; next, lying prone upon the earth, he covers 
 his mouth with his hands : then his hands are laid palm to palm ; again they are raised 
 heavenward, while his body is bent to earth or curved backwards, but always facing 
 ea. 
 
 If the visitor ascend one of the tall minarets of which we have spoken, he will obtain a 
 magnificent view of the city and its neighbourhood. Immediately below expands the ample court; 
 on one side, without, is an open space ; and beyond that again, about a quarter of a mile off, 
 rise the Titanic sandstone walls of the Mogul's Palace. From this central spot streets radiate 
 to the outskirts of the busy city, while these are defined by the embattled ramparts which the 
 Jumna washes on the east Green trees and slender minarets lend an air of brightness and 
 fancifulness to the city itself, contrasting with the world of ruins which spreads over the 
 surrounding plain, where you may trace some memorial or other of each successive emperor of 
 the great Pathan dynasty. And away to the north runs the low, long rocky ridge where the 
 British camp was pitched in the Great Mutiny of 1857, — that camp which, for the time, held 
 the fortunes of our Indian Empire within its narrow bounds. 
 
 But we must now proceed to 
 
 THE PALACE — 
 
 a vast citadel, with red sandstone ramparts, occupying almost the entire eastern quarter of the 
 city. Its massive and elaborately -constructed walls, ornamented with raised bands and indented 
 battlements, rise abruptly from a deep moat, which our English engineers have masked to some 
 extent by earthworks. 
 
 It is impossible to gaze upon this stronghold of the great Moguls, which at one time 
 ranked among the wonders of the world, and glittered with scenes of the most dazzling Oriental 
 magnificence, without emotion. It recalls to the memory those marvellous pictures which light 
 up the narratives of Bernier and Tavernier ; it assists the spectator in realizing the pomps 
 and ceremonies which occupied so largely the great Mohammedan Court. It has been justly 
 remarked that Tavernier, a jeweller by trade, was less likely than another to be dazzled by 
 " barbaric splendour ; " and yet his descriptions read as if borrowed from a fairy tale. Crowds 
 of courtiers and soldiers in gorgeous attire ; the tumult of palanquins ; horses with nodding 
 plumes; elephants with howdahs of ivory and gold; slaves carrying richly-embroidered parasols; — 
 such was the sight which met the eye of the stranger as he approached the gate of the Imperial 
 Palace, the very walls of which were almost concealed beneath the silken folds of the khanats 
 of embroidered fabric and the long state banners. But scarcely had he penetrated into the 
 enclosure when all the joys of fairy-land seemed to throng arouixl him. Marble-paved courts, 
 musical with fountains, and groves of orange and other spreading trees, were surrounded by 
 
U THE THRONE OF PEACOCKS. 
 
 palaces which shone like structures of polished ivory, and exhibited within their deep arcades 
 the gleam of gold and silver and precious stones. 
 
 The Palace measures three thousand feet in length by eighteen hundred feet in breadth, 
 and in its great open court fully ten thousand horsemen can be mustered. At the outbreak of 
 the Mutiny it contained a population of five thousand persons, including three thousand members 
 of the blood royal. 
 
 The entrance gateway is almost ponderously massive. Within is a second gate, which 
 admits into the inner court ; and here, on one side, rises the Palace proper, consisting of the 
 Great Hall of Audience, two hundred and eight feet long and seventy-six feet broad. It is built 
 wholly of white marble, the roof resting upon colonnades of shapely marble pillars. Here, two 
 centuries and a half ago, an English ambassador was first admitted to the sublime presence of 
 the Mogul. Here once stood the celebrated Peacock Throne, the precious stones of which, 
 glittering with rainbow tints, testified to the unsurpassed grandeur of him who took his seat 
 upon it, to give audience and dispense justice. It disappeared, with many other costly things, 
 when the city was sacked by Nadir Shah in 1739. The Great Hall is empty now. 
 
 Most beautiful, says a traveller, is the Private Hall of Audience — all marble, with inlaid 
 precious stones of every hue grouped by cunning artists ; most beautiful the Court of the 
 Harem — all marble also, with exquisite balconies, looking down into once beautiful gardens on 
 the banks of the Jumna ; most beautiful, too, are those marble halls which once were baths, 
 the perfection of luxury ; and not less beautiful that small marble mosque beside them. 
 But all their glory has passed away ; all the pomp and circumstance of that absolute and 
 irresponsible dynasty, whose kings were as gods upon the earth ! What a commentary on 
 the instability of human pride is afforded by the silent and lonely halls of the Palace of the 
 Moguls ! The famous inscription in Persian, " If there be a paradise on earth, it is this," still 
 remains, and seems justified by the pure and graceful beauty of this imperial pavilion. 
 
 To obtain an idea of this hall as it was in its former days of splendour, we must refer to the 
 pages of Tavernier. The ceiling, he tells us, was encased in a tissue of gold and silver of 
 admirable workmanship, which he, as a jeweller, valued at the enormous sum of twenty 
 millions of francs. Heavy silken draperies, confined by chains of gold, made a framework to the 
 arcades spanning the circumference of the hall ; and finally, in the centre stood the wonder of 
 wonders, that Throne of Peacocks to which we have already alluded. This throne, of massive 
 gold, measured six feet in length and four feet in width, forming a kind of estrade, the back 
 of which, covered with delicate enamelling, spread itself out in the form of a peacock's tail ; and 
 a dais in solid gold, bordered with a long, thick fringe of fine pearls, and resting upon twelve 
 golden columns, covered the rear of the throne, the front of which was canopied by two colossal 
 velvet parasols, embroidered with pearls, and their gold handles inlaid with diamonds. This 
 masterpiece of the goldsmith's art was executed by one Austin of Bordeaux, a French jeweller 
 attached to the court of Shah Jehan, and is estimated to have cost one hundred and fifty 
 millions of francs. 
 
 The Moti Masjid, or Mosque of Pearls, served the purpose of an oratory or a private 
 chapel ; and though perfect in itself, is on too small a scale to compete with the Pearl Mosque 
 of Agra. 
 
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HUMAYOONS MAUSOLEUM. 77 
 
 THE KOOTUB. 
 
 Leaving the modern city, the city of Shah Jehan, we must now conduct the reader 
 through the ruins of earlier Delhis which are scattered over the plain for many miles. 
 
 We pass out of the historical Kashmir Gate, and make our way to a rising ground 
 about a mile to the right, where among heaps of granite glisten the little white tomb- 
 stones and crosses which mark the resting-places of gallant English soldiers, slain during 
 the famous siege. Thence the road traverses a dreary region ; " mausoleums and temples, 
 mosques, palaces, and columns in every stage of decay, from still handsome marble halls 
 down to blackened heaps of stones, lay scattered over ten miles of a soil chiefly composed of 
 rock and sand, — except where, in an occasional green spot, some miserable crop feebly essayed 
 to struggle into the light, and deepened, if that were possible, the melancholy aspect of the 
 scene." 
 
 Among the objects which here attract the traveller's attention is the Tomb of Humayoon. 
 It was this brilliant warrior who, issuing from Persia in 1554, spread his conquest far over 
 India, and founded the mighty dynasty which attained its climax of glory under Aurungzebe 
 and Shah Jehan. His mausoleum is a stately pile of rose-coloured sandstone and white marble, 
 crowned by a dome of finest proportions, and rising in the middle of a vast terrace, 
 which is itself in the centre of a flowery garden, surrounded by graceful red sandstone kiosks. 
 
 X>>t far distant is the Kala Masjid, or Black Mosque, an excellent specimen of Afghan 
 architecture. This long, narrow edifice is surmounted by three massive but shapely domes, and 
 presents a noble facade perforated by five pointed arches of different heights. The body of the 
 building, of red sandstone, is relieved by bands and roses of delicately-sculptured white marble ; 
 but the interior is almost without ornament. 
 
 \ ar this mosque stands a handsome stone pavilion, formerly used as a library by the 
 emperors of the Pathan dynasty. Here perished Humayoon, — who, after a long exile, had 
 regained the patrimonial throne, — by falling from the top of a ladder, on which he had mount id 
 to reach a book from the upper shelves. 
 
 Humayoon 's mausoleum constitutes the centre of a great cemetery, which extends all over 
 the plain, from the Jumna to the western hills. Tombs of every description are found here in 
 labyrinthine confusion, from the modest slab to the lofty edifice, dome-crowned, and shining 
 with curiously-made bricks imamnllftd in the brightest and softest tints. The principal group 
 gathers round the little village of Arab-ka-serai, and includes a fine mausoleum of the Pathan 
 period (the fifteenth century) covered with graceful arabesques. 
 
 Proceeding eastward, we reach at last the mausoleum of Suftur Jung, which faces the road 
 leading from Delhi to the Kootub. Though comparatively modern, it is one of the noblest 
 monuments of Indian architecture ; and worthily closes the unequalled series of memorials 
 which here indicate all the transitions and developments of Indian art from the third century 
 before our era. The white marble dome, remarkable for its purity of design, raises its goMt n 
 pinnacle a hundred feet above the ground, and over-canopies the glorious hall which enshrines 
 the state cenotaph of Suftur Jung. In a erypt beneath lie the ashes of this once powerful 
 statesman, under a simple mound of earth ; for, as the inscription at the head reminds us. 
 
78 
 
 THE KOOTUB MINARET. 
 
 " however great and pompous man may be in the presence of his fellow-men, he is little and 
 low in the presence of God;" — a sentiment which the Moguls and their ministers would have 
 done well to remember, and act upon, in their lifetime. 
 
 But we must now hasten to inspect the Kootub, a stupendous minaret, two hundred 
 and forty feet in height, which towers in solitary grandeur above the plain. It is built up of 
 
 i&vii 
 
 
 TOWER OP KOOTDB, IN THE PLAIN OP DELHI. 
 
 dark red sandstone, profusely carved, and covered with inscriptions in gigantic Kufic or old 
 Arabic letters. The effect produced by this architectural colossus is very great, and far 
 surpasses the impression which is derived from gazing on the loftiest cathedral towers or 
 monuments of Europe. This effect is due not so much to its great height as to its absolute 
 isolation and the simplicity of its outlines; while it is assisted by the skill of the architect, who 
 has given the tower the form of an elongated cone, and divided it into four stories, diminishing 
 in height as they ascend from the ground. The diameter of the base is about forty-six feet ; of 
 
THK COLUMN OF IRON. 79 
 
 the summit-platform, ten feet. The ornamentation is profuse, very striking, and yet simple. 
 Each story, alternately enriched with perpendicular, round, or angular flutings, is surrounded 
 by a broad belt of flowers and arabesques, and supports a massive balcony, adorned with tine 
 sculptures, which stand out in bold relief from the tower. 
 
 When the Moslem commander, Kootub-ood-deen-Eibeg, captured the capital of the Rajput 
 emperor, Pirthi-Raj, he resolved to raise in the very centre of the conquered city, as a memorial 
 of his success, a column which should symbolize the triumph of Islam over Brahmanism. The 
 foundation was laid in the year 1200, but the undertaking was not completed until twenty years 
 later, during the reign of his successor. Two of the upper stories were shattered by lightning in 
 1340, and reconstructed in 1368 by Feroze III. These are cased with marble. 
 
 Round this lofty tower cluster hundreds of Hindu pillars, each different in design; and at a 
 short distance beyond rises one great domed building, remarkable for the beauty of its carving, 
 which Akbar erected as a college where his wise men might assemble for purposes of debate and 
 counsel. Being open on all sides, it serves as a great gateway, as a kind of portal to the colossal 
 minaret and the carved Hindu pillars. Its four sides are alike; deep red sandstone inlaid with 
 white marble, and from base to summit chiselled with rich tracery in bold yet delicate outlines. 
 The entrance on either side is by a flight of steps beneath a tall archway, ornamented with a 
 delicately-cut dog-tooth pattern, very like that of the Norman sculptors. The eye passes from 
 the intensely warm depth of "maroon and claret-coloured shadow" of the interior to the intense 
 sapphire blue of the sky seen through the opposite arch. Over every inch of the interior is 
 prodigally scattered the same abundance of carving in endless variety of geometrical patterns, 
 standing out in bold relief, and characterized by the greatest refinement of execution. 
 
 Returning to the ruins of the Kootub Mosque — the first erected in India — we observe in the 
 centre of the outer court an iron column, which is certainly one of the wonders of the place. Yet 
 it is nothing more than a smooth and solid iron cylinder, twenty-two feet in height. But then 
 it is sunk in the earth to a corresponding depth, so that its total length is forty-four feet. 
 And if it be remembered that this huge iron shaft was moulded in the fourth century, when 
 the manufacture of iron was imperfectly understood, or, at least, the improved processes on 
 which science now prides itself were unknown, we think the reader will be of opinion that it is 
 as remarkable an achievement of human skill as even the Kootub Minar. 
 
 It bears a short inscription, purporting that it was erected by King Chandra, worshipper of 
 Vishnu, in the year 307, to commemorate his victory over the Balhikas. But the popular legend 
 will have it, that one Anung Pal, having conquered all Northern India, was advised by a learned 
 Brahman whom he favoured to order the manufacture of a long iron nail, which he might bury 
 deep in the earth, so as to pierce the head of the serpent Seshnaga, and perpetuate his dynasty 
 for ever. The world, be it said, rested on the head of the said serpent. The nail was duly cast, 
 and gunk into the earth at a spot indicated by the Brahman. But in the course of years, the 
 wise counsellor having left the king's court, Anung Pal began to have his doubts of the efficacy 
 of the plan which he had suggested, and caused the nail to be drawn up. What was his alarm, 
 what the terror of his people, to find its extremity tinged with blood ! With all haste they 
 replaced the nail ; but, of course, the serpent had had the wit to remove to another spot, and 
 further efforts to clench the nail proved useless. "0 rajah I" exclaimed the Brahman, who 
 returned at this critical conjuncture, "as nothing in the world could give this column the 
 
SO RUINED CITIES. 
 
 stability it has lost through thy impious curiosity, so in like manner can nothing avert 
 from thy dynasty its approaching ruin!" And, not long afterwards, the empire of the Touars 
 was overthrown by the conquering Chohans. 
 
 Close beside the mosque stands the mausoleum of the Emperor Altamsh, the most ancient 
 monument of the kind erected by the Mohammedans in India. It dates from 1235. The domed 
 roof has disappeared, but enough remains of the marble walls to delight the spectator with the 
 exquisite beauty of their carving. 
 
 Before returning to modern Delhi, we shall visit two of the ruined cities which lie within 
 the circuit of its ample plain. 
 
 On the bank of the Jumna is situated Toghlukabad, the capital of Shah Toghluk ; who, 
 like most of the Indian emperors, seems to have been smitten with a mania for building, and 
 removed his court and people hither. Its walls, reared on a ridge of rock, enclose a kind of 
 table-land or platform about five miles in circumference. Their solidity is astonishing; they are 
 built up of blocks of bluish granite, and strengthened by huge round towers rising up from the 
 very base of the hill. 
 
 These walls, like all the structures they were designed to defend, exhibit a Titanic gloom 
 and grandeur, characteristic of an emperor whom history immortalizes as at once a stern and 
 melancholy tyrant, and a man of unusual culture and refinement. 
 
 The mausoleum enshrines the cenotaphs of Toghluk, his wife, and his successor Mohammed. 
 The latter seems to have been one of the cruellest tyrants who ever sat on the throne of Delhi. 
 He was succeeded by his nephew, Feroze, who, lamenting his deeds of violence, hastened to seek 
 out all whom he had plundered or ill-treated; and having amply compensated them for their 
 sufferings, made each of them sign a document expressing his forgiveness of their late oppressor. 
 
 Through masses of shapeless ruins and fragments of masonry the visitor may next betake 
 himself to the solid granite gateway, relieved by courses of red sandstone, which indicates the 
 boundary of the city erected in 1415 by the Emperor Daulat Khan Lodi, close to the site of the 
 ruined and desolated Ferozebad. In its turn this capital vanished, with all its wealth and 
 grandeur; but the citadel is still extant, crowning a little eminence which formerly marked the 
 centre of the city. It is now known as Purana Kila, or the Old Fort. Within the vast enceinte 
 of this fortalice are several ancient edifices— such as the Kala Masjid, or Black Mosque, to 
 which we have already adverted. We have now completed the circuit of the plain, and 
 returned to the point from which we originally started. 
 
 A SAUNTER THROUGH DELHI. 
 
 We have briefly alluded to some of the aspects of modern Delhi ; but it will probably 
 amuse and edify the reader if we dwell upon them at greater length, and ask him to accompany 
 us in a saunter through the city. We shall avail ourselves, in our wanderings, of the information 
 afforded by a recent traveller. 
 
 Let us begin, then, with a visit to the great thoroughfare already spoken of, the Chandnee 
 Chowk, or Regent Street of Delhi. 
 
 It traverses the city in a tolerably straight line from the gate of the Imperial Palace to the 
 
A FAMOUS STREET. 81 
 
 Lahore Gate, and is inhabited by the principal tradesmen. The shops, square cells or recesses 
 of almost uniform size, are stored with products rich and rare : brilliant lacquer-work from 
 Sind, beautifully wrought arms from the Punjab, soft silken shawls from Kashmir, airy gauzes 
 from Berhampur, and wondrously carved caskets from Shekawattee. The bankers come next, 
 in a long row, as in our own dreary Lombard Street ; the shoemakers, their stalls covered with 
 elegant Turkish slippers and silk-embroidered prow-shaped shoes ; the hatters, with turbans 
 suitable for every caste, and light caps for decent citizens, and golden toques for the Mirzas of 
 the Imperial family ; goldsmiths, who exhibit jewelled and metallic work surpassing in delicacy 
 anything manufactured in Paris or Vienna ; and pastrycooks and sweetmeat-vendors, all busily 
 preparing their dainties under the watchful eyes of their patrons. 
 
 Though shorn of much of its ancient grandeur, Delhi remains the capital and chief city of 
 native India, and excels all other cities in importance — except, perhaps, Lahore. It is the 
 principal money-mart in Southern Asia ; and its bankers spread their dealings over Arabia, 
 Afghanistan, Turkestan, and Tibet. Hence the crowds which circulate through the streets of 
 Delhi at all hours of the day are of a motley character. The Hindu and the Mussulman jostle 
 the Afghan and the Baluch ; and representatives of all the races inhabiting the valleys of 
 the Punjab and the lower slopes of the Himalaya enliven the scene by the variety and 
 picturesqueness of their costume. 
 
 In the Chandnee Chowk may be seen the Kotwali, or native town-hall, in front of which 
 were executed the rebel Sepoys, after our soldiers had recovered the city in 1857. 
 
 Passing the K6twali, we enter another broad airy street, which cuts the Chandnee Chowk 
 at right angles, and runs on to the Kashmir Gate. This gate remains in the condition to which 
 it was reduced during the great siege ; the ruined casemates and shot-splintered stones are 
 eloquent though mute memorials of that remarkable episode. The walls surrounding the city 
 date from the reign of Shah Jehan ; they are constructed of granite, occupy a circuit of seven 
 miles, and are pierced with twelve gates. 
 
 A road leads from the Kashmir Gate to the English civil and military cantonments, 
 m mated about a mile and a half to the north. 
 
 Returning to the city, we visit the narrow, crooked, and crowded bazaars which cluster 
 round the Chandnee Chowk ; but the only object of interest that attracts our attention is the 
 Kala Masjid, at a short distance from the Turcoman Gate. It should be noted that this is the 
 only edifice of earlier date than the reign of Shah Jehan which at the present day is found 
 within the walls of the city. 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DELHI. 
 
 There are few cities in the world of higher antiquity, or of more romantic and stirring 
 
 associations, than Delhi. It seems to gather up in itself all the glories and splendour of that 
 
 land of far Cathay, the echoes of which reached even to Western Christendom, drew the daring 
 
 intellect of Columbus across the ocean, and impelled Vasco de Gama to face the wild waters of 
 
 the Cape of Storms ; echoes which long lingered in the legends and poetry of Europe. Not 
 
 Rome, not Athens, not even Jerusalem can date back its history to so remote a period ; but then 
 
 neither Rome, nor Athens, nor Jerusalem has undergone so many surprising vicissitudes. And 
 
 what, perhaps, best deserves attention, is the fact that it was not founded by the offspring of the 
 
 soil, but by aliens and invaders. It was never held by a native dvnastv, l>ut was j >...--. . .1 and 
 
 C 
 
82 ANNALS OF DELHI. 
 
 disputed by the successive conquerors whom the riches of India had attracted to its capital ; and 
 thus originated, perhaps, the fanciful belief that it is the Indian palladium, and that the destinies 
 of India are indissolubly mingled with those of Delhi. The English supremacy was never fully 
 acknowledged until our standard waved triumphant from its towers. 
 
 According to the earliest Indian traditions, three cities — Madhanti, Hastinapoora, and 
 Indraprastha — succeeded each other on the site now occupied by modern Delhi. The last of 
 these, Indraprastha, the name of which is still bestowed upon their sacred capital by orthodox 
 Hindus, was founded, according to their imaginative chronology, 3101 years B.C. It is more 
 certain that in the great epic of the Mahabharata occurs the name of the hero Yudishthira as 
 reigning over Indraprastha in the fifteenth century before our era. 
 
 Centuries elapse, and in 57 B.C. we read of Delhi as founded on the venerable ruins of 
 Indraprastha by King Dilvu. This was abandoned on the fall of the dynasty connected with its 
 splendour ; but another city arose in 736 at the bidding of Anung Pal, and became the capital of 
 the Touar empire. His successors deserted Delhi for Canouj. But it was restored in 1060 by 
 Anung Pal II. ; and successively destroyed and rebuilt by Vijala Deva in 1152, and the Sultan 
 Kootub in 1193. 
 
 After becoming the capital of the great Mohammedan Empire in India, Delhi migrated, in 
 obedience to the fancy of different dynasties, to new sites, but always kept within the bounds of 
 the plain washed by the Jumna. As we have seen, these numerous migrations are com- 
 memorated by monuments of the greatest interest as well as by piles of shapeless ruins. 
 Modern Delhi, however, founded by Shah Jehan in 1631, has hitherto been characterized by 
 greater stability. 
 
 So far as the English reader is concerned, the historical interest of Delhi centres in its 
 connection with the Great Mutiny. 
 
 On the 16th of May 1857 the following telegram was flashed from Delhi to the Governor- 
 General at Calcutta, and to every British cantonment in India: — "The Sepoys have come in 
 from Meerut, and are burning everything ! Mr. Todd is dead, and, we hear, several Europeans. 
 We must shut up ! " The brave man who sent this opportune warning was immediately cut 
 down, with his hand on the signalling apparatus. " The Sepoys have come in from Meerut ! " 
 Yes ; but they should never have been allowed to come in. Had those in command been gifted 
 with ordinary resolution or presence of mind, the European troops at Meerut could easily have 
 prevented the escape of the mutineers, who had broken out before their leaders were ready, or 
 at least could have intercepted their march upon Delhi. As it was, there can be no doubt that 
 they rode away from Meerut in the belief that the avenging swords of the British were close 
 behind them. They thought themselves hopelessly lost, and trembled every moment lest they 
 should hear the noise of the pursuing dragoons. But hour after hour passed, and as there was 
 no sound of pursuit, their spirits revived ; and soon the waters of the Jumna sparkled before 
 them in the morning sun, and the great " City of Refuge " rose upon their view. Under the 
 king's palace they clamoured for admittance. Their arrival, however, was earlier than the king 
 had expected, and, fearing the outbreak would be speedily quelled, he gave them no encourage- 
 ment. The mutineers rode on : they found the Calcutta Gate closed ; but, making their way 
 along the river-bank, they reached the Raj Ghat Gate, which the Mohammedans of the Tauba 
 Bazaar threw open to them, and poured into the city. 
 
MUTINY AT DELHI. 83 
 
 "Then," says Kaye, "there ensued a scene of confusion which it is difficult to describe. 
 Catting down every European they could find, and setting fire to their houses, they doubled 
 back towards the Calcutta Gate, where they learned that Commissioner Fraser, Douglas of the 
 Palace Guard, and other leading Englishmen, would be found. As they rode on, with the cry of 
 '• Deen ! deen ! " they were followed by an excited Mohammedan rabble. The citizens closed 
 their shops in amazement and terror, and from one end of Delhi to the other, as the news ran 
 along the streets, there was sore bewilderment and perplexity, and everybody looked for the 
 coming of the pursuing Englishmen, and feared that they would inflict a terrible retribution 
 upon the city that had harboured the guilty fugitives. But no English regiments were coming 
 to the rescue. And these maddened native troopers, with such vile followers as they could 
 gather up in the streets of Delhi, were now masters of the city. They knew that throughout 
 all the Sepoy regiments in cantonments there was not a man who would pull a trigger, or draw 
 a sword, or light a port-fire in defence of his English officer. Without a fear, therefore, they 
 rushed on, scenting the English blood, eager for the larger game, and ever proclaiming as they 
 went glory to the Padishah and death to the Feringhees." 
 
 Before sunset, all Europeans, with the exception of those who had stealthily made their 
 escape along the city ditch, and the ladies and children who had sought refuge in the Flagstaff 
 Tower, were massacred ; and not only the Europeans, but all the Christian natives, — all known 
 to be in any way connected with the English. The very walls of the palace were stained with 
 blood. Some who had found a temporary concealment were discovered on the following day, 
 dragged from their hiding-places, and slain. The Sepoys in the cantonments joined the 
 mutineers, and cut down their officers with relentless ferocity. Happily, under shelter of the 
 night the fugitives in the Round Tower effected their escape ; and then, by the evening of the 
 lGth of May. every vestige of English power had passed away from Delhi 
 
 The Anglo-Indian Government, as soon as it grasped the extent of the peril, and learned 
 that the mutiny was spreading in every direction, resolved at once upon the recapture of Delhi. 
 Lord Canning, the governor-general, immediately recognized it as his first duty to wrest the 
 imperial city, the palladium of empire, from the hands of the insurgents. He knew that its 
 fall had invested with national importance a movement which might otherwise have been 
 treated as a local outbreak; had, in a word, converted a mutiny into a revolution. To recover 
 Delhi, therefore, was to restore the British supremacy. 
 
 Troops were hurried up from every point that could be spared ; and as early as tho 5th 
 of June, an advanced guard, under Sir Henry Barnard, despatched from Umballa, was 
 within ten miles of Delhi. It was soon joined by another small detachment, under Brigadier 
 Wilson ; and on the 8th the battle of Budlee-ka-Serai was won, and the English bayonets 
 flashed from the summit of the rocky ridge that overlooks the Delhi plain. 
 
 Sir John (afterwards Lord) Lawrence, who then governed in the Punjab, and was as inex- 
 haustible in resource as he was prompt in action, forwarded to the camp before Delhi every 
 man that could be spared ; and, what was more, sent thither some of his ablest and most trusted 
 lieutenants, — a Nicholson, a Taylor, a Baird Smith, and a Neville Chamberlain. Nicholson, a 
 born soldier, a knight without fear and without reproach, after winning the victory of Nujuttghur, 
 joined the besieging army in August, and reinforced it with his enthusiasm and military genius. 
 
84 DEATH OF NJCHOLSON. 
 
 In September the siege-train arrived, and by the seventh of that month the heavy guns opened 
 fire. Then, indeed, the siege really began : day by day the batteries were pushed nearer ; a 
 ceaseless storm of shot and shell descended on the doomed city; and on the 14th it was resolved 
 to carry Delhi by assault. 
 
 For this purpose several columns were told off, each being directed against a different point 
 of attack. Nicholson's was ordered to storm the breach near the Kashmir Bastion ; Brigadier 
 Jones's, the Water Bastion ; Colonel Campbell's, the Kashmir Gate ; and Major Reid's, the 
 Lahore Gate ; while a fifth column, under Brigadier Longfield, was held in reserve. 
 
 Nicholson's column advanced in splendid style, and, in spite of a fierce fire, and showers of 
 stones and bricks from the crumbling walls, gained the ramparts, carried the breach near the 
 Kashmir Bastion, and took up their position at the Main Guard. The second column in like 
 manner went forward at a rush, and planted their flag on the Cabul Gate. By this time 
 Nicholson's eager spirit was chafing at the non-arrival of the fourth column ; and as he was 
 annoyed by the ceaseless musketry from the Lahore Gate, he determined to take it with such 
 volunteers as he could get together. The enterprise was hazardous ; for the way from the 
 Cabul to the Lahore Gate lay through a narrow lane swept by artillery, and commanded by 
 houses which the enemy had occupied with riflemen. As Sir John Kaye remarks, nothing so dis- 
 heartens, or at least discourages, the British soldier, as the thought of street-fighting. The rush 
 of cavalry he will withstand undismayed. With steadfast brow he will march straight up to the 
 blazing batteries of the enemy, or enter the breaches in their walls as if engaged in a schoolboys' 
 game. But street-fighting he does not understand. What masked batteries may have been 
 erected, or what batteries suddenly thrown up, he does not know ; and every house seems to 
 him full of hostile rifles, every window an embrasure at which may sit concealed a skilful marks- 
 man. It was so in this daring march through the narrow streets of Delhi. The men fell fast, 
 and their officers were stricken down by the unseen foe. There was a pause of indecision, of 
 doubt. The British soldier was in a trap — and he likes fair fighting. Nicholson, who had the 
 keen eye of a great commander, saw it all. He drew himself up at once to his full height, 
 waved his sword above his head, and called on his men to follow him. " To some, at least, of 
 the defenders of Delhi, that face and figure must have been familiar. Others saw a man of 
 commanding presence, whose position at the head of the column, and whose gestures of command, 
 indicated that he was a great chief. His lofty stature rendered him so conspicuous, that, if he 
 had been a private soldier, some rifleman at a window or on a house-top would have taken 
 deadly aim at him, and he would have sent one more hated Feringhee to his account. But 
 it was not a single life that he took ; it was the life of a whole army." 
 
 Nicholson was shot through the body. That it was a mortal wound, he knew at once ; but 
 he desired to remain on the scene of action until Delhi was once more in British hands. This, 
 however, could not be, and he was carefully and tenderly removed, with the hearts of his men 
 going out after him, to the hospital on the ridge. There this peerless soldier and great general 
 died on the 23rd of September, like "a noble oak riven asunder by a thunderbolt." 
 
 We need not follow the further fortunes of the assault. Delhi was taken ; not without 
 severe loss, — for, of Europeans, eight officers were killed, and one hundred and sixty-two rank 
 and file ; and of the loyal native troops, one hundred and three were killed. Delhi was taken ; 
 
KXPLOITS OF MAJOR HODSON. 85 
 
 but the conquering force was so small that its commander doubted whether he could retain his 
 conquest. His officers convinced him that retreat was impossible ; that the only safety lay in 
 going forward. On the 17th the great magazine fell into British hands; and it was seen after 
 a while that the natives were thoroughly cowed, and, notwithstanding their numbers, had laid 
 aside all thought of resistance. During the night of the 18th the Lahore Bastion was captured ; 
 and on the 20th the Lahore Gate. Then arose the cry, " To the Palace — the Palace ! " The 
 British warriors felt that their victory would be incomplete until the Union Jack floated from 
 the pinnacles of the Home of the Moguls. A rush was made, and in a few minutes the Palace 
 was taken, its inmates being cut down where they stood. The general at once establishe 1 
 there his headquarters, and Delhi was won. 
 
 But where were the Royal Family of Delhi ? It fell to the lot of Hodson of Hodson's 
 Horse, a partizan leader of the most brilliant courage, but a man in whom, unfortunately, the 
 daring of the tiger was unsubdued by any feelings of human compassion, to crown the British 
 triumph by the capture of the descendants of Timour. Through the' treachery of Mirza 
 Elahee Buksh, he ascertained that they were secreted in Humayoon's Tomb, but that they 
 were contemplating an escape. From the general he obtained reluctant permission to take a 
 party of his own men, and bring in, without insult or injury, the last of the Mogul emperors. 
 Flushed with pride, he rode off at the head of fifty of his troopers, and speedily found his way 
 to the asylum of the fallen monarch. 
 
 It was necessary to act with wariness. So Hodson concealed his men in some ruined 
 buildings near the gateway of the Tomb, and sent on his emissaries to demand the surrender 
 of the royal fugitives. Two weary hours of suspense passed away before they brought back the 
 answer that the king would surrender to Major Hodson, if he personally assured him that his life 
 would be spared. Hodson gave the required promise, and received the royal sword ; observing 
 that if any attempt at rescue were made, he would shoot his prisoner like a dog. Along five 
 miles of road, and through a silent, wondering, but sullen crowd, he and his captive then took 
 their way ; and entering the city, passed up the Chandnee Chowk Street, where Hodson was 
 relieved of his dangerous charge by the civil authorities. 
 
 Hodson's work was not yet done. Having heard that some of the king's sons and near 
 relatives were hiding in Humayoon's Tomb, he once more galloped thither, and sternly 
 summoned them to come forth. They prayed for a guarantee that their lives would be spared ; 
 but Hodson would make no promise. So at length, after a wearisome delay, the princes 
 appeared in covered bullock-carts, made one last despairing and useless appeal to Hodson's 
 compassion, and moved towards Delhi with a guard of troopers on either side. 
 
 Then Hodson, with his few remaining horsemen, galloped into the precincts of the Tomb, and 
 called upon the Mohammedans assembled there, numbering at least six thousand, to throw down 
 their arms. With a single rush they might have swept clean over him and his little company ; 
 but there was something in the stern, calm, masterful aspect of the " white man " which struck 
 them with a great fear, and almost without a murmur they submitted. Their arms, horses, and 
 carriages were placed in the centre of the square, and their discomfiture was complete. 
 
 In the later history of Delhi it will be sufficient for us to glance at a single event — the 
 visit of the Prince of Wales. He arrived in the city early on the morning of Tuesday, January 
 
86 VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 11th, 1876. Passing through streets lined with soldiers and crowded with natives, he saw, as 
 he rode along, his banner floating from the Palace of the Moguls, and by way of the Lahore 
 Gate proceeded to the royal camp, which had been pitched about a mile and a half beyond. 
 
 " The road to the camp," says an English correspondent, " was enveloped in clouds of sand 
 and dust, the accumulation of the dry season loosed and stirred up by the traffic and the wind, 
 and so blinding that we fancied that, even if we did reach the saluting-point, we should never be 
 able to see the movements. The roadways, moreover, were dreadfully uneven, notwithstanding 
 a covering of rice straw which had been laid down in the deeper furrows, and horses were 
 plunging madly and traces were being snapped in every direction. But if the route had its 
 perils, it was most diversified, and the sights we witnessed were so wonderful that recollections 
 of the Derby Day sank into insignificance beside them. More than eighty elephants, each 
 having bells and trappings, and howdahs crowded with English children, passed us, making the 
 ground quake and horses bolt as they pounded rapidly along. Then there were troops of tiny 
 ponies, struggling on with hundreds of the uncomfortable games or carriages of the country 
 behind them, looking like a long line of tea-caddies on wheels. Here and there springless 
 bamboo gigs dashed by, across dykes and over banks and hillocks, the drivers heedless of danger ; 
 but the strangest objects of all, in the chaos of moving animals and vehicles, were immense chariots 
 pulled by teams of camels." 
 
 The prince arrived on the ground escorted by a squadron of the 10th Hussars, and 
 accompanied by the then commander-in-chief, Lord Napier of Magdala. The Maharajah 
 Scindia was also in attendance, dressed in a coat of black velvet embroidered thickly with gold, 
 and mounted on a spirited Arab. The troops marched past in four divisions, commanding 
 general admiration by their fine appearance and the accuracy of their movements. Afterwards 
 they were put through various manoeuvres; and the prince having presented new colours to the 
 11th Bengal Infantry, the review terminated. 
 
 In the evening Lord Napier of Magdala and the officers of the Delhi garrison gave a ball- 
 such is the strange irony of Fate ! — in the Palace of the Moguls ; and the Prince of Wales 
 danced in the great hall in which the last King of Delhi had been tried by a tribunal of 
 English officers. 
 
 On the following morning began a series of elaborate military manoeuvres : the army being 
 divided into two nearly equal bodies, one of which, under Major-Generals Hardinge and Stewart, 
 assumed the offensive, and represented an enemy marching upon the capital ; while the other, 
 under Sir Charles Keid and Major-General Macdonell, undertook its defence. The operations 
 extended over three days. 
 
 On Monday the 17th the European and native cavalry paraded before the prince. Then 
 followed a series of sports, the chief of which were designed to test the skill of certain regiments 
 in sword-exercises and tent-pegging. 
 
 Afterwards the prince visited the Tomb of Humayoon and the stately column of the 
 Kootub Minar. He also inspected every place of interest associated with the events of the 
 Great Mutiny, including the breach in the walls near the Kashmir Gate through which the 
 heroic Nicholson led his soldiers.* 
 
 * Lord Lytton, as Viceroy of India, held a grand durbar at Delhi on January 1, 1877, to celebrate the Queen's assumption of the title of 
 Empress of India. The festivities lasted a week. Seventy native princes attended ; and a review of 15,000 of our choicest troops took place. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 FROM DELHI TO PB8HAWJUL 
 
 at meerct— description or the tows— "the monkey take "—a moslem TOMB.— I CMBALLA — THE ENGLISH CANTONMENT. — 8. 8IMLA: A 
 MOUNTAIN SANITARIUM— TRAVELLING BT POST CARET— ARRIVAL AT KALKA— VIEW or THE H1MALATA— WHAT 18 A DOOUE?— A DAK M MA- 
 LOW— A rOEEST Or RHODODENDRONS— THE BOAD rBOM EALKA TO SIMLA.— 4. W AKD ABOCT SIMLA— THE NATIVE TOWN— BRITISH SIMLA— 
 
 winter at simla— the mall— something aboct moneets— a misadvextubb-the Himalayan roBEsT— some Lornr treks.— 6. return 
 
 TO UXBALLA, AND VISIT TO DKHBA — MUSSOOBIE— LAXDOOB— THE BED HILL— PLANTATIONS Or THE DEHRA TEA COMPANY.— «. AT AJIUITXAR 
 —ABOCT THE HEBE.— T. LAHORE— DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH— THE rOBT— THE GREAT MOSQUE— TOMB Or BCNJEBT SINGH— MOSQUE OK WIZIR ALI 
 —TOMB AMD GARDEN OT JEHANGIB— THE MONTGOMERY HALL— MEANMEEB.— 8. TO JUMMOO— WAEIBABAD— SEALKOTE— THE BOUNDARY Or OCR 
 INDIAN EMPIEE— JUMMOO— THE GRAND TBUXE BOAD— THE CABl'L RIVER— NOWSHERA— PESHAWAR. 
 
 MEKRL'T. 
 
 [HE traveller's first station after leaving Delhi for Peshawar is Meerut, a large and 
 important town, situated in the centre of the barren plain of the Upper Doab, and 
 unhappily famous in Indian history as the scene of the outbreak of the Great Mutiny. 
 It has no monuments or palaces to attract the eye; and is, in truth, nothing more nor less than 
 a strong military centre. It was originally selected as an advantageous post for the encampment 
 of a European force which might overawe Delhi, only forty miles distant; for, in accordance 
 with treaty arrangements, no British troops could be quartered in the imperial city itself, or in 
 its immediate neighbourhood. There are four principal quarters, in which the infantry, native 
 cavalry, hussars, and artillery art respectively stationed; and as these are plentifully studded 
 with bungalows, each in its own bit of garden, with white or green verandahs and painted 
 thatch roof, the general effect is not displeasing. In front spreads a broad open oommon, 
 the Maidan, which is used as an exercise-ground, and as the arena for the display of the pomp 
 and circumstance of grand reviews. The town possesses also a very large Anglican church ; 
 close beside which, extending over five acres, is the English cemetery, where sleep the sons of 
 England, slain mostly by the terrible climate, a greater foe to our power than the jealousy of 
 race or religion. In one corner, we are told, a line of several hundred tombs, lying in file three 
 deep, marks the graves of the Cameronians, decimated by fever. Another row, a vast number of 
 the Buffs who died of cholera. The men of each regiment are interred together; the infantry 
 in one body, the cavalry in another, the artillery beyond. Civilians keep aloof in death, it is 
 said, as in life. Many are the little ones who repose in the children's quarter. " Here, in one 
 tomb, sleep two hot-headed boys, who fought a duel to decide a dancing question, and both 
 fell mortally wounded. Beyond lies the once beautiful cause of their quarrel, she having 
 red. and died of gri- 
 
 The "objects of interest" in and around Meerut are easily summed up. A large artiticinl 
 basin is known as " The Monkey Tank," from the number of sacred apes and monkeyi which 
 
88 MEEKTJT TO UMBALLA. 
 
 resort to the adjacent temples for their food. The natives, more poetically than truthfully, 
 entitle it Sooruj Koond, " The Mirror of the Sun ; " and it is held in reverence by both 
 Mohammedan and Hindu. 
 
 Then there is a splendid Moslem tomb, which is a kind of family mausoleum, consisting ol 
 several white marble tombs supported on an elevated platform of red sandstone. Each is 
 canopied by a dome, brightly inlaid with green and blue encaustic tiles, and resting on arches 
 and pillars of red sandstone. And at Sirdhana is the spacious Roman Cathedral erected by 
 the celebrated Begum Sombre, who began her career as a nautch-girl, and ended it as an 
 independent sovereign. 
 
 UMBALLA. 
 
 By the Sind, Lahore, and Punjab Railway, passing Mozuffernugger and Saharunpur, 
 the traveller proceeds to Umballa. 
 
 Saharunpur is celebrated for its gardens, which supply all India with seeds and plants. 
 Here may be seen examples of the old Persian Well, in which the water is drawn from a great 
 depth by an endless chain of red earthen jars, fastened between two ropes, and passing over a 
 clumsy wheel ; the said wheel being in connection with a driving-wheel, which is kept in motion 
 by bullocks. 
 
 The country on the whole is fertile, and good crops are obtained through constant irrigation. 
 Beyond the broad open plain rises a considerable range of hills ; these are the low spurs 
 of the Himalaya, and the snow-clad peaks of that mighty mountain-mass are just visible 
 through a screen of fleecy clouds. 
 
 The English cantonment is a city of villas, each standing embowered among orange-trees, 
 and pomegranate-shrubs, and tall bauhinias, with their clusters of large white blossoms. It 
 has a handsome and spacious church, military hospitals, and the usual official buildings. 
 
 SIMLA: A MOUNTAIN SANITARIUM. 
 
 Abandoning the comforts of railway-travelling, the stranger who desires to visit Simla, the 
 great Indian sanitarium, entrusts himself to the conveyance known as the post garry. The 
 garry is simply a long box upon wheels, hung high, so as to keep it out of the water when it 
 is necessary to ford a stream. On each side a sliding door serves instead of a window; there 
 is no glass, and consequently no protection against the clouds of dust which are constantly 
 pouring in. Level with the door is a long cushion, on which the traveller reclines full 
 length, or else squats like a Hindu, or sits cross-legged like a Mohammedan. In a well 
 beneath the carriage is stowed away his baggage ; and he arranges his dressing materials, 
 food, books, and other impedimenta, on the shelves or in the pockets which are provided 
 plentifully inside. 
 
 The garry, it will be seen, is not so bad in itself, though it has not all the luxuries of a 
 Pullman car; but it is rendered uncomfortable by the wretchedness of the animals attached to it. 
 " At each stage," writes one who has suffered, " they seem to grow worse and worse, so that to 
 start them on a fresh run is work for a dozen men, and never done under half an hour. On a 
 tolerably good road you are only allowed one horse ; should a second be necessary, he is har- 
 nessed outside the shafts as an outrigger, and simply runs alongside. At every halt you are 
 sure of some trouble before you are again under way ; constantly the poor beasts that await you 
 
TRAVELLING "UP COUNTRY." 89 
 
 are galled and exhausted by their last run. Should they chance to be fresh, they are brought 
 out biting, screaming, plunging, kicking, rearing; held by main force of a dozen coolies and syces. 
 Once harnessed, nothing will induce them to move. Vainly all their attendants seize the wheels, 
 and turn them so as to force on the garry. The stubborn brutes either turn right round or throw 
 themselves down. A rope is now tied to their fore-legs, another to their heads, the wheels are 
 turned by strong arms, and thus they are dragged along for perhaps a mile, accompanied by an 
 ant-like swarm of all but naked coolies, screaming, howling, yelling, shoving, beating; alternately 
 pouring forth maledictions and persuasions, terms of endearment and of opprobrium, with amaz- 
 ing volubility." 
 
 In course of time, however, the traveller reaches Kalka, a beautiful village at the foot of the 
 Himalaya, and in the midst of a profusion of flowering shrubs, plantains, and date-palms. The 
 new of the mountains from this point is not what the traveller has pictured in his imagination. 
 They are of comparatively moderate elevation, with red sandstone cliffs, projecting their thickly 
 wooded spurs into a country thickly covered with tropical vegetation. But still, in the far 
 distance, a noble line of peaks, with their huge glaciers illuminated by the sun, shows that as 
 yet we have gained but the lowest terrace of that gigantic accumulation of mountains, which 
 raises its snow-laden crests from 20,000 to 29,000 feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 l'i< iin Kalka to Simla the distance is about fifty-six miles, and it is generally accomplished 
 in four days. No wheeled vehicle is used ; but the traveller has the choice of either a 
 jampan, a doolie, or a dandie (unless he prefer to ride). A jampan is a wooden arm-chair, 
 slung between double shafts, and sheltered by a light roof of oil-skin. The coolies behind support 
 the poles on their shoulders, and those in front bear them on their arms, so that the seat main- 
 tains a horizontal position. The doolie, also carried by four men, may be described as a long 
 curtained box, with a narrow bed inside. It is slung so low that its inmate gets all the dust 
 from the road, while he sees but little of the scenery. Of the dandie there are two varieties : in 
 the one you sit sideways, on a bit of carpet slung on a bamboo ; in the other you are seated just 
 as in a chair, and look straight before you. 
 
 At night you halt at a dak bungalow, or Government post-house, where, on payment of one 
 rupee, you may remain for four-and-twenty hours, at the expiry of which you are required to 
 "move on." The larger bungalows are arranged for six or eight sets of travellers; a room 
 being provided for each, containing a table, two or three chairs, and a charpoy, or bedstead. 
 The bungalow has a regular staff of Government servants; and the khcuuaman, or head-man, 
 will supply you with provisions, being chiefly chickens and chujwitties (or scones). 
 
 The road from Kalka winds upwards through a forest of cactuses and wild barberries, and 
 then enters upon a flowery tract, where the white clematis blooms in all its glory, and stars its 
 leafy tangles with snowy blossoms each about three inches in diameter. Near Simla it passes 
 through a comph t. fo re ri of rhododendrons, — rhododendron trees, all ablaze with gorgeous 
 Bower*, which contrast vividly against deep blue ranges of distant hills and the still blue sky 
 overhead. The road is a difficult and a steep one ; but the traveller is borne easily along by 
 the coolies, who are Paharis, or hill-men, and strong, muscular fellows, capable of enduring 
 great fatigue. It must be oonfJMStld, however, that strength is not in every case associated 
 with phyMeal | ic-rfection. Some are short and thick-set, with features of the Mongol type : the 
 •ned nose, high cheek-bones, and small obliquely-set eyes, and the wide mouth opening 
 
90 
 
 AN INDIAN SANITARIUM. 
 
 RHODODENDRONS OF THE HIMALAYA. 
 
 i. Rhododendron Pendulum. — 2. Rhododendron Dalliousie. 
 3. Rhododendron Nivaie. 
 
 above a chin covered with thin irregular patches of beard. Looking upon them, we become 
 conscious that we have approached the borders of India proper, and are near Tibet ; Tibet, 
 
 where, it is true, the Hindu rules, but the in- 
 habitants of which are of the same blood as the 
 people who dwell on the tablelands of Ladakh, 
 and extend into the very heart of China. 
 
 IN AND ABOUT SIMLA. 
 
 The native town of Simla is little more than a 
 circular mass of small wooden houses, gathered 
 around the Anglican church. British Simla is a 
 wide space of hill-side, where, under the forest- 
 trees and on the verdurous slopes, are situated 
 the graceful dwellings and bungalows of the 
 Anglo-Indian officials, who resort thither, for 
 health's sake, when the burning summer has 
 taken possession of the plains. As a summer 
 station and sanitarium, it was first adopted by- 
 Lord Amherst in 1827. It is now the "hill- 
 capital " of India, and the recognized summer- 
 quarters of the Indian Government. 
 
 The visitor to Simla, travelling thither with 
 his imagination full of visions of the Himalayan peaks, is at first disappointed. He sees around 
 him clusters of hills of comparatively moderate elevation, all clothed with the deodar pine, but 
 presenting no features of grandeur or beauty. But by degrees he learns to distinguish, on the 
 far horizon, at a distance of one hundred miles, a long white narrow line, deeply indented, 
 which stretches across the landscape as if to divide it into two parts. That is the Snowy 
 Range ; the Himalaya, or " Abode of Snow." In time he is able to recognize each colossal 
 peak, and to gather up an accurate conception of the mighty mass to which they belong ; a 
 mountain-mass of fifteen hundred miles in length, and of such tremendous breadth that a 
 journey across it occupies tedious weeks ; a mountain-mass bristling with forests, and loaded 
 with colossal glaciers, and raising its principal summits twenty thousand feet higher than* Simla, 
 though Simla is 7400 feet above the sea. 
 
 After a few days' residence, moreover, the visitor is ready to acknowledge that the summer- 
 capital has attractions of its own. He may not care for the Mall, a broad drive round the hill 
 of Jacko, made by Lord Combermere, which is the great rendezvous of the Anglo-Indian society 
 of Simla ; he may care less for the deep valley of Annandale, another favourite rendezvous, 
 which affords excuse for numerous picnic-parties ; and the waterfalls will have little charm for 
 any one who has seen those of Wales or the Scottish Highlands. But he will find a pleasure in 
 wandering into the recesses of the ancient forest, where he will come upon some little rough 
 stone temples, rudely carved, and roofed with cedar-wood, and dedicated to one of the hill-men's 
 forest-gods ; or will meet with sylvan glades of romantic beauty, overhung by gigantic deodars, 
 trees of from twenty -five to thirty feet in girth, and one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in 
 
THE HIMALAYAN FOREST. 93 
 
 height. Haply he may light upon specimens of the luminous plants which are found in the 
 neighbourhood of Simla ; such as the jyotismati, or Anthisteina ananthera, and the Dictamnus 
 Fraxitella. The light of the latter is due to a volatile oil, which sometimes evaporates in such 
 large quantities that, on igniting it with a match, the plant will be wrapped in a transient flame, 
 without suffering any injury. 
 
 The monkeys which people Simla will also amuse and interest the visitor. Both the 
 common brown monkey and the large gray, with a fringe of white hair round his forehead, 
 abound. They sit among the great scarlet flowers of the rhododendrons and stare at the passer- 
 by ; they leap from tree to tree, swing from the pendent branches, and take flying bounds across 
 the road ; they clamber along the roofs of the houses, and sometimes penetrate into the interior, 
 where they disarrange the domestic economy by their mischievous tricks. Lady Barker 
 amusingly describes the contretemps that befell her on the occasion of her first dinner-party at 
 Simla. She desired, of course, to distinguish herself, and had daintily arranged her table with 
 newly-imported china figures and ornamental dishes from Europe, which greatly "set off" the 
 show of sweetmeats, flowers, and fruits. When dressing-time came, she instructed her servants 
 to remain in the room until her return; but the temptation of a quiet smoke proved too much for 
 them, and they stole away, forgetting the open window, and the great tree outside, where certain 
 curious spectators sat deeply interested in the proceeding*. Who shall describe the hostess's 
 dismay, when, coming down to receive her guests, and taking a passing glance at the dinner- 
 table to see that all was ready, she found a busy company of monkeys enjoying themselves to 
 their hearts' content, chattering and grinning, their cheeks and arms crammed with the choicest 
 viands, and the table a scene of wreck and desolation, of linen soiled, china and glass broken, and 
 flowers pulled to pieces. 
 
 A few hundred feet above the Simla hills the traveller finds himself in the real Himalayan 
 forest, and looks down vistas of dark columnar firs, and over the waves of a sea of foliage, out 
 of which, like island-pinnacles, rise here and there some groups of splendid pines, their tall 
 tapering spires seeming to point, like spectral fingers, to the gleaming snowy heights beyond and 
 above. 
 
 The general effect of the forest, says Miss Gordon Cumming, is a dark evergreen ; yet 
 occasionally the traveller passes beneath high twining arches of transparent golden green, where 
 the light glints rosily through emerald leaves and shining blossoms, staining the sward with 
 glowing hues, like those that fall from an old cathedral window. From that calm solitude 
 comes the soft, murmurous cooing of the wood-dove ; while little gray squirrels frisk among the 
 branches, one moment in the shadow, the next in the warm sunshine. 
 
 Of the infinite variety of foliage around, the greater part is nearly akin to that of Great 
 Britain. As in other mountain-regions, the different species grow in distinct belts at different 
 elevations. Thus: on the very high levels, at about 13,000 feet, flourish the common birch, 
 gooseberries, and wild strawberries of delicious flavour. A little lower down grows the moza, or 
 edible pine;* a tree with silvery bark, and with cones full of long-shaped nuts, savoury and 
 succulent, which fall out when the cone is half-baked. At about Q000 feet the stately " trees of 
 :." the deodars, thrive on the hard rocky soil, and bear witness to centuries of storm and 
 
 • I'inut IJrrni'lmnui. 
 
94 
 
 THE FAUNA AND FLORA. 
 
 sunshine. On the lower levels these decrease in size. At the same height wild apricot trees, 
 swathed with mistletoe, abound ; also mulberry and walnut. At about 8000 feet are found 
 
 sycamore, rhododendron, oak, yew, holly, horse-chestnut, and 
 various conifers. Three thousand feet lower blooms a tropical 
 vegetation, among which the bright oleander, flowery acacias, 
 large cactuses, and plantains may be recognized. 
 
 The morinda excelsa, which resembles a spruce fir with 
 very short branches, grows with a perfectly straight trunk to 
 the height of one hundred and twenty feet, and is sometimes 
 twenty feet in girth at the base, is one of the commonest 
 conifers. 
 
 Next comes the rye, a weeping pine, with branches and 
 needles much longer and more pensile than those of the former. 
 The cheel pine is like the Scotch fir. The kolin is another 
 common pine, but grows on the lower levels. 
 
 Of the Himalayan oak three varieties are found. One of 
 these, the kharso, flourishes at a very considerable elevation, 
 and frequently clothes the eastern side of a hill, while the 
 pine enriches the western. 
 
 We can but glance at the animal life. Bears are numerous 
 and dangerous. High in the air float the great eagles and 
 kites ; with lammergeiers, and bearded vultures whose wings 
 measure ten feet from tip to tip, and keen-eyed falcons which 
 dart through the clouds like an arrow. 
 
 Pheasants, of course, abound ; among them the beautiful 
 argus or horned pheasant ; the kallidge or black pheasant ; the 
 cheer or snow pheasant ; and the minaul. The last named is 
 of resplendent plumage ; " a dazzling mass of iridescent metallic 
 green, blue, bronze, gold, purple, and crimson, changing in every 
 light, and glossy as satin, with a beautiful crest of drooping 
 feathers." There are also several varieties of snipe, partridges, 
 and woodcock.* 
 
 ABQUS PHEASANT. 
 
 DEHRA. 
 
 But we must return to Umballa, in order to prosecute our explorations in a different 
 direction. 
 
 Between the Siwalik range and the outer Himalaya lies the district of Dehra; and here, 
 
 * In the neighbourhood of Simla there is quite a collection of sanitaria, which are passed, or seen, by the visitor to that more famous 
 place. The first of these, and usually the first stopping-place for the night of those who go by the old bridle-road from Kalka, is Kussowli, 
 famous for its Himalayan beer, which is not unlike the ordinary beer of Munich. It is more rainy than Simla, more windy, rather warmer, and 
 not so high, and is chiefly occupied as a dep6t for the convalescents of European regiments. Close to it rises the barren hill of Sonawar, where 
 there is the (Sir Henry) Lawrence Asylum, for boys and girls of European or mixed parentage ; between four hundred and five hundred being 
 usually supported and educated there at the expense of Government. Two other sanitaria, Dagshai (Dugshaie) and Sabathu (Subathoo), are 
 also military depfits ; the latter having large barracks, and houses with fine gardens and orchards. The British soldier improves greatly in 
 strength and appearance on these heights ; but it is said he does not appreciate the advantages of being placed upon them. He does not like 
 having to do so much for himself as falls to his lot when he is sent to the mountains.— Wilson, " Abode of Snow," p. 43. 
 
THE DEHRA VALLEY. 95 
 
 close upon the summit of the Himalayan spurs, are situated the sanitaria of Landoor and 
 Mussoorie ; the former being the military, the latter the civil division of the same hills. 
 
 The road lies through the Monan Pass, at the head of which we obtain our first glimpse of 
 the beautiful Dehra valley; a fertile region, with a profusion of tropical vegetation, large- 
 leaved plantains, and large clumps of graceful bamboo ; rich crops of all kinds, and picturesque 
 villages dotted here and there. The valley is about sixty miles long and fourteen wide. On 
 its further side rise the Himalaya, with the white bungalows of Mussoorie scattered at an 
 elevation of five thousand feet ; and one thousand feet higher, the military sanitarium of Landoor. 
 In the centre of the valley is the town of Dehra, — each house, like the cottages of an English 
 village, embowered in bloom and verdure. A long avenue of graceful bamboos leads through 
 the town ; and among the surrounding foliage lie several Hindu temples. 
 
 It is a steep ascent to Mussoorie ; but the view which it commands fully repays the 
 traveller for any fatigue he may have experienced. Across the Dehra Doon, it extends to the 
 low range of the Siwalik hills ; and beyond that again, to the plains which shimmer below in 
 the hot sunshine. Here and there fine threads of silver indicate the course of the great Indian 
 rivers, the Jumna and the Ganges, and their tributaries. All around swell grassy hills, carpeted 
 with flowers and ferny growth, and relieved by clumps of Indian oak and tangled thickets of 
 dahlias; a blaze of colour — purple, maroon, orange, lilac, scarlet, white, and yellow. And 
 everywhere we feel, so to speak, the awful presence of the Himalaya, which, in the distance, 
 raise their gigantic peaks, snow-crowned, into the ethereal blue of a cloudless sky. 
 
 \ ir Landoor is Lallteeba, the Red Hill; and from the summit of the Red Hill may be 
 obtained a glorious panoramic picture of the grandest mountain-chain in the world. 
 
 In the western part of the valley are situated the plantations of the Dehra Tea < 'ompany. 
 Here the traveller learns the distinction between the Chinese plant and its taller relative, which 
 grows wild in Assam. The variety cultivated at Dehra is a hybrid between these two. Here, 
 too, he learns that Flowery Pekoe is the very finest kind of black tea; deriving its name from 
 the soft down of the young unexpanded leaf which may be seen upon it. Orange Pekoe is 
 much the same, but owes its name to the colour of the unexpanded leaf when dried. He learns, 
 finally, that all black tea, from Orange Pekoe down through Pekoe and Souchong to Bohea 
 (which last is made of the largest and oldest leaves), and all green tea, from young Hyson down 
 lyson-skin, are plucked and prepared together. The sorting is an after-process, done partly 
 by sieve and partly by hand. 
 
 AMRITSAR. 
 
 Our course now takes us on to Amritsar. At Saharunpur, famous for its Botanical 
 Garden, we join the railway, and are rapidly carried across the Sutlej. Then we pass the 
 broad channel of the Beas, and speedily reach our destination. 
 
 Amritsar— that is, Amrita Saras, the Fountain of Immortality — is the sacred city of the 
 Sikhs, and the great commercial emporium of this part of India. 
 
 The word Sikh is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Sishyn. It means, literally, "a 
 disciple ;" and though now borne as a national designation by the people of the Upper Punjab, 
 was originally applied to a religious sect founded in the fifteenth century by Nanak, a high-class 
 Hindu. This enthusiast was so successful in his teaching, that when he died, in 1539, his 
 
96 
 
 AMRITSAR 
 
 followers already numbered one hundred thousand ; constituting a formidable body on account 
 of their military enthusiasm, which was intensified by their religious ardour. 
 
 It seems to have been the desire of Nanak to found an eclectic creed, which, sweeping away 
 caste distinctions, and combining the best features of both Mohammedanism and Brahmanism, 
 might embrace all India in its comprehensive bonds. He gave himself out as a guru, or spiritual 
 guide, and recorded his teaching in the sacred pages of the Adigranth, which ever lies open 
 before his successor, the great guru, in the Golden Temple of Amritsar. 
 
 The Sikh allows no idols, and repudiates the idea of uncleanness which the Moslem and the 
 Hindu attach to certain meats. He abhors tobacco, but does not object to alcoholic stimulants. 
 He is known to his co-religionists by a mark burned in on the left shoulder ; and as he is thus 
 purified with fire during life, he considers it needless to burn the body after death. He is a 
 worshipper of one God, vowed to a life of morality, and above and before all things a soldier. 
 
 According to a recent traveller, Amritsar is a busy, well-ordered, and extremely picturesque 
 place. Here and there, above the verdure of its gardens, rise the towers of the old nobles, but 
 most of the houses have only two stories. Some of those recently built are remarkable for their 
 architectural merit, and the beauty of their wood-carving. The bazaars are filled with interest- 
 ing wares ; and fine specimens of Kashmir and Rampur shawls load the stalls of the shawl- 
 merchants. 
 
 From Amritsar we proceed by rail to Lahore. 
 
 LAHORE. 
 
 Jhe poet Moore, in his romance of " Lalla Rookh," 
 represents his heroine and her attendants as reach- 
 ing, in due course, "the splendid city of Lahore, 
 whose mausoleums and shrines, magnificent and 
 numerous, where Death appeared to share equal 
 honours with Heaven," had a powerful influence on 
 her imagination. " The rajahs and omras in her 
 train, who had kept at a certain distance during the 
 journey, and never encamped nearer the princess 
 than was strictly necessary for her safeguard, here 
 rode in splendid cavalcade through the city, and distributed the most costly presents 
 to the crowd. Engines were worked in all the squares, which cast forth showers 
 of confectionery among the people ; while the artisans, in chariots adorned with 
 tinsel and flying streamers, exhibited badges of their respective trades through streets brilliant 
 with life and pageantry. The palaces, and domes, and gilded minarets of Lahore, made the city 
 altogether like a place of enchantment." 
 
 Not less charming than Moore imagined, or Milton, when he chronicled it in his stately 
 verse, is the prosperous and populous capital of Northern India. It has no minarets of gold, it 
 is true, but it has domes of coloured porcelain. It has no bannered chariots, but it has 
 gorgeously-caparisoned elephants. And for monuments, it can point to its Great Mosque, the 
 Tombs of Runjeet Singh and Guru Govind, the Mosque of Wuzir Ali, and the Gardens and 
 Tomb of Jehangir. 
 
AT LAHORE. 9" 
 
 There is also the Fort; which, however, lacks military importance, having been much 
 injured both by Sikhs and Britons. But it contains some beautiful architectural " bits," and 
 commands a noble view of the city, and of the dusty plain which spreads around it. At 
 one time the Ravi flowed under its walls, when in appearance it must have closely resembled 
 the forts of Agra and Allahabad. The exterior is largely ornamented with a coating of what 
 Mr. Grant Duff" aptly calls " porcelain plaster ; " the secret of making which is said to be lost. 
 It produces just the same effect as the azulejos of the Alhambra ; and is so admirable a 
 decoration, that one could wish the process might be rediscovered. The exterior sculpture 
 of the Fort belongs to the age of Jehangir, and testifies to his catholicity of taste. Numerous 
 figures of animals contemned by the true Mussulman feeling are introduced, as well a« 
 Mithraic emblems, and even, it is said, the European devil. 
 
 The Great Mosque was built by Aurungzebe out of the spoils of the confiscated lands of 
 his brother Dara. It is a spacious and stately quadrangular pile, with swelling domes and slender 
 minarets. In the court grows a banian-tree of immense size. 
 
 The Tomb of Runjeet Singh, the " Lion of the Punjab," has little architectural merit, and, 
 like that of Guru Govind, the tenth supreme pontiff" of the Sikhs, is chiefly noticeable as a 
 historical landmark. Around the old Lion are interred the remains of some of his wives, who 
 were burned to death on his funeral pyre, according to a custom which happily no longer obtains 
 in British India. 
 
 The Mosque of Wuzir Ali is decorated with very fine specimens of the Kaslic work, or 
 coloured porcelain, to which allusion has already been made. The Tomb and Garden of 
 Jehangir lie to the west of the city, beyond the Ravi, and must have been very beautiful 
 before they were despoiled by later rulers. Their general style is that of the Taj. The tomb 
 of Jehangir 's able and charming wife, Noor Jehan, has suffered even more grievously than that 
 of her husband. 
 
 t to be forgotten among the attractions of Lahore are the Gardens of Shah Jehan, the 
 Shalimar, or " House of Joy." The poet represents the bridal festivities of Lalla Rookh and 
 the supposed Feramorz, the disguised monarch of Bokhara, as being celebrated in the imperial 
 palace here. On the occasion of the Prince of Wales's visit to Lahore, a splendid fete was given 
 in these gardens, when the trees sparkled with Chinese lanterns, and the fountains flung into the 
 air their illuminated columns. 
 
 The Montgomery Hall is a handsome European building, erected as a testimony of respect 
 for Sir Robert Montgomery, the second Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, by those over 
 whom he had ruled. It contains several good portraits of the heroes of North-Western India ; 
 and commands from its windows a fine view of the shining reaches of the Ravi, — the tradi- 
 tional limit of the Indian conquests of Alexander the Great. 
 
 ir the city is Meanmeer, the military cantonment of the Lahore division. It is worth 
 notice that its church was designed and built by Lord Napier of Magdala, when in command 
 of the division. 
 
 TO JCMIIOO. 
 
 From Lahore we may make an excursion to Jummoo, the capital of " flowery Kashmir." 
 Alighting at Wazirabad, we transfer ourselves to a dak garry, a kind of box on four 
 wheels, supplied with a comfortable elastic bed, and drawn by two country-bred horses, in charge 
 
98 EXCURSION TO JUMMOO. 
 
 of three men. Along a half-formed road, where boggy places are simply covered with reeds 
 and straw, — through miles of boulders and shattered stones, — down deep ravines echoing with 
 the clash and clang of tumultuous waters, — we make our way, at the rate of six miles an hour. 
 The journey is not wanting in objects of interest. Here a clump of tall trees is perched on the 
 summit of a lofty crag ; there the tiger-grass, or Sikunder's grass, as the natives call it, springs 
 almost above our heads ; here a lammergeier pursues its lofty flight through the clear luminous 
 air ; there the music of the hoopooes echoes from a leafy grove. Or now we come upon two or 
 three wild-looking mountaineers, returning to their home among the hills ; or a slow-moving 
 train of camels, carrying the picks and shovels and other impedimenta of a surveying-party ; or 
 a jolting bullock-cart, the occupants of which are shaded from the sun by a red cashmere awning 
 fringed with yellow. 
 
 At Sealkote we plunge into the midst of an English military cantonment, situated about 
 eighty miles from the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya, but basking in the heat of an 
 almost tropical sun. In hot weather, at this station, the thermometer often stands for weeks at 
 98° in the bungalows, and 105° in the barracks. 
 
 From this point, at dawn, when wreaths of rosy mist curl up the rugged sides of the 
 mountains, the traveller surveys with awe and wonder that tremendous chain of peaks and 
 crags which forms the barrier of the Empire, and seems to confront him with a stern ne plus 
 ultra. Towards the north-east the uninterrupted lofty rampart stretches, without cleft or gate- 
 way, from the Khybar Pass to the great fortress of Cabul. 
 
 Below the snow-line, a belt of giant trees stretches down to the lower hills, where, in the 
 impenetrable jungle, the tiger and the cobra di capella find a home. Lower still, the sloping 
 pastures are enamelled with verdure, and watered by rills from the far-off glaciers, which, shine 
 like threads of silver, as they trace their devious course through masses of roses and rhododen- 
 drons beaming with gorgeous colours. 
 
 The capital of Kashmir is situated on the Towi, a tributary of the Chenab. It is a place 
 of considerable trade, communication with the riverine districts being maintained by water. The 
 Kashmir boatmen are a strong and hardy race, and manage their clumsy craft with much dexterity. 
 Mr. Wilson speaks in almost rapturous terms of the scenery of Kashmir. Here, he says, at a 
 height of nearly six thousand feet, in a temperate climate, with abundance of moisture, and yet 
 protected by lofty mountains from the fierce continuous rains of the Indian south-west monsoon, 
 is to be found the finest amphitheatre in the world. A flat oval valley — as such he describes it — 
 about sixty miles long and from forty broad, is surrounded by magnificent mountains, which, 
 during the greater part of the year, are covered more than half-way down with snow. Further, 
 it is intersected with watercourses, has ample lakes, and is covered with the richest vegetation, 
 including gigantic trees profuse in foliage. And out of this great central valley rise numerous 
 long mountain-valleys, of the most picturesque character; with, above these, dense forests of pine, 
 green grassy slopes, beds of snow, and huge glaciers. The general effect is well portrayed in 
 Moore's familiar lines : — 
 
 " Whose head in wintry grandeur towers, 
 And whitens with eternal sleet : 
 While summer, in a vale of flowers, 
 Is sleeping rosy at his feet." 
 
KASflltllUAX BOATMEN. 
 
A WESTWARD JOURNEY. 101 
 
 WAZIRABAD TO ATTOCK AND PESHXWA&" 
 
 » • • • < 
 
 Returning to Wazirabad (or Wuzeerabad), we propose to resume our journey westward. 
 The usual route crosses a bridge of boats; but the railway is now carried across the Chenab by a 
 bridge of remarkably solid construction, completed in 1876. The Chenab, the ancient Acesines, 
 is thirty feet deep at this point, even in the dryest season; in the rains it swells into a mighty 
 torrent, some three and a quarter miles in width, and terrible in its rapidity. Communication 
 between the banks is often impossible, no Indian boat being able to live in its rolling flood. 
 
 Journeying along the Grand Trunk Road, which is bordered by long lines of babool, and 
 studded at intervals with comfortable dak bungalows, we cross the Jhilam, the classic Hydaspes, 
 and approach the boundaries of Kashmir. Then we reach Rawul Pindee, the centre of a military 
 division, and a post of much importance. 
 
 Seventeen miles further, and we pass a massive but by no means handsome monument to 
 the memory of the gallant Nicholson. The road traverses a desolate and treeless landscape, until 
 it passes near the site of ancient Taxila, and crosses a bright and picturesque little stream. We 
 enter thereafter a green and fertile country, where long lines of fruit-trees enliven the level fields ; 
 and through pleasant scenery, with a lofty chain of mountains on the horizon, we push forward 
 to the famous Indus t(or Sindhu, " flood "), one of the remarkable rivers of the world. 
 
 At Attock the river is crossed by a bridge of boats in the neighbourhood of an old Moham- 
 medan fort. Opposite the town rises a lofty hill, which geographers identify with the Aornos of 
 \ander the Great 
 
 Up the western bank of the Indus we proceed to the mouth of the Cabul river, and then 
 strike to the southward, passing Nowshera, where an English garrison is stationed, and in due 
 time arrive at Peshawar. This marks the extreme limit of English territory to the south-west, 
 and lies close to the formidable Afghan frontier. At no great distance, on a clear day, may be 
 seen the mouth of the Khybar Past. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 AT AGRA. 
 
 THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCES — CITY OP AGRA — DESCRIPTION OP THE TAJ MAHAL— EULOGIES BY DIFFERENT WRITERS— A PALACE AMONG TOMBS— THE 
 MEMORIAL OF AN EMPEROR'S LOVE — TERRACES AND GARDENS— THE IMPERIAL PALACE — AKBAR'S TRIBUNAL — THE GREAT HALL, OR ARMOURY 
 — THE SOMNAUTH GATES — BATH-ROOM OF THE ZENANA— THE JASMINE BOWER — TOMB OP AK.BAR— ITS INSCRIPTIONS — CURIOUS NARRATIVE OF 
 THE DEATH OF THE EMPRESS — FUTTEYPUR SIKRI— AKBAIi's SUMMER PALACE — TOMB OP ITMAD-OOD-DOULAH — LATER HISTORY OF AGRA— THE 
 DURBAR OF 1866— THE PRINCE OF WALES's VISIT. 
 
 GRA, it may be necessary to inform the reader, is the capital of that portion of our 
 Indian Empire which was formerly known as the North-West Provinces. 
 
 These provinces form a fertile, populous, and well-cultivated region, irrigated by 
 numerous canals, which flow into, or are connected with, the great broad waters of the Ganges 
 and the Jumna. Notwithstanding their general aspect of peace and prosperity, they are covered, 
 however, for miles round Agra, with the shattered memorials of a former age, that tell of the 
 havoc and desolation wrought by successive conquerors. 
 
 AGRA, PROM THE OPPOSITE BANK OF THE JUMNA. 
 
 To the traveller approaching the ancient seat of the Mogul Empire from the opposite bank 
 of the Jumna, Agra presents a fair and picturesque prospect. In the foreground rolls the 
 copious river, with all its burden of life and motion; the strange native craft, unloading at its 
 quays, or slowly making way against the steady current; the hot banks of sand heaped up with 
 
«i 
 
AGRA DESCRIBED. 105 
 
 bales of cotton; and the dusky groups of washers, male and female, beating their various-tinted 
 garments on the smooth stones at the edge of the stream. Immediately beyond rise the high 
 embattled walls, with the massive gateway, of its celebrated fort; while above it soar the many 
 domes of the Pearl Mosque, shining white and pure in the soft, transparent, luminous air. 
 
 The city itself, however, is far from realizing those dreams of Oriental splendour which, 
 somehow or other, everybody cherishes in connection with Hindustan. Its magnificent 
 imperial structures are completely isolated from the habitations of the common people; while 
 the Government House, the military cantonments, and the handsome villas of the British 
 residents, are placed at some distance from the walls. Hence it comes to pass that Agra itself, 
 the ancient Akbarabad, or city of Akbar, — the city of the Shish Mehal or Palace of Glass, of the 
 wondrous Taj, and the Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque, — is a maze of close and narrow lanes, 
 surmounted by a few spires, and relieved by a few open spaces of waste ground. The principal 
 street, however, is somewhat better, being paved with stone, and enriched here and there with 
 traces of its former splendour. The better class of houses, moreover, are provided with terraced 
 roofs and balconies, from which inquisitive female eyes can safely scrutinize the whirl and eddy 
 of life below. 
 
 It is not our object in these pages to treat of the manufactures or industrial resources of 
 India, but an occasional allusion to the chief occupations of its people may be permitted. At 
 Agra the inhabitants are largely occupied in dyeing cotton cloths; the favourite colours being 
 purple and yellow. The process takes place in the* open shop, where the necessary copper vessels 
 are sunken in the floor, — the spaces between being utilized for storing goods and transacting 
 business. Strange to say, the stuffs prepared in this seemingly primitive fashion are not less 
 resplendent in hue than those " dipped by steam-revolving apparatus in the great vats of British 
 manufactories," and are not exported to the marts of London, Manchester, and Glasgow. 
 
 At Agra, however, the objects of interest which principally concern the reader and ourselves 
 are the Fort, Sikandra, the tomb of Itmad-ood-Doulah, and the Taj. We shall begin with 
 the last, as being pre-eminent in beauty. 
 
 THE TAJ MAHAL. 
 
 Travellers in speaking of it run riot in superlatives. A recent writer (Miss Gordon Cum- 
 ming) describes it in almost poetical language as a cluster of pearly, snow-white domes nestling 
 round one grand central dome, like a gigantic pearl; these all crowning a building of purest, 
 highly-polished marble, so perfect in its proportions, so lovely in its design, so restful to the eye, 
 and so simple yet so complex in its simplicity, that it resembles rather the marble embodiment 
 of a fairy dream than any work of human hands. Its four sides are exactly alike; hence it 
 follows that its perfection of form never varies, whatever the spectator's point of view. Standing 
 apart from the city, or any other building, it is all alone in its transcendent loveliness, with a 
 rich Eastern garden blooming beside it, and with the warm red sandstone walls of the inclosure 
 washed by the blue waters of the sacred Jumna. 
 
 Even so sober a writer as Mr. Grant Duft' pronounces it the one building which in all the 
 earth equals, or perhaps surpasses, the Parthenon of Athens. He asserts that, often as it has 
 been lauded in glowing panegyrics, none of them have done it justice ; and we may wait other 
 two centuries and a half for a worthy description, unless Mr. Ruskin could be induced to visit it 
 
106 
 
 THE TAJ MAHAL. 
 
 and write of it, as he has done of the Campanile at Florence. Men who can really describe such 
 things in fitting language, come only at long intervals. 
 
 From a busy Glasgow merchant it would be unwise to expect anything but a frigid estimate. 
 He begins by likening the Taj to a handsome ivory toy, expanded by a strong magnifying influ- 
 ence into palatial dimensions. But before long its beauty has its usual effect, and he tells of the 
 high- walled garden, with its flowers and fountains; of the palace, so reared on an elevation over 
 the country beyond as to have no other background than the sky ; of the deep green foliage of 
 the cypress-trees, exquisitely mingling with and partially concealing its pure white magnificence ; 
 of its central dome, glistening with a flood of sunshine, while on each side two graceful minarets 
 taper towards the pale azure sky. For him, as for others, the Taj has had a charm that could 
 not be evaded, a magic that could not be ignored. 
 
 GATE OF THE GARDENS OF THE TAJ MAHAL. 
 
 £■ 
 
 wall of red sandstone, about sixty feet high, encloses the entire area, a space of nearly forty 
 acres, and separates it from the river. This wall is finely carved with large groups and clusters 
 of flowers, inlaid with pure white marble, and adorned with beautifully wrought niches, in which 
 the green parrots take up their abode. Above it rises a great quadrangle of pearly marble, nine 
 hundred feet square and forty feet high. On either side of this lofty platform is planted a small 
 mosque of red sandstone, adorned with slabs of black and white marble, and crested with three 
 shapely white marble domes. One of these is for use ; the other, not being properly placed with 
 respect to Mecca, is intended only to satisfy the eye. 
 
AN IMPERIAL MONUMENT. 109 
 
 A second marble terrace or platform rises from the first, and each corner of it bears a tall 
 and graceful minaret, about one hundred and fifty feet high, also of marble, and crowned with a 
 dome. And out of the group of minarets, which seem so many pillars of steadfast light — like 
 that which led the Israelites through the gloom of the wilderness — springs up the Taj itself, a 
 great dome two hundred feet high, resembling in colour an Alpine peak of snow, and of the 
 most exquisite finish and symmetry. It is an inspiration to stand beneath one of the great dark 
 cypresses, the boughs of which are festooned with the glorious lilac-tinted leaves of the beautiful 
 bougainvillea, while numbers of emerald-plumaged parrots flutter among the foliage, and to gaze 
 on the wondrous edifice which commemorates an emperor's love and sorrow. 
 
 Yes, an emperor's love and sorrow ; for the Taj is but a tomb — a tomb among palaces, and a 
 palace among tombs — raised by the great Mogul emperor Shah Jehan, in memory of his beloved 
 Mumtaz-i- Mahal, or Arjumund Banoo, known also as Taj Mahal, " the crown of Empires." After 
 a happy married life of t wenty years , she died, i n 1631, g iving birth to a daughter. Her imperial 
 husband mourned for her with a profound sorrow. It seemed as if nothing again could give him 
 pleasure; for 
 
 " Of slaves he had many, of wives but one. 
 There is but oue Ood for the soul, he said, 
 And but one moon for the sun." 
 
 But at length the idea occurred to him of erecting a monument in her honour, which should 
 testify to all ages how great had been his devotion. For this purpose he summoned to Agra 
 the finest workers of every nation; and what the Eastern imagination conceived, Italian art 
 reduced to place and proportion. It is on record that for upwards of twenty-two years twenty 
 thousand men were employed on the building, and about £3,000,000 sterling expended ; which, 
 of course, takes no account of compulsory labour, or of the tribute furnished by conquered 
 nations. The red sandstone used was found near at hand, in the Metab Hills; the marble 
 was brought all the way from Jeypur or Ajmeer. 
 
 When we approach the Taj, we come first to a grand gateway, which in any European city 
 would take rank as an object of first-rate importance. It is built of red sandstone, and inlaid 
 with black and white marble, having central arches of extraordinary elevation. Thence we pass 
 into a garden about a quarter of a mile long and the same in breadth, blooming with roses 
 and the loveliest flowers, and traversed by a long avenue of spreading cypresses and a row of 
 shining fountains, which conduct the eye to the foot of the palace-tomb. The ear filled with 
 music of falling waters, interrupted occasionally by the shrill cries of the green parrots, we 
 advance to the Taj, and, by a low portal, " beneath an arch which seems to reach to heaven," we 
 pass into the interior. This is everywhere lined with mosaic work of the most beautiful execu- 
 tion, but of the conventional Mohammedan patterns; for the reader will remember that the 
 Koran prohibits the Muhammedan artist from attempting the likeness of anything in heaven or 
 on earth. Flowers there are, however, which have evidently grown by the wayside or in tho 
 shady hollow of a vale. 
 
 Beautiful to see, is this splendid memorial of an emperor's sorrow, in the golden radiance of an 
 Indian summer noon ; but if you would view it aright, you must, as Scott says of the ruined 
 abbey of Melrose, visit it by pale moonlight. In the warm sunshine it is defined against the 
 
110 THE FORT. 
 
 clear blue sky with too much sharpness, like a fantastically-wrought iceberg. But in the 
 moonlight it assumes a softer aspect, as if a mantle of freshly-fallen snow lay upon swelling 
 dome and marble pavement and glittering minaret ; the whole aspiring above the dense, dark 
 cypress-foliage like a vision of purity. The spectator holds his breath while he gazes, for it 
 seems to be a dream, an exhalation ; a something too lovely for earth, which, having been 
 suddenly revealed to the eye, will as suddenly pass away into " thin air." 
 
 THE FORT. 
 
 It is, perhaps, to its Fort, as much as to its Taj, that Agra owes its fame among Indian 
 cities. It was built by Akbar, who was unquestionably one of the strongest and greatest of the 
 later rulers of Hindustan. A mass of dark red sandstone, with frowning battlements, its 
 appearance is very formidable ; but the military eye quickly discovers that in these days of 
 scientific warfare it could not long hold out against an enemy. Within its high red walls stand 
 the Imperial Palace, and other lovely buildings, all of white marble, reared by Akbar's succes- 
 sors. Among these the foremost place must be allowed to the celebrated Moti Masjid, or 
 " Pearl Mosque," which induced Bishop Heber to characterize the vast pile as a fortress built by 
 giants and finished by jewellers. * Its dimensions are considerable : externally it measures 
 235 feet from east to west, by 190 feet from north to south, while the courtyard is 155 feet 
 square. 
 
 Its mass, as Fergusson observes, is also considerable; for the whole is raised on an artificial 
 terrace, which enables it to stand well out from the surrounding buildings of the Fort. Its 
 beauty resides in its courtyard, which, from the pavement to the summit of the loftiest dome, is 
 wholly composed of white marble. The western part, or Mosque proper, is of the same costly 
 material inside and out; and, with the exception of an inscription from the Koran, charactered 
 in black marble and inlaid as a frieze, all its ornament lies in the lines of its own graceful 
 architecture. According to Mr. Fergusson, it is less ornamental than any other building of the 
 same pretensions ; and in this respect it contrasts singularly with the later Moorish buildings in 
 Spain and elsewhere, which, like the Alhambra, depend almost entirely for their effect on the 
 profuseness of the decorative work with which they are overlaid. 
 
 Seven open passages, each a rich marble arcade with arched roof, lead into the interior. 
 Here, in the principal hall or chamber, which is adapted for six hundred worshippers, by means 
 of as many spaces or stations marked out on the marble floor, the European visitor will generally 
 discover a few natives, with face as usual towards the sacred hibla, rapidly muttering their 
 devotional monologues, and at momentary pauses bending their heads until they touch the 
 stone. 
 
 In the Imperial Palace we are shown the once famous " Halls of Marvel," where the eye 
 is gratified and refreshed by the purity of the cool white marble walls. Akbar's Tribunal, where 
 he sat to administer justice, is not unworthy of India's mightiest lord. There, beneath its 
 
 * There is, however, an unnecessary exaggeration in Bishop Heber's language, when he says, — " This spotless sanctuary, showing such a 
 pure spirit of adoration, made me, a Christian, feel humbled, when I considered that no architect of our religion had ever been able to produce 
 anything equal to this temple of Allah ! " The bishop had surely forgotten the glorious cathedrals of Europe, which are certainly not inferior in 
 artistic beauty. 
 
THK IMPERIAL PALACE, 
 
 111 
 
 marble canopy, wrought all over with clusters of blossom in jasper, cornelian, and other precious 
 gems, stands his throne. Observe, too, the panelled walls, with their floral decorations carved 
 in marble ; and the airy roof, extending in a series of graceful arches. 
 
 In Akbar's time the meanest peasant was free to seek his emperor's presence, when he sat 
 in judgment One would have thought that the cares of his wide-reaching empire would have 
 left him no leisure for these innumerable personal interviews ; but it is on record that he was 
 not less diligent in business than wise in counsel. He appears to have been a proficient in the 
 art of economizing time. Certainly, he lengthened his days, as Moore sportively advises, by 
 stealing a few hours from the night. He was as sparing in his sleep as in his diet ; and his 
 ministers were bound to be always ready for his sudden summons. 
 
 The Great Hall is now used as an armoury, and contains a choice collection of things both 
 rich and rare. The objects which will most attract the English visitor's eye are those Gates of 
 
 Somnauth which, some years ago, 
 became widely famous in connec- 
 tion with a rhetorical proclamation 
 by the Earl of Ellenborough. They 
 were said to be of sandal-wood; 
 measuring twelve feet high, richly 
 carved and inlaid, and adorned with 
 shields of gleaming metal ; and they 
 formerly guarded the entrance to a 
 great Hindu temple at Somnauth. 
 Thence they were carried off by 
 
 ouuram or thi oatm or ■oksacth. 
 
 the Afghan conqueror, Sultan 
 
 okxamkxtb or the oath or rumnaith. 
 
 Mahmoud, in a.d. 1025, who, well 
 knowing how they were venerated by the Hindus, removed them to Ghazni. After his death 
 they were converted into the portals of his tomb, so as to witness to the power of the Moham- 
 medans and their abhorrence of idolatry. Nine centuries and upwards passed, and a British 
 army entered Ghazni in triumph, whereupon it occurred to Lord Ellenborough that their 
 removal to Agra would be a significant illustration of the supremacy of the British, and would 
 demonstrate how completely they had succeeded to the power formerly enjoyed by the Moslems. 
 This may have been true ; but as the act excited great discontent among the Mohatnmedans, it 
 was not the less a political mistake. 
 
 t long ago a careful examination was made of these historic gates, and it was then dis- 
 covered that the carving was all purely Mohammedan, and free from the slightest trace of Hindu 
 
 iment or Hindu feeling; also, that the gates were not wrought in sandal-wood, but in 
 deodar pine. Hence it has been conjectured that the original gates were destroyed by fire, 
 and that imitations, made of the timber most easily procurable, were set up in front of 
 
 imoud's tomb. 
 
 Returning to the Palace, we enter a succession of halls, and courts, and gardens, where the 
 
112 THE PEARL MOSQUE 
 
 trellises are festooned with glowing flowers, and the fragrance of innumerable roses tempers the 
 freshness of the leaping fountains. 
 
 Well worth careful study is the bath-room of the Zenana, or women's quarter. Small 
 convex mirrors cover every inch of its walls and ceiling ; so that when lighted torches are 
 introduced, the whole place sparkles like a jewelled grotto, such as one reads of in the "Arabian 
 Nights." The spacious marble baths in which the beauties of the harem " sleeked their dusky 
 limbs" were fed by rills of water, which overflowed in a number of tiny cascades, and shone re- 
 flected in the gleaming roof. But fairer even than this fair scene are the Zenana pavilions, which, 
 like so many birds' nests, overhung the great river-wall of sandstone ; pavilions, all of marble, 
 all daintily ornamented with elaborate carving, all displaying a really exquisite purity of design. 
 
 Beautiful indeed is the Jasmine Bower, the fairy chamber reserved for the favourite 
 sultana ; and beautiful are all those richly-wrought apartments in which the Emperor Shah 
 Jehan spent in captivity the last seven years of his life. His chief pleasure during this 
 melancholy period centred in the erection of the Moti Masjid ; and his last sight on earth must 
 have been that " divine and glorious " structure, which to all time will keep green his memory. 
 
 The common tradition states that Shah Jehan's lovely daughter Jehanara suggested to her 
 father the idea of the erection of this mosque, in order to divert his mind from gloomy thoughts. 
 With noble self-devotion she voluntarily shared his imprisonment, and by her wit and affection 
 did much to cheer it. She lies buried at Delhi in a white marble sarcophagus, carved with 
 flowers and encrusted with gems, while in the centre blooms a spot of fresh green turf; and 
 an inscription records that, by her own desire, only flowers and grass, things frail and 
 evanescent, mark the last resting-place of the "perishable pilgrim Jehanara." 
 
 TOMB OF AKBAE. 
 
 At Sikandra, seven miles from Agra, is situated the tomb of Akbar, erected by his son. It 
 stands in a noble square of garden-ground, approached by magnificent gateways, which now 
 exhibit signs of decay; and is built of dark red sandstone, in four huge terraces, each smaller 
 than the one beneath it. At the four corners of every terrace a domed pavilion is planted. In 
 the characteristic Oriental style, it is inlaid with marble and many-coloured encaustic tiles, which 
 preserve their brilliancy in a remarkable manner. The topmost story, high in air, forms a court 
 of white marble, enclosing the cenotaph of the mighty emperor, with nothing above it but the 
 silent sapphire sky. It is inscribed, in Persian characters, with the ninety-nine attributes of 
 God. But the actual tomb lies far below ; just in the same position, says Mr. Grant Duff, as 
 that occupied by the dead monarch in the tumulus of Alyattes — or, we may add, as that of the 
 Egyptian king in the so-called Pyramid of Cheops. 
 
 The distinctive feature of Agra, that characteristic which contrasts it with all other Indian 
 cities, is very clearly brought out by Dr. Macleod. We all, as he remarks, have visions of the 
 Great Mogul, — a designation, by the way, which historians rightly reject as unwarranted by 
 fact, but which will nevertheless remain, like many a fruit of fairy tale, or of prosaic fibbing, — 
 visions of pearls, gold, and diamonds, of power and of cruelty, and of all that a young reader of 
 the "Arabian Nights " could desire, had he only the powerful magic charm to minister to his 
 pleasures. But nowhere else do we obtain so vivid, so true an idea of Mohammedan architecture. 
 
TOMB OF ITMAD-OOD-DOULAH. 113 
 
 In Agra the traveller is, as it were, in a new world, which is Oriental, but certainly not Hindu ; 
 "a splendid exotic, flowering in beauty and brilliancy beside the dark and ugly form of Siva." 
 And nowhere is this Orientalism so conspicuous, this beauty and brilliancy are nowhere so 
 plainly visible, as in the Taj, which is truly the gem of India, and the very culmination and 
 perfection of Mohammedan art. Were we to recognize it as symbolical, we might conclude that 
 the life and worship of Islam were perfect purity ; for it is pure as alabaster, simple in its forms, 
 and void of every ornament except radiant gems blended with the snowy marble, like flowers of 
 spring blooming in the chinks and fissures of the quarries of Carrara. 
 
 FUTTEYPUR SIKRI. 
 
 About twenty-four miles from Agra, among the Bhurtpore Hills, lies Futteypur Sikri, 
 which may here be mentioned in connection with the imperial Akbar. 
 
 It presents an imposing mass of walls, towers, and palaces of red sandstone, crowning 
 an abrupt and elevated precipice. These, of old, composed the summer-palace of Akbar — his 
 gal Windsor; " but were abandoned in deference to the will of a half-crazy anchorite, whose 
 reputed sanctity had originally drawn the emperor to the spot. 
 
 Among other objects of interest in Agra, may be named the Tomb of Itmad-ood-Doulah. 
 "Here it was," says Mr. Grant Duff, "that my attention was first drawn to the distinction 
 between the tombs of men and women in this part of the world.'' Upon those of the former 
 is carved a writing-case, on those of the latter a slate, to indicate their respective relations as 
 active and passive, as doers and recipients. 
 
 Itmad-ood-Doulah is a corruption of the official title, Akmat-ood-doulah, or treasurer of the 
 empire; a post formerly held by Khwajah Ghaias, father-in-law of the Emperor Jehangir. On 
 his death, in 1610, this mausoleum was erected for the reception of his remains by the imperial 
 order. It is situated in the midst of a beautiful garden, which is surrounded by walls and 
 palaces. Its actual size is not great, for it is only twenty feet high and fifty feet long; but its 
 terraced roof is crowned by four turrets and a pavilion, raising the total height to forty feet 
 Architecturally, it combines the features of the Hindu and Mogul styles. It is built of white 
 marble, but every inch of space is covered with mosaics, and this prodigality of ornamentation 
 perplexes the spectator. 
 
 From this splendid mausoleum, the banks of the Jumna bloom with gardens, which sur- 
 round the tombs or palaces of the nobles of Akbar's Court. Among these we may indicate the 
 Rambaugh, containing large pavilions, which the municipality of Agra has furnished for the 
 reception of travellers ; and the remarkable ruined mausoleum known as Chini-ka-Rozah, or 
 " the Tomb of China." This noble domed structure, built of bricks, is overlaid with enamelled 
 designs and arabesques. Their richness and grace are undeniable. 
 
 Of late years Agra, the imperial city of Akbar, has been distinguished by some remarkable 
 
 events. 
 
 Here, in 1 866, was held a grand durbar, by Sir John (now Lord) Lawrence, then Governor- 
 oral of India, who summoned thither, as vassals or allies of the Queen of England, the great 
 
 chiefs ami feudatories from Cape Comorin to the Himalaya. 
 
114 GRAND DURBAR AT AGRA. 
 
 The governor-general entered Agra in state on the 11th of November. On the 13th, an 
 hour after sunrise, in accordance with Indian custom, he sent a deputation of officials to wait 
 upon the Maharajahs of Gwalior, Jeypur, and Joudpur, and the Begum of Bhopal, the only 
 chiefs entitled to such a mark of distinction. At ten o'clock he held a grand levee. At one the 
 Indian princes began their visits to the viceroy, occupying the rest of that day and the next. 
 Afterwards he returned these visits ; so that for several days the streets of Agra blazed with 
 gorgeous costumes. 
 
 Scindia, one of the most powerful of the Indian chiefs, who remained faithful to our rule 
 throughout the dark days of the Mutiny, had formed the idea of giving an entertainment at the 
 Taj, which the municipality of Agra had placed at his disposal. It proved to be a realization of 
 one's dreams of Fairyland. The visitor, on entering the first court, passed between two lines of 
 Scindia's grenadiers, and then entered the garden under the lofty monumental archway, which 
 shone with a thousand lamps. But who shall describe that garden % It seemed like a dream — 
 a vision; — the fountains throwing up showers of many-coloured spray, the trees covered with 
 fruits and flowers, and the sounds of exquisite music filling every echo. The long avenues, 
 paved with marble, presented a brilliant spectacle ; for European officers and diplomatists, 
 glittering with orders, Indian ministers and Rajput chiefs, mingled with maharajahs and rajahs, 
 whose attire seemed woven of precious stones. And in and out of the throng moved gracefully 
 the great ladies of the Court of Calcutta. 
 
 Suddenly at about ten o'clock was seen, at the farther end of the main avenue, a colossal 
 mass of snow, suspended in the air. It was the Taj, which, previously hidden by the darkness, 
 had just been illuminated with electric lights. The effect was magical. The illumination then 
 became general ; and the choubdars proceeded to conduct the guests to the Jawab, — an immense 
 hall, decorated with mosaics, — where a banquet had been prepared, which combined all the 
 luxuries of Europe and Asia. 
 
 The supper ended, a display of fireworks took place on the banks of the Jumna, which 
 winds round the base of the Taj in a graceful curve. Numerous rockets shone for an instant, 
 reflected in the clear mirror-like waters. Scarcely was all again shrouded in darkness when a 
 line of fire floated down the stream and bathed it in light. This effect was due to thousands 
 of tiny lamps flung from the Toundlah bridge into the river, which they covered with a sheet 
 of fire. At midnight the English bands gave a concert, and then the crowd gradually dispersed. 
 
 On the 16th of November the viceroy reviewed the English army, twenty thousand strong, 
 under Sir William Mansfield (afterwards Lord Sandhurst), on the Grand Esplanade of Agra. 
 The 17th witnessed an assembly of the Order of the Star of India, at which several sovereigns 
 and feudatories were invested with its insignia. The ceremony took place in the Shamiana, or 
 tent of the durbars, which occupied the centre of the Imperial camp, — a spacious pavilion, the 
 khanats of which formed a boldly-curved arch, supported by light and elegant pillars. At or.e 
 end was raised the viceroy's golden throne, supported by heraldic lions, and crowning an 
 elevated platform which blazed with cloth of gold ; and on either side of the throne stretched 
 a row of sofas — those on the left for the lesser, and those on the right for the higher ranks. 
 
 The viceroy wore the rich collar, the star, ribbon, and lilac satin robes of the Order. The 
 ceremony of investiture was simple. The prince on whom the honour was to be conferred stood 
 before the dais of the Queen of England's representative ; the Imperial letter was read aloud ; 
 
Ek^P 
 
 AX IHriRIAL DDIIAI AT AORA. 
 
A GORGEOUS PROCESSION. 117 
 
 the viceroy then embraced him, and, fastening the ribbon and collar round his neck, proclaimed 
 him a knight ; after which he made a short speech, enumerating those services of the new 
 knight which had procured for him so signal a distinction. 
 
 We now come to the 20th, the day fixed for the Imperial durbar. From earliest dawn, 
 says an eye-witness, Agra was a scene of tumult and excitement. Everybody desired to see the 
 magnificent spectacle ; but so great was the number of Indian princes and nobles and English 
 officials invited to be present, that not more than fifty vacant seats remained in the Shamiana, 
 and these were scarcely sufficient to accommodate the newspaper correspondents and a few 
 other favoured visitors. 
 
 At noon the Grand Esplanade in front of the camp was alive with the most dazzling aspects 
 
 •riental magnificence. Each rajah, as he entered, attended by a brilliant retinue, and 
 himself shining with gold and gems, took up the position assigned to him, from which he was to 
 march in state to the durbar. Hundreds of gigantic elephants, emblazoned with inconceivably 
 gorgeous trappings, — some with howdahs of gold or silver, others with standards and royal in- 
 signia ; thousands of horsemen, Rajputs, Mahrattas, Sikhs, and Boondelas ; soldiers in the rich 
 Indian uniforms; thousands of eager spectators from every province of India, — such was the 
 crowd which thronged the Maidan of Agra, order to some extent being preserved by the 
 exertions of the English mounted police. 
 
 The procession commenced at about two o'clock. According to the rules of etiquette, the 
 highest in rank came last. Each sowari, in turn, moved slowly up the great avenue ; the 
 English troops presented arms ; the batteries fired a salute ; the royal elephant knelt down at 
 the entrance of the Shamiana ; and an English official, taking the rajah by his hand, led him to 
 his appointed seat. For hours the procession continued, the brilliance of the display continually 
 increasing, from the Boondela chief of Alipoora to the mighty lord of Gwalior. At length all 
 were seated, — the Indian princes on the left of the dais, with their nobles and ministers behind 
 them ; and on the right the English governors, generals, and officers, their rich uniforms 
 appearing markedly simple in contrast to the full-orbed Oriental splendour of the rajahs. A 
 brief pause ensued, after which the choubdars, clothed in red, and armed with long golden 
 wands, announced the viceroy. All the assembly rose, and Sir John Lawrence, in full uniform, 
 with head uncovered, slowly crossed the pavilion, and, amidst volleys of cannon and the strains 
 of the National Anthem, ascended the steps to the dais. 
 
 At a given signal all were seated, and the secretary of state proclaimed the opening of the 
 durbar. Then took place the tedious ceremony of the nuzzur. Each rajah, escorted by his 
 de wan (or prime minister) and the chief thakour (or vassal) of his kingdom, advanced towards 
 the dais, and making a slight obeisance to the viceroy, presented to him a piece of gold, which 
 the latter returned. This piece of gold varied in value according to the rank of the rajah. It 
 was offered to the viceroy as representing the Paramount Power ; and subsequently, gifts of 
 equal value were made to the chieftains in acknowledgment of the compliment. 
 
 The durbar closed with the distribution of presents from the superior to the vassals, of 
 whom the record showed there were eighty-three. 
 
 Agra was one of the places visited by the Prince of Wales in 1876. His reception was a 
 splendid affair. The defence of Agra during the Sepoy Mutiny exhibited in a very striking 
 light the heroic qualities of the English residents. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE STORY OF CAWNPl'R, 
 
 SITUATION OF CAWNPUR — ITS MILITARY IMPORTANCE— THE ENGLISH CANTONMENTS IN 1857— OUTBREAK OF THE MUTINY — SIR HUGH WnEELER's 
 EXCESSIVE CONFIDENCE IN THE SEPOYS— NANA SAHIB — OPEN REVOLT — THE BRITISH BESIEGED — A GALLANT DEFENCE— .JANa's DEVICE- 
 TERMS OF SURRENDER AGREED UPON — THE BRITISH MARCH TO THE PLACE OF EMBARKATION — A MASSACRE — THE SAVADA HOUSE AND ITS 
 CAPTIVES— A SECOND MASSACRE -THE WELL OF SLAUGHTER— ARRIVAL OF HAVELOCK -CAWNPUR RECOVERED— THE MEMORIAL. 
 
 ITH no city in India are more mournful memories connected than with Cawnpur. It 
 will be long before it ceases to awaken painful emotions in the heart of England, — 
 before we can hear its name without being stirred to mingled feelings of pity and 
 indignation. 
 
 Cawnpur is situated on the south bank of the Ganges, about half-way between Allahabad 
 and Agra, with both of which cities, as well as with Lacknow on the north-east, it is connected 
 by railway. The river here is about a quarter of a mile broad in the dry season, and about a 
 mile and a quarter when its waters have been swollen by the heavy rains ; and yet it has fully 
 a thousand miles to run before it debouches into the Bay of Bengal. 
 
 Since 1801 Cawnpur has always been considered a first-class military station; and in the 
 spring of 1857 it attained additional importance, through the annexation of Oudh. It was 
 occupied by three regiments of Sepoys, who, with a force of cavalry and a company of 
 artillerymen, brought up the strength of the native garrison to three thousand men. Of 
 European soldiers there were about three hundred. Add to these the civilians, officials, 
 merchants, shopkeepers, and their families, and it is estimated that the number of Europeans 
 and persons of European extraction then resident at Cawnpur exceeded a thousand. 
 
 The English cantonments at that time extended for about six miles along the river-bank, 
 each residence standing in its own compound or paddock of three or four houses. " The house," 
 says Mr. Trevelyan, " like all houses outside the Calcutta Ditch, consists of a single story, built 
 of brick, coated with white plaster. A flight of half a dozen steps leads up to a verandah which 
 runs round three sides of the building. The noticeable objects here will probably be a native 
 tailor, working in the attitude adopted by tailors in all lands where men wear clothes ; a 
 wretched being, squatted on his haunches, lazily pulling the string of a punkah that passes 
 through a hole in the brickwork into the Sahib's bedroom — a monotonous occupation, which 
 from time to time he sweetens by snatches of sleep ; a Madras valet, spreading butter on the 
 Sahib's morning toast with the greasy wing of a fowl ; and, against the windward wall, a row 
 of jars of porous red clay, in which water is cooling for the Sahib's morning bath." 
 
 The dreariness of the compound is usually relieved by a well-kept garden; and the canton- 
 ments as a whole assume a cheerful appearance, with their race-course, and markets, and racket- 
 
THE MUTINY AT CAWNPUR. 119 
 
 court, and library, and the other agrfantnts which an Englishman imports wherever he estab- 
 lishes his home. In none of these was Cawnpur deficient ; and just prior to the outbreak of 
 the Great Mutiny it was not only one of the most important, but also one of the pleasantest 
 military stations in India. 
 
 Great was the change when, in May 1857, the news arrived of the outbreak of 
 rebellion at Meerut, and the famous march of the mutinous Sepoys upon Delhi. At first, 
 indeed, the intelligence was discredited by the British commander, — a veteran of seventy-five 
 years, — Sir Hugh Wheeler; and even when something like the truth was known, he would 
 not believe that the fidelity of his own troops was doubtful. He had lived among the Sepoys, 
 and fought at their head ; and he had learned to trust in them implicitly, crediting them with 
 good qualities which existed only in his fond imagination. While the delusion was still 
 upon him he suffered much valuable time to pass by unused ; and when he awoke to the fact 
 that treason lurked in his own garrison, he telegraphed to Lacknow for aid, it is true, but he 
 also summoned to his assistance the Nana, or Maharajah of Bithoor, — that most dangerous of 
 Indian characters, a native with a grievance. The Nana, deeply involved in the widespread 
 conspiracy against British rule, and, indeed, its principal instigator, sent forward, with all possible 
 alacrity, ten guns and three hundred men, and speedily appeared in person at Cawnpur. There 
 were officers, however, in Sir Hugh Wheeler's little garrison, who did not share the blindness 
 of their chief; and at their urgent request he at last began to fortify an old hospital, and lay 
 in some supplies of provisions. 
 
 To a full perception of the danger, however, he did not awake until it wxs too late. The 
 mine which the Nana and his fellow-plotters had so long been preparing exploded. On the 
 4th of June the Sepoys mutinied ; and rallying around the Nana as their chief, prepared to over- 
 whelm the gallant little band of Europeans who stood at bay within their feeble entrenchments. 
 The rebel force was speedily swollen by the retainers and tenantry of all the disloyal and 
 bankrupt landholders for thirty miles around ; until the British citadel was invested by a numer- 
 ous army, well provided with munitions, and in possession of several batteries of great guns. 
 
 < >n the 7th these batteries opened fire, and proved at once how unfortunate had been Sir 
 Hugh Wheelers choice of a site for his fortification. The old hospital was entirely sur- 
 rounded by large and solid buildings, at distances varying from three to eight hundred yards ; 
 buildings from which the assailants derived af protection much more effectual than that which 
 their improvised defences afforded to the garrison. Showers of bullets rained from roof and 
 1 windows during the hours of daylight, while after dusk troops of Sepoys hovered about within 
 pistol-shot, and made night hideous with continual volleys of musketry. 
 
 The annals of warfare, as Mr. Trevelyan remarks, contain no episode so painful as the story 
 of the Siege of Cawnpur. It is not one which needs the graces of language for its embellish- 
 ment However simply it may be told, it moves to tears as surely as the deathless pages in 
 which Thucydides has described the last agony of the Athenian host in Sicily. Never before 
 has the sun shone on such a scene; on a crowd of women and children cooped up within a confined 
 space, and for twenty days and nights exposed to the pitiless fire of thousands of muskets and a 
 score of heavy cannon. At first, as each shot or shell struck their asylum it elicited the response 
 of a piercing shriek or a low wail of despair ; but before long they grew accustomed to the hell 
 of sounds, and suffered in silence. By the evening of the third day every door and window had 
 
120 A GALLANT DEFENCE. 
 
 been beaten in. Next crasbed and splintered tbe screens, ihe piled-up furniture, the internal 
 partitions ; and sbell and ball tore their fierce way unchecked through the naked rooms. Some 
 ladies were slain outright by grape or round shot. Others were stricken down by bullets. 
 Many were crushed beneath falling brickwork, or sorely wounded by the splinters which flew 
 from rent sash and panel. Happy were they, says the chronicler of the siege, whose age and 
 sex called them to the front of the battle, and relieved them from the spectacle of this passive 
 carnage. Better to hear more distinctly the rattle of the Sepoy musketry, and the groans of 
 wounded wife and sister more faintly. If die they both must, — such was the thought of more 
 than one husband, — it was well that duty bade them die apart. 
 
 Words cannot do justice to the brilliant valour of the defence. Never on the most illustrious 
 field have English soldiers more heroically upheld the honour of their race. They were few, but 
 they were faithful; day and night they remained at their posts, and endured unshaken the 
 severest labours. They were overmatched in weight of metal ; ill-provided with ammunition ; 
 and unprotected by an inch of cover. And, what was worse, their provisions failed. Want of 
 water was also a constant and an increasing evil. There was but one well, which at no time 
 could have furnished a sufficient supply for a thousand mouths during the heats of an Indian 
 June ; but this well lay in the line of fire of the Sepoy artillerymen. " Guns were trained on 
 to the exact spot ; so that the appearance of a man with a pitcher by day, and by night the 
 creaking of the tackle, was the signal for a shower of grape. The framework of beam and brick 
 which protected the drawers was soon shot away. The machinery went next, and the buckets 
 were thenceforward hauled up hand over hand from a depth of more than sixty feet." All this 
 was done under a tremendous fire ; and so many gallant lives were lost, that, to a fanciful 
 imagination, the water thus dearly purchased must have tasted like blood. 
 
 While the little garrison was diminishing day by day, the ranks of the rebels were constantly 
 being swollen by reinforcements. Yet they made little progress towards the capture of the fort. 
 Every assault was repulsed ; and the Nana soon saw that before his artillery killed off every 
 defender, it was probable that relief would arrive from Lacknow or Delhi, and disappoint him 
 altogether of his coveted prey. Moreover, disaffection and disgust were gaining ground in his 
 own ranks from hour to hour ; and the men who could no longer be induced to face the heroic 
 Sahibs, might turn their arms upon him and his partizans as easier victims. Since force was 
 unavailing, he resolved to try fraud ; and in fraud his cruel, subtle, revengeful nature was fully 
 "at home." He opened communications with the besieged, and addressed to them a written 
 proclamation, setting forth that "all who were in no way connected with the acts of Lord 
 Dalhousie, and were willing to lay down their arms, should receive a safe passage to Allahabad." 
 The message was the subject of infinite discussion in Sir Hugh Wheeler's little council ; but after 
 much hesitation, pressed by the approach of famine, and by tender thoughts of the women and 
 children, the gallant old general resolved to accept the offered terms. The representatives appointed 
 by him held a conference with Azimoolah and another myrmidon of the Nana's, and undertook 
 to deliver up the fortification, the treasure, and the artillery, on condition that the little European 
 force should be allowed to march out under arms, with sixty rounds of ammunition to every man ; 
 that carriages should be provided for the conveyance of the wounded, the women, and the 
 children ; and that boats victualled with a sufficiency of flour should be in readiness at the neigh- 
 bouring landing-place. These stipulations were accepted. 
 
THE SURRENDER AND THE MASSACRE. 121 
 
 The Suttee Choura Ghat, or landing-place, lay about a mile to the north-west of the English 
 fort. A picturesque temple is situated close beside it, and at a short distance in the rear it is 
 bounded by a steep rising ground, or natural embankment. Here, with fell treachery, the Nana 
 planted five guns and five hundred musketeers, under the command of a wretch as impervious to 
 all sense of truthfulness or humanity as himself, one Tantia Topee. Sepoys were also drawn up 
 behind the village of Suttee Choura, and a squadron of troopers lay concealed to the south of 
 the Fisherman's Temple. Other arrangements were made, with consummate skill, to ensure the 
 massacre of the little garrison. 
 
 At dawn on Saturday, the 27th, the evacuation of the fortification, which had been defended 
 with so much heroism, began. A crowd of carriages and beasts had been assembled ; and some 
 of the women and children seated themselves in bullock-carts, some climbed up to the padded 
 back of an elephant. A fine animal, with a state howdah, had been provided for Sir Hugh 
 Wheeler. The wounded were stowed in litters ; the others, soldiers and civilians, marched on 
 foot. Through a silent and motionless crowd the strange procession went on its way, and 
 turned into the deep lane that led to the ghat Then Tantia Topee, who had been anxiously 
 watching for their appearance, saw the white faces and gleaming bayonets ; saw the dark tops of 
 the palanquins dancing up and down ; saw the howdahs swaying from right to left above the sea 
 of heada He called to a bandsman who was in attendance, and gave him instructions when to 
 sound his bugle. The last Englishman walked down into the gorge-like lane ; and immediately 
 certain troops, appointed to that duty, formed in a double line behind him, and prevented the 
 orowd from following. Meantime, the embarkation was slowly proceeding, — the women, the chil- 
 dren, and the wounded had been got into the crazy boats ; the officers were preparing to scramble 
 on board, — when the dead silence which had prevailed was suddenly broken by a bugle-call, and 
 instantly a pitiless fire was opened on the little flotilla. The English replied with their rifles ; 
 but several of the straw roofs of the barges blazed out into a flame, having previously been 
 ignited by red-hot charcoal, and in the twinkling of an eye the whole fleet was involved in fire. 
 A storm of grape and musketry burst forth from either shore ; and the Nana's treachery was 
 complete. To the imagination of our countrymen, oppressed and confused by the bewildering 
 tumult, it seemed that the land was alive with a hundred cannon and a myriad of sharp-shooters. 
 
 The details of the foul massacre which ensued we need not repeat. Only one boat got clear, 
 and floated down the main stream. On board the others, the dead soon outnumbered the living ; 
 and the murderous troopers, plunging into the river, cut and slashed until their arms were weary 
 with the work. Here is the tale of a half-caste Christian woman who escaped the carnage : — 
 '• In the boat where I was to have gone," she says, "was the schoolmistress and twenty-two 
 missies. General Wheeler came last, in a palki. They carried him into the water near the 
 boat. I stood close by. He said, ' Carry me a little further towards the boat.' But a trooper 
 said, ' No ; get out here.' As the general got out of the palki, head foremost, the trooper gave 
 him a cut with his sword into the neck, and he fell into the water. My son was killed near him. 
 I saw it — alas ! alas ! Some were stabbed with bayonets ; others cut down. Little infants were 
 torn in pieces. We saw it — we did — and tell you only what we saw. Other children were 
 stabbed and thrown into the river. The schoolgirls were burnt to death. I saw their clothes 
 and hair catch fire. In the water, a few paces off, by the next boat, we saw the youngest 
 -laughter of Colonel Williams. A Sepoy was going to kill her with his bayonet. She said, ' My 
 
122 THE WELL OF MASSACRE. 
 
 father was always kind to Sepoys.' He turned away, and just then a villager struck her on the 
 head with his club, and she fell into the water."* 
 
 When the murderers grew weary of killing, the women and children whom shot and flames 
 had spared were collected and brought to land. They numbered in all one hundred and 
 twenty-five. Some were wet, covered with mud and blood ; not a few were wounded ; all were 
 faint, and exhausted, and wretched, with a wretchedness that words cannot describe. After 
 a while they were removed to the Savada Kotee, and there confined in a couple of large rooms, 
 under a vigilant guard. Their numbers were soon afterwards augmented by a boat-load of 
 unfortunate wretches intercepted at Nuzzufgurh, and brought back to suffer and die at Cawnpur. 
 Of these all the men were shot down in cold blood ; the women and children were thrown into 
 the Savada prison. And soon afterwards a few fugitives were added, who had escaped from 
 Futtehgurh and made their way to Cawnpur, ignorant of the tragedies which had made its name 
 accursed for ever. So that in a couple of rooms, twenty feet by ten, two hundred and six 
 European ladies and children were pent up to endure the burning heat of an Indian summer. 
 
 The reader must not suppose that the Indian Government, during all this time, had 
 made no efforts to accomplish the rescue of the sufferers. With all possible speed a force had 
 been assembled under Sir Henry Havelock ; but the country was covered with rebel soldiery, and 
 he had to fight his way from Allahabad, which he left on the 6th of July, with desperate resolu- 
 tion — gaining battle after battle against almost overwhelming odds. His march was one long 
 campaign ; but, after winning a complete and glorious victory over the Nana's army, Havelock 
 entered the town in triumph on the 17th. Alas, not a single European was living to receive him ! 
 
 Two days before, all had been massacred ; the men first, and then the women and children. 
 The slaughter of the latter was attended with circumstances of peculiar atrocity. Five 
 executioners were employed by the Nana to do the bloody deed ; two of whom were Hindu 
 peasants, two Mohammedan butchers, and the fifth a Mohammedan soldier. After some Sepoys 
 had discharged their muskets through the windows, these five men entered the apartments where 
 the poor unfortunates were confined. Shrieks and scuffling made known to those who waited 
 without that the journeymen were earning their horrid wage. By the time darkness had 
 gathered over the scene, the men came forth and locked up the house for the night. The 
 screams then ceased, but groans were heard until morning. 
 
 Next day the dead bodies were thrown into a dry well situated behind some neighbouring 
 trees. " The bodies," says an eye-witness, " were dragged out, most of them by the hair of the 
 head. Those who had clothes worth taking, were stripped. Some of the women were alive. I 
 cannot say how many; but three could speak. They prayed, for the sake of God, that an end 
 might be put to their sufferings. I remarked one very stout woman, a half-caste, who was 
 severely wounded in both arms, who entreated to be killed. She and two or three others were 
 placed against the bank of the cut by which bullocks go down in drawing water. The dead were 
 first thrown in. Yes; there was a great crowd looking on; they were standing along the walls 
 of the compound. They were principally city people and villagers. Yes; there were also Sepoys. 
 Three boys were alive. They were fair children. The eldest, I think, must have been six or 
 seven, and the youngest five years. They were running round the well, and there was none to 
 save them. No; none said a word, or tried to save them." They all perished. Before noon on 
 
 * We have spoken of one boat «s escaping ; but only four of its inmates, after undergoing extraordinary perils, reached Allahabad. 
 
THE CAWNPUR MEMORIAL. 
 
 123 
 
 the 16th of July, no European remained alive within the circuit of the station. We confess that 
 it is with satisfaction we record the fact that a terrible retribution fell upon all who had taken 
 part, directly or indirectly, in this atrocious massacre. Few of the Cawnpur mutineers escaped 
 the halter or the bayonet; and those few suffered such grievous sufferings, that death had been 
 better for them than life. 
 
 We could wish that the innocent had not been involved in the fate which attended the 
 cuilty ; and that the British soldier, while swift to punish, had been merciful to spare. Yet some 
 excuse may surely be made for men who saw with their own eyes the fresh traces of the massacre, 
 — the women's apartment ankle-deep in blood, and the well choked up with the bodies of women 
 and children. It was difficult to look on these 
 things and not be sensible of a terrible, unappeas- 
 able thirst for vengeance. Even now, when Eng- 
 lishmen have learned to regret that the vengeance 
 was so sudden and so indiscriminate, and when 
 the worst memories of the Mutiny have passed 
 away, the cheek flushes, and the eye kindles, and 
 the heart throbs when they read the sad record 
 of the Massacre of Cawnpur ! 
 
 The fatal Well is now covered with a beautiful 
 Gothic Memorial, enclosing a fine marble statue 
 from the chisel of the late Baron Marochetti. 
 Well may the Angel of Pity extend her wings 
 over so sad a spot I A Memorial Church has 
 also been erected ; and the scene of the massacre 
 is occupied by well-ordered gardens, within which 
 ii" native is allowed to set foot A magnificent 
 railway bridge of iron now crosses tin- river; but 
 the bridge of boats which, in 1857, afforded the 
 only means of passage, is still in existence. A 
 recent traveller speaks of the Slaughter Ghat, 
 where the first massacre took place, as the only 
 oasis of greenness along the desolate river- bank. 
 The white walls, with black shot-holes, are now 
 rapidly disappearing; and Cawnpur, with its broad well-kept streets and its neat bungalows, 
 wears the comfortable aspect of a modern English settlement. 
 
 There are no public buildings of any importance in the town; no stately palaces, no richly- 
 sculptured pagodas. As a city, it has little to interest or amuse the traveller. Yet to no place 
 in India does the Englishman turn with more eager curiosity. Its associations draw him thither 
 with an irresistible spell. Nor are they wholly painful ; for along with its memories of blood 
 and treachery are recollections which make the heart beat proudly, — recollections of the daring 
 courage and heroic endurance of the few defenders who, day after day and night after night, 
 faced the incessant storm of shot and shell, and calmly confronted death, in order that the 
 fame of England might not be tarnished. 
 
 KKXOKML AT CXWXPVM. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 LACKNOW. 
 
 view of lacknow— its origin— the imperial palace— the martiniere— story of claude martin — the kaiser bagh —its associations— court 
 of the kings of atjdh — the sepoy motiny— siege of the residency— death of sir henry lawrence— memorable places— lord 
 Lawrence's durbar — the hosseinabad imambara— the prince of wales's visit. 
 
 jjHERE are few towns in India, says a traveller whose evidence may be accepted without 
 question, which charm the stranger more by their external aspects than Lacknow. On 
 all sides it is surrounded by a spacious park, the green lawns of which are watered 
 by a thousand rills; while its innumerable monuments exhibit their fantastic or graceful 
 outlines above masses of glossy foliage. Nor is this favourable first impression counteracted 
 by anything that one sees on a closer inspection of the city. Its broad streets are regularly 
 built, and lined with handsome houses which are saved from monotony by their wooden balconies 
 and flat terraces; fountains, girdled with tall trees, ornament the principal cross-ways, and cool 
 and refresh the air; the crowds circulating along the sunny thoroughfares are cleanly and pic- 
 turesquely attired ; and the shops are filled with objects which entice and please the eye. 
 
 Lacknow — or, as it is more correctly spelt, Lakhnau — was known by the name of 
 Lakchanavati some forty centuries ago, when it was the capital of Lakshmana, the brother of 
 Rama. The present city, however, is of very modern date, and rose into repute and prosperity 
 under the Mussulman emperors of Audh (or Oudh) in the seventeenth century. They 
 endeavoured to cover it with buildings surpassing those of Delhi in magnificence; but though 
 the structures they raised astonish by their magnitude, they are soon discovered to possess no 
 architectural merit. They are " eye-deceptions, stage-scenery, mere frameworks covered with 
 tiles and gilding," in which beauty of design and harmony of proportion have been sacrificed to 
 a love of tawdry show and theatrical effect. 
 
 The Imperial Palace is really a group of palaces, extending over a very considerable area. 
 Its name, Kaiser Bagh, is a strange compound of the German kaiser (emperor) and the Indian 
 bdgh (garden) ; yet it is not inappropriate to the medley pile which a French adventurer 
 designed, and in which Moorish arcades break up an Italian facade, and Chinese bell-turrets 
 cluster round the spire of a Hindu temple.* 
 
 * Claude Martin, or Martine, was a poor Breton soldier, who, having been sent with his regiment to Pondicherry, rose to the rank of corporal 
 The preferment, however, failed to satisfy his ambition ; and deserting from his regiment, he plunged into the interior, bent on carving out a fortune. 
 After passing through a succession of marvellous adventures, he reached the court of the King of Audh, who was delighted to secure the services of 
 a European, and gave him a captaincy in his army. In some way or other he contrived to gain so entirely his royal master's confidence, that, 
 about 1780, he was both chief counsellor of the Mussulman Csesar and commander-in-chief of all his forces. To his other talents Martin added 
 a taste for architecture; and all the Mohammedan emperors having been partial to building, he was able at Lacknow to indulge ad libitum. He 
 undertook the reform of the native architecture; and the result of his labours, and of those of his pupils, may be seen in the grandiose structures of 
 Lacknow. It must be added, to his credit, that he had wise notions of the value of education ; and he founded at his own expense the celebrated 
 schools known as La Martiniere, where a gratuitous education is supplied to some thousands of children.— Roasselet, p. 517 ; RuutU, ii. 
 
THE KAISER BAGH. 125 
 
 The Kaiser Bagh occupied many years in its erection, and was finally completed by the 
 ex-king "Wajid Ali Shah in 1850, having cost about £800,000. The stranger, on entering, is 
 conducted from one high-walled court to another, where the most interesting features are the 
 huge gates of brass, covered with an infinite variety of richly-wrought devices, including figures 
 of winged mermaids, and fish tied to flowers with a string. Diminutive temples abound, and 
 
 TATIUOX OF LAXKA, IS THI KAISER BAOH. 
 
 fanciful pavilions, prominent among which are the Badshah Manzil, a favourite residence of the 
 last King of Audh, and the Chandiwalli Baradari, formerly paved with silver. Through the 
 superb Lakhu Gate, so called because it is said to have cost a lakh of rupees, the visitor enters 
 the grand square of the Kaiser Bagh, where the eye is literally confused by the meretrieimi> 
 splendour of massive pillars and sculptured terraces, and the glittering variety of fountains, water- 
 courses, pagodas, and gilded spires. But a calmer examination convinces him that wide courts, 
 and colonnades, and orange-groves have all a meretricious air about them ; and as he wanders 
 among them he feels as if he were assisting at an exhibition of " theatrical properties" on a 
 colossal scale. 
 
 Nor does he fail to remember that the darkest memories of unbridled sensuality and moral 
 degradation are indissolubly connected with the architectural pageant before him. If these halls 
 could speak of the scenes formerly enacted within them, the stranger would feel like one who had 
 unwittingly crossed the threshold of Gomorrah. Whether Lord Dalhousie's annexation of Audh 
 was politically a blander, W« need not here inquire; but no one who has read Sir William 
 
126 HAVELOCK'S ARRIVAL. 
 
 Sleeman's vivid pages can doubt but that it was high time the infamies of the royal house of 
 Lacknow ceased to be sheltered or connived at by the British Government. The king's court 
 consisted of eunuchs and fiddlers intent on every vice; of ministers and courtiers who pampered 
 the royal appetite and plundered the miserable people; while the king himself was hopelessly 
 sunk in the lowest depths of the lowest debauchery. 
 
 To the north of the Kaiser Bagh flows the winding Gumti, and following its course we 
 arrive at the Residency, the palace formerly inhabited by the representatives of British power. 
 It covered a large space of ground, with various buildings within its precincts, such as guard- 
 houses, a banqueting-hall, official quarters, and the Residency proper ; all surrounded and 
 separated by lawns and flower-gardens. It was here that, in 1857, the European inhabitants 
 found refuge, and were joined by the small garrison under Sir Henry Lawrence. This able 
 statesman, one of the greatest of our Indian heroes, had anticipated the outbreak of the Mutiny, 
 and prepared for it by the erection of defences and the accumulation of stores and provisions, 
 which enabled him to withstand a siege of several months. As is well known, the garrison 
 were relieved by Sir Henry Havelock after his victory at Cawnpur ; but the relievers were in 
 their turn beleaguered by the immense host of the rebel Sepoys, and Lacknow was not finally 
 recovered until the arrival of Sir Colin Campbell's conquering army. 
 
 To particularize a little more : — The siege of the Residency began on the 30th of June, 
 and was continued without intermission until the 20th of November. The city and all the 
 surrounding buildings were held by the native troops, who kept up a constant bombardment, 
 firing eighteen-pounders within one hundred and fifty yards of the defences. During the terrific 
 heats of an Indian summer, women and children were crowded into small rooms, or forced to 
 retire to cellars, to escape from the incessant storm of shot and shell. While the soldiers and 
 civilians undauntedly manned the fortifications, and served the great guns, their wives and 
 daughters watched by the side of the sick and wounded, prepared food for their defenders, 
 washed and cooked ; and all this while every moment a cannon-ball burst into their place of 
 retreat, or a shell exploded at a few feet distant from them. 
 
 Havelock, after losing five hundred men on his march from Cawnpur, and in his four days' 
 desperate fighting in the streets of Lacknow, gained the Residency on the 30th of September, 
 and was received with a tearful welcome. Its defenders originally numbered 1692 fighting 
 men, — that is, 987 Europeans and 705 natives. The fearfulness of the experience through 
 which they had passed is illustrated by the fact that at Havelock's arrival the garrison could 
 muster, including sick and wounded, only 350 Europeans and 133 natives. Early in September 
 the Residency held 220 women, 230 children, and 120 sick and wounded. 
 
 Among the dead was the gallant leader, to whose forethought and calm resolution the 
 success of the defence was due. While lying weak and exhausted in his room, he was struck 
 by a splinter from a shell, and the shock was too great for his shattered frame. The last scene 
 of his pure and noble career is thus described by Sir John Kaye. It can never be read without 
 a heart-throb : — 
 
 " First of all, he asked Mr. Harris, the chaplain, to administer the Holy Communion to 
 him. In the open verandah, exposed to a heavy fire of musketry, the solemn service was per- 
 formed, — many officers of the garrison tearfully communicating with their beloved chief. This 
 done, he addressed himself to those about him. ' He bade an affectionate farewell to all,' wrote 
 
HENRY LAWRENCE'S DEATH. 129 
 
 one who was present at this sad and solemn meeting ; ' and of several he asked forgiveness for 
 having at times spoken harshly, and begged them to kiss him. One or two were quite young 
 boys, with whom he had had occasion to find fault, in the course of duty, a few days previously. 
 He expressed the deepest humility and repentance for his sins, and his firm trust in our blessed 
 Saviour's atonement, and spoke most touchingly of his dear wife, whom he hoped to rejoin. 
 At the utterance of her name his feelings quite overcame him, and he burst into an uncontrollable 
 fit of weeping, which lasted some minutes. He spoke to several about the state of their souls, 
 urging them to pray and read their Bibles, and endeavour to prepare for death, which might 
 come suddenly, as in his own case. To nearly each person present he addressed a few parting 
 words of affectionate advice — words which must have sunk deeply into all hearts. There was 
 not a dry eye there, and many seemingly hard, rough men were sobbing like children.' He told 
 his chaplain that he wished to be buried very privately, ' without any fuss,' in the same grave 
 with any men of the garrison who might die about the same time. Then he said, speaking 
 rather to himself than to those about him, of his epitaph, — ' Here lies Henry Lawrence, who 
 tried to do his duty. May God have mercy upon him.' And such is the simple epitaph which 
 is inscribed upon his tomb." 
 
 Memorial tablets indicate all the celebrated spots of the Residency, the ruins of which 
 remain in the state in which they were left by Lord Clyde. Thus we read upon one, " Here Sir 
 Henry Lawrence died ;" on another, " The site of Mr. Gubbins's House ;" and on others, " The 
 Redan Battery," " The Cawnpur Battery," — and the like. Monuments have also been erected 
 by various regiments to those of their comrades who fell in the Great Siege ; and the visitor 
 turns with special interest to the simple, unpretending tombs which enshrine the dust of the 
 heroic Peel, the gallant Havelock, Neil, the bravest of the brave, and the illustrious 
 Lawrence. 
 
 With scarcely less interest will his gaze fall upon the ridge or rising ground which connects 
 the plain with the elevated table-land of the Residency ; for it was there that the viceroy, 
 Sir John Lawrence, held a grand durbar after the Mutiny, and received the fealty of 
 the Talookdars, or great chiefs of An.lli. The viceroy, from his chair of state, looked on the 
 grave where his brother lay in peace. 
 
 From the Residency we proceed to the fine gateway, the Rumi Durwaza, or Gate of 
 Constantinople, which leads into the Mutehi Bhawan, or Citadel. Here, on the summit of an 
 elevated terrace, stands the Great Imambara, a magnificent pile, with richly-decorated arcades, 
 tapering pinnacles, bell-turrets, and swelling dome, erected towards the close of the eighteenth 
 century by the Nawab Vuzeer Azof-ood-Doulah. Desiring to perpetuate his name by some 
 superb monument, he invited all the architects of India to furnish him with designs, which 
 should exceed in beauty anything achieved by his predecessors. The prize was won by Kai-fiat 
 oulla; and it must be owned that his creation shows equal originality and boldness. 
 
 Passing onward, we come to the Hosseinabad Imambara, an ample enclosure, containing, 
 in addition to the Imambara, a model of the Taj of Agra, another of the Kootub of Delhi, a 
 mosque, and a bazaar. 
 
 Reference must also be made to Claude Martin's own palace, the Constantia, which is 
 imposing enough in the mass, but drives an architect mad when he begins to examine the 
 
130 VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 details. It has been called " original ; " and so it is, in the sense that it is an original 
 combination of the features of all the orders of architecture, while the motley facade is over- 
 loaded with sculptures of gods and monsters. 
 
 The tomb of Ghazi-ood-deen Hyder is another of the " lions " of Lacknow ; its interior 
 preserves a collection of miniature portraits of the kings and queens of Audh. 
 
 The Prince of Wales visited Lacknow in the course of his Indian Progress, and laid the 
 first stone of an obelisk, erected at the cost of the then Viceroy, the Earl of Northbrook, to 
 the memory of the native soldiers who fell, during the siege, under the British flag. This has 
 been described as the most impressive ceremony in which the prince took part- in India. 
 " Without the battered and shot-torn walls of the old Residency, the red ensign of England 
 was solemnly saluted with blast of trumpets, raised arms, the rolling of drums, and the firing of 
 cannon. Both European and native troops were present, and formed themselves in three sides 
 of a square before joining in the salute. This effective display of the power and dignity of 
 England was well adapted to produce a strong effect on the native mind." 
 
 During his visit the prince was sumptuously entertained by the Talookdars in the Kaiser 
 Bagh ; a significant circumstance, when it is remembered that only nineteen years before they 
 had been in revolt against the British Crown. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE CITT OF TEMPLES. 
 
 THE HOLT CTTT Of TH« HLXDCB— ITS XAME AXD ORIGIX— ITS ANCIENT SPLENDOUR — TEMPLES OF BEXAXES— BATrtlXO W IHI SACRED RIVER -LIFE 
 15 BENARES— STREET-SCENES— A FESTIVAL DAT— SHOPS AND 8HOPEEEPEES — A HINDU TRADESMAN — THE TEMPLES DESCRIBED— THE OOLDEX 
 TEMPLE— WORSHIP Or SIVA— THE SACRED WELL— THE MIRROR OF DOOROA— THE TEMPLE OP 0ASE8A — GREAT FESTIVAL OF OAKESA— THE 
 RIVEB— A MM I Mill W OJT HOTEL SCENES— SC1NDIAS GHAT— A UVELT PICTURE— RAMNUUGUR— HINDU CEREMONIES OF SEPULTURE— CREMATION 
 —SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF UFE IX BEXARE8— THE PRINCE OF WALES'S VISIT. 
 
 [HE Mohammedans have their "holy city" in Mecca. The hearts of devout Papists 
 turn to Rome. The eyes of the Christian world are more or less steadfastly fixed on 
 sacred Jerusalem. But neither to Mecca, Rome, nor Jerusalem attaches that peculiar 
 odour of sanctity which the faith of the Hindus has attached to Benares. To upwards of one 
 hundred and forty million souls it is the gate of Paradise. Every spot of it is hallowed by the 
 presence and influence of some unseen Power. Its very stones excite the ardour of the pilgrim; 
 and to make a journey to Benares is, in the belief of the Hindu, an action so meritorious as, like 
 charity, to cover a multitude of sins. Its shrines are loaded now, as they have been loaded for 
 generations, with the rich offerings of the noble and the humble tribute of the poor. To die in 
 its holy atmosphere, is to pass at once into bliss immortal. To wash in the cleansing waters of 
 its sacred river, is to purify the soul from all mortal stain. Nowhere else, in a word, is religion 
 so completely materialized, and associated with a local habitation, as in Benares. The Christian 
 venerates the earthly Zion as a type of the celestial, and because it witnessed the wonders and 
 love and sufferings of the Son of God. But the Hindu's reverence for Benares has in it nothing 
 of tender sentiment or emotional gratitude ; it arises from his implicit faith in the purifying and 
 saving influences of the place itself. It is Benares that he worships, because Benares is to him 
 an embodiment, as it were, of Siva. 
 
 There is that in its history which fills even the Christian traveller with astonishment. In 
 spite of the vast revolutions which have swept over India, it retains its old power, its ancient 
 hold upon the minds of men. Even the contact of European civilization seems to have done 
 very little towards shaking its religious pre-eminence. It is still a city of temples ; and these 
 temples are still crowded by thousands of worshippers. 
 
 The name of Benares is derived from the two rivers, Barana and Asi, which flow into 
 the Ganges on either side of the sacred city. But it is of comparatively modern origin ; 
 that is, it has not been in vogue for more than five or five and a half centuries. Ages 
 before, it was the capital of the wealthy and powerful kingdom of Kasi. It flourished as 
 a contemporary of Nineveh and Babylon, and became the centre of Hindu religion and Hindu 
 learning. At first, in the days of the Rig Veda, when Hinduism was a pure and simple 
 
132 BATHING IN THE SACRED RIVER. 
 
 monotheism, not a temple, not a shrine, not a place of religious worship was to be found within 
 its precincts. But as the Hindu pantheon increased, temples sprung up in Benares ; and its 
 repute for sanctity became so great, that when Buddha undertook to propagate his new doctrines, 
 he selected it as the fitting point of departure, the centre and stronghold of the new faith, the 
 most suitable place wherein to " turn the wheel of the law." It contained at that time about 
 seven hundred schools and colleges, and was the home of the most opulent of the Indian 
 merchants. Its wealth must have been immense, and its inhabitants were famous far and wide 
 for their gorgeous displays. To protect it, a strong citadel stood at the confluence of the rivers 
 Barana and Ganges. The turrets of this citadel were defended by archers with arrows six feet 
 long ; its walls by warriors armed with iron-shod clubs, spears, and keen-edged scimitars. And 
 its nobles could muster at need a formidable array of elephants, whose tusks were equipped with 
 sabres, and of war-chariots that rolled forward with impetuous rapidity. 
 
 The majority of the one thousand five hundred temples of Benares are situated on the river- 
 bank ; and the view from the water is one of great interest and variety, for some are brightly 
 painted, some gay with gilding, some are of elaborately carved stone, others glitter with gilt 
 spires. Behind them rise the flat roofs of the Fakirs' houses, with balconies overhanging 
 gardens of fragrant flowers, and around them thick groves of noble trees. Among these may be 
 seen the shining dome of some private temple belonging to one of the wealthier Hindus, nearly 
 all of whom have their oratories, or private houses of prayer, just as the wealthier Mohammedans 
 have their own mosques. The margin of the river is lined with terraced ghats, or landing-places, 
 where the people come down to bathe, and devotees to reflect, the latter each with a vast grass 
 umbrella extended over his bowed head and bended form ; while hundreds are engaged in wash- 
 ing, or in sprinkling holy water, or professing to study the sacred books. Sometimes a thin 
 column of blue smoke ascends from the ghat, and then we know that the funeral pyre has been 
 kindled, and that the greedy flames are quickly consuming the body of the happy pilgrim who 
 came here to die, to die in the sacred city beloved of the gods. 
 
 The great majority of the people, we are told, bathe at sunrise, and the ghats then teem 
 with life and motion. Men and women freely enter the water together, and no one is shocked 
 or injured ; the daintiest dames, who at all other times veil their faces from the stranger's gaze, 
 and are even borne to the river's edge in close-curtained tonjans, to which they will return 
 directly their ablutions are finished, now present themselves in the lightest drapery, perhaps 
 only a sheet of the finest muslin, with their long dark hair "rippling to their knees." It is the 
 custom of the country, and no one turns aside. Thus it is that at every few yards the traveller 
 comes upon beautiful groups in bronze of elegant bathing-nymphs, such as would rejoice a 
 sculptor's heart ; and, indeed, of these finely-proportioned bronzes you never think otherwise 
 than as statuary, and no touch of indelicacy or indecency attaches to them. 
 
 LIFE IN BENARES. 
 
 The visitor feels almost dizzy, as he passes through streets and bazaars which realize the 
 dreams suggested by a perusal of the " Arabian Nights," where the shops are loaded with all 
 kinds of toys and sweetmeats, with dainty stuffs woven by delicate fingers, with exquisite 
 embroideries fit for the adornment of a princess, and vessels of brass and copper, and ornaments 
 
- 
 
 > 
 - 
 r. 
 c 
 ■ 
 £ 
 
 N 
 
ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BENARES. 135 
 
 in silver and gold. On either side are the stalls of the fruit-merchants, their contents reminding 
 him of the spontaneous wealth of the tropical soil, — guavas and pomegranates, plantains and 
 cocoa-nuts, pumeloes or shaddocks, fragrant limes, noble pine-apples, creamy custard-apples, and 
 luscious mangoes, with many another fruit and vegetable, appetizing or nutritious. Around 
 these gather the natives, with clear brown skin and garments of different colour, gesticulating 
 and chattering like an Italian crowd ; while through the motley multitude stalks, indifferent and 
 undismayed, a great white Brahmanee kite, or a tall grim adjutant-bird. 
 
 Let us suppose that it is a high festival day in the City of Temples, and prepare to enjoy 
 it in all its rush of various life. The river-banks, gay with many-tinted clothes spread out to 
 dry, have not ceased to resound with the din of labour ; and masons, sawyers, carpenters, toil 
 assiduously in their sheds. A picturesque crowd, glittering in vestments of green, red, or yellow, 
 incessantly move up and down the steps of the great ghat or landing-place, or ripple away 
 in little streams by streets and passages at either side, to mingle with the shadowy perspective 
 of the main street in front. The hour of prayer has struck, and devout Hindus hasten to 
 kneel in devotion on the margin of the sacred river, or to plunge into its turbid waters. 
 Among the thousands of both sexes whom the eye surveys with wonder, not an individual but is 
 or has been engaged in his daily worship. Some are bathing, some stand solemnly in the water 
 with uplifted hands. Hundreds sit shaded by huge umbrellas in covered rafts, either dressing or 
 disrobing — and both processes are very simple; while the bank exhibits a long array of bending 
 pilgrims, filling their brass lotas with holy water, that they may duly asperge the altars of 
 their gods. On a stone pillar, isolated in the stream, a Fakir in long garments kneels motion- 
 less in prayer, as if petrified by the wear and tear of centuries. In tiny square cells, raised at 
 intervals along the river-bank, undraped priests of the river-god crouch to receive the gifts of those 
 who desire their blessings for themselves or their kindred. On the flat slabs of masonry forming 
 the roofs of these open vaults, other devotees are busily reciting long prayers, accompanied by 
 numerous genuflexions. Observe yonder enthusiast, erect upon his pedestal, and gesticulating 
 violently at the sun ; desisting from this exercise, he repeatedly bows to the ground, and 
 ever and anon strikes his forehead against the stone, before repeating the mysterious gesticula- 
 tion.-. His attitude reminds you of the well-known statue of "Ajax defying the lightning." 
 We draw near to the " burning ghat," where the Hindus partially burn the body of their dead 
 before committing it to the Ganges; and we observe that it is black and charred with still 
 smoking cinders, — while a couple of pariah dogs, at the river's edge, are mumbling the bones 
 which have escaped the flames of a contiguous funeral pyre. 
 
 Turning to the great ghat, we find the very steps thronged with painted deities — gods and 
 goddesses, black, white, and brown, in every variety of unsightliness ; while every available nook 
 and corner, every projecting ledge, presents " some monstrous shape of organized life," or some 
 miniature copy of a temple, into which the people, with many muttered ejaculations, throw 
 marigolds and jasmine-blossoms, together with water from the river. 
 
 Again we penetrate into the city, where we are continually meeting with white-robed 
 priests, who beg as lustily as Yogi or Fakir. Far above the turmoil and the dust, prudent men 
 and women calmly parade the flat roofs of their houses, which bloom with fresh plants and 
 
136 SCENES IN THE STREETS. 
 
 flowers, and survey with easy indifference the currents of life that surge to and fro beneath 
 them. More curious are the faces which peep out of the narrow windows on either side. 
 Some of the by-lanes, close enough at all times, are rendered closer to-day by the many-tinted 
 garments hung out to dry on ropes that stretch from roof to basement. And everywhere the 
 eye rests on an animated and seemingly endless panorama of stifling little shops, within 
 which their owners ply their several trades : calico-printers and braziers, handling tiny blocks 
 and hammers ; print-sellers, toy-merchants, drapers, and victuallers all busily recommending to 
 prospective customers their different wares, — dhoolies and sarees, cloths printed and dyed, gods 
 in wood and brass, vestments glittering with gold lace, astrological books and diagrams, 
 jumping-jacks and spinning-tops, grain, seeds, and flowers. 
 
 In this rapid survey we must not forget the camels, elephants, and bulls, which form no 
 unimportant part of the population. When a Brahman bull, consecrated to Siva by the priest, 
 and marked with the sign of the trident, stalks through the crowd, it is strange to see with 
 what veneration he is received, and how many hands are eagerly extended to thrust cakes or 
 other dainties into his ample jaws. 
 
 Now let us turn aside into this tiny shop, which seems to have been fitted up for doing 
 business with Liliputians. Passing through its dark interior, we ascend a winding staircase to 
 an upper room, where, on our intimating a desire to purchase, rolls of precious hincob are spread 
 out before us. Kincob is a certain marvellous brocade of silk and gold, which issues from the 
 dexterous looms of the holy city ; and here before us are tissues of the most dazzling hues, 
 wrought with gold and silver in devices very fantastic but exceedingly rich. Brocade fit for an 
 empress, and to be purchased only at prices which empresses can afford ! We relinquish our 
 wish to possess a few yards of this wonderful stuff; and we do so all the more willingly because 
 we are forced to own that it could never be fitly worn by English maid or matron, — that it 
 would harmonize only with the bold rich beauty and glowing complexion of a Ranee or a 
 Begum. But it must be said that, as a specimen of human skill and industry, it is perfectly 
 unique. It is surp rising, indeed, that the natives, with such imperfect mechanical appliances 
 as are at their command, can ever produce so beautiful and highly finished a work, equally 
 admirable in design and execution. 
 
 THE TEMPLES. 
 
 But our attention must not be wholly devoted to the streets and shops of Benares, or to the 
 phases of a strange and novel life which they exhibit. In the City of Temples, the metropolis 
 of Hinduism, its shrines and sanctuaries must not be forgotten. And foremost among these, in 
 the estimation of the Hindus themselves, stands the Temple of Bisheshwar, the so-called Golden 
 Temple, dedicated to Siva. "Bisheshwar" is regarded apparently as the tutelary deity of 
 Benares; the god Bhaironath being simply his khotwal, or chief magistrate. The spires and 
 domes of his temple are covered with gilded copper, which shine resplendently in the sun, 
 and partly justify the laudatory epithet applied to it. Its domes and pyramids are many ; 
 some of these are red, some are gray ; all spring aloft out of a mass of sacred peepul-trees. 
 
 Close-surrounded by streets and bazaars, and presenting no architectural or artistic beauty 
 that men should love to look upon it, this " filthy little pagoda," as one traveller somewhat too 
 depreciatingly calls it, attracts an immense throng of votaries. You pass into it through a 
 
THE "GOLDEN TEMPLE." 137 
 
 narrow passage which is almost always filled with a surging current of devotees, coming and 
 going, jostling one another unceremoniously, and vociferating with little reverence. Thence you 
 emerge into a court occupied as a bazaar, where the stalls are laden with brazen vessels for 
 temple-use. Brass lotas or pots beautifully engraved with fantastic devices, curious incense- 
 burners, odd spoons, silvery boxes for betel-nuts, brass plates inlaid with shining metal, and 
 every species of idol, great or small, may here be obtained by the curiosity-hunter. The inner 
 court is a high-walled quadrangle, plashing with water, in which a number of sacred bulls 
 contentedly dabble, as they munch the dainties proffered them by the visitors. 
 
 Through another close, narrow, and crowded passage you pass into the principal hall, where 
 sacrificial fires burn beneath the golden dome, and wild enthusiasts leap through the flames, like 
 the Baal-worshippers of old, in honour of Mahadeo, the great god. 
 
 The central object of attraction is the sacred well through which Siva descended from the 
 light of day into the Other World ; a well railed in, and deep, with an iron grating over the 
 water at the bottom, and the lingam, or emblem of phallic worship, affixed to a shaft in the 
 centre. Hundreds of men and women gather round it, dropping in the highly-valued flowers of 
 jasmine and marigold, — or, it may be, the humbler offering of Ganges water from brazen lotas, — 
 muttering the while their monotonous prayers, and touching the iron fence with their foreheads. 
 
 Over the well and the well-worship presides a Brahman, seated close at hand, in long robe 
 and skull-cap of scarlet At his feet lies a vessel filled with water from its gloomy depths ; and 
 this having been rendered doubly efficacious by his blessing, he dispenses in precious drops to 
 a constant succession of worshippers, each of whom greedily drinks up his share. At his side is 
 a small box nearly filled with the pice constantly pouring into it from grateful hands. For be 
 it observed that they who give nothing receive only the holy (and filthy) water ; while they 
 who contribute are rewarded with a blessing, which the priest pronounces aloud, with his 
 hand on the donor's head. 
 
 Our next visit may be made to the Doorga Khoond, or Mirror of Doorga, the chief temple 
 of a sanguinary goddess, whose altar reeks with the blood of goats and buffaloes. In front of her 
 shrine, which glitters always with marigolds and other bright blossoms, stands a stone obelisk, 
 surmounted by a dragon ; and at the foot lies the great sacrificial sword, used in slaughtering 
 the victims demanded by the goddess's jealous temper. 
 
 The temple of Ganesa, god of Wisdom, a many-armed human figure, sitting cross-legged 
 like a Mohammedan, and wearing the head and trunk of the sagacious elephant, is magnifi- 
 cently adorned with ornamentation. The tradition runs that he was born with a human head, 
 but having lost it in a desperate combat, his mother vowed to furnish him with the head of 
 the first living creature she met. This proved to be an elephant, and in this way Ganesa 
 became possessed of the thoughtful elephantine brain. The pillars of his temple are generally 
 carved to represent the limbs of elephants, and their capitals are wrought into huge elephants' 
 heads. It was the old and terrible custom to sacrifice female babes to Ganesa ; and the custom 
 was unfortunately popular, because daughters cost much and are worth little in Hindustan, — 
 while, for each daughter thus offered up, the mother was rewarded in due time by the birth of a 
 male child. Such sacrifices were necessarily of the most horrid character; and as the priests 
 
138 FESTIVAL OF GANESA. 
 
 exacted heavy fees for performing them, the poorer Hindus satisfied their devotion by becoming 
 the executioners of their own innocent offspring — dipping them into caldrons of boiling milk. 
 
 The great festival of Ganesa occurs towards the end of April. It always attracts an immense 
 multitude from every part of India, owing to the popularity of the god, who is regarded as the 
 type of sagacity, prudence, and commercial enterprise, and whose image is conspicuous above the 
 doors of houses of business, because his presence is a safeguard against danger. With the 
 invocation of Ganesa all trade contracts and agreements open ; the invocation being represented 
 generally by a simple sign, indicative of the trunk adorning the god's face. It is estimated that 
 in Benares he possesses two hundred sanctuaries ; and early in the morning, on his fete-day, 
 processions are duly arranged in front of each. In a velvet palanquin, which a richly embroidered 
 canopy surmounts, is placed an effigy of the god, made in terra-cotta for the occasion, and glittering 
 with gilded and tinsel ornament. A host of white-robed priests and musicians gather round the 
 sacred litter, and the cortege then moves with measured steps towards the river, preceded by an 
 advanced guard of bayaderes, richly attired, who perform a slow dance, waving to and fro 
 their coloured scarfs. These bayaderes are " young girls who have been widowed before becoming 
 wives," and have been dedicated by their parents to the service of Ganesa, to prevent their 
 degradation into ordinary nautchnis. Apparently their life is as secluded as was that of a vestal 
 virgin, and they dance only in the temple or at religious ceremonies. 
 
 When the different processions reach the terraced river-bank, the scene assumes a truly 
 fantastic character. The crowds, all arrayed in holiday garb, accumulate on the broad stone 
 steps of the ghats, which are soon one motley mass of priests and bayaderes surrounding their 
 idols ; while the river is thickly covered with scores and hundreds of boats, gaily equipped with 
 flags. In long skiffs, the prows of which rise sheer out of the water, with bird or quadruped for 
 a figure-head, the Brahmans and bayaderes embark with their idols, amid the shouts of the 
 multitude and the clang of musical instruments. 
 
 The aquatic display continues until sunset ; but as soon as the golden rim of the great orb 
 of day sinks below the gleaming horizon, the boats lie-to, and the idols are solemnly cast into the 
 sacred waters. This, however, is not the termination of the festival; for as the shadows of 
 evening close over the city the quays blaze out with many-coloured radiance, coruscating 
 fireworks ascend in every direction, and the course of the river is defined by long lines of boats 
 ornamented with lanterns. The Europeans and the wealthy Hindus now enter their skiffs and 
 barges, and, accompanied by nautch-girls and musicians, proceed to share in the revel, and enjoy 
 the strange fantastic spectacle not unworthy of the " Indian Venice." 
 
 Following the quay beyond the Munikurnika (or " burning ") Ghat, we notice a succession 
 of handsomely decorated palaces, the facades of which rise above immense flights of stairs. 
 Here every rajah has his private residence, which he inhabits on his visits to the religious 
 festivals of the thrice-holy city. One of the stateliest — the palace of the sovereigns of 
 Nagpur — rests on a platform of a hundred massive steps, built up of enormous blocks of white 
 sandstone. 
 
 At the further end of this row of palaces, and high above all the Hindu temples, stands the 
 great Mosque of Aurungzebe, with its two shapely minarets, as they spring aloft, seemingly 
 proclaiming the victory of the purer creed of Islam over the dark faith of Siva. Here formerly 
 
r. 
 
 
THE GANGES. 141 
 
 stood a celebrated temple of Vishnu, which the Vaishnavas regarded as the sanctuary of their 
 religion, commemorating the spot where Vishnu revealed himself to man. The Emperor 
 Aurungzebe, as a sign of Hindu subjugation, razed it to the ground ; and the hundred steps of 
 the Madhoray Ghat, worn by the knees of Hindu devotees who formerly ascended it to 
 prostrate themselves before the image of the god, now lead to the mosque. This, says Rousselet, 
 is a small and even insignificant building, which induces us to regret the loss of the wondrous 
 structure whose site it occupies ; yet its minarets, one hundred and forty-seven feet two inches 
 in height, and only eight feet three inches in diameter at the base, are looked upon as architec- 
 tural marvels. And notwithstanding their comparatively insignificant diameter, they contain a 
 winding staircase of one hundred and thirty steps. 
 
 One temple in Benares is very like another, differing only in the types and emblems peculiar 
 to the god to which it happens to be dedicated ; and it would be neither interesting nor useful to 
 weary the reader with descriptions which would necessarily present a remarkable sameness. I n 
 some are to be seen carved marble bulls, market! with the sacred trident, symbolical of Siva. In 
 many, sacred cows are carefully installed, these being consecrated to Doorga. Peacocks, 
 gleaming in all the brightness of their gay plumage, strut in the open courts of others. And 
 each is filled with ;i rushing, noisy, gesticulating crowd, carrying their brazen lotas or offerings 
 of radiant flowers. 
 
 THE RIVER. 
 
 Again we return from the sacred temples to the sacred river, which opens up to our watch- 
 ful gaze the best and fullest views of the holy city. Each time that the visitor descends it ho 
 observes, as he glides along, some object, rare, curious, or interesting, which he had not noticed 
 before.* Some new spire of the fifteen hundred temples attracts the eye, as it flashes in the 
 sunlight ; some novel and fantastic combination of pinnacles, domes, balconies, and projecting 
 windows is presented to him; or he is amused with the cooing of innumerable pigeons from 
 innumerable roosts; or with the bright-hued throngs standing, sitting, or lying on the broad 
 landing-places of solid stone ; or the gossips — for there are gossips and scandal in Indian cities — 
 clustering on the steep open staircases that rise to heights apparently unguessed-of. 
 
 On one or other of the ghats the voyager sees, perhaps, a large, gaudily-coloured image of 
 Ganges mud, "lying like a modern Gulliver among his Liliputian worshippers;" or he sees a 
 devout votary fashioning for his own behoof a little idol of mud or cow-dung, to which he 
 addresses himself in earnest prayer, and afterwards flings it into the river as of no further use. 
 It must not be thought that this is " idolatry," in the common sense of the word ; at least, the 
 educated Hindu will indignantly repudiate the imputation, assuring you that he worships an 
 invisible God, and avails himself of his image of mud or wood only to guide and concentrate his 
 thoughts, just as the Papist makes use of rosary or crucifix. 
 
 A ghat of magnificent design and construction, built of hewn stone, and enriched with 
 
 * " Om other ingredient of annoyance man the enjoyment of most Indian riven : these an the dhobiti, or washermen. Perhapa a doam 
 men, or more, stand in a row along Um water '• edge, armed with your linen and that of your neighboun, wherewith they scourge the water or 
 ■oat large (tone ; literally using your nice embroidered raiment a* if it were a cato' nine-tails, and a* if their one idea of waahing were to try how 
 hard they could strike. And at every blow each man eiclaims some |>et sentence at the top of hie voice, generally some one word of two syllables; 
 and this he reiterates till It aeema written on your brain. And when a whole troop of dhvOiti thus shout in chorus, the effect is deafening, and 
 annals some hideous war-whoop, Inet sa d of being the peaceful snog of those hard-working heroes of soap-suds, who as a class are about the best, 
 tad certainly the most diligent, servants in India." Miss UokDOX Crmuxu. 
 
142 KIVER-VIEWS. 
 
 much carving, is known as Scindia's, and was reared by that remarkable adventurer after he had 
 made his way to a position of absolute power. He intended it to surpass all the other ghats of 
 Benares ; but his ambition was foiled in a manner which conveys a lesson to those who care to 
 profit by it. An insignificant stream rippled along the ground where the builders piled their 
 foundations — a stream so insignificant that, instead of diverting its course, they contented them- 
 selves with building over it. The consequence was that, silently and slowly, but surely, it 
 undermined the masonry of the new ghat ; and before the topmost course was laid, the splendid 
 structure ignominiously tilted backward, as we see it now. 
 
 Such, at least, is the story told by the natives, who never allow that earthquakes visit 
 Benares, inasmuch as Siva, who props up the city on his gigantic trident, has carefully guarded 
 it against these calamities. 
 
 From a point opposite Scindia's Ghat, a noble view is obtained both up and down the 
 river. Looking back, we see a fine palace of deep red sandstone ; the quaint lantern-towers of a 
 group of temples ; and, above, on an overhanging bank, the splendid mass of Aurungzebe's 
 Mosque. Beyond, spreads the bloom of leafy gardens ; and we count a long series of ghats, 
 and catch sight of the Old Fort impending above the Bridge of Boats. Looking up the river, 
 we mark cluster after cluster of conical towers of elaborately carved stone, most of them bearing 
 the symbol of the golden trident of Siva — that Janus-like or double-faced deity who, under the 
 name of Mahad^o, is recognized as the Author of Life, while under the name of Siva he is 
 dreaded as the great Destroyer. Away beyond these rises the Nepaulese Temple, with pro- 
 jecting eaves, like a Chinese pagoda. Next to it stands a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess of 
 small-pox. On the opposite bank is Ramnuggur, the palace of the Maharajah; while in front of 
 us we take in the sweep of the great city, with its temples, its houses, and its green trees. 
 
 In the centre a temple, painted deep red, and bristling with gilded spikes, is partially 
 shrouded by wreaths of blue smoke, which ascend from the burning-ghat just beyond. And 
 this burning-ghat calls to mind the funeral customs of the Hindus. As for the poorer classes, 
 they carry their dying relatives to the river's edge, so that they may pass away in sight of the 
 sacred waters, and happy in the assurance of eternal bliss. Sometimes, it is to be feared, their 
 death is expedited by a dose of Ganges mud ; in other cases, a gratuity secures the attendance 
 and absolving prayers of a holy Brahman ; in others, again, the living wait in patience, and 
 apparently without regret, for the moment of departure, after which they abandon the lifeless 
 body to the furious appetite of pariah dogs and birds of prey. 
 
 Sometimes the affecting spectacle is seen of a Hindu mother bringing her first-born to be 
 committed to the. waves on a bier woven of leaf and blossom, while her attendants sprinkle 
 flowers as offerings to the stream. 
 
 But the richer Hindus, as soon as the last breath has been offered up, buy as much wood as 
 they can afford: perhaps only just enough to "char the body," which is then cast into the river, 
 and allowed to float slowly down the lazy current ; more frequently, as much as will suffice to 
 raise an appropriate funeral pyre. 
 
 The corpse is then cleansed in the river waters, swathed in cloth of gold or silver, or attired 
 in a shroud of fair white linen, or it may be scarlet, or, still better, of sacred saffron, on which a 
 little vermilion paint is sprinkled, to symbolize the blood of sprinkling as the atonement for sin. 
 A litter of dry and fragrant grass is afterwards accumulated upon the pyre, and sweet-scented 
 
ANIMATED PICTURES. 143 
 
 anointing-oil, so that the live flames may leap up with vigorous brightness ; and all the prepar- 
 ations being complete, an officiating Brahman hands a lighted torch to the chief mourner, who, 
 taking it in his hand, walks three to nine times round the pile in the direction of the sun's 
 course. The wan lips of the corpse are touched with the holy fire, and then the pyre is lighted. 
 Numerous other torches are immediately applied ; the wood crackles ; the flames glide from point 
 to point ; wreaths of blue smoke coil up into the air ; and in a very short time the process of 
 cremation is complete. The ashes are then gathered up, and entrusted to the sacred Ganges, 
 which bears them onwards to the all-embracing sea. 
 
 The visitor to Benares is particularly struck — more, perhaps, than in any other Indian 
 city — by the variety, and, so to speak, the abundance, of the life that flows around him. 
 Nowhere does he find a place of solitude or silence ; and he wonders how Brahman or Fakir 
 can concentrate all his faculties in a state of self-absorption when so much action and movement 
 obtain in all directions. The river is not less animated than the streets. Throughout the day 
 boats of every kind are passing up and down the stream — sometimes lazily drifting down with 
 the current, sometimes crowding on all their quaintly-shaped canvas, brown, or pure white, or 
 weather-worn, as the case may be ; whole families are wafted by in large house-boats, roofed 
 over with straw or bamboo, which form their permanent dwelling-places, as on the Chinese 
 rivers; big barges, with enormous rudders, and piled-up cargoes of rice or cotton, labour heavily 
 along ; and gaily-painted pleasure-skiffs carry merry parties up or down, or convey wan-eyed 
 silent pilgrims from bank to bank. Here you will see a raft, loaded with jars of milk, propelled 
 across by a dexterous swimmer. In short, the surface of the river teems with life, and its echoes 
 repeat the shouts and laughter of a continuous throng. 
 
 The Prince of Wales visited Benares in December 1875. After viewing its principal 
 "sights," he descended the river to Ramnuggur, the palace of the Maharajah, — being towed 
 thither in a barge, the bows of which were adorned with wooden figures of prancing steeds, 
 painted profusely with white and gold. The chair in which he sat was covered with blue silk, 
 edged by a fringe of golden lotus-leaves. At the palace he was received by a vast array of 
 native warriors on horses, and by a phalanx of elephants and camels. On his return, the river 
 and the ghats were richly illuminated with coloured fires. 
 
 One of the London " Special Correspondents" in the prince s train speaks of the river-part 
 of the city, with its terraces of old temples and mosques, and tiers of stone steps looming out 
 through the pale mist, as magnificent In the European suburb, he says, is a college like the 
 Queen's College at Cork, and surrounded by extensive gardens. The prince laid the stone of a 
 new hospital, and opened a " town-hall ;" both of which are of European design, and will form a 
 striking contrast to the native temples, with their domes, and pinnacles, and terraced roofs. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 IN CENTRAL INDIA. 
 
 VISIT TO DHOLEPUIt— ITS MOSQUE— SACKED LAKE OF MUCHKOONDO — TEMPLE OF JUGGERNAUT— IN THE BUNDELCUND— DUTTIAH— ITS TEMPLES— THE 
 GOLDEN MOUNTAIN — JHANSI— ITS RANEE, AND HER SHARE IN THE MUTINY — OORCHA — A GARDEN OF FLOWERS— CHUTTERPUR— HINDU FESTIVAL 
 OF THE HOLI. 
 
 jlROM Futtehpur Sikri, with its memories of Akbar, we may make our way to 
 Dholepur, about thirty miles distant in a straight line. It is situated on the banks 
 of the Chumbul, and is the capital of an independent state, recognized as such by the 
 English Government in 1806. It is divided into three districts, separated from each other by 
 solitary wastes — Purana Chaonee (or " Old Camp "), Naya Chaonee (" New Camp "), and Kila. 
 
 We shall glance briefly at its principal monuments. 
 
 The mosque, built in 1634 by Shah Jehan, is small, but very graceful. A Mussulman 
 cemetery surrounds it ; and here is to be seen the Jasjiree, a monumental marble cenotaph, 
 enshrining the remains of a Syud missionary. On the summit of a cliff, washed by the tumul- 
 tuous waters of the Chumbul, stands an ancient fortress, with massive walls strengthened by 
 circular towers. The interior is a mass of ruins. 
 
 Deep among the Pathar peaks, two miles from the town, lies the sacred lake of Much- 
 koondo, — which, according to the legend, was created by the god Krishna, to reward the hero 
 and prince Mouchou, who had saved his life. It is rather a tank or basin than a lake — -about 
 two thousand feet in length, and six hundred and fifty feet in width, and reflecting in its still 
 waters the marble colonnades and cupolas of the temples and palaces which, buried among 
 venerable trees, surround it on all sides. 
 
 The principal temple is dedicated to Juggernaut, the " Lord of the World," beneath whose 
 car, on the occasion of his great annual festival, so many devotees were content to fling their 
 despised bodies, in joyful anticipation of a violent death. 
 
 THE BUNDELCUND. 
 
 By way of Gwalior, we strike onwards to the river Sind, which separates the states of 
 Scindia and Bundelcund. Of Bundelcund the Englishman often hears ; but it may be doubted 
 whether many of our readers will have an accurate idea of its position. It is a mountainous 
 region, lying between the spurs of the great Vindhya range and the Jumna, and stretching from 
 the river Sind in the west to the Tonse in the east. Picturesque landscapes are everywhere 
 presented by its successive formations of hill and valley, and by the bright streams which flow 
 into the Jumna, through glens richly covered with wood. In the northern part spread some 
 extensive and well-cultivated plains, which are thickly peopled ; but the rest of the country is an 
 
> 
 
 > 
 a 
 
 
ARRIVAL AT DUTTIAH. 147 
 
 almost unexplored forest, producing, among other trees, the mhowah, the bur, and the catechu, 
 besides noble timber trees which belong to our European species. It is a sad association of 
 these immense woods, that in their shade the sanguinary creed of Thuggism first made its appear- 
 ance. There, too, the Dacoits, or highway murderers, flourished until hunted down by the 
 British Government ; and there the infamous Nana Sahib found an asylum when he fled from 
 the City of Massacre. No great road or railway has yet opened up this wide extent of country, 
 which was formerly included in one powerful kingdom, but is now divided into several indepen- 
 dent states, inhabited by races of impure blood and mixed origin. 
 
 DUTTIAH. 
 
 Crossing the Sind in the track of M. Rousselet, to whom we owe our latest information 
 respecting the Bundelcund provinces, we arrive at Duttiah, the capital of a small kingdom of the 
 same name. It lies amid lakes and woods, at the base of a considerable hill, with the steeples of 
 innumerable temples rising high above the red-tiled roofs of the houses ; and, soaring still higher, 
 the domes and clock-towers of the two royal palaces. 
 
 There is something characteristic about the Duttiah temples. Each may be described as a 
 square chapel, surmounted by a high conical or pyramidal steeple, which is flanked by four clock- 
 towers. The interior has but little ornamentation ; the walls, however, are painted, — and, of 
 course, the altar and the lingam of Iswara are always present. Of the two palaces, interest 
 attaches only to that of Birsing-Deo — a quadrangular mass, each side about three hundred feet 
 long and one hundred feet high, with a central dome raising its pinnacle to a height of one 
 hundred and fifty feet above the level of the terrace. Superb balconies of carved stone adorn 
 the four-storied facade, in the centre of which an ogival portico is surmounted by a beautiful 
 loggia Five other domes crown the summit. The entire pile is of granite, and sits solidly on 
 a grand vaulted terrace, the arches of which are forty feet high. 
 
 About six miles to the north-west rises the " Golden Mountain," or Sonaghur, a place of 
 pilgrimage held in high repute among the Jains of Central India. It is surrounded by pyramids 
 of granite, which the action of water has wrought into so many natural lingams. At the base 
 of Sonaghur lies a pretty village, embosomed among trees ; its summit is crowned by the domes 
 of numerous temples ; and temples also cover the whole surface of its eastern slope. They are 
 built of brick, but the walls are coated externally with a smooth white plaster made of shell- 
 lime. A few of them date from the thirteenth century, but they mostly belong to the sixteenth 
 or seventeenth ; and the variety of styles — Roman, Saracen, Gothic, modern Jain— is perfectly 
 bewildering. 
 
 JHANSI. 
 
 Our next halting-place is Jhansi, a place of direful interest in the Great Mutiny. At that 
 time its throne was occupied by the Ranee, a woman of ability, courage, and great personal 
 charms, who chafed under the supervision exercised by the British Government. When the 
 Sepoys rebelled, she thought the hour had come to strike a blow for independence. She put 
 to death all the Europeans of Jhansi, gathered together a small army, and, like another Semi 
 ramis, led them to join the forces of Tantia Topee, who owed much to her sagacious counsel. 
 Eventually they were driven back into the forests of the Bundelcund, and enclosed within a ring 
 
148 JHANSI AND OORCHA. 
 
 of avenging British troops, which gradually drew closer and closer upon them, until, in one final 
 battle, the rebels were crushed, and the Ranee perished among her fighting-men. At the same 
 time Sir Hugh Rose, afterwards Lord Strathnairn, captured Jhansi (1858). Stealing from the 
 citadel under cover of night, the mutineers fled to a neighbouring hill which formed a natural 
 fortress of great strength The British troops, however, fought their way to the summit, and 
 drove the enemy right over the abrupt precipice, which has since been known by the name of 
 the Hill of Retribution. No campaigns in Indian military history have been more brilliantly 
 conducted than those in Central India by which Sir Hugh Rose exterminated the remnants 
 of the Sepoy power. 
 
 Modern Jhansi dates only from the seventeenth century. It is a place of considerable 
 trade, its bazaars being filled with the famous blue cotton stuff's of the Deccan and the exquisite 
 muslins of Chanderi. The British cantonments are well laid out and strongly fortified ; they 
 are always occupied by a considerable military force. 
 
 OORCHA. 
 
 On the traveller's route to Oorcha, the former capital of Bundelcund, he passes the artificial 
 basin of Lake Barwa-Sagur, formed by the damming up of the waters of a small tributary of 
 the Betwa. The jungle around is a favourite haunt of the tiger, the jackal, and the hyena ; 
 and night is made hideous by the cries of wild beasts in search of prey. 
 
 Oorcha lies about eight miles from Jhansi, on the left bank of the Betwa, an arm of which 
 encircles and isolates its citadel. It was founded in 1531, and flourished greatly under the rule 
 of Madhikar Sah and Birsing-Deo ; the latter a sovereign of equal ambition and ability, who 
 extended his dominions from the Vindhyas to the Jumna. Afterwards it became a vassal to the 
 Moo-ul; and finally it was captured and devastated by the Mahrattas. Its monuments, however, 
 still testify to its former splendour ; and its temples and palaces vie in architectural beauty with 
 those of the most powerful Indian cities. The brightest dream of a poet's brain scarcely ever 
 conceived of anything fairer than its Garden of Flowers, with its groves of tropical fruit-trees and 
 its masses of bloom, and its elegant domed pavilion-palace. The Raj Mahal, or royal palace, is 
 an edifice of imposing size ; while the Citadel, with its long line of loopholed walls and pointed 
 battlements, conveys an idea of impregnability, which, before the introduction of artillery, might 
 perhaps have been realized. There are also the massive palace, with its enamelled cupolas, which 
 Birsing-Deo erected for the reception of the Emperor Jehanghir ; the tomb of Birsing-Deo, a colos- 
 sal mausoleum ample enough to content even so restless and fiery a spirit; and the grand cruciform 
 temple of Chutter Bhoje, which rests upon a solid granite terrace nearly fifty feet in height. 
 
 CHUTTERPUR. 
 
 Through Calpee, which is British territory, and by way of Nowgong, a British station, we 
 proceed to Chutterpur, a large but uninteresting town, dating from the close of the seventeenth 
 century. 
 
 We may here become eye-witnesses of the great Hindu festival or saturnalia of the Holi, 
 which, to the cultured mind of the scholar, cannot fail to recall the orgies that of old disgraced 
 the worship of Cytherea. It has undergone a degradation similar to that which, undoubtedly, 
 the Greek rite underwent in the course of generations. Holica, at Chutterpur, is not that 
 

 - 
 
 ■ 
 
 K 
 
HINDU FESTIVAL OF THE HOLI. 
 
 151 
 
 Goddess of Spring which the pure Rajput intellect imagined, and in which it typified the 
 resurrection of Nature after its winter-sleep ; but a female demon, symbolical of lust, who, 
 springing from the head of Mahadeva, introduced dissension and strife into Meruu, the Brahman 
 Olympus. As Vivien beguiled Merlin, so the licentious goddess entangled even Brahma and 
 
 MAIKJUI'M OF MUIXO-DtO AT OOkCHA. 
 
 Indra in her wiles ; nor would she set them free until Brahma had bestowed upon her twenty- 
 four titles of honour, and undertaken on his oath to celebrate her name by an annual outburst 
 of the wildest revelry. And when this great festival takes place, the scene is characterized by 
 the coarsest and most loathsome uncleanness. Deeds are done which may not be described ; 
 the tenderest feelings of humanity are outraged ; while women and children vociferate hymns 
 in praise of the obscene goddess, and shrieking crowds surround the blaze of bonfires, swelling 
 the fearful discord of tomtoms, gongs, and cymbals. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 AJMIR JAIPUR BHURTPUR. 
 
 SITUATION OF AJMIR— ITS BAZAARS— ITS WOMEN — A SAINT'S SHRINE — A JAIN MOSQUE— KISHENGURH VISITED— JAIPUR— FOUNDED BY JAY SING II. 
 — THE ROYAL PALACE— JAY SING'S OBSERVATORY— ULWUR — ITS ROMANTIC POSITION — BHURTPUR— ABOUT THE JATS— TWO GREAT SIEGES OF 
 BHURTPUR— THE PRINCE OF WALES'S VISIT. 
 
 'HE province of Ajmir, in Rajputana, is part of our Indian Empire, having been 
 annexed in 1818. It is about eighty miles in length, from the Aravalli Mountains to 
 the Bunas; and forty miles broad, from Ajmir to the Kari Nadi. 
 
 Its capital, Ajmir, situated in the midst of abundant gardens of roses which yield the 
 celebrated attar, is sheltered by the strong fortress of Taragurh. It was founded in the first 
 century by the Chohan Aja Pal, who gained possession of the whole country, and left his name 
 to the town, as Aja Mir, the " Mountain of the Shepherd," or Aji Mir, the " Invincible 
 Mountain." 
 
 It occupies the centre of a fair valley, one side of it lying on the edge of the fine broad lake 
 of the Ana Sagur, the other enclosed by the declivities of the fortified Taragurh. We need not 
 marvel that it was a favoured resort of the Mogul emperors, for its position is exceedingly 
 picturesque, and its climate delightfully healthy. They filled it, as was their wont, with 
 gardens and palaces — one of which, now converted into the British Residency, was the Daulat 
 Bagh, or "Garden of Splendour," of the Emperor Jehangir. The same emperor raised the 
 ramparts which crown the summits of the surrounding hills and join the lofty citadel. 
 
 Next to Jaipur, Ajmir can boast of the most splendid bazaars in Rajputana. They are 
 of English construction ; fine, broad, well-paved highways, lined with stately houses, the ground- 
 floors of which are shops, and stored with the products of Rajputana. The better houses, built 
 of marble, are singularly beautiful ; and though mostly modern, equal the most admirable efforts 
 of Rajput art. They belong to the bankers and ' merchants of the province, whose taste is not 
 less remarkable than their commercial enterprise. The older portions of the town are thoroughly 
 Eastern, and delightfully picturesque. All the races of India, it is said, jostle one another in the 
 narrow winding streets ; and beneath the dark stone arches of the stalls are exhibited the most 
 various manufactures. Here the high-caste jeweller, with the sacred cord round his waist, sits 
 on his elevated bench, working with delicate fingers at the most beautiful jewels, while his sons 
 and workmen around him mould or forge the precious metals. There the musical-instrument 
 maker may be seen at work on his viols, guitars, and tomtoms. Here the bracelet maker sits 
 before a fire, and melting his green or red lacquer, pours it over a conical mould. With a sharp 
 knife he splits the molten substance into thin circles ; it cools suddenly, and the result is a score 
 of rings. There the shoemaker plies his trade, embroidering some dainty slippers for the feet of 
 
FROM AJMIR TO JAIPUR. 153 
 
 high-born dames; while elsewhere we meet with dyers, potters, and coppersmiths, all busy, and 
 all silent The bazaars of the clothiers and vendors of manufactured stuffs make the best 
 appearance. The shops are clean and well-lighted; and their owners, enthroned on snow-white 
 cushions, gravely await the coming of purchasers, while their clerks cover endless rolls of paper 
 with interminable rows of figures. 
 
 The women of Ajmir do not affect the ordinary native seclusion. They are pretty and 
 graceful, and though allowed much freedom are modest in their manners. Those of the Hindus 
 are recognized by the kangra or short petticoat, and the sari or scarf; the Mussulman 
 women by their tight trousers. 
 
 There are no monuments in the town, except the splendid shrine of the great saint Khoja 
 Mouinouddin Chisti, or Khwajah Saiyad, the first disciple of the Prophet who taught the 
 doctrines of the Prophet to the unbelievers of Ajmir. And there are few noteworthy buildings, 
 except the mosque of Arhai-din-ka-Jhopra, which is at once one of the noblest structures raised 
 l>v Mohammedan architects, and one of the most elegant specimens of Jain architecture. This 
 twofold character is due to the circumstance that the Mogul emperors, in the construction of 
 their palaces and sanctuaries, employed Hindu architects, and used the materials of the palaces 
 and temples of the Hindu kings. The front is pierced with seven arches, each consecrated to 
 one of the days of the week, and embellished with the finest sculpture conceivable. The interior 
 is astonishingly magnificent, with its graceful pillars and carved roof, its Jain domes, and its 
 decorative work of palm-leaf and pearl ; a whole which is not less superb in conception than 
 perfect in execution. 
 
 We may notice, also, the massive palace of the Seths, now occupied by a banking firm; 
 it is truly a remarkable pile of white marble, of modern date, yet rivalling in beauty the 
 monuments of the earlier Hindu architecture. The front is richly embellished with finely 
 carved cornices and ornamented balconies of quaint design. 
 
 But we must move onward ; and passing the sacred lake of Poshkur, — in its valley of 
 shifting sand, with its shores lined by Brahman temples, — and the Naga Pahar, or Rock of the 
 Serpent, we reach the town of Kishengurh, built on a high hill above the lake of Gondola. 
 Thence we proceed to Doudon, a frontier-town of the Jaipur kingdom ; and, next, to Jaipur, 
 the capital of the ancient state of Dhoundhar. 
 
 Jaipur was founded in 1728 by Jay Sing II., a remarkable man, who, having served 
 Aurungzebe as one of his lieutenants, ascended the throne of Amber, and driving out all the 
 imperial garrisons, laid the foundations of a great kingdom. He was a profound scholar and a 
 viae legislator, and it ahould ba ramambarad t<» his bonotn thai ha andaanrourad bo aboliah 
 infanticide. 
 
 Amber seeming to him unfitted for the capital of a prosperous and powerful state, he 
 founded the city of Jaipur, or Jainuggur ; laid it out in noble streets ; adorned it with hand- 
 some buildings ; raised in its centre a splendid observatory ; and attracted to the new capital a 
 goodly number of men of science and letters. 
 
 The royal palace, or the Chandra Mahal, is a huge pyramidal pile, overlooking an Eden like 
 scene of gardens, lakes, and fountains. Jay Sing's Observatory is situated to the east of it, and 
 
 >t, as might be supposed, a building for the reception of astronomical instruments, but a 
 
154 ABOUT THE JATS. 
 
 spacious court filled with structures which supported the immense apparatus invented by the 
 king. It is difficult, we are told, to conceive of anything more singular or grotesque than its 
 gigantic dials, the copper wheels suspended between its marble columns, and the walls built in 
 eccentric curves and projections. One might almost suppose it to be the embodiment of an 
 astronomer's nightmare ! 
 
 Ninety miles to the north of Jaipur lies Ulwur, sheltered by an offshoot of the Aravallis. 
 The state is recognized as in alliance with England, and its Maharajah is "advised" by an 
 English Resident. 
 
 The capital, of the same name, is most romantically situated at the mouth of an amphi- 
 theatre of the most rugged mountain-peaks imaginable. It is built on a hill, and surrounded by 
 fortifications. Its streets are narrow and densely thronged, and its bazaars are crowded with 
 wares of every kind. Rising above them all is the royal palace, a pile of white marble, 
 picturesque in outline ; and on the other side of a small lake stands the Mausoleum of the 
 Rajah Buktawur Sing. 
 
 Our course now takes us to Bhurtpur, the capital of the Jat state of the same name, which 
 lies between the kingdoms of Jaipur, Ulwur, Dholpur, and the province of Agra. 
 
 The Jats appear to have been a nation of shepherds, who forced their way into Western 
 India some time before the Rajput invasion, and have always remained foremost in numerical 
 strength and importance. Their native country would seem to have lain beyond the Oxus. To 
 the descent of the Mohammedans they opposed the stoutest resistance. In 1026 they arrested 
 the victorious progress of Mahmoud on the banks of the Indus. In 1205 they strove vigorously 
 with the Emperor Kootub for the possession of the country of Hansi. In 1397 they faced the 
 conquering legions of Tamerlane, who overthrew them with a terrible slaughter ; and even from 
 the Emperor Baber their bravery extorted a generous acknowledgment. Allying themselves 
 with the Rajputs, they eventually beat back the Mohammedan power, and seated themselves 
 at Agra and Delhi. Wherever they have settled themselves, they have become formidable 
 through their valour and resolution. In the Punjab, where they are known as Sikhs, they 
 proved the most formidable opponents that the British armies had encountered in the East ; and 
 they now furnish our standards with the best and most trustworthy of the native soldiery. 
 
 The Jat belongs to the Indo-European family. He has a bright intelligent face, with 
 quick dark eyes, aquiline nose, high forehead, and abundant hair and beard. Tall and well- 
 limbed, he is generally of a very prepossessing appearance. A Sikh warrior is one of the finest 
 types of humanity. The women are mostly comely, and always taller than those of other 
 Indian tribes. When abroad, they discard the veil. 
 
 In the annals of the British army, Bhurtpur is celebrated for its two great sieges. 
 In 1804, Runjeet Sing, Rajah of Bhurtpur, was one of the most powerful of Indian princes. 
 Joining Holkar in his opposition to British rule, his army was defeated at Laswari and Deeg, 
 and driven back into the capital, which the British, under General Lake, immediately invested. 
 The trenches were opened on the 4th of January 1805. On the 9th the breach made by the 
 artillery was considered practicable, and Lake ordered a night-attack. This was made with true 
 
SIEGES OF BHURTPUK. 
 
 157 
 
 British vigour, and every inch of ground was fiercely contested. But the attacking force proved 
 too weak to prevail over the desperate courage of the defenders, and, with a loss of four hundred 
 and fifty-six men, retired. Another breach having been effected at a more favourable 
 point, a second assault was adventured. The English soldiers heroically swam across the 
 flooded moat, and essayed to scale the ramparts ; but, though they never displayed a more 
 brilliant heroism, they were forced to retreat, leaving behind them twenty officers and five 
 hundred and fifty men. Three other attacks were made, with equal want of success ; and Lake, 
 for want of men and material, was reduced to the necessity of blockading the city. This 
 brought the rajah to terms, and a treaty having been concluded, the English general raised the 
 
 TXLACt Of Dl'MCH SAL, CITADEL OF BHUITPUE. 
 
 siege — having, in three months and twenty days, lost nearly two thousand four hundred officers 
 and men. 
 
 In 1825, the grandson of Runjeet Sing was deposed by the Jat, Dourjun Sal. As the 
 former was under the protection of our Indian Government, an English army was immediately 
 despatched to restore him to his throne. Lord Combermere opened fire on the 14th of 
 December ; and two breaches having been effected, a double assault was ordered on the 1 8th of 
 January 1826. In spite of the loss and disorder caused by the explosion of a mine, and of the 
 determined resistance offered by the Jat grenadiers, it proved successful, and the English 
 entered Bhurtpur in triumph. Lord Combermere then proceeded to avenge the partial defeat 
 of his predecessor by demolishing the citadel which the natives called the Fortress of Victory, 
 
158 THE CITY OF VICTORY. 
 
 and professed to have been erected on the bodies of Lake's soldiers. He also dismantled the 
 fortifications, which now consist of a long line of ruins. 
 
 The Prince of Wales visited the "City of Victory" in February 1876. He entered it at 
 twilight ; and one of the correspondents who followed in his train seems to have been much 
 impressed by all he saw in the " soft obscure." The city appeared to him " the daintiest and 
 most classical native city in India." The broad regular streets are lined with pavements of 
 white stone, and lighted with gas. The two public squares or parks blossom with flowers, and 
 sparkle with fountains, which refresh with their spray the thirsty shrubs. The houses, built in 
 regular lines and blocks, are prevented from assuming a monotonous appearance by boat-shaped 
 pagodas, perforated screens and kiosks, trellised balconies, and quaintly-carved mouldings. The 
 plaster fronts are painted pink, and embellished with figures and fishes and floral designs in lines 
 of white. 
 
 Beneath the upper stories are the shops, all gaily set out with woollen stuffs, brass ware, and 
 armour. At intervals they are shaded by the never-dying peepul-trees, on the knotted clumps of 
 which groups of natives, in white and scarlet, take their rest. The passage of time is noted 
 every hour by musical chimes from lofty campaniles or bell-towers, the fronts of which 
 exhibit handsome clocks. There is a "Mayo" hospital, with English surgeons, erected in 
 commemoration of the friendship borne by the Rajput king to the murdered viceroy; a 
 " Maharajah's College," where two or three hundred little " baboos " are excellently taught ; and 
 there is also a school of art. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 OODETPCR AND THE RAJPITANA. 
 
 PBOM BOHBAT TO AHMADABAD— AHMADABAD DESCBIBED— TBI GREAT MOBQCE OF SHAH ALCM— THE "TOMB OF THE QCEEKS"— THE LAND OF THE 
 BHEELS — CHARACTERISTICS OF THE B8EXLS— TUfTOOt, THE RESIDENCE OF A BAJFCT THAEOOB— EHAIBWABA— OODETPUB— THE MAHARANA'S 
 PALACE— ANOTHER DCBBAB. 
 
 IE propose to conduct the reader on an excursion into Rajputana, by way of Surat, 
 Baroda, Ahmadabad, and Ajmir, which are the principal stations, as it were, on the 
 road from Bombay to Delhi or Agra. The route also passes through Oodeypur, a 
 town of very considerable interest 
 
 Ahmadabad, the ancient capital of the Sultans, was founded in 1412, by the Sultan Ahmed, 
 on the site of an earlier Hindu city, called Ashawal. In erecting his mosques and palaces, he 
 made full use, it would seem, of the plunder he had acquired in the capture of the Rajput cities 
 of Chandravati and Anhilwara Patan. His aesthetic tastes were inherited by his descendants, 
 with the result that the sanctuaries which they raised for the purposes of Mohammedan worship 
 preserved the characteristics of the purest indigenous architecture. About 1570 the Moguls took 
 possession of the city, and here the beautiful Xoor Jehan for some years held her luxurious court. 
 In 1737 the Guikwar of Baroda annexed it to his territories; and in 1818 it fell into the hands 
 of the British. 
 
 Ramparts, nearly eight miles in circuit, surround the city ; and towers and bastions, reputed 
 to date from 1485, strengthen the fortifications. There are eighteen gates of a massive character, 
 and within these lies a belt of garden-ground and pasture-laud, which the visitor traverses before 
 arriving at the city proper. Broad walks, shaded by fine trees, radiate through Ahmadabad in 
 all directions, and afford convenient access to its principal buildings. The life and activity of the 
 place apparently concentrate in the great thoroughfare of the Manik Chowk, which is at once 
 mart and market A busy crowd constantly circulates to and fro, and elephants and camels 
 stalk along, loaded with motley burdens. In the minor streets dwell the handloom weavers, 
 who, with the simplest and even rudest appliances, manufacture the kinkhub, or gold cloth, for 
 which Ahmadabad is scarcely less famous than Benares. Diving into their low whitewashed 
 houses, the European sees many of the most interesting incidents of native life : a party of hired 
 mourners wailing by the bier of the dead ; a woman grinding with a quern, while rocking her 
 baby's cradle by a string fastened to one of her toes ; another shelling rice with a club ; a third 
 ginning cotton with the rude wheel or churka ; and a fourth rapidly reeling silk with foot and 
 hand. 
 
 One of the sights of Ahmadabad is the great Mosque of Shah Alum, beautiful even in its 
 
160 IN AHMADABAD. 
 
 decay. It consists of several arcades arranged in parallel order, with the pulpit, and the Mecca 
 niche or sanctuary in the centre. Several minor buildings are attached to it, including the tombs 
 of the founder and his queens ; the walls being built up of plates of pierced stone, arranged, fifty 
 or sixty together, in the most varied designs. 
 
 Ahmadabad contains about fifty mosques, most of them embosomed in grove and orchard, 
 and raised on terraces of stone,— besides numerous mausoleums, of which the most beautiful in 
 its simplicity is the Rani-ka-Rauzah, or " Tomb of the Queens." They belong to the era of the 
 Mohammedan kings of Guzerat (from 1412 to 1572), and are as exquisite in design as in 
 execution. Fergusson says of them : — " In Ahmadabad the Hindu influence continued to be 
 felt. Even the mosques are Hindu, or rather Jaina, in every detail ; only here and there an 
 arch is inserted, — not because it was wanted constructively, but because it was a symbol of the 
 faith ; while in their tombs and palaces even this is generally wanting. The truth of the matter 
 is, the Mohammedans had forced themselves upon the most civilized and most essentially 
 building race at that time in India, and the Chaulukyas conquered their conquerors, and forced 
 them to adopt forms and ornaments which were superior to any the invaders knew or could have 
 introduced. The result is a style which combines all the elegance and finish of Jaina or 
 Chaulukya art with a certain largeness of conception which the Hindu never quite attained, 
 but which is characteristic of the people who at this time were subjecting all India to their 
 sway." 
 
 Crossing a chain of low hills, we enter the Bagur, or country of the Bheels — a wild, rugged, 
 mountainous region lying between Malwa and Guzerat, and forming the south-eastern boundary 
 of Rajputana, or the land of the Rajputs. The mountains that spread over it their ramifications 
 are the nexus, or junction-point, of the two great Indian ranges of the Aravallis and the Vindhyas, 
 and to the natives are known as the Doungher. Forests abound, and are composed of stately 
 trees, among which tower the colossal banians and other forest-giants. Nor is animal life less 
 pleasant ; and the sportsman may take his choice of game, from the man-eating tiger to the 
 rosy-winged flamingo. 
 
 As for the Bheels themselves, they are probably a remnant of the great autochthonous race 
 which formerly peopled the hills and vales of Malwa and Rajputana. The Aryan invasion 
 forced them back into the mountains, where they gradually decreased in numbers, and fell from 
 their original standard of civilization. They now resemble in many respects the Scottish 
 Highlanders of two or three centuries since. They are divided into independent clans, each 
 member of which serves his principal with blind fidelity ; and their chief sustenance is derived 
 from their plunder of the Hindus, whom they hate with an hereditary hatred. When they are 
 not fighting or thieving, — and these amusements have been restrained by the strong hand of 
 the Anglo-Indian Government, — they employ themselves in hunting and fishing. Living an 
 Tshmaelite life, they plant their pdls or villages on commanding heights ; and each house, with its 
 fence of prickly cactus, forms a little fortress. When an enemy approaches, the women and 
 children drive oft" the cattle into the ravines, while the men remain behind to defend their hearths 
 and homes. 
 
 No distinctions of caste are observed amongst them, and members of different tribes freely 
 intermarry. Simple to an excess is the marriage ceremony. On a certain day all the nubile 
 

IN THE LA2JD OF THE BHEEL& 163 
 
 young men choose their partners among the nubile virgins, and each retires with his lady-love 
 into the forest ; returning, after a few days' seclusion, in the recognized capacities of man and 
 wife. A like simplicity of principle distinguishes their religion : they worship the elements, and 
 the ills that flesh is heir to, and the mhowah — a colossal tree, which supplies them with oil, wood, 
 and a stimulating liquor. Their temple is a rudely wrought flagstone, or a mass of stones daubed 
 with red ochre. 
 
 Physically, the Bheels are distinguished by their robust frames, which are generally of the 
 middle height, and their vigour, nimbleness, and strength. Their features are coarse, the cheek- 
 bones being prominent, and the nose flat; they wear their hair, which is black, loose and dis- 
 hevelled — twisting a single coil round the head by way of turban. Their clothing consists of a 
 fold of cotton round the loins, only a few inches broad. The women are not so dark-complexioned 
 as the men, are of an elegant figure, and move with a considerable degree of grace and dignity. 
 Their attire includes a piece of cloth, which, after encircling the loins, is drawn over the shoulder, 
 so as to leave one breast bare ; and such a number of bangles on the arms and legs as to reach 
 from wrist to shoulder and ankle to knee. 
 
 The weapon of the Bheels is bow and arrows : the bow is skilfully constructed of two pieces 
 of bamboo, of which the thinner forms the string ; the arrows, two feet in length, are made of a 
 light reed, feathered, and pointed with a piece of forged iron, four to nine inches long. Such is 
 their dexterity in the use of this weapon, that they can hit the mark at a distance of twenty 
 five yards. 
 
 At the entrance of the defiles of the mountains is Tintool, the fortified residence of a 
 Rajput noble, or Thakoor, who pays tribute to the Mahrattas, but practically rules supreme 
 over the surrounding country. Thence we enter a well-wooded ravine, where above the leafage 
 rise the tall, slender, sculptured towers of three or four very ancient pagodas. This brings us to 
 the Mookam, or village, of Sameyra. Continuing our route, we plunge into some difficult passes, 
 whose steep sides are overhung with rocks; and into a fertile valley, buried deep in forest, in the 
 clearings of which are situated the pals of the Bheels. In old times this was a dangerous place 
 for a caravan ; the Bheels issuing in numbers from their secluded pals, and attacking the 
 surprised travellers with well-aimed flights of arrows. 
 
 Khairwara we find a British advanced post, established by the Government to keep the 
 Bheels in check. Abandoning now the gorges of the Vindhyas, we enter the broader valleys of 
 the Aravalli range, the treasures of which in metals and minerals, marbles, gneiss, and syenite, 
 rock-crystal, amethysts, and carbuncles, are apparently inexhaustible, but as yet have been 
 scarcely touched. 
 
 Through a country richly covered with forest we proceed to Oodeypur (" the City of the 
 
 ng Sun"), the capital of Meywar. 
 
 OODETPUR. 
 
 The distant view of the city is one of great beauty. Forts, pagodas, and palaces stand 
 surrounded by gardens; above which, terraced along the side of a bold pyramidal hill, rise a 
 number of kiosks, bell-turrets, and towers, crowned by a massive palace of white marble, which 
 stands distinctly outlined against the dark blue of the mountains behind it. Lighted up by the 
 glow of sunset, the spectacle is so picturesque that the imagination almost refuses to receive it as 
 a reality ; it seems the vision of a poet, suddenly realized at the bidding of a magician. 
 
164 
 
 AT OODEYrUR. 
 
 The town, on nearer acquaintance, proves to be strongly fortified ; and it is through a 
 massive gateway, armed with portcullis, and commanded by heavy guns, that the visitor passes 
 into its interior. His first favourable impressions are not weakened by the scenes which then 
 meet his curious gaze. The palaces and the temples are magnificent, and of an architectural 
 style which seems peculiar to the place. 
 
 The present ruler of Oodeypur is Sambhoo Sing, the Maharana of Meywar. He is a 
 
 SAMBHOO SING, MAHARANA OF MEYWAR. 
 
 Rajput Ghelote of the Sesodia clan, and the acknowledged heir to all the glories of the 
 Suryavansas, the celebrated Indian race of the Sun. The supreme authority among the 
 Rajputs, he stands at the head of the Indian nobility, and in the assembly of princes always 
 occupies the seat of honour. 
 
 The palace which he inhabits is worthy of so much dignity. India itself can show few 
 buildings more spacious or more magnificent. It covers the entire crest of a hill, the base of 
 which is washed by the blue waters of Lake Peshola ; and this crest being insufficient for the 
 
-. 
 
AN ENCHANTED GARDEN. 167 
 
 full consummation of the architect's design, an immense terrace has been carried out on a level 
 with it, and supported by three massive tiers of arched vaults. 
 
 The main entrance fronts the town, and consists of a grand marble gate, with three arches, 
 surmounted by a rich cupola ; the balconies and domes being covered with rich but graceful 
 ornament. Thence we pass into the ample courtyard, enclosed on two sides by the royal 
 apartments, and overlooked by galleries on each story. An octagonal domed tower flanks each 
 angle. At the further end of the court a great door conducts to the Zenana, or apartments 
 appropriated to the Rana's wives. A statue of Ganesa, God of Wisdom, is placed above it. 
 
 The interior matches well with the exterior in grandeur of effect. There are no fatiguing 
 flights of stairs, but inclined passages lead from story to story. Marble everywhere glitters in 
 the well-lighted apartments ; and flowers and fountains meet us at every step. Rich draperies 
 cover the walls of the principal saloons, which are embellished also with frescoes and mirrors : 
 the floors are spread with soft cushions and carpets that yield to the lightest pressure of a 
 woman's foot. But the most attractive and singular feature of this glorious palace is its 
 extensive hanging-garden. The visitor gazes with surprise on blooming parterres and venerable 
 trees situated at so great a height, and occupying so many roofs of different elevations. A 
 sparkling fountain is the central point from which avenues paved with white marble radiate in 
 all directions, and rills of shining water flow in narrow channels until lost in the shade of orange 
 and pomegranate trees. " A marble gallery," we are told, " encircles this enchanting spot, where 
 the grandees of the court, reclining on velvet sofas, indulge in pleasant day-dreams whilst taking 
 their siesta. The view embraces the whole valley ; and while gazing on this scene they can 
 call to mind the great feats of arms of their ancestors, who defended their country for centuries 
 against the Mussulman hordes, and converted it into a paradise. When fatigued with the 
 grandeur of this immense panorama, they can turn and contemplate the fairy scene presented by 
 the garden." 
 
 Terraced gardens, crowded with summer-houses, pavilions, and fountains, lead to the lake, 
 the shores of which are lined with fairy-like structures, inviting to indolent repose. The arched 
 roof of one of these " bowers of bliss" rests on a thousand slender columns of marble; and all 
 around it is woven a woof of shimmering, rainbow-tinted mist by the leaping waters of numerous 
 fountains. 
 
 On the occasion of the visit of Rousselet, the French traveller, to Oodeypur, the Rana 
 held a grand durbar in his fairy-like palace. It was attended by the British Resident, M. 
 Rousselet, and the chief nobles of the Rana's dominions. A huge awning, spread over an open 
 court in one of the upper stories, formed a spacious and cool apartment, in which was placed the 
 Rana's throne — a throne of silver supported by lions of gold. On either side, forming a semi- 
 circle, stood the nobles, in gorgeous attire. After a brief conversation, the Rana presented each 
 of the stranger-guests with a packet of betel leaves, called biro, and poured a few drops of attar 
 of roses on their handkerchiefs. Then the audience was over. 
 
 The neighbourhood of Oodeypur is literally crowded with splendid buildings, temples, 
 tombs, mausoleums, and summer-]>alaces of the most beautiful description ; as for instance 
 that >|>l.ti<lid structure the Shah Jehan's Palace in the Island of Jugmunder, which forms the 
 vignette to this volume. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 GWALIOR — AN INDIAN FORTRESS. 
 
 SITUATION AXD HISTORY OF GWALIOR— THE OLD TOWS— THE FORTRESS— THE KING PAL PALACE— THE VIHARA TEMPLE— A VALLEY OF SILENCE — THE 
 
 " TIRTHANKARS " — ABOUT THE JAINS. 
 
 JSTSfHE ancient city of Gwalior is planted on the summit of a steep isolated cliff, 342 feet 
 above the plain at its highest point; a mile and a half in length; and 900 feet in 
 H maximum breadth. The fortress-crowned rock stands like a sentinel at the mouth of 
 a valley — a mass of basalt topped with sandstone. Frowning cliffs rise above the slopes at its 
 base, and these are covered with fortifications. 
 
 JAIN TEMPLE OF ADINATH, GWALIOR. 
 
 If we may believe tradition, Gwalior was founded some centuries before the Christian era, 
 probably by the Indian anchorites. But we gather no certain information about it of earlier 
 
THE KINO PAL PALACE. 171 
 
 date than a.d. 773, when defensive works were raised around the plateau by Rajah Soorya Sena. 
 The Chohans, in 967, expelled the Kachwahas, and founded the dynasty of Amber. From 1410 
 until 1519 it was held by the Tuar Rajputs; after which it was attached to the kingdom of 
 Delhi. When the Mogul empire broke up, it was occupied alternately by the Jats and 
 Mahrattas. In 1779 it was seized by Scindia; from whom it was captured, about twenty years 
 later, by Major Popham. The treaty of 1805, however, restored it to its Mahratta chief. The 
 present Maharajah Scindia, in the Great Mutiny remained faithful to his alliance with the 
 English, and was driven from his capital by the rebellious Sepoys under one of Nana Sahib's 
 captains. They were dislodged, however, after a series of brilliant movements, by General Sir 
 Hugh Rose (Lord Strathnairn). 
 
 The old town of Gwalior extends to the north and east of the citadel, lying between it and 
 the river Suwaranrekha. It has sunk into decay since the new cantonment was founded by 
 the maharajah. The streets are narrow and crooked, but most of the houses are handsomely 
 built. No monuments are extant of an earlier date than the sixteenth century ; and those most 
 worthy of notice are the Jumma Masjid, a handsome mosque, and the fantastic triumphal arch 
 known as the Hatti Durwaza, or " Elephants' Gate." 
 
 The entrance to the fortress is duly guarded. Hidden among the trees, without, stands 
 a large palace, with a facade of bright blue enamel. Five monumental gates, armed with 
 portcullis and heavy iron doors, afford access to the interior of the citadel. From the first, 
 Saracenic in character, and surmounted by a tier of small columns, begins the causeway — which, 
 though broad and well kept, is a long and wearisome ascent. From this point also begins a 
 series of monuments, bas-reliefs, caverns, and cisterns, of the highest interest. The rocks over- 
 hanging the road contain numerous chambers, altars, and statues. 
 
 Some huge tanks, excavated from the solid rock, and fed by springs, lie between the third 
 and fourth gates. Opposite the latter stands a small monolith, supposed to belong to the fifteenth 
 century. It forms a temple, chiselled out of a single block of stone; and consists of a single 
 square room, entered by a peristyle, and crowned with a tapering pyramid, the top of which has 
 been replaced by a small dome. 
 
 From the very edge of the precipice starts up the mass of the King Pal Palace, supported 
 by six towers, and pierced only by a few large windows, ornamented with balconies and 
 pilasters. The massive exterior, however, is prevented from being monotonous by a variety of 
 sculptured bands, Jain arches, and indented cordons. Between the Jain arches of the gallery 
 the interspaces are covered with mosaics of enamelled bricks, representing palm-trees on a blue 
 ground ; and above each tower rises a lantern with a double row of columns. It is difficult, we 
 are told, to conceive of a grander or more harmonious effect than this colossal palace, with its 
 massive ramparts, produces. 
 
 Through a gateway at the southern angle, we pass into a narrow street overlooking the 
 lateral facade of the palace. This facade is one mass of enamel, diversified by broad bands 
 of mosaic, which represent candelabra, elephants, Brahmani ducks, and peacocks in blue, green, 
 rose colour, and gold. Ten centuries have passed over these mosaics, and yet their original 
 freshness seems undimmed. They were designed and executed in the reign of a Rajput 
 prince named Pal. 
 
172 
 
 THE MOGUL BUILDINGS. 
 
 The royal palace covers an immense area on the east of the plateau, and is the work of 
 successive sovereigns, including the Moguls. Its interior is very simple ; the rooms are lo vv, 
 with flat ceilings. 
 
 The buildings of the Mohammedan emperors occupied the northern extremity of the plateau. 
 
 VIHARA TEMPLE, IN THE FORTRESS OP GWALI' 
 
 1 1 is easily seen, from their remains, that they were not on so extensive and sumptuous a scale 
 as those of Agra or Delhi. 
 
 On a ledge jutting out from the eastern slope of the rocky height is situated the temple of 
 Adinath, a magnificent specimen of the Jain architecture of the sixteenth century. Its ground- 
 
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 r 
 
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 z 
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THE JAIN IMAGES. 175 
 
 plan is cruciform ; and the chaori, or portion reserved for the faithful, is crowned with a dome. 
 The decorations are superbly rich and fanciful. 
 
 In the centre of the plateau stands the Vihara temple, with its monumental tower of stone 
 soaring to an elevation of more than a hundred and twenty feet. In the nave or ground-floor 
 apartment of the temple may be seen, on the wall, the outline of a gigantic palace of Buddha, 
 which once adorned it ; above it are apartments corresponding to the five stages of the Pyramids. 
 The real origin of this monument is a subject of dispute; but many archaeologists contend that it 
 is Buddhist, and that at an unknown date the Jains took possession of it, and adapted it to their 
 own religious necessity 
 
 The cliffs on the west of the plateau have been split nearly in two by a natural convulsion, 
 which has left the sombre and narrow ravine of Urwahi between the two precipices. This is a 
 Valley of Silence, where numerous springs maintain a constant luxuriance of vegetation ; and it 
 is by no means difficult to understand its attraction for the Jain mystics. It has lost much of its 
 impressive grandeur since the construction of the new road ; but even now the grim, weird 
 statues cut out of the solid rock on either hand, and varying in height from one foot to forty 
 feet, burst on the traveller with startling effect. These " Tirthankars " are represented either 
 standing, with their arras hanging down, or sitting with crossed legs, like the Buddhas. They 
 are stiff in design, with nude bodies, pendent ears, thick lips, and enormous eyes. Each wears a 
 circular mitre, ornamented with little balls. 
 
 One of the principal figures is that of the Tirthankar Adinath, the reputed founder of the 
 Jain religion ; but it is now hidden by the new road. Beyond, in a deep niche, is the statue of 
 Parasnath, sixty feet high. There are also several small cells in the rock, obviously the priests' 
 lodgings ; a model of a temple, carved out of a single block of sandstone ; and a cavern, 
 approached through several arches, containing three huge figures, twenty feet high. Further 
 groups of Jain sculptures will be found on the south-east 
 
 Of all the religions of India the Jain most merits attention, for it has bequeathed to 
 posterity the most interesting collection of monuments, from the basilicas of Mount Aboo 
 to the Kirti-khamb of Chittur. Its origin, according to the Jain books, may be dated 
 prior to the rise of Christianity. At all events, it existed long before the avatar of Sakya 
 Mouni, who seems to have availed himself of the Jain doctrines in the formation of his own 
 creed. It is, indeed, affirmed by the Buddhists that Mahavira, the last Jain Tirthankar, was the 
 teacher of Sakya. In the twelfth century the Jains lost much of their influence through the 
 secession of the Rajputs, whom the Brahmans won over by the proffer of the title and pre- 
 rogatives of the ancient Kashatryas. They retained, however, the allegiance of the majority 
 of the mercantile classes, and to this day possess a considerable portion of the wealth of India. 
 Among their adherents are numbered the heads of the principal commercial classes of Bombay 
 and Calcutta. Only the Bhikshus are called Jains, or the "purified;" the faithful are known by 
 the natue of Arhat The former are marked on the forehead with sandal-wood. They are rigid 
 vegetarians ; and such is their reverence for animal life, that they wear cloths over their mouths, 
 and carry brooms in their hands, that they may avoid injuring a single insect. They are the great 
 Indian architects, and well deserve their Hindu designation of Vidyavan, or "magic builders." 
 It has l>een justly said that other religious sects have but copied their earlier monuments. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 BHOPAL. 
 
 THE BEGUM OF BHOPAL — HER TERRITORY — HEB CAPITAL — A MOUNTAIN-BORDERED LAKE— THE MOTI MASJID, OR MOSQUE OP TEAHLS — CITADEL OF 
 FUTTEHGURH — THE MOHAMMEDAN NEW-TEAR FESTIVAL — PHASES OF LIFE AT BHOPAL — RECEPTION OF THE BEGUM — ROUTE TO GWALIOR AND 
 AGRA INDICATED— NURSINGURH AND ITS TEMPLE— CHOPATA-TRAVELLING. 
 
 MONG the illustrious personages whom the Prince of Wales, while at Calcutta in 1875, 
 received at a Chapter of the Star of India, was the Begum of Bhopal, the only woman 
 in the world who can call herself a knight. The present Begum succeeded Secunder 
 Begum in 1863, who, for her loyalty during the rebellion, had been liberally rewarded and 
 
 JSS& /' 
 
 HER HIGHNESS SECUNDER, BEGUM OF BHOPAL. 
 
 highly honoured by the British Government. Her successor, displaying an equal measure of 
 fidelity, was decorated in 1872 with the Order of the Star of India. The territory over which 
 
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 ttVZJY 
 
 raocEsuov or thk tazkkas. 
 
 {Snfmftrft.) 
 
DESCRIPTION OF BHOPAL. 
 
 179 
 
 she rules covers an area of 6764 square miles, with a population of about 670,000 inhabitants. 
 It includes a portion of the high table-lands on the northern bank of the Narbada, and of the 
 fair rich plains of Eastern Malwa. 
 
 Bhopal, the capital, clusters on the eastern slope of a rocky hill, at the base of which sleeps 
 a beautiful lake; and it is enclosed by battlemented walls about two miles in circuit. All around 
 rises a ring of mountain-peaks, and the plain between them and the city is radiant with gardens 
 and well-cultivated fields. A road carried along the embankment which confines the waters of 
 the lake connects the suburb of Jehangirabad with the capital, which is irregularly built, with 
 narrow, winding streets, and high houses rendered picturesque by their numerous small towers 
 and verandahs of carved wood. In the middle of the labyrinth a landmark is afforded by the 
 Cathedral Mosque, or Jumma Masjid ; an immense pile, with domes and octagonal minarets, 
 
 m« momma shah jdus, kocm or BRorAL. 
 
 and a gigantic central dome, surrounded by arcades and colonnades, all reared on the summit of 
 a massive platform of red sandstone. From this point the visitor may make his way to the Moti 
 Masjid, or Mosque of Pearls, erected by the late Begum; a graceful edifice of white marble, 
 with three domes, one of colossal size, and flanked by soaring minarets, which spring out of a 
 graceful combination of pavilions and colonnades. Between the two run some of the principal 
 streets, where the shops of the pastry-cooks and the armourers, the mercers and the jewellers, 
 make a fine display ; and our ears are saluted with a medley of strange tongues, as through the 
 crowd presses a stalwart Afghan or a richly-attired Persian, a Baluchee with brick-red face and 
 mane of tawny dishevelled locks, a Brahman half-naked and shining with grease, a Moulvi 
 with long white beard and robes of decorous flow, and a ragged Gond carrying a heavy hatchet 
 on his shoulder. Among all these the elegant Bhopalese, with finely-cut features and silken 
 
180 
 
 THE MOHAMMEDAN FESTIVAL. 
 
 beard, is easily distinguished. His dress is that of the Indian Mussulman : an embroidered 
 toque, or a turban placed on one side, like the cap of an English trooper ; close-fitting tunic and 
 pantaloons, and yellow slippers glittering with spangles. He carries his sabre wrapped in a 
 muslin shawl; and as he passes, a strong odour of rose-water and sandal-wood is wafted from his 
 flowing hair. 
 
 The summit of the hill of Bhopal is crowned by the citadel of Futtehgurh, from which may 
 be obtained a fine view of the Bhopal Tal, a lake that extends to the southward, measuring 
 about four and a half miles in length, and a mile and a half in breadth. Its overflow supplies 
 the eastern lake, or lake of Jehangirabad ; and it is itself supplied by the waters of the Bessal. 
 
 MOOLLAHS OF BHOPAL. 
 
 If fortunate enough to visit this romantically-situated city during the great Mohammedan 
 New- Year's festival of the Mohurrum, the traveller will be entertained by some striking scenes. 
 For days the hills around are covered with stalls, and an immense multitude assembles, bent on 
 no higher purpose than pour passer le temps. Troops of bayaderes, shining with jewels and 
 attired in radiant silks, are followed by a regular train of musicians and swordsmen ; while their 
 movements are parodied by young men dressed in female costume, and surprisingly ready with 
 raillery and epigram. Elsewhere the acrobats go through their feats of agility, and the jugglers 
 deceive the most watchful eye by their adroit manoeuvres. Mussulmans, in tunics embroidered 
 with gold and silver, stalk on sedately, disdaining to betray any symptom of curiosity or excite- 
 ment ; while clusters of Hindus, the men in the usual thick white linen dress, and the women in 
 
• BcsrTioa or a khillut at tbi court or bhopal. 
 
PICTURESQUE ASPECTS OF INDIAN LIFE. 183 
 
 the open bodice and large plaited petticoat, stare open-eyed and wondering at the jogees, or 
 religious mendicants, who, completely naked, and with elfin locks falling free, walk to and fro 
 uttering the most terrible cries, and slashing breast, ribs, arms, and thighs with their long 
 conical-bladed poniards, until showers of coppers allay their seeming fury. 
 
 The festival endures for five days, and on the fifth the scene shifts to the borders of the 
 great lake, the waters of which are quickly stivwn with tabouts or mimic temples of paper and 
 tinsel, — emblematic of the tombs of the Mobammedan martyrs, Ali and Hussein, — fashioned 
 and deposited by religious hands. In the evening takes place the great procession of the 
 tabouts, or, as they are also called, tazeeas, some of which, raised on the backs of elephants, 
 tower twenty feet in height Crowds of excited natives, with banners, and matchlocks, and 
 pikes, and torches, follow and surround the train of elephants, raising incessant shouts of 
 "Deen! Deen ! Hussein! Ali! Ha Doula!" Above the glare of naming torches the high 
 towers of the tazeeas glitter with gold and tinsel ; while foaming fanatics lead on in front 
 a richly-attired character, who represents the husband of Fatima, Mohammed's daughter. 
 The 'procession halts at the lake, and, with a renewed outburst of clamour, the multitude 
 begins to disperse, and the Mohurrum is over. 
 
 Various are the aspects of life which greet the observant eye in an Indian city. The niool- 
 lahs of the mosques, grave and reverend signors with keen eyes and flowing beards, ever ready 
 to argue the most trivial points ; dancers and dancing-girls, acrobats and jugglers ; specimens of 
 different nationalities, all remarkable in costume, manner, and appearance ; processions as strange 
 as ever were conceived by a Callot, or as brilliant as ever were imagined by an Oriental story- 
 teller ; Fakirs, and other religious mendicants : these supply abundant material for observation 
 and reflection. And it may happen to the traveller to secure the goodwill of the Begum, a 
 woman, it is said, of much intelligence and liberality, and to receive from her hands a khillut of 
 honour. Should he be so far favoured, he will don a glittering costume specially provided for 
 the occasion, — a long tunic of silk gauze, embroidered with gold; ample petticoat-like pantaloons 
 of crimson satin, bespangled with silver ; a kumurbund or belt of fiolet and gold ; a rich scarlet 
 cashmir cloak, all gay with gold and silver embroidery; and, finally, a toque of gold and velvet. 
 
 Thus gorgeously arrayed, he will enter one of the Begum's carriages, and, through a 
 deferential and salaaming crowd, proceed to the palace ; on the steps of which he will be received 
 by a deputation of Bhopal nobles, headed by the dewan or chief minister of state, who will 
 take him by the elbow in true Indian fashion, lead him up the grand staircase, and introduce 
 him into the royal presence. In the hall of durbars, on a raised throne, and surrounded by her 
 court dignitaries, sits the Begum, in silks and velvets, gold, silver, and flashing jewels, a four- 
 plumed diadem on her head, and the Star of India on her breast Then follow the usual cere- 
 monies, — the hookahs are passed round ; a few compliments are exchanged ; a title of honour is 
 bestowed on the visitor ; a ring placed on his finger ; the attar-pan makes its appearance ; and 
 he takes his departure. 
 
 From Bhopal the traveller may strike through the rich plains of Malwa to Gwalior, and 
 thence to Agra. His first stage will be Sehore, which lies in the centre of fertile fields, studded 
 with leafy villages. Beyond Koundwah he crosses the Parbutti. For this purpose the villagers 
 
184 
 
 TRAVELLING IN A CHOPAYA. 
 
 couple together their gurhas, or light, spherical water-pitchers, and attach these to a number of 
 poles in such a manner as to keep their mouths uppermost. On this rough-and-ready raft the 
 vehicle is placed, with the traveller inside ; and, entering the water, the natives quickly propel it 
 to the opposite bank. 
 
 At Nursingurh, which clusters in the hollow of a beautiful valley, on the borders of a silver 
 lake, and surrounded by noble trees, a handsome temple is dedicated to Vasudeva. At no great 
 distance from this town the traveller reaches a branch of the Great Trunk Road, which connects 
 Calcutta with Bombay and Madras, and is borne onwards by way of Hawaii, Rhoteah, and 
 
 
 MAIL-CART TRAVELLINO. 
 
 Goona. The traveller is now transferred to a conveyance known as a chopaya, — a kind of 
 triumphal car, with gaily -painted body and little sculptured pillars, drawn by a team of oxen, 
 caparisoned with red cloth. It measures about eight feet by five, and is furnished in the interior 
 with mattresses and cushions, a table, a couple of straw easy-chairs, and a lantern, forming bed- 
 room and sitting-room in one. Of course, so cumbrous a machine progresses but slowly, and 
 affords a notable contrast to the mail-cart, which, driven by a lanky Indian, and drawn by a team 
 of three or four horses, dashes past at a tremendous pace, up hill and down hill, across narrow 
 bridges, through brawling streams, as if accidents were impossible. 
 
 But, instead of pursuing the road to Gwalior, we propose to conduct the reader to Sanchi, 
 Myhere, and Punna. 
 

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CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 SANCHI TO Pl'NNA. 
 
 A* ASCtIXT BUDDHIST SETTLEMENT— THE LIOSS' LAT— WHAT 18 A TOPI?— ABOfT THI GAVE OR INDIAN BISON— THE INDIAN FOREST— THE LAND OF THE 
 OOXDB— KIXGDOM OF MTHEKE— GOVrNDGlRH— A SUN-Art— TIGER-HCSTING— PALACE OF OOVINDOCRH - KINODoM OF HEWAH-PCNNA, THE 
 " LAID OF DIAMONDS "—A DIAMOND-MINE DESCRIBED— TWO GREAT FORTRESSES. 
 
 ANCHI, on the left bank of the Betwa, has, from a remote antiquity, been the seat 
 of an important Buddhist settlement ; and as early as 400 B.C. its community was 
 sufficiently influential to originate a schism of its own, known as that of Chetiya. 
 Its Buddhist memorials, therefore, are extensive and interesting. In the midst of a mass of 
 temples and colonnades, with huge sculptured portals covered with mystic carving, rises the 
 Great Tdpe, a hemispheric dome fully ninety feet in 'diameter, which rests on a cylindrical 
 basement about fifteen feet high.* Some authorities date it as far back as the sixth century b.c, 
 but the vast colonnade surrounding it, with its monolithic pillars, cannot be referred to so early 
 a period as the reign of Asoka (260-222 B.C.). Not less remarkable is the Lions' Lat, a cylin- 
 drical shaft about thirty feet high, surmounted by a dome-shaped capital of three feet, which in 
 its turn is surmounted by a circular plinth, serving as a pedestal for four lions seated back to back. 
 These are so finely executed that General Cunningham believes them to have been the work of 
 Greek artists, sent by Ptolemy Philadelphus II. to the court of Asoka. The archaeologist will 
 
 * Mr. Fmguesuu furnishes s vsry cUar sad cIom description of this celebrated tope. The principal building, he says, consists of a dome 
 snsssehsl lass than a hsmisphsrs, on* hundred sad six feet in diameter, and forty-two feet in height, with a platform on the top thirty-four feet 
 across, which originally formed the basis of the ton or capital, invariably the " finish " of these Buddhist monuments. 
 
 The dome rests on a sloping bass, fourteen feat in height by one hundred and twenty feet in diameter, with an off-set on its summit about 
 sU fast in width. Judging from the uptesentstions of topes on the Indian sculptures, w* c onclude that this was originally surrounded by a 
 balustrade, and as ce nded by a broad double ramp on one side. Probably it was used for proc es si o n s encircling the monument, and these seem to 
 hare been a co m m on feature of the Buddhist est—ionlil. In the centre this great mound is perfectly solid, being composed of bricks laid in mud ; 
 but the exterior is faced with dr ess a d stones. Ovsr these was laid a coating of cement nearly four inches thick, which we may suppose to hsve 
 been adorned with panting or ornaments in relief. 
 
 The tope was surrounded by a curious fence, composed of stone posts eight feet eight inches high, at intervals of a little more than two feet 
 These are surmounted by a plain architrave, two feet four inches deep, slightly rounded at the top. So far, says Mr. Fergusson, this enclosure 
 r ssssnb l ss the outer circle at Stonehs ng s ; bat be t ween every two uprights three horizontal cross-pieces of stone are inserted, of an elliptical form, 
 of the same depth as the top piece, bat only nine inches thick in the thickest part "This is the only b»ill example yet discovered of an archi- 
 tectural nrnsnj— I which Is found rarresl in every cars ; and, indeed, in almost every sneient Buddhist building known in India. The upright 
 posts or pillars of this sn cl os ui s bear inscriptions Indicating that they were all given by different individuals. But neither these nor any other 
 inscriptions found in the whole tops, or in the smaller topes surrounding it (though there are as many as two hundred and fifty inscriptions in all), 
 contain any known a sms, or any doe to their age." 
 
 The same authority remarks that even more curious than the stone railing are the four gateways. Let us take one of them as an example. 
 Ws sse two bold sonars pillars, p rofu sely sculptured, with elephant capitals, rising to a height of eighteen feet four inches. They are surmounted 
 by tares lintels, which carve slightly upwards in the centre, and terminate in Ionic scrolls. Elaborate carvings cover every inch of surface, and 
 snrassrous emb l em a t i c figures crown them. The total height is thirty-three feet six inches. One of the gateways hss fallen ; and its removal to 
 Tngland has been advocated, on the ground that it would furnish the student with an admirable specimen of Indian sculpture. 
 
 Nod* of the other topes of the group, thirty or forty in number, equal in dimensions thst which we have described. Some, indeed, do not 
 exceed six feet in di a m e t e r ; and the enclosures and gateways are never so artistically complete as those of the Great Tope. The inscriptions, ss 
 we have said, do not enable as to determine the exact date of the erection of these Buddhist monuments ; but we know from the characters in 
 which they are written, as well ss from the architectural details, thst they must date as far back as the beginning of the Christian era. At the 
 time, they cannot bars been raised before the epoch of Asoka (B.C. 250); so that w* may conclude they belong to a period between two 
 I years before Christ. (Fnoowoir, Book I., chapter ii. ) 
 
188 
 
 A TOPE DESCRIBED. 
 
 also examine the monumental gates or triumphal arches of Sanchi, which are masterpieces of 
 symbolic carving. There are also the remains of twelve smaller tdpes, a Chaitya temple, three 
 Buddhist monasteries, and numerous chapels and statues. 
 
 What is a t6pe, and in what did it originate \ 
 
 The first monument raised by men, after they had learned to group themselves in tribes or 
 communities, would naturally be designed to commemorate the dead ; and the earliest form would 
 be that of a heap of stones piled by reverent hands over the resting-place of chief or hero. In 
 the course of generations the heap grew into a tumulus, which gradually assumed regularity of 
 plan — becoming a cairn in Europe, a pyramid in Egypt, and a tdpe in India. As tradition 
 expanded into legend, the primitive hero was enshrined among the demigods, and his tomb 
 
 INDIAN BISON. 
 
 converted into an altar, above which was elevated the figure of the new divinity. In India 
 Buddhism incorporated this species of idolatry, and invested it with a peculiarly sacred character. 
 It then took possession of the topes, and developed out of them a religious architecture 
 thoroughly original in its principal features. 
 
 In the neighbourhood of Sanchi, and throughout the higher lands of Central India, the 
 
 . gaur, or Indian bison, is met with. Its range extends from the Himalaya to Cape Coinorin, 
 
 wherever the woods are dense enough to afford it shelter and food ; but only in Central India 
 
 is it found in large herds. Its zoological name is Bos gaurus ; it is nearer akin to the American 
 
 bison than to the ordinary bull. It has no affinity to the buffalo. 
 
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ARRIVAL AT MYHERE. 191 
 
 Tufts of long reddish hair overhang the broad, high forehead of this powerful animal. The 
 ears are somewhat small, and the strongly-developed muzzle is of a rose-coloured tinge. The 
 horns, which are oval and considerably flattened, curve boldly back from the head, turning 
 upwards in a sharp point A fleshy hump surmounts the broad sinewy shoulders, extending to 
 the middle of the back : it is generally covered with an abundance of black or nearly black 
 hair, longer than that which clothes the body, the tint of which is a warm chestnut, except on 
 the legs, where from hoof to knee it is almost white. The average height of a full-grown bison 
 is from fifteen to sixteen hands. 1 1 feeds upon young bamboo shoots and high grass ; and a herd 
 is usually composed of ten to fifteen cows, with their calves, directed and guided by a young bull. 
 The old bulls, for the greater part of the year, live in entire solitude. 
 
 The forests which abound in this part of India are mostly composed of magnificent trees, 
 which rear their pillared trunks out of a wonderfully dense and intertangled growth of shrubs 
 and grasses, while flowery creepers frequently hang in bright festoons from branch to branch, 
 and through the glossy foliage dart birds of resplendent wing. Here are found many of those 
 gums and resins which now figure so largely as commercial staples : the kheir, to which we owe 
 the well-known catechu; the babool and the sirsa, acacias yielding the valuable gum-arabic; the 
 salei (Boswellia thurifera), producing the fragrant resin, labana or olibanum, employed by the 
 Indians as incense ; and the sdl (Shorea robusta), whence is obtained the resinous product known 
 as dhdk. The tamarind with its precious fruit, the teak, the wild mango, the mhowah, several 
 species of fig-trees, the tikur (a plant which yields the nutritious arrow-root), — these mingle with 
 the celebrated Bombax indicum, or simool, the seeds of which are covered with a white, textile, 
 silky fibre, capable of being used as a substitute for cotton; the nim (>>v Mdia aziderachta), with 
 shoots and leaves much esteemed for their febrifuge qualities ; the Strychnos, furnishing the 
 potent nux vomica; the ebony tendoo, the wood of which is a treasure to the cabinet-maker; 
 the hour, a resinous tree, excellent for lighting purposes ; and the jamcdkota, whence is obtained 
 the croton oil of our pharmacopoeia. 
 
 But we pass on our way, crossing Gondwana, or the land of the Gonds, 20° 10' to 24° 
 N. lat and 74° to 80° E. long. ; and making acquaintance with a family of Dacoits — the 
 professional thieves and assassins of Central India, who seem to have inherited the evil 
 traditions of Thuggisin. Woe to the unfortunate traveller who falls into their clutches ! 
 He is first drugged, afterwards robbed; and if he wake in time to offer resistance, is pro- 
 bably murdered. Entirely naked, and their supple bodies well oiled, they glide into tents, 
 and wind themselves to and fro, serpent-like, with such stealthiness as almost always to escape 
 detection. 
 
 In the valley of the Tons we find a resting-place at Myhere — a small town romantically 
 situated near the entrance and within the immediate shadow of the Bandair Mountains. Through 
 the valley now runs the railroad from Jubbulpur to Allahabad. It forms the little kingdom of 
 Myhere; and its one hundred and twenty thousand Hindus and Gonds are ruled by a rais, 
 under the British protectorate. He is described as an intelligent and active prince, and to 
 European visitors always extends a gracious welcome. At a sumptuously-spread table they are 
 entertained with their accustomed viands ; and the rais himself makes one of the party at dessert, 
 drinking a goblet of champagne, and smoking the peaceful hookah. 
 
192 
 
 A MAN-APE. 
 
 From Myhere we proceed to Govindgurh, which lies in the midst of rock and jungle, the 
 favourite haunt of the panther, the lynx, the boar, the black bear, while on higher ground are 
 found the neelgau and the stag. It was during his stay here that the French explorer of 
 Central India met with a man-ape, or Bundarlok, as the Indians call him — a representative of 
 the tribe of the Jangals, who inhabit the forest east of Sirgooja, and are perhaps descendants 
 of the aboriginal Negritos. We shall describe him in our traveller's own words : — 
 
 " I was struck at once by his low stature — scarcely five feet — and, above all, by the length 
 of his arms; which, united to the animal expression of his- wrinkled countenance, fully justified 
 the title of ape given to him by the natives. The low forehead disappeared beneath woolly, 
 
 ENTRANCE TO THE PALACE OP GOVINDGURH. 
 
 tangled locks ; the nose thick at the extremity, and flattened at the bridge ; broad, raised 
 nostrils ; small, deep-sunken eyes ; a fleshless chin ; and, to complete the ugliness of this mask, 
 on each side of the mouth wrinkles, running in parallel lines, covering the cheeks. His face, in 
 spite of its ugliness, bore the impress of a profound sadness, which had nothing of the savage in 
 it. The body itself was of a shocking leanness ; the skin, of a reddish black, like tanned 
 leather, hung in creases on the limbs ; the abdomen, sunk inwards as though withered up, bore 
 in the middle a shapeless protuberance covering the navel, and doubtless proceeding from the 
 umbilical cord." 
 
 Govindgurh is a place dear to the sportsman, for game of all kinds abounds in its vicinity, 
 and, if he be so minded, he may essay his skill against a tiger. When the maharajah goes 
 
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TIGE1C- HUNTING. 
 
 195 
 
 a-hunting, the spectacle is very striking, and to European eyes exceedingly curious. Shikarees 
 are previously sent out to discover the tiger's lair ; then the muknas, or hunting elephants 
 (males without tusks), are duly caparisoned ; prince, nobles, and attendants mount to their 
 howdahs ; and, followed by a long line of soldiers and natives, the procession departs. 
 
 On arriving in the vicinity of the tiger's haunt, the hunters dismount and repair on foot to the 
 hoodi, a small battlemented building, surmounted by a terrace, and overlooking the mountain- 
 pool to which all the wild beasts of the neighbourhood resort for water. They seat themselves 
 in silence on the terrace, with carbines ready loaded at their side, and wait patiently until the 
 destined victim descends to the border of the lake. Then a discharge of rifles, and the tiger 
 
 oocnr or thi palace or ootixdocbh. 
 
 falls with a roar, his body riddled by shot. Attendants hasten up ; the carcass is placed on a 
 litter ; and the procession returns in triumph to Govindgurh. 
 
 This, however, is not a suffici- ntlv mthihrating pastime for an English sportsman, who 
 cares not for "hunting made easy," and has no idea of sport without an element of risk or 
 danger. 
 
 The palace of Govindgurh is a building of some architectural pretensions. Its principal 
 entrance is a spacious triumphal arch of marble, with three small indented arches in the " best 
 Rajput style." The court inside is surrounded by colonnades of considerable beauty. 
 
 Govindgurh is situated in the native kingdom of Rewah, and is the favourite residence of 
 the maharajah, who has deserted his capital for it. Rewah itself is not a picturesque or inviting 
 
196 
 
 THE LAND OF DIAMONDS. 
 
 town : its streets are narrow and crooked, and its houses are built of wattles or of dried mud. 
 The palace lies outside it ; and its architect, in designing it, seems to have been desirous of 
 proving his acquaintance with several architectural styles. In the interior, however, are some 
 splendid apartments ; especially the hall in which the maharajah holds his durbars — a hall 
 gorgeous with gilding, colours, and glass lustres. The dancing-girls of Rewah enjoy a certain 
 reputation for the elegance of their movements. 
 
 Our excursions in this direction will terminate with a visit to Punna, the famous "land of 
 diamonds." On its frontier the English traveller is received by the vakeels of the maharajah, 
 
 
 -'■ i; ■" 
 
 
 
 DANCING-GIRLS OP THE COURT OF HEWAH. 
 
 and a train of horses and elephants, and, after the usual ceremonies have been performed, is con- 
 ducted in great state to the capital. 
 
 Punna is a city of great antiquity, which some writers would fain identify with the 
 Panassa of the geographer Ptolemy. It has no monuments of interest. Its houses, all built of 
 freestone, are perched on the summit of an elevated table-land, and surround the maharajah's 
 palace — a building, or rather an agglomeration of buildings, in the English style — flat-roofed 
 bungalows, surrounded with colonnades, and connected by broad terraces. 
 
 At a short distance from the town are situated the mines. The shaft, a circular opening, 
 about sixty feet deep, and from thirty to forty feet in diameter, is sunk through successive strata 
 of gneiss, carbonates, and the adamantiferous ore, a mixture of quartz and silex. The workmen, 
 naked, labour half-immersed in the water which the chain of buckets, though constantly 
 
THK l'UNNA PKECIOUS STONES. 
 
 199 
 
 ascending and descending, is unable to exhaust, and send up to the surface a succession of straw- 
 baskets filled with a clayey deposit. In stone troughs, erected under a shed, the ore is carefully 
 washed ; and the silicious residue being spread on a marble slab, is carefully examined by 
 sorters, under the inspection of overseers. The diamonds thus obtained are cut and 
 polished at Punna, in workshops belonging to the maharajah, and then exported for sale to 
 Allahabad and Benares. They are remarkable for their purity, and flash with extraordinary 
 
 A [>UJ|. INK-MINI, rCXSA. 
 
 brilliancy. Their colour varies from the purest white to black, passing through all the principal 
 shades — milky, roseate, yellow, green, and brown. Their average weight does not exceed fivo 
 or six carats ; but larger specimens are sometimes found. 1 1 is said that very few reach Europe 
 Those so-called Punna diamonds which are sold in our marts are really Brazilian stones : they 
 are sent to India to be labelled with Indian labels, packed in Indian cases, and returned to 
 Europe as Indian gems. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 MADRAS AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
 
 MADRAS FROM THE SKA — DIFFICULT OF ACCESS — MUSSULAH BOATS — THE CATAMARANS — THE ENGLISH QUARTER OF MADRAS — ABOUT CASTE — A 
 DEOCAN VILLAGE DESCRIBED — VISIT TO CONJEVERAM — INDIAN AGRICULTURE — TEMPLE OF SIVA — ITS IDOLS — THE ARRACK-PALM— HOW THE 
 JUICE IS OBTAINED — MAHABALIPUR — TEMPLES OF VISHNU— A CAVE-TEMPLE— ITS SCULPTURES— OTHER ANTIQUITIES— MONOLITHIC TEMPLES — A 
 FRENCH SETTLEMENT, PONDICHERRY — ITS INHABITANTS — ITS HOUSES — TOUR TO TRICHINOPOLI — ITS FORT — THE PRINCE OF WALES'S VISIT — 
 THE GREAT TEMPLE OF SERINGHAM— SECT OF THE VISHNAVITES — TANJORE — ITS TEMPLES — MADURA — TANK OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS. 
 
 ADRAS, from the sea, is an enchanted city; it seems as absolutely the birth and off- 
 spring of that sea as ever was Cytherea. The voyager sees before him a mass of 
 seething waters, for the Bay of Bengal pours continuously on the long low Madras 
 shore ; and out of their glittering foam and snowy surge rise spires, and columns, and temples, 
 and flat-roofed houses, and all the other evidences of a great city. A great maritime city, and 
 yet without a haven or an anchorage for the ships, large or small, which carry on its commerce ! 
 It is a strange sight, — that extended range of buildings, stretching far along the open 
 strand, and confronting the apparently boundless sweep of Ocean, which seems as if it would 
 burst resistlessly upon it, and bury it beneath its billows. Even when the outer sea is calm, 
 the white-crested breakers swell and fret near the water-line, and send their echoing thunder 
 along the beach. It is necessary, therefore, that to and from the ships and steamers in the 
 offing the products of the country and the wares of Western civilization should be conveyed in 
 mussulah boats, dexterously handled by native rowers. For though Madras can boast of a 
 solid stately pier, stretching into the sea one thousand feet beyond high-water mark, it is 
 available only in calm weather and at low tides, and even then no vessel can lie alongside it. The 
 first stone of a harbour, however, which is to be of such dimensions as to afford secure anchorage 
 to the great steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company,* was laid in 1875 by the Prince 
 of Wales. 
 
 Hitherto, and at present, passengers have been and are landed in the native mussulah 
 boats, which are built of mango-wood, calked with straw, and sewn or stitched together with 
 cocoa-nut fibre. Ships drop their anchors about half a mile from the shore ; the mussulah craft 
 pull alongside, receive their cargo, and are then beached through the surf. Frequently the 
 boat, while lying alongside, will rise and fall twenty-five feet relatively to the height of the 
 ship's deck at each roll of the waves. Ladies are lashed into chairs, and lowered into the boat 
 from the ship's yard-arm. 
 
 Infinitely more curious than the mussulah boat is the catamaran, a kind of miniature 
 raft, consisting of two or three logs firmly lashed together, on which the native fishermen, an 
 
 * It will be formed by piers running out from the shore MO yards north and south of the present screw pile pier, and will enclose a rect- 
 angular area of 170 acres, with a depth at low water of 18 to 42 feet. 
 
r 
 
 a 
 ■ 
 
 V 
 
 
CROSSING THE MADRAS SURF. 203 
 
 amphibious race, boldly launch themselves through the whirl of waves, propelling themselves 
 by means of a flat piece of wood alternately dipped on either side. These men are adroit and 
 courageous swimmers, and though sharks abound in the Madras waters, they perform the 
 most extraordinary feats, — now diving deep under the dark green tide, now riding fearlessly on 
 a swelling billow. 
 
 Mr. Eastwick gives a lively description of the process of crossing the surf-wave, which in 
 calm weather is three feet high, in breezy weather six feet, and in storms fourteen feet high. 
 There are two lines of surf, and between these it is possible for a boat to keep her position 
 without crossing either liquid ridge. The outer wave, or male surf, is the more formidable ; and 
 considerable care and caution are required in crossing it. The great art is to ride in on one 
 wave, keeping the boat's head straight, and then pull away from its successor, so as to avoid 
 being overtaken, which means being swamped. The result is equally disagreeable if the boat 
 should be caught on her broadside, for she is then capsized. And in such an event the peril for 
 Europeans is great ; for not only is the most masterly and strenuous swimming requisite, but 
 sharks have to be guarded against It is true that the hardy rowers of the catamarans are 
 frequently washed from their frail craft ; but they are truly amphibians, with powers of natation 
 equal to those of a fish, and their dusky figures are not so readily detected by the sharks. Yet 
 even to them a terrible death will sometimes come. As soon as the surf is allowed to carry the 
 boat onward, its progress is amazingly swift, and the stem is raised up aloft until it is almost 
 perpendicular. The sensation experienced by the passenger is like that of " taking a leap on 
 horseback." As soon as the first wave has tumbled into spray, the boatmen pull with all their 
 might to elude the next, shouting, " Hillea ! hillea ! " ("Pull! pull!") or, "Javier! Javier!"— 
 the last a . reminiscence of the famous St. Xavier, who prosecuted his missionary work with 
 ■mgnlar success along the Coromandel coast. The second wave carries the boat to the shore, 
 where, in rough weather, it strikes with so much violence as frequently to split. A number 
 of men, however, are on the alert to seize and haul it up out of reach of the next incoming 
 billow. 
 
 • Iras, with its suburbs, may be estimated at from twelve to fourteen miles in circuit. It 
 has its native quarter, its Mohammedan quarter, and its English quarter. The English residents, 
 however, chiefly inhabit the suburbs, where, along broad tree-shaded roads, and among open 
 meadows and rice-fields, each house is situated in its own compound or enclosure, and surrounded 
 by groves of feathery casuarinas, date-palms, and banians. Some of the houses are of palatial 
 dimensions, and nearly all are divided into large airy chambers, opening into one another, with a 
 curtain partially covering each doorway, and a verandah projecting on each floor. From every 
 ■ ■• iling hangs the universal punkah, which is kept in motion by a cord passing through the wall 
 into an adjacent apartment, or into the verandah, where, reclining on the floor, the indolent 
 workman plies his simple but continuous task. The furniture is mostly made of an ebony wood 
 indigenous to the country, enriched by native skill with a profusion of delicate carving; while 
 the elegance of the interior arrangements is enhanced by the spotless brilliancy of the walls, 
 due to the chunam, or white lime made from sea-shells, with which they are coated. 
 
 Fort St George, St Georges Cathedral, and the Government House, where the Prince of 
 Wales was entertained on the occasion of his visit in 1875, are the principal edifices of the 
 ocean-city ; but they cannot be said to call for particular description. 
 
204 AGRICULTURE IN MADRAS. 
 
 Among the Indians the spirit of caste takes the place of the domestic tendency : they love 
 their wives and children, but with a love subordinated to certain extraneous principles. The 
 Brahmans and the Sudras, as well as the Pariahs themselves, are divided into a multitude of 
 sub-castes, a member of any one of which can neither eat, drink, nor many with a member of 
 another. If an Indian lose his caste, he is rejected by his kith and kin ; his wife is treated 
 as a widow, his children are regarded as orphans ; neither succour nor compassion may he expect 
 from his nearest and dearest, unless he can purchase back his caste by heavy payments to the 
 priests. It is probable that English influences, and the labours of our missionaries and teachers, 
 are beginning to tell upon this caste system, which is the great obstacle to the thorough regenera- 
 tion of India; but as yet the effect is scarcely perceptible. An Englishman is still treated as a 
 Pariah; and the high-caste Hindu, if he has accidentally touched you, washes his hands of the 
 pollution the moment your back is turned. Even the railway division of passengers into classes 
 has been made to subserve the prejudices of caste ; and it is caste that stands in the way of more 
 frequent pilgrimages to England on the part of influential and wealthy natives. 
 
 A Deccan village is invariably composed of two sections, separated by an interval of some 
 yards. One of these is reserved for high-caste families ; the other, enclosed by a hedge, for 
 Pariahs, who cannot enter the streets of the village without the permission of the former, and 
 are forbidden to draw water from any wells but those appropriated to them. Or if there be no 
 such wells, they deposit their empty jars and vessels near the high-caste wells, and wait patiently 
 and humbly for some kind hand to fill them. 
 
 If, physically and intellectually speaking, the higher castes can claim -superiority over the 
 mass of Pariahs, the latter are much more industrious, more docile, and more accessible to 
 European influences. In the Madras Presidency, they supply the most disciplined and trust- 
 worthy of the native recruits of our army. 
 
 These details, not, we hope, without some interest and value to the reader, have detained 
 us long at Madras. We shall now conduct the reader to Conjeveram. 
 
 As we proceed, we notice that the surrounding country is fairly well cultivated. The 
 banian is very plentiful ; and among the fields secluded leafy nooks are scattered, where water 
 shimmers in the thickets, and herds of antelopes disport themselves. Rice is the chief 
 product in an agricultural sense. The fields are divided into a certain number of square plots, 
 enclosed by embankments high enough to prevent the overflow of the waters ; the general 
 aspect being that of an immense chess-board. Each square is situated at a different level, so 
 that the irrigating stream may pass from one to the other. The labourer begins by inundating 
 his field, so as to soak the soil thoroughly ; then he breaks up the clods, and leaves the grass 
 and stubble to rot. The water having disappeared, the field is ploughed ; the plough used being 
 a very primitive implement, and consisting of a coulter without any arm, terminated by an iron 
 point, and fixed to a beam in connection with the yoke. It is the ancient arera without any 
 mould-board to turn back the earth, which is simply torn up by the iron ; consequently in the 
 muddy soil, wherein the oxen sink to their knees, these animals do more work than the plough 
 does. The ploughing process completed, the agriculturist proceeds to level the ground with a 
 flat piece of wood attached to a long handle ; then he sows the seed ; and in two days the green 
 
TK.Ml'l.KS AT CONJEVERAM. 205 
 
 shoots are seen above ground. On the fourth daw watering begins ; then a tiny rill is intro- 
 • lured every other day until the rice shows three leaves. For a month afterwards the rice-plots 
 are irrigated for two successive days, and then left to dry for a similar interval ; and, finally, up 
 to the epoch of complete maturity the soil is watered ten days at a time, two days of rest 
 being allowed between each decade. 
 
 The quantity of the crop depends on the fertility of the soil and the plentifulness of the 
 water-supply ; so that while certain districts yield but thinly, others will repay the husband- 
 man's labour literally a hundredfold. Again : some species of the grain ripen more quickly than 
 others. The sowing-season differs, too, according to the species sown ; but always the best soil, 
 and the best irrigated, must be reserved for the successful cultivation of rice. 
 
 Conjeveram lies about forty-five miles from Madras, and derives its fame from its temples 
 dedicated to Siva. It covers a very considerable area of ground, so that its two principal 
 temples are situated at a distance of three miles from one another. The streets are remarkably 
 wide ; and at frequent intervals the traveller comes upon small pagodas shaped like a parallelo- 
 piped. The square sanctuary, as well as the colonnade which serves for an approach, has a flat 
 roof. Each column is a monolith, with quadrangular base and capital ; the pedestals are orna- 
 mented with sculptured bas-reliefs, representing bacchanal groups. 
 
 Into the outer court of the principal temple, the worshippers pass through two gates, 
 of eight stories, and devoid of carving. Two colossal statues flank each opening. Into the 
 second court none but people of caste are permitted to enter. The sanctuary is spacious, and in 
 front of it is a colonnade, where the visitor is invited to rest himself while the priests display 
 the jewels and precious stuffs which, on great festivals, are employed to decorate the idol. Their 
 value exceeds five lacs of rupees. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls are woven into 
 mitres, collars, bracelets, diadems, and the like. Not one of 
 these stones is cut, though some are of considerable size. The 
 various gems are mounted without taste, and the stones grouped 
 together without any regard to their colour, their shape, or their 
 value. It is a curious fact that one of these ornaments was 
 presented by Lord Clive. To the visitor are also exhibited the 
 secondary idols, such as Hanuman, the monkey-god, and Garuda, 
 the hawk-god ; the horse, and the various monsters on which the 
 chief image is enthroned on festal occasions, are all gilded, and 
 all larger than life-size. 
 
 In front of the entrance to the sanctuary rises a small man- 
 dapam, or dais, supported bj t"ur columns, and, in its turn, sup- 
 |M»rting a pyramidal roof, with monolithic chains at each angle. 
 I" the left, a rectangular platform, covered by a level roof, is 
 
 ii] (held by twelve rows of eight columns each. Under this stately canopy of stone the god, 
 once a month, is exposed to the adoration of his devotees. Behind the six-and-ninety columns 
 which constitute so remarkable an architectural feature sleeps a sacred pool, where the faithful 
 perform their ablutions; and in the middle of which rises another and a smaller manda]iani. 
 Am shrine, on certain feast-days, of the local divinity. 
 
206 THE ARRACK-PALM. 
 
 To the right lies a second sanctuary, with a colonnade in front, literally loaded with sculp- 
 tures and symbols, such as only an orgiastic creed could admit or sanction. 
 
 Every Friday the idol is borne, with pomp of music and procession of priests and nautchni- 
 girls, to a garden adjoining the pagoda ; but the grand festival takes place in May. A legion of 
 apes, placed under the protection of Siva, wander to and fro in the sacred enclosure. He would 
 be a rash man who offered them any molestation. 
 
 Notwithstanding its great reputation, the Conjeveram temple cannot be regarded as one 
 of the finest in India. Without for one moment comparing it with those of Tanjore and 
 Madura, there are many in Southern India which excel it in grandeur, as well as in beauty of 
 sculptured work. 
 
 Proceeding southward, by way of Chingleput, we enter on a country which is dry, un- 
 attractive, and poorly cultivated. But wherever in the Deccan the agriculturist ceases' his 
 labour, we come upon groves of the arrack-palm. This palm-tree, whose fruit, though not very 
 finely flavoured, is much liked by children, yields a beverage called toddy, a sugar or jaghery, 
 and an alcoholic spirit known as arrack, — all obtained from the flowers, while they are in 
 a rudimentary condition. The inflorescence begins about November or December, and it is 
 then that the sap or toddy is extracted, together with the arrack and sugar. The process is as 
 follows : — The Indian binds his legs together firmly at the ankles, and having passed around 
 the tree a strong leather belt, wide enough to admit of the easy transit of the body, he climbs 
 up the trunk step by step, like an ape, with the assistance of the aforesaid strap, until he 
 reaches the summit. He then presses strongly the base of the floral axil to arrest its develop- 
 ment, bruises the blossoms with his fingers, and, in order to facilitate the flow of the juice, cuts 
 the bottom of the secondary axils on which the flowers are, so to speak, incrusted. On the 
 ninth day the sap begins to run, and the end of the spathe is then inserted into an earthen vessel, 
 the contents of which are collected every morning and evening. The outcome continues for 
 three or four months, and amounts daily to two quarts or two quarts and a half. Every third 
 year the palm is allowed to rest and bear fruit ; otherwise it would perish. To obtain the 
 jaghery or sugar, a little lime is added to the juice, which is boiled until it is as thick as syrup ; 
 then it is poured into small baskets made of palm-leaves. On cooling, it partly crystallizes, and 
 furnishes a sugar of a deep brown tint. Six pints of toddy produce about a quart of jaghery, 
 which is worth threepence. 
 
 The arrack is prepared from the toddy, fermented and distilled. The quantity of sugar 
 obtained from the male tree is not more than one-third of that furnished by the female tree. • 
 
 From Chingleput we proceed to Sadras; and from Sadras, by a salt-water canal, to 
 Mahabalipur, the " city of the great Bali," also known as "the Seven Pagodas." It lies about 
 seven miles to the north of Sadras. 
 
 There, on a sandy and silent shore, which is washed by the billows of the Indian Ocean in 
 the season of the monsoons, numerous small temples and caves attract the traveller's attention. 
 The majority appear to have been consecrated to Vishnu, whose worship was widely spread of 
 old along the Coromandel coast. 
 
 In the centre of the sand-waste rises an isolated mass of granite, on the western side of 
 
MAHABALIPUR. 207 
 
 which we see a cavern, fronted by a portico of two rows of columns : of the first four the shaft 
 is octagonal, with a cubical base and capital; while the others are polygons, crowned with 
 mushroom-shaped capitals. In the recess were formerly five sanctuaries, each containing a 
 lingam ; nothing now remains but the stone basin which held the symbol. The door of 
 the sanctuary is flanked by statues four feet high, which are by no means remarkable in an 
 artistic sense. The whole is carved out of the solid rock. The exterior is ornamented 
 with bell-gables, recalling, as Fergusson remarks, the monastic cells in which the Buddhist 
 monks passed their contemplative lives. To the left of this temple, and on the same 
 level, may be seen a second, the incomplete sculptures of which still exhibit traces of the 
 chisels of the workmen. Attention should also be directed to another small grotto, the facade 
 of which is decorated with two octagonal columns, and two rudely wrought statues. A few 
 paces beyond, and three niches, occupied by shapeless statues, are conspicuous: in the depth 
 of each is sculptured a deity with four arms, the attributes of which are not discernible; and 
 above fly two dwarfs, whose squat bodies, twisted limbs, and hideous heads combine in a mon- 
 strous whole exactly like the ugly creatures that figure in the Buddhist monuments of Ceylon — 
 these are the yakshas or demons. Below, a couple of men are kneeling in an attitude of prayer. 
 Men, demons, and gods are equally wanting in grace and expression. 
 
 When we come to the northern side, our gaze is arrested by a couple of apes — one engaged 
 in scratching his comrade's head — which are truly remarkable for the fantastical character of 
 their attitudes. Afterwards we arrive at a small temple excavated in the rock, of the same 
 style as the preceding. A statue of Ganesa occupies the interior. Other remarkable 
 grottoes there are, of which our limits will not permit us to attempt a description. But we 
 must point to one which rests on a range of four columns having lions for a pedestal. A 
 sculpture in the interior represents a scene from the life of Krishna ; and a colossal figure of the 
 god supports with his left hand the temple-vault. Figures of zebus are seen in all directions : 
 one, on the right, reclines in a very natural attitude ; further on, another licks a heifer which a 
 man is drawing to her ; — these sculptures are well designed and well executed. On the left-hand 
 side are carved numerous monsters, among which is seen a human-headed lion. They have been 
 wrought, it must be admitted, by no feeble or inartistic chisel. 
 
 To the north, on the very margin of the sea, are situated two pyramidal temples. The 
 column, generally erected in front <>f the temples of Siva, has its base now washed by the waves; 
 a proof that the sea has encroached and is encroaching on the Coromandel coast. In the larger 
 sanctuary is a colossal bngam of pramntM form. 
 
 About a mile and a half to the south rise five monolithic temples, which are unquestionably 
 the most interesting j>ortion of the ruins of Mahabalipur. Three of them are built pyramidi- 
 cally, and ornamented with quadrangular belfrk -. A fourth, which forms a square, and is the 
 only one which has been completed, is crowned by a curvilinear vaulted roof. In the sanctuary 
 reigns a four-armed goddess, at whose feet two men are kneeling ; round about her fly four 
 plump angels, a couple of whom wear moustaches on their upper lip. 
 
 I- roin Mahabalipur we proceed to one of the five resting-places of the French in India. 
 At one time it seemed as if the peninsula would have fallen into their hands ; but, through the 
 
208 VISIT TO PONDIOHERKY. 
 
 genius of Clive and Hastings, they were beaten back to Pondicherry, where the tricolor still 
 waves disconsolately. A pretty town, is Pondicherry — traversed by bi-oad and well-kept 
 streets— and having about it a curiously French air, or rather a French-Indian air. M. Grandi- 
 dier speaks of its Creole aspect ; and adds that it resembles neither a native nor a purely French 
 town, but presents " a happy mixture of those two characters which are everywhere recognized 
 when the French or Spanish race is compelled to live with a foreign population." 
 
 It is with the inhabitants, says Grandidier, as with the town : they have made out a life 
 for themselves, adapted to the climate in which they reside ; they do not attempt to introduce 
 into India the manners and habits of France, which certainly wither under the burning sun of 
 the Tropics. " The Southern peoples are far from resembling the English, who always tread 
 disdainfully a foreign soil ; and, whether in China or Kamtschatka, still think themselves on 
 British ground. The Englishman, in effect, does not travel ; he changes his scene, but always 
 carries with him his home." We submit, however, that when a stronger but less numerous race 
 is called upon to live with the weaker but more numerous race which it has conquered, it is 
 well that it should retain its own individuality. We hold India by virtue of our superiority, 
 but that superiority would soon disappear if we assimilated ourselves to Indian habits and 
 Indian manners. Pondicherry and Calcutta are each typical of the nations to which they 
 belong ; and the difference between them helps to explain why India is British, and not 
 French. 
 
 The houses of Pondicherry are nearly all separated from the street by small courtyards 
 enriched with shrubberies and flower-beds. Their appearance, however, suffers greatly from the 
 cryptogamic vegetation which quickly covers them in large patches, and needs to be cleared 
 away every year. After this annual process everything looks clear and bright for two or three 
 months, when the whiteness again disappears under the lichens which extend their myriad arms 
 in every direction, and rapidly spread over the entire surface. 
 
 From Pondicherry the traveller may proceed to Trichinopoli, Tanjore, and Madura. 
 
 Trichinopoli was formerly the seat of the Chola dynasty, one of the three great ruling 
 powers of the Deccan. It afterwards fell under the sway of the Talingana Naikhars dynasty ; 
 and, for a brief period, was the capital of the Mohammedan kings. Here the French made 
 several efforts to establish their authority ; and here, too, the foundations of our Anglo-Indian 
 sovereignty were laid by the genius and resolution of Clive and Lawrence. 
 
 The Fort is an immense mass of solid masonry crowning the summit of a great rock, with 
 ramparts so solid and battlements so regular that the European is surprised at such a monument 
 of Oriental military architecture. Its white bastions gleaming in the sunshine are visible above 
 a forest of palms from all the country round. Against any native force that can threaten its 
 defences, it is impregnable ; and the Union Jack waving from its loftiest tower is a perpetual 
 symbol of the power and glory of England. 
 
 On the occasion of the Prince of Wales's visit, both Fort and rock were shrouded in 
 crimson flame, bursting from a myriad jets. The prince witnessed the gorgeous scene from a 
 building which a small lake separates from the base of the great fortress. Showers of rockets 
 were sent up from boats that moved to and fro on the many-coloured sheet of water. A canopy 
 
THE GREAT TAMIL TEMPLE. 
 
 209 
 
 rose above the prince's seat, the splendid tinting of which, in gold and silver and purple, had 
 occupied manv weeks of arduous toil on the part of the native artists. 
 
 " Behind the prince," says Mr. Wheeler, " upon a rich black and crimson carpet, stood the 
 native dignitaries, in dresses of white and green, gold and scarlet. The military staff of 
 Trichinopoli, and many ladies in evening costume, were also in the brilliant group. His Royal 
 Highness was much impressed as he watched the rockets wreathing round the pinnacles and 
 towers of the citadel, and the coloured fires rolling in clouds down the pallid battlements. On 
 each side of the square lake, beyond lines of fixed lights, were masses of natives, whose peering 
 dark faces, alive with excitement, and picturesque dresses, gave a mystic appearance to the 
 roadwaya Outside of the crowd again were troops : native lancers, in light blue, and the 
 attendants of rajahs, in black and red, all of whom held aloft either bannered spear-heads or 
 flashing sabres. Above the whole of the earthly revelry a pale full moon sailed on her course 
 in the misty heaven." 
 
 The holiest Indian shrine in the south is the Great Tamil Temple situated on the island of 
 Seringham ("the divine Vishnu"). Its dimen- 
 sions are enormous, and within its huge precincts 
 it affords accommodation to a numerous company 
 of Brahmans, and others more or less closely 
 connected with the sanctuary. It is needless to 
 repeat a tale already often told, or to dwell upon 
 the details of the courts, and gateways, and colon- 
 nades, and sculptures, which generally resemble 
 those of the other great Indian temples. From 
 the summit of the principal gopura, or gateway, 
 may be obtained a gloriously extensive view, 
 northwards towards the mountains which border 
 the Trichinopoli plain, eastward along the fertile 
 and plentifully irrigated level country, and west- 
 ward to the source of all its fertility, the huge 
 dam which shuts up for purposes of irrigation the 
 rolling currents of the Kaveri. This temple is very rich in precious stones and gem«, wrought 
 into a variety of fantastic devices. , 
 
 In this part of India the great Hindu sect of the Vishnavites has split into two divisions, 
 the "men of the north" and the " men of the south." The former wear the symbolical trident 
 on their foreheads, but cut it short between the eyebrows ; while the latter lengthen it to a 
 point about half-way down the nose. The Great Temple of Seringham belongs to the " men of 
 the south." They allow the northerners, however, to worship at its altar, but not to carry 
 about the objects of their worship in procession. It requires all the force and moral power of 
 the British Government to prevent the rival religionists from breaking out into sanguinary 
 feuds. 
 
 Among other objects of interest in Trichinopoli are the Roman Catholic cathedral ; the old 
 
 palace of the rajahs of Tanjore ; the bazaars of the gold-workers, with their singularly beautiful 
 
 masterpieces of art; the Church of St. John, where Heber, the poet-bishop, preached his last 
 
 14 
 
 TIHPI.I AT KEHIMiHAK. 
 
210 TANJORE AND MADURA. 
 
 sermon, and lies buried; and Olive's house. Can any Englishman view without emotion the 
 dwelling-place of that foremost among our Anglo- Indian soldier-statesmen? 
 
 Tanjore is situated among prolific rice-fields in a burning plain, which only an extensive 
 system of irrigation saves from drought and sterility. It is principally famous for its spacious 
 and lofty temple, which, like that of Trichinopoli, is one of the great sanctuaries of Southern 
 India. A recent traveller, Mr. Grant Duff, says — " Its general effect is not less imposing than, 
 though very different from, that of Edfou or Denderah [on the Nile]. The temples of Benares 
 filled me with something nearly akin to disgust, but this is very different. The famous black 
 
 bull is a grand beast, of Egyptian proportions and benignity We lingered long amongst the 
 
 courts of this splendid temple, learning the uses of its different parts, and strolled a little in 
 the till lately neglected garden, which is gradually being put into order by the local British 
 providence." 
 
 The palace is large, with some good architectural features ; it commands a fine picturesque 
 view of the city, the roofs of which, unlike those in Northern India, are not flat, but pointed. 
 The arsenal is now empty of weapons ; but the library is rich in Sanskrit manuscripts. 
 
 Madura, on the Vaiga, is largely frequented by pilgrims, inasmuch as it lies on the route 
 to the sacred island of Rameshwaram, and is in itself a sacred city, with several splendid temples 
 — the chief (the Great Pagoda of Minakshi) being that built by Trimal Naik, a former Nayak 
 of Madura. It- is dedicated to Siva and his wife Parvati. The interior is magnificent, with 
 long-drawn corridors and arched roofs, and images of the two deities in gold and silver placed 
 at frequent intervals. Beyond the pagoda lies the celebrated tank of the Golden Lotus, the 
 lily sacred to Siva ; to bathe in the waters of which is the aspiration of the faithful in the 
 Southern Deccan. 
 
 Adjoining the tank is a magic seat, upon which the candidates for places in the Council of 
 the University of Madura, to which students from all parts of India formerly resorted, were 
 made to take their places. The story goes that if the aspirant were in very truth worthy of the 
 honour he sought, the bench, when he sat down, extended so as to accommodate him. But, on 
 the other hand, if his ambition exceeded his deserts, the bench contracted ; and the unlucky 
 candidate, after coming to the ground, was flung into the tank to cool the fever of his desires. 
 
CHAPTEi: XXI. 
 
 HURDWAR : AND THE GAN'.KS. 
 
 THI SACREP CTTT AND THB SACBBD BTTO— THE INDIAN GRASSES— TH1 PLANTAIN— IX THE JTNGLE— THE "CATI OF HARI '— DESCRIPTION OF THE 
 CITT— THE TEMPLES — THE GREAT GANGES CANAL— A BATHING-GHAT— THE GREAT FAIR OF HCBDWAR. 
 
 | II l.KE is much that is beautiful in the aspect of the Gauges near the sacred city of 
 Hurdwar. It is of considerable width, with a light sandy soil; bounded on the left 
 by the lofty Himalaya, their white peaks sharply defined against a sky of intensest 
 blue, and on the left of the lower summits of the Siwalik range, waving with green woods of 
 pine. In the neighbourhood of Dehra the great upper valley seems to reach its highest fertility. 
 The sunny slopes bloom with all kinds of crops, which are diversified by extensive tea-plantations, 
 and brightened by breadths of fragrant blossom, among which conspicuous shine the flowers of 
 the rosy hibiscus, pure white as snow in early morning, and at noon as crimson as a lake in the 
 sunset At frequent intervals dense clumps of bamboo lift high their feathery foliage, like 
 colossal plumes of ostrich feathers. Can anything be more gracefully attractive than these tall 
 grasses ? Each reed is about four or five inches in diameter at the base, and springs upward, 
 in points of two to three feet each, to the height of forty or even fifty feet Tall and strong as 
 they mm, at the impulse of the wind tliey sway their feathery crests in graceful curves, while 
 each separate bright green leaf quivers as at the touch of an unseen finger. Surely it was out 
 of one of these that Pan, of old, made to himself the melodious pipe with. which he charmed the 
 echoes of Arcadia. At least the Malays are cunning now-a-days to convert them into musical 
 instruments, breathing the sweetest sounds imaginable as the wind plays upon them. For 
 this puqx>se, holes are bored in each hollow joint, holes varying in size according to the diameter 
 of the bamboo; and as the breeze steals through them, each organ-pipe responds with melodi- 
 ous tones, some soft and dulcet as those of a distant lute, some rich and full like the. swell of a 
 summer sea. 
 
 Besides these groups of bamboo we see the towering plantains, with each broad shining 
 leaf, eight or ten feet long, crowning a low stem, from which depend the large full crimson 
 blossoms and the clusters of luscious, creamy fruit. The plantain enters largely into the Hindu 
 peasant's daily fare; yet it is not so precious to him as its neighbour, the bamboo, — which, indeed, 
 in this Ganges valley, plays a part as important as the cocoa-nut or the bread-fruit in the isles 
 i 'olynesia. The young sprouts, which are carefully pruned in order to facilitate the growth 
 of the main shoots, can be eaten as a vegetable, or boiled with sugar into a sweetmeat, or made 
 with vinegar into a pickle. Cut up small, mixed with honey, ami exposed to the action of a 
 wood -fire, it furnishes a very agreeable confection. A decoction of the leaves supplies a muci- 
 
212 
 
 MANIFOLD USES OF THE BAMBOO. 
 
 Jaginous drink, useful as a cough-mixture ; and its outer rind serves as a febrifuge. From the 
 young buds is obtained a cooling diaphoretic ; and the root supplies a valuable salve. The cane is 
 turned to account for an infinite variety of purposes. Every kind of article, from a fishing-rod to 
 the mast of a vessel, is made out of it; and not only the mast, but the hull, the rigging, and even 
 the canvas. The rafters and floors of houses are bamboo ; bows and bowstrings, bamboo ; arrow- 
 
 shafts and pens, bamboo; buckets and water-wheels, bamboo; mats, blinds, water-pipes, musical 
 instruments, bamboo. In a word, if every other tree were swept clean out of the Ganges valley, 
 the Hindu would still be immeasurably rich in his possession of the bamboo. 
 
 Through this scene of abundant crops and feathery foliage we pass into a tract of jungle, 
 where the palms are fantastically festooned with wreaths of emerald-tinted parasites, studded 
 all over with starry blossoms. Here we realize, for the first time in our lives, the true beauty 
 
HURDWAR DESCRIBED. 213 
 
 of the grasses. Grasses of all kinds are around us: tall, plume-like grasses; silky grasses ; short, 
 spiky grasses; tufted grasses; grasses light and feathery; grasses waving like wild oats; and 
 tall, pink, sirkee grasses, which rear their rosy plumes twenty to thirty feet in height. Through 
 a fluttering, bending, whispering, rustling world of grasses we make our way; and the effect is 
 as novel as it is beautiful. At this point the two mountain-chains approach each other very 
 closely, and it is in their deep, silent shadow that the Ganges pours downward its clear, fresh, 
 bright blue waters, in vivid contrast to the turbid stream which washes Agra and Benares. 
 
 At length we arrive at Hurdwar, or Haridwar — that is, the Gate of Hari (or Vishnu), the 
 Indian Sun-god, the subject of as many myths as the Greek Hyperion or the Latin Apollo. It 
 is a small and ancient city, presenting the usual Oriental characteristics. Every house is more 
 or less ornamental; not a few are richly carved and painted; and each window has its little 
 overhanging balcony. In the middle of the chief street a row of paltry booths, thatched with 
 brown straw, is built up on either side of the road against the tall stately houses, producing a 
 very curious and picturesque effect of colouring. The thoroughfares are crowded with people, 
 numbers of whom carry great baskets of flowers, and radiant wreaths of roses and marigolds, to 
 deposit at the shrines of their idols, or with which to festoon the sacred river. Others are busy 
 sealing up \ts holy water in tall, thin bottles, so that happy pilgrims may take it home with 
 them, for the purpose of anointing their household gods. This sealing process is singular 
 enough; no ordinary fire is used, bul the workman kindles one end of a large tree, and allows 
 it to smoulder gradually. Groups of women, close by, prepare cakes of the fuel of the country, 
 and plaster them over the fronts of the houses that they may dry in the sun. 
 
 The main support of the inhabitants of Hurdwar is cotton-picking. All other avocations 
 are more or less closely connected with tin- temple-worship. Many stalls are wholly confined 
 tu the sale of all kinds of brass idols, brass bells (such as are rung in the temples), flower-vases, 
 incense-burners, mirrors, lotas, toys, and phials and vases for holy water. Others are appro- 
 priated to sweetmeats and beads. 
 
 The temples here, as elsewhere, line the river-bank, and though neither of graceful nor 
 imposing design, are rendered attractive by their tall, pyramidal, elaborately carved domes. 
 Generally they are enclosed in a grove of peepul-trees, and these are tenanted by countless 
 monkeys, chattering incessantly, and doing whatever they list; roaming about the temples 
 and the town, perching on roofs and balconies, and carrying off from the stalls, without let or 
 hindrance, any object on which they happen to set their fancy. 
 
 In the immediate neighbourhood of Hurdwar begins the great Ganges Canal, which has 
 done so much to avert the evils of the prolonged droughts that frequently afflict India. Works 
 of irrigation on an extensive scale occupied the energies of the Mogul emperors; but none of 
 these could compare with the grand achievement of English engineering skill. It was designed 
 by Sir Probj Cautley; and extends from Hurdwar to Cawnpur, a distance of four hundred 
 miles, transforming a parched desert into a blooming garden, and supplying life and freshness 
 to an area of six hundred thousand acres. The difficulties overcome in its construction were 
 enormous ; and immense tunnels, aqueducts, and embankments, and a vast system of locks 
 weirs, and sluices, will long perpetuate in India the memory of the English raj. 
 
214 THE FAIR OF HURDWAR. 
 
 Close to the head of the canal a spacious bathing-ghat has been built by Government, with 
 the view of diminishing the pressure of the crowds of pilgrims who assemble at Hurdwar on 
 the occasion of its great annual fair. 
 
 For Hurdwar, being the city nearest to the source of the Ganges, is reputed almost as holy 
 as Gangotri itself, where the river issues from its parent ice-cave at the base of the colossal 
 glacier. 
 
 Once a year, then, pilgrims resort to it from every part of the empire, on a day appointed 
 by the Hindu astrologers. For it is necessary that the fair should be held when Jupiter is in 
 Aquarius, at the time of the sun entering Aries — Hurdwar being, as we have already stated, 
 consecrated to the Sun-god, Hari. 
 
 For weeks previously the pilgrims arrive in a continuous stream, pitching their camps on 
 every available spot. They come in entire families, so that all alike may cleanse themselves of 
 their sins in the river of purification — Kashmirians, Paharis, Hindus, Persians. Thither, too, 
 drawn by the hope of gain, flock Tartars, Afghans, Cabulees, and Mohammedans of many 
 nations. 
 
 The fair is a great horse-fair, where you may find every variety of breed, from the fleet 
 Arab and the stout, heavy draught-horse of New South Wales to the sturdy ponies of Kashmir 
 and Cabul. But it is not only a horse-fair; it exhibits a tolerably complete collection of the 
 world's zoology, — elephants, buffaloes, camels, bears, leopards, cheetahs, cats, dogs, cows, sheep, 
 and monkeys. Then, among other merchandise, we find choice boxes of dried fruit, sweetmeats, 
 mats, shawls from the most dexterous looms of Kashmir and India,, jewels in infinite variety, 
 beads and toys, woollen goods, perfumes, silks, cottons, and all kinds of European wares. The 
 hubbub is tremendous when the fair is at its height; for vendors and purchasers never complete 
 a bargain without an extraordinary amount of " palaver," accompanied by a no less extraordinary 
 amount of gesticulation. 
 
 According to Miss Gordon Cumming, who visited the fair in 1875, a certain ghat, just 
 below a favourite temple, is esteemed the sacredest spot in all Hurdwar; and thither, on the 
 great day of the festival, every one rushes to bathe — half a million of people contriving to plunge 
 in at this consecrated spot within a few hours. Men, women, and children bathe indiscriminately, 
 but without any indecency, from their absolute unconsciousness of wrong-doing or cause for 
 shame. " They plunge joyously in, as if thoroughly enjoying themselves in the clear rippling 
 stream, and the women washing their long raven hair; and all coming out again as fresh as — 
 well, we cannot say as fresh as daisies, more like glossy horse-chestnuts! The richer pilgrims 
 are led into the water, supported on either side by a venerable Brahman, who carefully takes 
 them to the mid-stream, plunges them in thrice, silently and solemnly, then escorts them to 
 land once more; a very grave proceeding, much in the style of the solemn three dips and out 
 again of the genuine health-seeker at the sea-side. " 
 
 The average yearly attendance at the Hurdwar festival is computed at about two hundred 
 thousand persons ; but every twelfth year, when Krishna himself is supposed to revisit the earth 
 and favour his worshippers with his unseen presence, it swells to a million and a half. The 
 sacredness of the river-city on such occasions is almost inconceivable and indescribable. It 
 becomes the very gate of heaven; and the air of sanctity abroad is such as to secure the salvation 
 of all who are present, not even Christians being excluded ! 
 
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CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 CALCUTTA : THE CITY OF PALACKS. 
 
 SITUATION or CALCUTTA— ITS GE.XERAL ASPECT— UDCUIU) BT M. OBABDIDIBB— THE ENGLISH QUARTER— THE NATIVE QUARTER- NATIVE HOUSES— 
 ABOUT THE BABO08 — THE BURSINC-CHAT — THE TEMPLE or KALI —SABGU1N ART CILTL'S Or THE GODDESS — THE CHURCK-POOJA — ANIMAL 
 SACKiriCEH PRESENTED — THE ADJUTANT-BIRDS— THE HACKRIE, OB BCLLOCK-CABT— CALCUTTA MERCHANTS AND SHOPKEEPERS -" PIECE-GOODS " 
 MERCHABTS— APUHAS TRADERS— THE MAIDAN, OB KSPLANADB — THE BOTANICAL OARDEN. 
 
 |ALCUTTA, the so-called " City of Palaces," the capital of British India, is situated on 
 the Hugh, one of the principal streams of the Gangetic Delta. Though thirty 
 leagues distant from the sea, the estuary is so deep that ships of the largest size can 
 lie close to its quays. Unfortunately, the current is very -rapid, and bringing down with it great 
 quantities of soil, accumulates at the mouth of the river a number of shifting sandbanks, which 
 seriously obstruct navigation. 
 
 The impression which the first view of Calcutta produces on the visitor is decidedly favour- 
 able. He suddenly perceives, says M. Rousselet, a stately line of palaces fronting an immense 
 esplanade. Columns and belfries rise in all directions ; the harbour is thronged with a forest of 
 masts; the quays seem to heave and swell with tumultuous crowds ; while carriages and pal k i « i 
 of novel aspect incessantly pass to and fro. Nor is the impression diminished by a doeer 
 inspection. The squares are not unworthy of London ; streets containing sumptuous shops are 
 lined with houses having the porticoes of Greek temples. Dr. Maeleod remarks that Old Court- 
 house Street is so fine and wide, with shops so brilliant, that no part of London would be 
 ashamed of it; and he adds that the breadth of the great thoroughfares, the size and imposing 
 style of the residences which line them, and the arrangements necessitated by the climate, 
 which demands air and shade, and gardens with their flowed ami verdure, all combine to 
 extend the European portion of Calcutta over a really imposing area. Ami Mr. Matheson, an 
 accurate matter-of-fact observer, asserts that the appearance of Calcutta is decidedly that of a 
 "city of palaces." It may be described, in a sentence, as an immense crescent {perhaps two 
 miles in extent), mainly formed of elegant white buildings, with flat, ornamented roofs and 
 broad balconies, — this view, adorned by several spiral and enriched by abundant foliage, forming 
 the magnificent boundary-line of a wide, noble park, stretching down to the banks of the river. 
 "Here the eye takes in at a glance the best j>ortion of the city, including I 'liuwringhee (the 
 handsome 'West-End'), Government! [owe, ami other public edifices. The Maidan — which, 
 in consequence of being the public exercise-ground, has been appropriately styled the ' lungs' of 
 Calcutta — might with equal propriety have been called its strong arm; for here stands Port 
 William, encircled by green ramparts and wide iatrenohments — an impregnable little city of 
 soldiers, bristling all over with guns, and well stored with British means and appliances of 
 
218 
 
 A VIEW OF CALCUTTA. 
 
 offensive and defensive warfare. Here, too, is the ' Course' — the scene of that afternoon 
 gathering, which of itself is something worth visiting Calcutta to witness." 
 
 One of the liveliest descriptions of the city with which we are acquainted has been furnished 
 by M. Grandidier ; and it is interesting to see the effect its various phases produced on the mind 
 of a quick and intelligent Frenchman. He speaks of the English division of the city as composed 
 of numerous gardens, enclosed within low walls or hedges, with the bungalow in the centre. 
 The offices, stables, and servants' apartments are arranged along the sides, like wings. These 
 houses have a special style of their own, being carefully adapted to the necessities of the climate. 
 If not very elegant in appearance, they are pre-eminently comfortable ; and their internal 
 
 THE PORT OF CALCUTTA. 
 
 arrangement is suitable to a tropical life. They are mostly of two stories, raised on a platform 
 of bricks, and surmounted by a pyramidal roof. A verandah is carried all round the bungalow, 
 where the inmates, safe alike from sun or rain, may contrive to breathe^and live during the 
 hottest hours of the day. The chambers are spacious, and divided only by thin partitions, 
 which, in order to allow of a free circulation of air, do not reach the roof. To each chamber is 
 attached a bath-room, where morning and evening the languid European refreshes himself by 
 abundant ablutions. 
 
 The furniture is simple : cabinets and tables of mahogany, a piano, lustres, lamps, beds, 
 spacious fauteuils of bamboo with raised backs and long arms, — these are the principal articles. 
 The beds are placed in the middle of the room, and draped with gauze curtains, which fit in 
 
THE NATIVK QUAI1TKK. 219 
 
 Iv, so as to shelter the sleeper froui the attacks of mosquitoes and the other insect-plagues 
 of the East. The flooring usually is of bricks, cemented in a layer of white lime : this, too, is 
 designed as a defence against insects, and has a cool, clean look which is very pleasant. 
 
 Let us now direct our steps to the native quarter. Here the streets are dark and dirty, 
 and lined by dusty brick houses, utterly devoid of architectural merit. The shops, as in all 
 Indian bazaars, are entirely open, and generally on a level with the pavement. The owner sits 
 within, cross-legged, in the midst of his wares, patiently awaiting the arrival of a customer, 
 when he suddenly bursts out into activity, and recommends his goods with the fluency of an 
 English auctioneer. 
 
 Sooth to say, the bazaar would not be very interesting but for the various costumes of the 
 people which throng it. The different races of India here mingle together, and the artist finds a 
 
 
 cw.K 
 
 LOW CASTC MVOALM*. 
 
 constant succession of subjects for his pencil. The aborigines differ from the Bengalees, as the 
 Bengalees differ from the Europeans; and the eye soon learns to distinguish between diverse 
 tribes and races. 
 
 Entering one of the native houses, we find it divided into low, small, close, and unhealthy 
 rooms, the furniture of which exhibits the very essence of simplicity. The mat rolled up in 
 yonder corner will be spread on the ground in the evening, to serve the purpose of a bed. A 
 few earthenware or copper vessels to cook the food and hold water — some large green leaves for 
 plates — a metal dish resting on a tripod, or deposited in a niche of the wall, and filled with oil for 
 lamps — and a hookah in the corner, — these articles may be said to complete the furnishing of an 
 Indian " interior." 
 
 The rich Baboos have adopted, in their more spacious but equally dirty abodes, the Euro- 
 pean style of furniture. The luxury is useless, however, since they never inhabit the apartments 
 in which are accumulated, like so many precious relics, chairs and couches of mahogany, clocks, 
 musical boxes, and vases of gilded porcelain. 
 
220 THE TEMPLE OF KALI. 
 
 We must not quit the native quarter without paying a visit to the ghat, on the bank of the 
 Ganges, where the natives burn the bodies of their dead before flinging' their ashes into the 
 waters of the sacred river. On three sides the place is surrounded by a high wall; and along 
 the parapet assemble a crowd of vultures and marabouts, prepared to contend with one another 
 for the morsels of flesh which the flames of the funeral pile may spare. While we are looking 
 on several corpses are thus consigned to the elements ; and the details of the ceremony interest 
 us sufficiently to enable us to endure the nauseous odour that impregnates the air. So little 
 influence has the sentiment of death upon the Hindus, as Grandidier remarks — so impassive 
 and unconscious are they rendered by their faith in the doctrine of the metempsychosis — 
 that the funeral preparations, singularly distasteful as they are to the European mind, produce 
 not the slightest impression upon them, in spite of their domestic attachments. Father, son, or 
 wife is given to the consuming fire, and the fishes distributed on the wind, if not with actual joy, 
 at least with an indifference which the English observer is apt to misunderstand. But this 
 indifference is not a want of feeling ; it is the result of a fatalistic resignation to things inde- 
 pendent of the human will. 
 
 It will be appropriate enough to pass on, from this place of the dead, to the temple of Kali, 
 the Hindu goddess of Death. It is situated at Kalighat, — now a suburb of the city, but 
 probably the original of the modern Calcutta, — and consists of a spacious chamber, dimly lighted 
 from the door, enshrining an image of the goddess. And anything more hideous it would be 
 difficult to imagine. The black face is crowned with long hair, and from the mouth projects a 
 red tongue, descending to the chin. The body has four arms, one of which grasps a scimitar, 
 while another holds a giant's head by the hair. Round the neck hangs a chain of skulls, and 
 the figures of two dead bodies depend from the ears. And, finally, the eyebrows are coloured 
 with red paint, which flows like blood down upon the breasts. 
 
 No divinity in India is more dreaded than Kali ; and no cultus is more sanguinary than hers. 
 There is nothing logical, indeed, in addressing one's prayers to Brahma, the Creative God, whose 
 work is finished, or to the Preservative God, Vishnu, who, by his very essence, is specially 
 occupied in the preservation of every living creature, while poor Humanity is in constant terror, 
 if not of disease, at least of that death which is ever threatening and ever terrible. From their 
 point of view, then, the Hindus are justified in directing their petitions towards the sole goddess of 
 their pantheon who holds their destiny in her hands, or towards her husband, the ferocious Siva. 
 Who has not heard or read of the feasts celebrated in honour of Kali, when maddened enthu- 
 siasts pierce their tongue with red-hot iron skewers, and others go through the Churuk-Pooja (or 
 ceremony of the circle) ? A hook passed through the skin of the back raises them at the 
 extremity of a swing, and they hover in the air above the heads of an admiring crowd, offering, 
 with a smile upon their lips, their sufferings to the implacable goddess.* 
 
 * The British Government have forbidden this custom, and the Baboos have endeavoured to give a new direction to it. M. Rousselet 
 describes the festival as he saw it :— " On arriving at the place where it was held, I saw a respectable assemblage of Baboos occupying a 
 circle of chairs round a large piece of turf, in the midst of which rose a scaffolding provided with trapezes, bars, cords, rings— in short, a complete 
 gymnastic apparatus. Soon after, a number of boys and young men arrived, who very cleverly executed some excellent feats of agility, under the 
 direction of two English soldiers. To the gymnasts succeeded an orchestra, also composed of young Indians, who played us several pieces ; and 
 finally there came a chorus of children, who sang hymns in Bengalee. When the representation was over, prizes were distributed to the children, 
 who were afterwards invited to sit down to a copious repast. ' The greater part of these children,' said my companion, ' belong to the poorest 
 classes of the town, and yet there are numbers of young Baboos among them. By providing for them pleasures and recreations which u ere 
 unknown to them before, we wean them from the sanguinary spectacles to which they would otherwise have become attached ; we elevate their 
 minds, and prepare them to become men.' It will thus be seen that the Baboos of Calcutta deserve all sympathy from Euroiwans, and they are 
 most steady and praiseworthy people. " 
 
ANIMAL SACRIFICES. 
 
 221 
 
 At one time human sacrifices polluted with their blood the altar of Kali ; but these have 
 l>een sternly prohibited by the British Government. Animal sacrifices have been substituted. 
 ])r. Macleod saw several goats presented. " A few ceremonies were performed over them by a 
 Brahman, who received the head of each as a small fee. The head of the animal was inserted in 
 
 KALI, OB DUMA. 
 
 a square frame, made secure by a pin, and then severed at one blow by the executioner. The 
 priest received the head, and the body was removed by the offerer — to be eaten, I presume, by 
 him and others. These animals are thus offered every day. On great festivities oxen are killed, 
 and hundreds of goats." 
 
 The image of the goddess as given in the plate is very different from the favourite form in 
 
222 
 
 SIGHTS IN CALCUTTA. 
 
 Bengal. Nearly all the horrid accompaniments are absent. There is, however, a prostrate 
 figure, on which a lion is trampling. The lion would indicate the goddess Durga; but the four 
 arms indicate Kali — Durga having ten. 
 
 Let us now glance at some of the most interesting features of Calcutta, without pretending 
 to take them in any particular order, or to do more than bestow upon them just that amount of 
 observation which a stranger would bestow in passing through the city. 
 
 Our attention is first arrested by the arghilahs, or adjutant-birds, which stalk through 
 the crowded streets, or perch upon the roofs of the houses, with a wonderfully amusing 
 dignity. They are almost as tall as men ; and their bald heads, with two reddish, round, little 
 eyes, support a huge pointed beak, capable of disembowelling a fowl, and furnished with a 
 violet-tinted pouch, in which the said fowl may be accommodated before it passes into the 
 capacious stomach. Hence the bird is vulgarly known as "the bagged-stork." The curiousness 
 of its appearance is increased by its motley colouring: it has a white body, two black striped 
 wings, which cross behind the back, and a couple of tawny legs. It is the natural scavenger of 
 Calcutta, carefully cleansing the streets of every morsel of dirt, offal, and refuse ; and in such a 
 city, where the climate is oppressively hot and always more or less malarious, its presence is 
 more useful than that of a Board of Health. Kites, buzzards, and vultures assist it in its work; 
 
 but supreme among them all moves the philo- 
 sophical arghilah, impressed with the wise belief 
 that " dirt is matter in the wrong place." At the 
 breeding season it leaves Calcutta, but punctually 
 returns after an absence of three months. 
 
 Another civic institution is the bullock-cart 
 or hackrie, the creaking, rasping noise of which 
 adds greatly to the discordant music of the streets. 
 It is rudely constructed of bamboo, with an axle 
 of the same material; and is drawn by a pair of 
 bullocks, fastened together by a pole laid across 
 the neck immediately in front of the hump. As 
 the whole weight of the burden rests upon this 
 pole, the animals suffer greatly ; and the hackrie 
 may justly be regarded as an effective engine of 
 torture. 
 
 A large staff of men is employed in watering 
 the streets, and keeping down the dust, which 
 would otherwise be insupportable. They are 
 called bheesties, or water-carriers, and each is pro- 
 vided with a mussak — a bag of skin or leather — 
 filled with water. As the Hindu shrinks from 
 all vocations however remotely connected with 
 animal life, the bheesties are Mohammedans, and their yearly wage is about £8 or £10. 
 
 In London we are well aware that a profitable business is not necessarily connected with an 
 
 WATER-CARRIERS OP CALCUTTA. 
 

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A DEALER IN "PIECE-GOODS." 225 
 
 imposing exterior, or a great display of plate-glass and gilding ; and in Calcutta we may leam 
 the same lesson as to the folly of judging by appearances. Prosperous traders will squat 
 throughout the day, year after year, on the earthen floor of a little dusty den which is barely 
 large enough to accommodate the owner and his wares ; and extensive dealers in goods and 
 produce whose annual transactions amount to several lacs of rupees, dwell in tiny garrets which 
 English philanthropists would pronounce unfit for paupers. A traveller describes a visit which 
 he paid to the "emporium" of a prominent merchant, or dealer in "piece-goods." Through a 
 narrow lane and up a shaky stair he was conducted to a large open gallery, overlooking a court 
 below in which a number of men were engaged in packing bales and boxes. Above this 
 gallery, on projecting ledges thick with dust, large flower-pots, in every stage of dilapidation 
 from wear and tear, held plants which were drooping and withering from the heat ; while a 
 cloud of pigeons, esteemed birds of good omen, hovered in the sunny air. Around it, within a 
 series of tiny chambers, or rather cells, the several dealers, alone, or with their partners in trade, 
 were engaged in the various departments of their business. Each apartment might be com- 
 pared to a child's toy-house ; " something, or rather anything with a glitter, being stuck into 
 every available crevice and corner. Even the iron safe which held the receipts and rupees, did 
 duty also as the gilded ornament of a wall that was embellished with a hideous crew of paint 
 and porcelain divinities staring down upon the inmates." 
 
 The " piece-goods " merchants are principally Marwaris, or " up-country " men, and are 
 usually attired in a long toga of white linen, with a turban or head-dress of various designs. 
 Their hands invariably blaze with jewels. 
 
 " In the business haunts of Calcutta," says Matheson, "as the nucleus of North- Western 
 commerce, we naturally encounter a fresh variety of race and costume. Some brown faces now 
 mingle with the black; and, side by side with the feebler form of the Bengali, strong, thickly 
 clad, bearded figures of Afghans, who have travelled thus far with shawls from Kashmir, and 
 fruits and spices from Cabul, afford in their own stalwart persons a striking example of the wide 
 difference existing among Indian communities. These men leave their camels to await their 
 return at Delhi, more than one thousand miles behind, whence they now take the railway to 
 Calcutta; and there, following in a troop at the heels of an interpreter, perambulate the 
 European 'go-downs' in social parties, to select the cotton stripe prints and the few other 
 articles which they carry back to their country in exchange for its own merchandise. The 
 bargaining process is here also frequently conducted between the broker and buyer by signs 
 made with joined hands under cover of a cloth, — the purchaser first making his offer." 
 
 To the burning-ghats it is unnecessary to make further allusion. They are at Calcutta what 
 they are at Benares, and at all the great Indian cities. No dead bodies are allowed by the 
 British Government to be consigned to the Hugh ; and even the poorest are compelled to resort 
 to the practice of cremation. For their behoof a large tower is provided at the public expense, 
 where a brazier is constantly flaming ; and every precaution is taken to ensure the entire con- 
 sumption of the corpse. 
 
 The centre of the out-door life of Calcutta is the celebrated Maidan, or Esplanade. Its 
 
 shape is that of a parallelogram ; at one end stands the spacious and stately Government-House. 
 
 15 
 
226 
 
 ON THE MAIDAN. 
 
 with its memories of Dalhousie, Canning, Lawrence, and other great statesmen and rulers ; and 
 near it the Town-Hall, Treasury, and High Court. Opposite, in the centre of the broad plain, 
 rises the huge mass of Fort William ; and beyond may be seen the steeple of the beautiful 
 Cathedral, sharply defined against the glowing sapphire sky. Along one side runs a noble 
 street with the " palatial mansions " of Chowringhee ; on the other the broad Hugh, with its 
 innumerable ships and boats, mingled together in apparently inextricable confusion. 
 
 MARWARI MERCHANTS, CALCUTTA. 
 
 The Maidan is embellished with flower-garden and lawn, with several memorial equestrian 
 statues, and the tall Ochterlony Column. But its chief attraction is to be found in the crowds 
 that assemble in its open spaces : Brahmans, Sikhs, Afghans, Europeans, merchants, soldiers, 
 sailors, equestrians, carriages with prancing horses, — all pass by the stranger like the shifting 
 scenes of a panorama, and forcibly impress upon him the strange contrasts and varieties of 
 Indian life. 
 
 On the right bank of the river, at a short distance above the town, is situated the cele- 
 brated Botanical Garden, founded by the late eminent botanist, Sir Joseph Hooker. Within its 
 precincts, flourishing under the blue warm sky, grow side by side all the wonders of " the 
 African, American, Asiatic, and Oceanic Floras." 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CALCUTTA. 
 
 TH« BOAD TO OBIMA— WATBIPI BILK'S— SCBXBS OS THI BOAD— AT PCM— TKMPLE OF JTOGIBNATH— THK SACKXD BUIXB— WITHW THI TKMPI.E— 
 MOVBTBB IMAGER OT TUB GODB— JCOOBBXATH's DAILY BATTONS — A CCRJOIS SPICTACLI— THI API-GOD — A SACBID POOL— THE TBIl'MPHAL 
 CAB— TB SlNnAEBASS— CHAXHBBXAGAB— CHAT OP TBIVBSI— PAXDOOAH— BCBDWAM— MIKxHlDABAn — THI BAJMAHAL MOUNTAINS— PATNA. 
 
 |ROM Calcutta the road strikes in a westerly direction to Midnapur, and then south- 
 ward to Balasore, crossing an immense area of rice-fields, studded with Bengalee 
 villages, and groves of cocoa-palms. Beyond Balasore the traveller enters the plain 
 of Orissa, which, a few years ago, was the scene of so terrible a famine. The road then leads to 
 Cuttack; and from Cuttack to Puri, the sacred city of Juggernath, situated on the sea-shore. 
 
 Along the route the traveller is not a little surprised to see numbers of large earthen 
 vessels, intact, or only slightly injured. People of caste hold that there is pollution even in the 
 glance of a Pariah, and when travelling, however great their indigence, never cook their food in 
 a vessel which, after having been used, may be exposed to the eye of a casteless wretch; they 
 prefer to reduce their ration of rice so that they may buy every day a new dish or pan. This 
 rule, however, like all other rules, has its exception. Certain stuffs, such as silks, and certain 
 vessels, — namely, vessels of copper, — possess the curious virtue of becoming purified, after a 
 series of washings, from the pollution inflicted upon them by having come in contact with even 
 the vilest Pariah. It is not difficult to explain these subtle distinctions; articles of little value, 
 and, owing to their cheapness, within the reach of all, are the only articles which can be 
 absolutely polluted. Here is an illustration of that arrogance of caste which admits nothing 
 in common with the unprivileged, orders. Though sometimes compelled by pecuniary conditions 
 to adopt the same social economy, it still finds means to erect a barrier of demarcation. 
 
 Some such spectacle as the following will also meet the traveller's gaze : an old man prone 
 in the dust, enduring the last agonies of death, and near him his son or wife, looking on with an 
 air of resignation amounting almost to apathy. The old man, it may be, feeling his end 
 approaching, has desired, notwithstanding his weakness and his sufferings, to drag himself to the 
 sacred city of Puri, and in sight of the Temple of Juggernath to breathe his last sigh. But 
 his desire may not be fulfilled, and he will pass away while still at a distance from the goal of 
 his weary pilgrimage. It is the belief of the Hindus that, if they render up the spirit while 
 their dying gaze is fixed on a sacred river or some celebrated shrine, they will go straight to 
 heaven. Hence, along the road from Calcutta to Juggernath, according to M. Grandidier, tho 
 traveller frequently meets with the skeletons of pilgrims who have perished before their task 
 was completed. He adds, that at the epoch of the great annual festival the air is so poisoned 
 
228 A SACRED CITY". 
 
 with the odours exhaled by decomposed corpses, as to constitute a serious danger to the public 
 health. Cholera has frequently originated in this hotbed of pestilence, and thence spread in 
 blackness and gloom over India and Europe. 
 
 Wonderful are the works of fanaticism ! Enthusiasts may be seen engaged on a journey 
 of several hundred leagues, measuring with their body the intervals between one famous 
 pagoda and another. They grovel, face and stomach, on the earth — spring to their feet, and 
 start again from the point touched by their hands; and this process they repeat until their 
 goal is reached. Such, at least, is the statement made by several authorities; though it may 
 be doubted whether the painful penance is not chiefly limited to the circuit of some renowned 
 temple. 
 
 Puri is situated on the sea-shore ; in front of the Hindu city, and scattered along the 
 beach, extend the bungalows of the English inhabitants. They are connected with one another 
 by causeways of brick, which enable the pedestrian to avoid the fatigue of plunging through the 
 loose shifting sand of the shore. The native town is dirty and ill-built. In the long narrow 
 street which leads to the temple, most of the houses are decorated with brightly-coloured 
 designs, — rude representations of bayaderes, Hindu divinities, and fantastic animals such as 
 never were found on the earth or in the waters under the earth. All the thoroughfares are more 
 or less obstructed by the sacred bulls, which visit the different stalls, and banquet without let or 
 hindrance on the fruits and vegetables exposed for sale. No one dares to interfere with them ; 
 they are under the powerful protection of Juggernath, the "ruler of the world." It is singular, 
 we are told, to observe the hatred which they seem to cherish against "the whites." Europeans 
 penetrating into the sacred city are obliged to obtain the protection of the native police against 
 their attacks. " In one of my walks abroad," says Grandidier, " I was accompanied by no fewer 
 than four soldiers, in the midst of whom I walked gravely. I have often seen the noble beasts 
 turn their horns even against their benevolent adorers, though it must be said with much courtesy, 
 and in a manner not unworthy of well-fed divinities in a good humour. These bulls are very 
 handsome ; and I greedily admired the haunches of fat on their backs, which might have furnished 
 me with a truly succulent dish ! " 
 
 The bulls are not the only animals with an odour of sanctity, and assuredly they are not 
 the most troublesome. -On house-tops and temple-walls, and among garden-trees, — everywhere, 
 in fact, — may be seen troops of apes, gambolling, grimacing, and teasing, and evil-doing, without 
 any person assuming to interfere with their manifestations. There are two species — one with 
 a long tail, one without that ornamental appendage, but, by way of compensation, embellished 
 on the naked parts with vivid colours. Then, again, the ponds are teeming with crocodiles 
 and sacred fishes, so tame that they take from the hands of the devotees the food they offer 
 them. 
 
 The temple is surrounded by a handsome crenelated wall, which encloses within its 
 rectangular precincts, it is said, numerous sanctuaries, porticoes, and sacred pools. As no 
 European is suffered to cross the threshold, the traveller sees only the Bara-Dewal, a massive 
 tower in which are enshrined the three divinities of the place. From a distance it resembles a 
 colossal landmark ; but it is, in reality, a square building, the walls of which as they rise describe 
 a curve, and form towards the summit a semi-ellipse. Each face is supported by a buttress rising 
 about two-thirds of the total elevation. The angles are slightly rounded. There is little carved 
 
A TRIAD OF DEITIES. 229 
 
 work or ornamental sculpture about this pagoda, which is more striking from its magnitude than 
 from its architectural merits. 
 
 Through the principal gate you pass into a vestibule with a pyramidal roof. On each side 
 frowns a monster, a kind of lion, its head crowned with a tiara. Along the pediment are figured 
 the images of the sun and the planets, as in all the religious edifices of Orissa. Four small and 
 grotesque caryatids support a cornice, in the centre of which is Juggernath, the "master of the 
 world." The sanctuary measures about two hundred and twenty-five feet in height. Therein 
 the devout Hindu may daily prostrate himself before the monstrous figures of Juggernath or 
 Yi.shnu, his brother Balarama or Mahadeo, and his sister Soubadea or Kali. These figures 
 are plain wooden busts about seven feet high, of which the head does not offer even a rude 
 resemblance to humanity; they are painted white, black, and yellow. The sister is armless, like 
 M>s Biffin; the two brothers raise stiff in air their wooden arms, like those of dolls. 
 
 Every day three repasts are served up to the triad of deities; and the amount provided is 
 stated at four hundred and ten pounds of rice, one hundred and twenty-five pounds of flour, three 
 hundred and fifty pounds of clarified butter, one hundred and sixty-seven pounds of molasses, 
 sixty-five pounds of vegetables, one hundred and sixty-six pounds of milk, twenty-four pounds 
 of spices, thirty-four pounds of salt, and forty-one pounds of oil. Such a supply must surely be 
 sufficient for the stomachs of the three gods, even were they Gargantuas, as well as of those of 
 their priests and acolytes. During each repast, which lasts about an hour, the gates are 
 
 fully closed, and only a few servants of the temple — such as the Rajah of Khoorda, the 
 high priest of the pagoda, and the Brahmans sanctified by a prolonged practice of asceticism and 
 penance — are privileged to be present at the Olympian feast, during which the shrill sounds of 
 music swell continuously, to the great satisfaction of the "faithful." 
 
 Should the traveller regret his inability to penetrate within the sacred precincts, he will 
 find ample compensation in the curious spectacle presented in front of the pagoda. Here, in the 
 middle of the open space, rises a monolithic, polygonal column, of graceful outline, surmounted 
 by a small statue of Hanuman, the ape-god, or Hindu Mercury. Among a hundred bulls 
 and other animals presses the fantastic crowd of ascetic votaries ; while a few cabins, 
 constructed of reeds or dry branches, afford shelter to men whose nakedness assuredly is not 
 sufficiently concealed by the chalk with which they whiten their limbs, and who prove their 
 surpassing piety by spending their lives in contemplation of the walls of the holy pagoda. 
 
 About a mile from the town, and approached by a broad avenue thronged with pilgrims 
 and traders, is a sacred pool or tank, in the centre of which stands the pleasure-house or pavilion 
 Juggernath. Thither he is supposed to retire every year to spend a few days in the 
 enjoyment of bathing. According to Mansbach, there are two principal fetes, — one when the 
 " master of the world," after certain ablutions, assumes the form of Ganesa, the elephant-god 
 (the metamorphosis being very easily accomplished, to the great joy of his worshippers, by 
 means of a simple mask of pasteboard); the other, and more important, in March, when the 
 sun enters the constellation of Aries. 
 
 Three triumphal cars are employed to transport the divinities to the border of the sacred 
 lake. That of Juggernath, mounted on sixteen wheels, and plentifully covered with sculptures 
 of an indecent character, measures about twenty-six feet in width and as many in length. On 
 this immense platform rests the idol, surrounded by a legion of priests, under the direction of 
 
230 
 
 UP THE RIVER 
 
 the Rajah of Khoorda, and overcanopied by costly stuffs. In front the statue of a charioteer 
 conducts a team of gilded horses. Amidst deafening shouts and the blare of trumpets, onward 
 rolls the cumbrous, sumptuous mass, drawn by thousands of infatuated pilgrims. 
 
 Returning now to Calcutta, we propose to make an excursion in a different direction. We 
 might find much to interest us in the Sundarbans — the low, marshy country of the Gangetic 
 Delta, which a network of canals divides into little islands, covered with thick jungle and cocoa- 
 palms, and peopled with water-fowl, crocodiles, and tigers. The inhabitants of this malarious 
 district are called Molanghis, and supply the Calcutta market with fish, especially the exquisite 
 mango-fish. Some English planters, however, have successfully introduced the culture of rice, 
 indigo, and sugar. At the mouth of the Hugh lies Diamond Harbour ; and at the mouth of 
 the Mutlah — another and a broader arm of the Ganges — is Port Canning, founded by the 
 Governor-General whose name it bears. 
 
 DIAMOND HARBOUR, AT THE MOCTH OF THE HUGLI. 
 
 Another interesting journey, by means of the Eastern Bengal Railway, takes us to Bar- 
 rackpur — a great military station, with a fine park — and thence to Goalando, on the principal 
 arm of the Ganges. But our final excursion will take us up the great river to Behar. 
 
 The first station of importance is Chandernagar, picturesquely situated on the right bank 
 of the Hugli. It belongs to the French ; though why they should retain it, or why the British 
 Government does not purchase their rights and interests in it, is not easily understood. To 
 the French themselves it is of no value. " Dull streets without life, bazaars without trade, a 
 harbour without vessels, — such, at the present day, is Chandernagar, which in 1740 eclipsed 
 Calcutta and governed Bengal." The garrison is limited by treaty to fifteen soldiers ; but 
 generally consists, according to the wits of Calcutta, of two and a half. It was occupied by the 
 French in 1700; captured by Clive in 1755; restored to the French; again captured; and 
 finally restored in 1816. In the neighbourhood are Hugli, celebrated for its spacious and 
 stately mosque ; and Chinsurah, an ancient Dutch colony. 
 
UP THE KIVER. 233 
 
 At Muggra we find ourselves close to the ghat of Triveni. Like Allahabad, this is 
 supposed to mark the confluent, or rather divergent point, of three rivers. It is esteemed one 
 of the most sacred places in Bengal. It is much frequented by pilgrims. 
 
 A cylindrical tower, one hundred and twenty feet high, at Pandooah, commemorates the 
 great victory which was won here by the army of the Mogul emperor, Feroze Toghluk, over 
 the Hindus. At its foot a stately mosque preseuts an accumulation of two hundred brickwork 
 cupolas. 
 
 A' a distance of seventy-four miles from Calcutta we reach Burdwan, the capital of a small 
 >tate, ruled by its own maharajah under English protection. It occupies the centre of a wide 
 extent of plains and rice-fields, dotted with rich green clusters of taros and palm-trees. The 
 district is densely populated, and celebrated for its abundant fertility. Burdwan itself consists 
 of a mass of primitive-looking huts — separated from one another by dense thickets of arecas 
 and cocoa-palms — and stagnant pools, on which the broad green leaves and pearly corollas of 
 the sacred lotus lie outspread. The maharajah's palace is a handsome building, in a fine garden, 
 which abounds with lawns, groves, and shiniug sheets of water. 
 
 Murshidabad is one of the largest and mart populous towns in Bengal, and stretches for 
 several miles on either side of the Ganges. " I magine," says a traveller, " an assemblage of 
 huts of the most wretched appearance, with walls made of straw matting suspended to stakes, 
 and with roofs of palm-thatch, half battered in by the rain ; muddy streets without pavements, 
 overrun with water and weeds, in which it is scarcely possible to make a step without slipping ; 
 and above the huts, rising at intervals, high-terraced brick houses. To these add, by way of 
 monuments, vast buildings of strange design, wherein stately rows of columns enframe arched 
 Moorish windows; and the uniform blackness produced by the damp reminding the traveller of 
 the architectural perspectives of Pall Mall. Such is Murshidabad ; and such are all the towns 
 in English Bengal. What an immense difference from the handsome bazaars, elegant dwelling- 
 houses, and sumptuous palaces of the towns of Rajasthan, and even of Hindustan ! " Nor is the 
 difference less striking between the meagre, slender, small-statured Bengalee, and the vigorous 
 up-country Hindu or robust and well-made Sikh. In many respects the inhabitants of Bengal 
 are closer of kin to the Chinese than the Aryan, though retaining the language of the latter, 
 and his delicate features. 
 
 Beyond Murshidabad we may visit the Rajmahal Mountains, inhabited by the primitive 
 races of the Sontdls and the Malers. Here the adventurer may make acquaintance with the 
 peril and excitement of tiger-hunting. Following the course of the Ganges, we proceed by way 
 of Bhagulpur to Monghir; and thence to Patna, the celebrated rice emporium, and the capital 
 of Behar. It is identified by antiquarians with the ancient Palibothra, the seat of the Maurya 
 emperors, visited by the Greek ambassadors of the successors of Alexander. It was made 
 known to the Western World by the narrative of Megasthenes, the envoy of Seleucus. Here 
 was planted the first English factory in the Eastern provinces ; but the town did not come into 
 our possession until 1763. The country all around is " a vast sheet of cultivation." 
 
 Between Patna and Benares lie Buxar, the scene of Sir Thomas Munro's great victory in 
 17G4 ; and Arrah, celebrated for the gallantry with which its little garrison repulsed the Sepoys 
 in the Great Mutiny. The railway is carried across the S6ne by a splendid tubular bridge. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV, 
 
 THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
 
 DIMENSIONS— PHTSICAL CHARACTERISTICS— VEGETATION— ANIMAL LIFE — INHABITANTS— THE CHIEF TOWNS — A COFFEE-FARM— 
 
 LAKE OF KANDELT. 
 
 [UR general survey of British India cannot be brought to a close without some notice of 
 that rich and valuable " natural appendage " to the peninsula, the island of Ceylon. 
 It lies within the Tropic of Cancer, being situated between 6° and 0° N. latitude, 
 and 80° and 82° E. longitude. Between it and the Coromandel coast intervenes a channel, 
 the Gulf of Manar, which at its narrowest part is about thirty miles across. In figure it is nearly 
 heart-shaped, the apex pointing northward ; in length it measures 271 miles ; in extreme breadth, 
 137 miles; and its superficial area occupies 25,742 square miles. The Gidf of Manar widens 
 towards the north into the Palk Strait, the two being divided by a chain of rocks and sand-banks, 
 which prevents the passage of large vessels; is known as Adam's Bridge; and in Hindu mythology 
 is represented to be the route pursued by Rama, the warrior-god, in his invasion of Ceylon. 
 
 The shores are almost everywhere low and flat, and lined with groves of the cocoa-nut ; 
 the perennially verdurous slopes rising gently inland in undulating hills, clothed with the 
 most luxuriant vegetation. Above these in the south is elevated a fertile table-land, between 
 fifteen hundred and two thousand feet in height ; out of which towers the bold conical summit 
 of the Pedrotallagalla Mountain, 8260 feet, the culminating point of the island. Not far distant 
 is Adam's Peak, the Samennella of the Cingalese, 7420 feet ; on the crest of which is shown the 
 footprint of Buddha — a slight depression in the rock, five feet long and two feet broad, protected 
 by a circlet of brass, studded with a few trivial jewels. The legend runs that Buddha's object in 
 visiting the island was to deliver its natives from the tyranny exercised over them by a host of 
 demons. So numerous were they that, on his arrival, he could not find a free space on which to 
 set his foot. Buddha, however, directed his discourse to a portion of the vast crowd before him, 
 who immediately gave way before his inspired fervour, and fell into a panic at the superiority of 
 his power. Availing himself of their confusion, and perceiving a vacant spot, Buddha straight- 
 way descended and occupied it. As he continued to preach, the demons gradually fell back 
 before him, until at length they were driven into the sea. Locally this sacred mountain is, 
 therefore, known as " The Footstep of Fortune ; " and the Buddhist pilgrims ascend it as an act of 
 special devotion. 
 
 Geologically speaking, Ceylon is composed of primitive rock, granite or gneiss, traversed by 
 strata of quartz, hornblende, and dolomite. Shell limestone, mixed with a coral formation, is 
 found in the district of Jafthapatam. Along the shore a gray and blackish sandstone is found. 
 
VEGETATION OF CEYLON. 
 
 235 
 
 The metallic ores are iron (in great abundance), manganese, plumbago ; and numerous precious 
 
 stones in the alluvial plains — such as sapphire, ruby, garnet, topaz, rock-crystal, and amethyst. 
 The vegetation of the island is not less 
 
 luxurious than that of the richest parts of 
 
 the peninsula, and necessarily exhibits the 
 
 same general characteristics. The breadfruit- 
 tree attains to an immense size, with gigantic 
 
 leaves, like those of the banian. The wild 
 
 pine-apple is plentiful ; and in the southern 
 
 table-land the cinnamon-laurel grows more 
 
 profusely than in any other part of the world, 
 
 furnishing commerce with three important 
 
 staples, — the aromatic cassia buds, the dried 
 
 bark or cinnamon, and an essential medicinal 
 
 oiL The plant thrives best in a light sandy 
 
 soil, with a humid atmosphere. In its wild 
 
 state it grows to the size of a large apple-tree, 
 
 but when cultivated is pruned down to ten 
 
 or twelve feet in height Coffee is now culti- 
 vated extensively in the south of Ceylon. In 
 
 the north, a prevalence of palms — such as the 
 
 palmyra, taliput, and cocoa-nut — gives colour 
 
 and character to the landscape. The mountain-sides rejoice in heavy masses of forest-trees, 
 
 including teak, ebony, and satin-wood ; and the scenery is all aglow with the most splendid 
 
 creepers and flowering shrubs of the greatest brilliancy. The cocoa-nut palm is as much prized 
 
 and as ingeniously utilized by the Cingalese as it is by the 
 islanders of the South Seas. At all times of the year its 
 fruit is available; bud, flower, and nut, in their various 
 stages of growth, being found simultaneously growing on 
 the same tree. The bud, or spathe, when an incision is made 
 into it, yields a liquor called toddy, which a due amount of 
 fermentation and distillation converts into arrack ; or it may 
 be made into vinegar, as well as into the coarse sugar called 
 )■'■!■ fry. The coir, or fibrous husk enveloping the nut, 
 supplies the material of stout cordage and carpeting. 
 The kernel, as everybody knows, is good eating ; and it 
 furnishes an admirable oil, which human ingenuity has 
 applied in many different ways. Then, as for the shells, 
 they are readily adapted for the purposes of goblets and 
 other domestic utensils; the leaves are woven into mats, 
 or employed to thatch the roofs of the native huts. 
 
 Scarcely less valuable is the palmyra palm, the leaves of which supply a substitute for paper, 
 
 and the fruit of which is convertible into a nutritious jelly. 
 
 MSADriurr-TUi or cstlov. 
 
 or THE rigXAMOV-LACUX. 
 
236 
 
 FAUNA OF CEYLON. 
 
 The areca-nut is another of the island products; so also is the kittul-tiee, with its saccharine 
 sap and farinaceous fruit. Tobacco of excellent quality is largely raised ; and fruits and culinary 
 vegetables seem to grow almost spontaneously. But we must refer to Sir Emerson Tennent's 
 exhaustive work for a variety of details in illusti-ation of the extent and variety of the island's 
 natural products. 
 
 The Ceylon fauna corresponds with that of the mainland, with the exception that it is 
 entirely free from the tiger, the wolf, and the cheetah, or hunting-leopard. Elephants are 
 numerous, and being caught and tamed in the " corral," are trained as beasts of burden for home 
 use or exportation. Of late years, however, a marked decrease has taken place in the herds. 
 Among the several species of deer, the elk and the fallow-deer are the most numerous. Bears, 
 leopards, tiger-cats, monkeys, wild boars, and a fierce species of baboon, are also met with. The 
 
 AN ELEPHANT CORRAL, CEYLON. 
 
 so-called flying-fox is a pertinacious visitor; while the sportsman will rejoice in the opportunities 
 of " sport " afforded by numbers of squirrels, raccoons, mangooses, armadilloes, snipe, pigeons, 
 pheasants, red-legged partridges. The woods and groves are frequented by birds of the most 
 splendid plumage ; but it must be admitted that less welcome guests abound — such as serpents, 
 snakes, and alligators. The Reptile World is also well represented. In the Gulf of Manar 
 extend several banks on which was formerly found the pearl-oyster. This was at one time the 
 object of an extensive fishery, which, after a protracted period of decay, owing to causes not 
 satisfactorily explained, has recently shown symptoms of fresh activity. 
 
 The inhabitants of Ceylon consist of Cingalese (or Singhalese), Malabaris, Veddas, Moham- 
 medans, Europeans, and Negroes. The Veddas, a wild and untamed race, are supposed to be 
 descendants of the aborigines. They are now few in number, and have withdrawn into the most 
 inaccessible districts, where they live on fruit and wild animals, and dwell in huts or arbours 
 
PRINCIPAL TOWN& 237 
 
 constructed among the branches of the forest-trees. The Cingalese form the bulk of the 
 population. A writer describes them as differing from Europeans less in features than in 
 colour, size, and form. 
 
 The early annals of Ceylon are shrouded in obscurity. But two facts stand out with some 
 distinctness : first, that Buddhism at a very early date became the religion of the islanders ; and, 
 second, that the numerous small principalities into which the island was divided were gradually 
 absorbed into the one kingdom of Kandy. Europe knew little about either until the beginning 
 of -the sixteenth century, when the Portuguese opened up commercial relations with the King of 
 Kandy, who purchased their aid against the Arab pirates by a tribute of cinnamon. The new 
 allies soon became dangerous enemies, and established themselves in the island ; whereupon the 
 Cingalese sought the assistance of the Dutch — who, in their turn, claimed and exercised supreme 
 authority. The Dutch were driven out by the British in 1769, when Ceylon was placed under 
 the administration of the Madras Presidency ; but in 1796 it was formally transferred to the 
 British Crown. 
 
 For some years the King of Kandy retained his throne, but his intolerable tyranny 
 provoked his subjects to revolt, and the English were solicited to depose him. Our troops 
 accordingly took possession of Kandy, and in 1815 the whole island was declared a part of the 
 British dominions. It is now administered as a Crown colony, and enjoys the advantages of a 
 firm and equitable government. Nor is it an exaggeration to say that the Imperial Crown 
 has few brighter gems than this rich and prosperous island. 
 
 For administrative puqjoses, the island is divided into seven provinces, — the Northern, 
 North- Western, Western, Southern, Eastern, North Central, and Central. The principal towns 
 are Colombo, Point de Galle, Trincomalee, Kandy, Jaffna, and Kornegalle. 
 
 Colombo is seventy-two miles distant from Point de Galle. It is a handsome, well-built 
 town, nearly divided into four parts by two broad thoroughfares. The description which Bishop 
 
 >er gave of it some forty years ago applies to it now with but little alteration. There are 
 fewer Dutch houses now than there were then, but they may still be distinguished from those of 
 the English by their glass windows, instead of Venetians, for the Dutch seem to shut up their 
 houses at all seasons ; they have large verandahs to the south. The houses of the Europeans 
 without the town are very beautifully situated, especially those near the sea ; they are all, with 
 one or two exceptions, lower-roomed — that is, one-storied — houses, and built on the same plan 
 as those of Bombay. " The floors are almost universally of brick, very unsightly and disagree- 
 able from the dust which they occasion ; but this is unavoidable in an island where no chunam. 
 or mortar, is made but by a most expensive process from shells, and where the white ants imme- 
 diately destroy timber." 
 
 The trade of Colombo is now very considerable. The exports consist of the island products 
 — such as cinnamon, cardamoms, coffee, coir cordage, ebony, pepper, plumbago, satin-wood, and 
 cocoa-nut oil. The shops in the town are well-supplied, and an abundance and variety of pro- 
 visions, with tropical herbs and fruits, render the bazaars interesting to a stranger. The air is 
 loaded with the perfume of cinnamon, nutmegs, citrons, limes, and other delicacies of the Vegetable 
 World. The commerce of Colombo will be considerably benefited by the construction of the 
 
238 A CEYLON COFFEE-FARM— KANDY 
 
 massive breakwater, which will protect shipping from the heavy surf always rolling on its 
 exposed shore. 
 
 A Ceylon coffee-farm is a picturesque scene. It is invariably situated at an elevation of not 
 less than three thousand feet above the sea, where the air is sufficiently fresh and cool. The 
 coffee-trees, no taller than gooseberry-bushes, are of a vivid green, and their bright scarlet berries 
 sparkle everywhere about them. They are planted in regular rows, like the hops in a Kentish 
 hop-garden. Below the fields grow deep vast masses of bamboo, lantana, and citron-trees — 
 masses so dense and closely set that men shrink from plunging into them, lest they should 
 disturb some wild beast in its secret lair. " The labourers, everywhere moving amidst the 
 coffee plants, heighten the bright and diversified character of the picture ; for their bodies, naked 
 save at the waist, are copper-coloured, and their turbans are of the deepest scarlet. These men 
 are not Cingalese, but Tamils, and natives of Southern India. In the same way as the Irish 
 reapers cross St. George's Channel every autumn to make a harvest in English cornfields, so the 
 Tamils every year traverse the Palk Strait to eke out a livelihood in Ceylon." 
 
 Railway communication has been established between Colombo and Kandy, and the line 
 runs through scenery of the most picturesque and varied character. After fifty miles through a 
 level stretch of fragrant cinnamon gardens, it ascends the hills by a steep incline, passing among 
 apparently endless groups of shapely palms, and, at one thousand feet above the sea, reaching 
 a bold projection known as Sensation Rock. Thence it is carried round the mountain-summit 
 in a picturesque gallery, which opens up the most enchanting views of the country beneath — 
 the slope being luxuriantly embedded in palms and coffee-bushes, breadfruit and nutmeg trees, 
 and glorious masses of roses. 
 
 The Prince of Wales, on his visit to Ceylon, made this most delightful and novel journey. 
 On reaching Kandy, he was received, says Mr. Wheeler, by two new orders of human beings — 
 one a group of chiefs descended from the old Kandyan kings ; the other, a motley assemblage of 
 Veddas, or wild men of the woods. " The attire of the chiefs," it is said, " made the prince 
 smile. The men were like so many Vandvcks, with gold four-cornered pin-cushion hats. 
 Each man had a dress of scarlet and gold, covering a mass of rotundity — stuffed to such excess 
 as to outrival the stomach of any ancient burgomaster. The hose was of coloured silk, and all 
 over the body were suspended medals, daggers, and chains of antique gold." 
 
 Kandy, or Maha-neura, " the great city," is situated at the head of a noble valley, about 
 fourteen hundred feet above the sea-level. Standing on the border of a beautiful artificial lake, 
 within a glorious belt of wooded hills and mountains, it almost merits the eulogistic title which 
 has been applied to it, of one of the Seven Heavens. Its principal buildings are the royal 
 palace and the Buddhist temples. The former has a long low facade of about six hundred feet, 
 terminating in a hexagonal building of two stories. The largest temple forms a quadrangle, with 
 sixteen pillars of solid masonry supporting the roof. The sanctuary contains a colossal figure of 
 Buddha, about thirty feet high, carved out of the rock, with several small figures grouped around 
 it — some standing, others sitting with their legs crossed — many of them painted a bright yellow. 
 In another temple are preserved some bones removed from Raja Singh's tomb at the time of the 
 British occupation of Kandy. The cemetery lies close at hand ; here the tombs are of stone, 
 with rude coarse carving — those of the kings and queens facing one another in the shadow of 
 some venerable peepul-trees. One celebrated temple boasts of the possession of the tooth of 
 
LAKE OF KANDELY. 239 
 
 Buddha — truly an astonishing souvenir, for it measures nearly two feet in length ! It is kept in 
 a dagoba or shrine, curiously wrought of gold and crystal, studded with precious stones, and 
 festooned with jewelled chains. Needless to say that it attracts crowds of devout admirers, 
 who strew the pavement around with their offerings of flowers. 
 
 To the north-east of Colombo, on the east coast of the island, stands Trincomalee. It is 
 fortunate in its harbour, which is deep, spacious, and accessible at all seasons. It is fortunate 
 in its scenery, which a Scotch traveller not inaptly compares with that of Loch Katrine ; and, 
 indeed, the bay is so land-locked as to appear like a lake, from the edge of which gradually rise 
 the swelling hills bright with perennial verdure. The town possesses few buildings of interest, 
 but it has a busy and prosperous aspect, and is rapidly growing into importance as a commercial 
 station and naval arsenal. 
 
 In the level country between Trincomalee and Battikaloa, extending to the mountain- 
 terraces, are found many striking remains of well-constructed tanks and temples, testifying to the 
 existence in former days of a much larger population than the district now owns. About sixteen 
 miles from Trincomalee lies a stupendous reservoir, the formation of which must have cost years 
 of labour. The Lake of Kandely, as it is called, measures nearly fifteen miles in circuit In 
 several places it is solidly embanked with a wall of huge stones, each from twelve to fourteen 
 feet in length, and proportionately broad and thick. The portion of the majestic work most 
 deserving of attention is the parapet, — nearly one hundred and fifty feet broad at the base, and 
 thirty feet on the summit, — which connects two hills, and prevents the overflow of the waters 
 into the valley between them. When this great enterprise was designed and executed, and how 
 and by whom, are questions which the archaeologist is unable to answer satisfactorily. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 VEGETABLE LIFE IN INDIA. 
 COTTON— OPIUM— CEREALS— FRUIT TREES— SPICES— FOREST AND TIMBER TREES— THE BANIAN— THE BAMBOO — THF DEODAR — THE MHOWA. 
 
 jlROM a remote antiquity India has been famous for the extent and variety of its vege- 
 table resources. It seems to comprehend within its borders an epitome of the Botanical 
 World, from the humblest grasses to the most majestic forest-trees. In the plains it 
 revels in a profusion of Tropical plants ; on its mountains it exhibits the species characteristic of 
 the Temperate flora. Hence it has in all ages been " the fountain of mercantile wealth and the 
 focus of commercial enterprise." \ 
 
 Of late years, and more particularly since the outbreak of the American Civil "War, it has 
 J , largely supplied the European markets with cotton. Very recently this branch of trade seems 
 to have undergone a new development. We read of a large cotton-mill, started with native 
 capital, at Barrackpur, near Calcutta ; its trade-mark being the figure of the azure-coloured god 
 Vishnu. There are now, it is said, upwards of twenty mills at work in Bombay ; and their 
 tall chimneys, towering high above the palms, are among the objects which first catch the eye 
 of the traveller as he descends the Ghats by rail from Upper or Northern India. Ten or 
 twelve more are in course of construction ; and outside Bombay nineteen others are now in 
 constant activity. The cotton-growing districts of Central India and the Deccan will soon be 
 equally well supplied with mills. The erection of one at Haidarabad is another sign of the 
 rapid progress of the manufacturing industry of India. The Maharajah Holkar has established 
 a mill — the first of the kind in Central India —at Indore ; and this great prince is now a cotton- 
 spinner, and keeps his own books. 
 
 The cotton-plant is small and shrubby, seldom above six feet high, with a yellow flower, 
 and seeds enveloped in a kind of short grayish down. 
 
 An important article of Indian produce, contributing largely to the revenue of the Govern- 
 ment, is opium. It is obtained from the Papaver orientale, or Eastern poppy, which flourishes in 
 almost every province, though the best opium comes from Behar and Bengal. The opium poppy 
 is an erect annual plant, slightly branched, about two feet in height, with a glaucous green stem, 
 and leaves of an oblong shape, which clasp the stem by their base. The flowers are violet- 
 coloured, with a purple centre. 
 
 The process of preparing the drug, which Paracelsus is said to have introduced into the 
 European pharmacopoeia, may be thus described : — 
 
 As soon as the flowers are in bloom, the petals are removed, to be used in packing the pre- 
 pared drug. After a few days the half-ripe capsules are scarified from above downwards by two 
 
THE OPIUM MANUFACTURE 
 
 241 
 
 TBI one* rorrr. 
 
 CAMDLI OP THI OPIUM POPPT. 
 
 or three knives tied together, and called "nushturs." The milky juice which exudes from these 
 
 slight incisions is allowed to harden, and then collected in earthen 
 pots. The hour chosen for slicing the capsules is three in the after- 
 noon, when the great heat of the sun quickly covers the exuded 
 juice with a protecting film. 
 
 The slicing operation is repeated twice or thrice at intervals of a 
 few days ; and the drug is then conveyed to the Government factory, 
 where native workmen busily knead it into a 
 homogeneous mass. A careful analysis is 
 afterwards undertaken by competent au- 
 thorities to determine the quality of the 
 opium, to ensure its freedom from adultera- 
 tion, and also its reduction in strength as 
 nearly as may be to a uniform standard. 
 It is then pronounced in a fit state for expor- 
 tation ; and, by means of earthen cups, mould- 
 ed into spherical masses of the size of a chilli's 
 head, closely invested on the outside by the 
 dried petals of the flower, and rendered tho- 
 roughly compact by pressure and by immer- 
 sion in the viscous residuum drained off from 
 the more solid opium during its preparation. 
 The chief market for Indian opium is China, notwithstanding the vigorous efforts of the 
 Chinese Government to prevent its importation. It cannot but be a matter of regret that for 
 financial reasons the Indian Executive permits and encourages a demoralizing trade, and supplies 
 the Chinese population with a deleterious drug. ) 
 
 ^"j Those cereals which are most common in Europe flourish abundantly in India ; but the chief 
 food of the natives i s rice, and rice is cultivated in almost every province. In Orissa and Bengal 
 a failure of the usual crop threatens millions of industrious families with starvation. ( This 
 important grain is supposed to be of Asiatic origin ; though recent travellers in South America 
 report that they have found it growing, apparently in a wild state, on the banks of some of 
 the rivers. Among the Mahrattas the holcus (sorghum) is extensivejy cultivated. Instead 
 of our potato the Indians use the yam, the arachis (a kind of legume), and the katchil 
 root. We may also enumerate the moong, a species of bean ; the murhus, the grain of 
 which is like mustard-seed, and employed in making cakes; and the toa, a shrub yielding 
 a favourite kind of pea. The roots of the red lotus are also used for food. This is the 
 Nymphaa rubra ; a different species from that of the Nymphaa alfxt, which covers the waves of 
 the Nile, and is also found in the pools and tanks of India. The flowers of the latter have a 
 peculiar property of collapsing their petals, and of submerging them during the night; a 
 property to which Moore alludes in some well-known lines — 
 
 "These virgin lilies, all the night 
 
 Bathing their beauties in the lake, 
 That they may rise more fresh and bright 
 When their Moved sun '■ awake." 
 16 
 
 ) 
 
242 
 
 INDIAN FRUITS. 
 
 L t For the Brahmans and the Indian philosophers generally the favourite food has always 
 been the banana (Musa sapientum), the sister-plant, as it were, of the plantain. It is highly 
 nutritious, though less so than wheat or the potato. On the other hand, it occupies less space, 
 and does not require so much culture} so that Humboldt has calculated the produce of bananas 
 compared to that of wheat as 133 to 1, and to that of potatoes as 44 to 1. 
 
 In the Eastern Ghats, the agave, or great 
 American aloe, grows abundantly. The sap yields 
 an agreeable vinous beverage. In the warm dry 
 sands of the Carnatic thrives the bread-tree, its 
 " unadulterated loaves" ripening spontaneously in 
 the liberal sunshine. 
 i~f As t o fruits j India is rich in the most delicious 
 varieties that ever tempted the epicurean palate. 
 In almost every part grows the luscious mango ; 
 which, in its mature state, furnishes the dessert 
 with an additional attraction, and, in its unripe, 
 forms the staple of an extensively used pickle. 
 The mango-tree is one of those which contribute 
 most freely to the supply of human wants. Its 
 leaves and leaf-stalks furnish the natives with tooth- 
 brushes ; the leaves are employed medicinally ; and 
 the gum-resin that exudes from its bark is an 
 external remedy for certain skin diseases, and an 
 internal cure for diarrhoea and dysentery. The 
 wood, with that of the sandal, is used by the 
 Hindus in burning their dead. 
 
 In Northern India thrive many of the most 
 esteemed fruits of Europe ; such as the apple, the 
 pear, the apricot, the plum, the orange, the mul- 
 berry, the walnut, and the almond. A finely-flavoured plum, called the alorcha, is cultivated 
 at Battalah, in the Punjab. The jamboo, a species of rose-apple, is valued not only on account 
 of its fruit, but for the beauty of the crimson flowers which depend from every part of the stern.) 
 Reference may also be made to the pillau, an almond-flavoured nut ; and the Averrhoes Caram- 
 bora, or Caramba, which thrice a year bears a crop of gherkin-shaped fruit ; and the elephant- 
 apple,* to which the animal whose name it bears is not less partial than the Hindus themselves. 
 It will be seen, then, that if any Indian Porphyro, on a St. Agnes' Eve, desired to prepare 
 some such delicate repast as the poet Keats has set forth in his beautiful poem, there would be 
 no lack of variety or resource. Yet we have said nothing of the delicious guava, of the custard- 
 apple, or the water-chestnut, which is eaten so largely in Kashmir. \ 
 
 Let us now go further afield, and see what trees or plants are available for the purposes of 
 the perfumer or the physician. 
 
 BANANA-TREE. 
 
 * Ferunia elephantum. 
 
INDIAN PERFUMES. 
 
 243 
 
 The malabathrum with which, according to Horace, the Roman youths anointed their 
 shining locks, is by some authorities identified with the betel-lea f ; which, together with the 
 areca-nut and quick-lime, forms a digestive masticatory, largely employed by the natives of the 
 East The guettarda yields a delightful perfume ; and the jalamansi has an odour faintly sweet, 
 
 c »Vw — — ' i^fes 
 
 OOOOA-aOT PAUM— A KUI IX THE XEICHBoCKHOOD or BOMBAT. 
 
 f 
 
 like that of violet The areca palm, for the sake of its nuts, is cultivated all over India. But 
 palms are profuse everywhere ; including the noble fan palm, the beautiful and useful sago palm, 
 ' and the multifarious coc oa-nut palm , which yields food, lamp-oil, cordage, thatch, and a stimu- 
 lating liquor. It is Nature's multum in parvo, and man's resource in almost every kin J of 
 position. 
 
244 THE INDIAN FLORA. 
 
 
 
 How valuable a production is the s andal-tree of India, it is needless to say. There are red, 
 and white, and yellow species ; and the last is the best, having an agreeable smell, and yielding 
 an aromatic bitter. Reduced to powder, it furnishes an unguent with which the Persians and 
 Chinese, as well as the Hindus, anoint themselves. When burned, it evolves a delightful fra- 
 grance ; and for this reason it is used in the temples and on funeral pyres. A fragrant essential 
 oil is distilled from it, Avhich hardens into the consistency of a balsam. The d ragon's-tr ee, or 
 Dracaena draco, which in India seldom exceeds thirty feet in height, exudes a resinous astrin- 
 gent known as dragon's-blood. Gum-ammoniac is obtained from the Dorema ammoniacum of 
 Bengal, gum-lac from the Mimosa cinerea, and gamboge from the Garcinia pictona of Mysore. 
 
 C assia- trees are a characteristic feature of the Indian landscape. The Laurus cassia bears 
 the M alabar cinnamon ; but the Laurus camphora — the c amphor cinnamon-tree — is not found in 
 the peninsula. In the mountain-districts the acacia catechu rises to the height of about twelve 
 feet. In the Deccan a common tree is the acacia arabica, or babul, the gum of which is some- 
 times used by the poorer natives for food : the bark is used for tanning leather. The s ugar-can e 
 is very largely cultivated. Two species of pepper a re found ; and, indeed, the Malabar coast is 
 called by the Arabs Beled-cl-folfol — -"the pepper-country." Indigo grows spontaneously in 
 Gujerat, and forms an article of extensive culture in Oudh, Agra, Behar, and Bengal. We send 
 to the slopes of the Ghats for the cardamoms which our physicians so frequently prescribe ; 
 while in cases of intermittent fever the native doctors " exhibit" a decoction of the astringent 
 and tonic bark of the Swietenia febrifuga, which flourishes among the mountains of the Rajah- 
 mundiry Circar. The g inger-plant and zedoary {Curcuma zerumbet) are natives of Malabar. 
 
 Q (T Nor does India merit less particular notice as a land of forest and timber trees. Besides 
 ' those which it has in common with Europe — the oak, the pine, the cypress, the fir, the poplar — 
 it possesses many valuable indigenous species. ( Our shipbuilders long ago learned the value of 
 the teak-tree as a substitute for oak ; it furnishes a wood which is firm, hard, and almost incor- 
 ruptible. A native of Southern and Central India, it extends as far north as the province of 
 Bundelcund, and its range includes also Burma, Pegu, and some of the islands of the Eastern 
 Archipelago. It is an evergreen, and almost a sacred tree. From the tender leaves is obtained 
 a purple dye ; also a syrup of certain medicinal properties ; and the flowers, mixed with honey, 
 are prescribed in cases of dropsy. 
 
 The Valeria indica, or ponna, also called the po on or mast -tree, which grows to a height of 
 sixty feet, furnishes wood well-adapted for the masts of some "tall ammiral.'^) Smaller timber, 
 good for building purposes, is obtained from the koru of the Northern forests, the djissoo, and the 
 nagassa or iron-wood. The Indian _ebojiy is found in the neighbourhood of Allahabad. Gum- 
 trees are scarce, but among them the Eucalyptus pendula, with its scent of peppermint, seems 
 likely to be naturalized. In B engal a common tree is the great Bombax, or silk-cottQn, which, 
 in the season of inflorescence, becomes a mass of crimson flowers. Its fruit is a large woody 
 capsule, containing numerous seeds arranged in five cells, each seed being surrounded by a 
 quantity of beautiful silky fibre ; when ripe it bursts into five pieces, allowing the seeds to be 
 wafted abroad on the wings of the wind. \ 
 
 From the Sulea pine a pure turpentine, called kota, is extracted. The mountain-slopes of 
 Nepal and Lahore are richly clothed with magnificent forests of this noble tree. The Scotch 
 
THE INDIAN FIG-TltKE. 245 
 
 tir rears its familiar trunk on the colder slopes of the hills beyond Delhi ; and on the high grounds 
 of Kumaon thrives the Phutwarrah, attaining a height of sixty feet and a girth of six feet, and 
 producing a quantity of nut-like fruit, from the kernels of which a fatty substance is extracted. 
 Much smaller, but perhaps more useful, is the Salvadora persica, or mustard-tree, which grows to 
 a considerable height, and by some authorities is identified with the mustard-tree of our Lord's 
 parable. 
 
 In the neighbourhood of Sealkote, and on the borders of Kashmir, the traveller passes 
 through great thickets of b uteas and aca cias, with the Euphorbia Royliana towering high above 
 them. J Euphorbias, or spurges, abound in many parts of India, however, though none of such 
 colossal dimensions as the Royliana. The Hindus use the juice of Euphorbia antiquorwn as an 
 external remedy for rheumatism and neuralgia. The physician has discovered the astringent 
 and aromatic properties of Euphorbia thymifolia ; while an important commercial staple is the 
 admirable caoutchouc yielded by the juice of Euphorbia cattimandoo, a native of the Madras 
 presidency. When the branches of this tree are cut off, the milk-white juice flows freely. It 
 is collected and boiled on the spot, at which time it is very elastic ; but after being formed 
 into cakes or cylinders, it turns resinous or brittle, and in this state it is sold in the bazaars, and 
 employed as a cement for fixing knives into handles, and other similar purposes. It is also used 
 medicinally as an external application in cases of rheumatism. The gum, however, is inferior to 
 gutta-percha in one respect, in not being ductile at all times. Wlu.-u first boiled, it can be 
 moulded to any shape ; but afterwards it ceases to be plastic, unless softened over the heat of a 
 fire or lamp. \ 
 
 Every reader of " Paradise Lost " will remember Milton's fine description of the celebrated 
 Ba nian, or Indian fig-tree : — 
 
 " Such as at thia day, to Indians kuowu. 
 In M.ilahar or Deccan spreads ber anna 
 Branching so broad and long, that in the ground 
 The beuded twigs take root, and daughters grow 
 A bore the mother-tree, a pillared stasias. 
 High orer-arched, and echuiug walks between. 
 There oft the Indian henl»in;in, nlnuming heat, 
 .Shelters in cool, and tend* Ins pasturiug herds 
 At loopholes cut through thickest shade." 
 
 fx 
 
 Tavernier, the quaint old traveller, says : — " The Franks call it the Banian's tree, because 
 in those -places where these trees grow the idolaters always take up their quarters, and dress 
 their victuals under them." According to Dr. Fryer, the Portuguese aptly called it Arbor 
 de rats, because its branches bear their own roots ; and the Banian-tree, because the banians 
 adored it — " holding it as sacred as was the oak to our old Druids, painting it daily, and making 
 offerings of rice, and praying to it." Two famous banians are spoken of as existing— one in an 
 island of the Narbada, near Broach, and the other not far from the town of Mangi in 
 Behar. The natives assert that the former is three thousand years old — an unquestionable 
 exaggeration : it is said to be the largest in the world, and capable of sheltering seven thousand 
 persons. It has no fewer than three hundred and fifty trunks — that is, branches which in their 
 turn have taken root — and each exceeds in girth most English trees ; and upwards of three 
 thousand smaller branches, measuring nearly two thousand feet in circumference. The other 
 
246 
 
 ABOUT THE BAMBOO. 
 
 can boast of nearly sixty stems ; and at noon the shadow which it casts extends over an area of 
 eleven hundred and sixteen feet. These are enormous and extraordinary specimens ; but in all 
 cases the tree presents a remarkable aspect, with its central trunk and subsidiary rooted stems. 
 Its branches, covered with heart-shaped leaves, about five or six inches long, afford a home to 
 bats, and birds, and monkeys. The last-named eat both leaves and fruit, which grows in pairs, 
 is larger than a cherry, and of a rich scarlet colour. The wood of the banian is light and 
 porous ; its bark is a strong tonic, and the Hindu doctors administer it in cases of diabetes. 
 
 Not less characteristic of India is t he bamboo, which in many places grows in complete 
 forests, and erects its straight knotted stem to a height of sixty feet, crowned with tufts of leaves 
 and panicles of flowers. It is applied to a singular variety of purposes. The larger shoots and 
 
 THE BANIAN-TREE. 
 
 the trunk are used by the Hindus in building their houses and constructing their articles of 
 furniture. The young shoots are pickled for eating. The indurated juice, called tabasheer, is 
 used medicinally ; the first and smaller shoots form the once-popular walking-canes ; the larger 
 shoots are converted into vessels for carrying water. 
 I Q % India, we may add, is rich in Grasses. The korsa^x>r Poa cynosuroides, has a sacred 
 character, and is almost constantly in the hands of the very devout. Its roots are woven into 
 tatti, a kind of mat which, placed against door or window, and well watered, renders the air 
 of a room refreshingly cool. The ju ngle grass , in Bengal and elsewhere, shoots up to the 
 height of eight or ten feet, and is crested with a downy blossom, not unlike a swan's plumage. 
 Sandy soils produce the augeah grass, which grows to even a greater height — twenty-five to 
 thirty feet — and is as thick as a man's wrist In some parts of India the grasses are succulent 
 
THE HIMALAYA FORESTS. 
 
 247 
 
 and nutritious, affording an excellent pasture. This is especially the case in the provinces of 
 Ajmir and Delhi, in Rajputana, in Gujerat, and on the downs or table-lands of Mysore.} 
 ^ f But our description, so necessarily brief and rapid, of the vegetable life of India, shall not 
 conclude with these notes upon its humbler forms. We prefer to recall the reader's attention, 
 in conclusion, to the mighty forests which clothe the spurs and offshoots, and the slopes and 
 higher terraces, of the Himalaya. We would have him fill his mind with images of the colossal 
 
 A THICKET Of BAMBOOS. 
 
 trees which there stand defined against a deep-blue horizon, in vivid contrast to the perpetual 
 snows of the virgin peaks above them. Let him think of the gigantic deodar, which furnishes so 
 striking an emblem of perfect strength and perfect beauty ; of the Pinus excelsa, or " weeping 
 fir;" the ubiquitous cheel, or Pinus Umgifolia; the aspiring Pinus morinda, or Pinus khutrow; 
 and the loftiest of all its congeners, the Pinus morinda, or Abies pindrow. None of them, how- 
 ever, can compare with the " tree of God," the deodar or kedron — Cedrus deodara. " There was 
 something very grand," writes Mr. Wilson, "about these cedars, sometimes forty feet in circum 
 
248 
 
 THE TREE OF GOD." 
 
 ference, and rising almost to two hundred feet, or half the height of St. Paul's, on nearly 
 precipitous slopes, and on the scantiest soil, yet losing no line of beauty in their stems and their 
 graceful pendent branches, and with their tapering stems and green arrowy spikes covered by a 
 clinging trellis-work of Virginia creepers and clematis." \ 
 
 CEDRUS DEODARA. 
 
 Had Camoens seen this glorious cedar, he might have said of it, much more justly than of 
 the cypress, that it stands forth as a 
 
 " Preacher to the wise ; — 
 Lessening from earth her spiral honours rise, 
 Till, as a spear-point reared, the topmost spray 
 Points to the Eden of eternal day." 
 
 c 
 
 In the Himalaya the deodar flourishes between five thousand and nine thousand feet high ; 
 and, except in the loftier regions where it wants heat, it prefers the shady northern and eastern 
 sides of the mountains. The cedar-forests of the Sutlej are the most extensive and valuable of 
 
THE BUTTER AND THE MHOWA TREES. 249 
 
 India ; but they spread along the whole line of the Western Himalaya, furnishing an exceedingly 
 useful wood for building and railway purposes. 
 
 In Nepal is found the I ndian Butter-t ree, or Phulwara, which, though not a giant in size, 
 is a tree of no little importance. Its botanical name is Bassia butyracea. From its seeds, when 
 bruised and pressed, is squeezed out a fatty substance of the consistency of hog's lard, but whiter. 
 It is used to adulterate ghee, and as an unguent for the hair, and as a remedy for rheumatic 
 pains. It makes, moreover, a very good substitute for soap. 
 
 Another bassia is the Bassia latifolia, or well-known Mhowa-tree. wh ich furnishes a hard, 
 strong, durable timber. The sweet-flavoured flowers are eaten raw, but more frequently are 
 employed in the distillation of an ardent spirit like whisky, which the natives of Gujerat and 
 other parts consume in liberal quantities. From the seeds is extracted an oil for lamps, which is 
 useful also in the manufacture of soap, and for culinary purposes. The Bheels collect the mhowa 
 flowers, and, after drying them, store them up as a staple article of food. Hence, in expeditions 
 undertaken for the punishment or subjugation of these restless people, the invading force, it is 
 said, generally ensures their submission by threatening to cut down their mhowa-trees. In 
 Malabar and Coromandel the flowers are roasted and eaten ; also, bruised and boiled to a jelly. 
 The leaves and the milky juice of the immature fruit figure in the native pharmacopoeia, and the 
 resinous product of the bark is valued by rheumatic sufterera If, then, we take the deodar as 
 a type of strength and beauty, may we not see in the mhowa-tree an emblem of humble 
 usefulness ? ^ 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ANIMAL LIFE IN INDIA. 
 
 ITS FAUNA — BIRDS— REPTILES. 
 
 IS we are not writing a zoological treatise, our review of the Animal Life of India will 
 be little more than an enumeration of some of its principal forms. Here, as in the 
 Flora, any attempt to generalize is baffled by the wide extent of the area with which 
 we are concerned, and the radical differences induced by climatic variations and physical influ- 
 ences, f Certain animals there are, however, which the popular mind at once identifies with 
 India — such as the tiger, the elephant, the hunting leopard, the gavial. But of the Indian Fauna 
 it may be said, as of the Indian Flora, that though general^ and principally Tropical in character, 
 it also includes numerous forms belonging to the Temperate regions — such, for instance, as the 
 horse, the ass, the ox, the sheep. 
 
 If we were called upon to represent India by any particular animal, we should unquestion- 
 ably select the elephant. It is the elephant that figures in state processions, that stalks con- 
 spicuous in the " ranks of war," that serves both as a beast of burden and a beast of draught. 
 Though no longer employed to charge the battalions of the foe, it carries into the battle-field the 
 necessary stores of ammunition, and light pieces of field-artillery are frequently mounted on its 
 back. In the tiger-hunt it provides the sportsman with a secure and commanding position. Nor 
 has the increase in the number of conveyances, nor the extension of railway-communication, done 
 much to lessen its popularity or usefulness. Mrs. Murray Mitchell, describing a grand ceremony 
 of which she was an eye-witness, observes, that elephants in their gay trappings were at least as 
 common as horses. She herself went on one of these huge creatures two or three times " to see 
 the sights." " I felt myself," she says, " a Ranee at least, as we sat in dignity on the back of our 
 elephant, resplendent with gilt howdah, and saddle-cloth of scarlet velvet embroidered with gold." 
 
 The Indian elephants differ among them-elves in size, and colour, and the length of their 
 tusks ; but though the differences are sufficient to constitute varieties, they are not important 
 enough to constitute species. The general hue is a blackish brown ; the sacred white elephant 
 being the product only of Indo-China, and, in the opinion of many naturalists, owing its dis- 
 tinctive colour to disease. In the thick woods of the Ghats elephants are still found in herds 
 of two to three hundred. The average height of the male is eight to ten feet ; of the female, 
 seven to eight ; but the individuals in the north of India are much smaller. It is said that the 
 largest elephant ever seen in India measured ten and a half feet at the shoulder ; it was caught 
 in 1796, and belonged to the Nawab of Oudh. The largest tusks of the Bengal animal rarely 
 exceed seventy or eighty pounds in weight. 
 
FAUNA OF INDIA. 
 
 251 
 
 In Bengal the one-horn( 
 
 jinoceros is scarcer than it used tt> be, thanks to the extending 
 influence of British "civilization and love of sport ; but it still frequents the islands of the 
 Gaugetic delta, and is frequently seen in company with the tiger. The two are not naturally 
 fond of each other's company, but they are here brought together by causes which overrule any 
 
 thi ivoua rtrrHAirr. 
 
 instinctive mistrust. Th e tiger finds food and shelter among the dense jungle-growth of the 
 Sundarbans ; and the rhinoceros resorts thither for protection against the burning heat 
 
 If the elephant be a fitting type of India itself, the tiger has been taken as an emblem of its 
 people. It has, at all events, the sleekness and suppleness of the Hindu, though the Hindu 
 can hardly be said to possess its ferocity I Of all living animals, surely it is the handsomest ; 
 with its bright glowing eye, its brilliant skin, its compact, powerful, and lissom frame. The 
 force and swiftness of ite bound is something terrible ; the rapidity of its course justifies 
 
252 
 
 TIGER-HUNTING. 
 
 the ancient application of tllte name Tigris to an arrowy river. It will clear fifty feet at 
 a leap ; it will outrun the fastest horse ; it is so strong that it will seize in its jaws and 
 carry off a bullock. Hunting such an animal is, therefore, no tame or paltry pastime, but 
 needs, in most cases, the possession of great courage and singular presence of mind, with 
 the addition of a keen eye and a thorough command of one's nerves. But it is seldom 
 that the native challenges the tiger " face to face." He leaves the hazard and glory of 
 
 JS^HB^fisie*^ 
 
 THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS. 
 
 such an encounter to the English sahib; and, for himself, is content with the adoption of 
 cunning devices, or with a shot from some absolutely secure position. The trap, or " string- 
 bow," is a favourite invention. He makes an immense bow, some eight or nine feet in length, 
 and strings it with good strong gut line. Usually the path by which the tiger leaves his den is 
 very narrow ; on each side of it a post is firmly driven into the ground, and to these posts are 
 attached the two ends of the bow. Further : a blunt stick is inserted between the bow and the 
 
TIGEK-lfUXTlNG. 
 
 253 
 
 bowstring to extend the latter, just as it* it were going to be discharged ; and between the end 
 of the stick and the inner side of the bow is driven a long wedge, to which is fastened the thick 
 extremity of a long string, and the string is then trailed across the tiger's track. In the bent 
 bow is placed an arrow, dipped in some deadly poison. When the tiger comes in contact with 
 the string, the wedge and blunt stick are forced out by the shock ; and the poisoned arrow, 
 released from the bow, speeds straight to the animal's heart. 
 
 Another and bolder manoeuvre may be thus described : — In the dense jungle-depth, a cage 
 made of bamboos, with tolerably wide intervals between the reeds, is erected between a couple 
 of trees. Therein the hunter, armed with a well-tempered tulwar, or sword, takes up his post 
 and waits. The tiger, prowling in search of food, is drawn to the ambuscade by his sense of 
 smell. He throws himself upon the cage, endeavours to rend it in pieces, and with greedy 
 
 THK *<>TAL Tiom. 
 
 teeth and cruel claws to seize the solitary hunter shut \ip within it. The latter, cool and wary, 
 watches until his assailant presents his ample breast, and then drives his tulwar into it, — gene- 
 rally with so much skill and strength that the tiger falls to the ground, mortally wounded. 
 
 That every man's hand should be against the tiger, is not to be wondered at, when the 
 extent of his ravages is taken into account Not only does he prey on the flock of the shepherd, 
 but, when pressed by hunger, on man himself; and after he has become "a man-eater," nothing 
 but human flesh will satisfy him. He will allow the cattle to pass unmolested, in order to 
 pounce upon their drivers. Abandoning the secure recesses of the jungle, he prowls about and 
 around the villages, and seizes the child at play, or the woman going to the well. Some idea 
 of the havoc annually committed by this ferocious animal may be gathered from the fact that, in 
 a single district, during a period of three years, five thousand head of cattle and three handled 
 
254 
 
 FAUNA OF INDIA. 
 
 human beings were destroyed by tigers. The Indian Government, therefore, pays a reward to 
 every man who rids the earth of one of these rapacious creatures. 
 
 Ancient Tndian records speak of t he lion, o r singh, as formerly existing in most parts of 
 
 India; but not a few authorities believe that 
 the animal meant was really the leopard. At 
 all events, he is no longer to be found except 
 in menageries. The serval, or panther-cat, 
 ranges from the Deccan to Tibet, and proves a 
 formidable enemy to the cattle. In the central 
 districts of the Deccan, and in the province of 
 Gujerat, is found the ounce ; and Bengal owns 
 a peculiar species of the panther, distinguished 
 by the deep black colour of his skin, which is 
 varied with spots of still deeper black. Several 
 species of leopards exist, and the cheetah, or 
 hunting-leopard, is carefully trained for hunting 
 wild deer. P anth er and leopard spring pro- 
 bably from the same stock ; and the only dis- 
 tinction between them is, that the ocelli or 
 spots of the former are larger and more con- 
 spicuous than those of the latter. Both are 
 supple, sleek, and handsome ; and their skins 
 are highly valued. The panther, by many, 
 is regarded as a more dangerous animal than the tiger ; for he is not less crafty than 
 ferocious. 
 
 Hyenas, jackals, wolves, wild boars, — these are among the Indian beasts of prey, and in 
 some districts their numbers render them no slight nuisance to the tiller of the soil. The black 
 bear of Coimbatore is described as comparatively inoffensive, and as living chiefly on the fruit of 
 the palmyra palm, and on white ants or termites. Bengal produces a kind of fox, with bare, 
 dog-shaped head, and a short, smooth coat ; while all over India are to be found the jerboa, the 
 musk-rat, the civet, the badger, the ichneumon, and the raccoon. Nor must we omit the scaly 
 ant-eater, or short-tailed manis, with its curious faculty of coiling up into a compact ball, by 
 bending its head towards its stomach, curving its back into a bow, and securing its body in this 
 — attitude, shall we call it ? — by a tenacious grasp of its mail-covered tail. It is encased, as the 
 reader knows, in a kind of body-armour, composed of sharp-pointed, keen-edged, horny plates, 
 placed with their points towards the tail, and overlapping each other like the tiles on the roof of 
 a house. 
 
 The native princes of India have always sought a relief from the tedium of their useless 
 lives in the enjoyment of the chase, and various species of deer, scattered all over the peninsula, 
 have offered them a convenient quarry. The favourite sport of Tippoo Saib was hunting the 
 neelgau with the cheetah. The beautiful oryx is also found, and the Chinese antelope, the 
 common deer, and the graceful gazelle, which figures so frequently in Eastern poetry. The 
 musk-deer seems to be confined to the Himalayan range. In Kashmir, the hunting-dog is not 
 
 THE P ANTHEM. 
 
ABOUT THE APES. 
 
 255 
 
 uncommon. He is usually of a brown or yellow colour, and not unlike a Newfoundland in 
 hair and shape. His courage and strength are extraordinary, and he will hunt down and over- 
 come even the leopard and the wolf. The wild dog lurks in some parts of the Jelum valley, 
 hunting in packs, and, when hunger-driven, destroying children or grown persons. 
 
 We might well devote a chapte r to the monkeys of Ind ia, so numerous are their species, 
 and so full of interest their " manners and customs'." In many parts they so abound as to do 
 much damage by their depredations. In Bengal and on the Coromandel coast dwells the 
 gibbon ape ; and it is said that the orang-utan has been seen in the Carnatic. The lion-tailed 
 ape, the pigmy ape, the green monkey, the talapoin, the tawny, — all these are numerous enough, 
 
 TBI OBTX. 
 
 and the courts and roofs of the Hindu temples are always alive with the chatter of one species 
 or another. A peculiar sanctity attaches to the so-called Kadjakada ape, with red face and 
 black beard, for it is regarded as a representative of the god Hunooman, or Hanuman, who 
 himself is reputed to be an incarnation of Siva. Having assumed that form, Siva placed 
 himself at the head of an army of monkeys, and, marching to the assistance of the god Rama, 
 brought about the defeat of Hawaii, king of the giants and ruler of Ceylon. At Benares one 
 of the " sights " is the Monkey Temple, which a recent traveller describes as a very curious 
 but rather revolting place, from the colonies of monkeys, of every size and age, which inhabit 
 iv Monkeys scramble over every wall and fill every tree ; and it is amusing to watch the 
 trT'itesque creatures swinging down to the court, as the worshippers continually throw them 
 
256 
 
 OX AND COW. 
 
 offerings of rice or fruit. They seem quite to understand that they are privileged, and walk 
 impudently about among the people, grinning and chattering, and nimbly clambering up the 
 fretted pillars if they seem to be in danger from the crowd. 
 
 The ox and the cow are treated with much veneration, and every temple has its sacred bull. 
 
 Brahma, it is said, created the Brahmans and the cow at the same time ; and the latter is 
 honoured with the title of "mother of the gods." The reverence paid to the ox and the cow 
 arises probably from an early recognition of these animals as symbolizing the productive powers 
 of nature. This species is the zebu, or Bos Indicus of naturalists ; is of a small size, active, well- 
 
 '•"— "S: 
 
 knit, with a hunch or fatty protuberance on the back, and strong erect horns. In the neighbour- 
 hood of Surat and in Ceylon a breed of oxen is kept, no larger than mastiffs. The buffalo is a 
 native, chiefly, of Southern India; and among the Ghats, as well as in the Himalaya, we find the 
 ami, a fine large species, with horns of enormous length. In Tibet the yak, or wild ox, thrives 
 
THE TIBETAN YAK. 257 
 
 in the cold snowy regions, but quickly dies when brought into the lowlands. Mr. Wilson 
 speaks of it as a magnificent animal, and one of the finest creatures of the bovine race. The 
 shortness of its legs takes away somewhat from its stature ; and so does its thick coat of fine 
 black and white hair, though this is no mean addition to its beauty. The head is not large, and 
 the horns are poor, but its shaggy hair and wild, dark eye give it a striking appearance. The 
 tail is a splendid feature, and is much prized in India as an emblem of dignity. Wild yaks 
 exist, it is said, on the plains of the Upper Sutlej and in some parts of Ladak. The manner of 
 hunting them is unique. Two holes in the ground, communicating with each other beneath, are 
 prepared for the hunter in a place frequented by the yaks. "If the wild yak is only wounded, 
 it rushes, in its fury, to the hole from whence the shot came ; on which the hunter raises his 
 head and gun out of the other hole and fires again. This rather ignoble game may go on for 
 some time, and the yak is described as being in a frenzy of rage, trampling in the sides of the 
 holes, and tearing at them with its horns." 
 
 Mr. Wilson furnishes a graphic account of the miseries of Tibetan ya^manship. He advises 
 any one who wishes to form an idea of riding upon a yak, to fasten two Prussian spiked 
 helmets close together along the back of a great bull, and take a seat between them. This will 
 afford a tolerable notion of a yak's saddle ; only it must be understood that the helmets are 
 connected on each side by ribs of particularly hard wood. The sure-footedness and the steady 
 though slow ascent of these animals up the most difficult passes are very remarkable. " They 
 never rest upon a leg until they are sure they have got a fair footing for it ; and, heavy as they 
 appear, they will carry burdens up places which even the ponies and mules of the Alps would 
 not attempt There is a certain sense of safety in being on the back of a yak among the 
 mountains, such as one has in riding on an elephant in a tiger-hunt ; you feel that nothing but a 
 very large rock, or the fall of half a mountain, or something of that kind, will make it lose its 
 footing ; but it does require some time for the physical man to get accustomed to its saddle, to 
 its broad back, and to its deliberate motion when its rider is upon it, and not in a position to be 
 charged at" 
 
 In the delta of the Ind us camels are bred ; and some, of an inferior description, are found 
 in a half-wild state in the sandy tracts of Gujerat Horses a re numerous ; from the small, 
 ill-tempered goot, or gunt, of Bengal, and the swift, lithe, and active Mahratta breed, to the 
 draught and saddle, or cutioo horses, of Bengal. At one time the province of Lahore was 
 celebrated for its breed, which the Mogul sovereigns are supposed to have introduced. The 
 Emperor Akbar, if chronicles may be trusted, kept a stud of no fewer than twelve thousand 
 horses, which he imported from Arabia, Persia, and elsewhere. In Aurungabad and on the 
 borders of Nepal, large numbers are bred for the service of the British cavalry ; and the horse- 
 fairs of Hurdwar and other places attract buyers from all parts of India. 
 
 The argali, or wild sheep, is included in the abundant fauna of the peninsula. In Assam, a 
 species of ram, with four horns ; in Moultan, the bhara, or thick-tailed sheep ; and in Kashmir, 
 the delicate breed that furnishes the fine wool used in the manufacture of the celebrated shawls, 
 — are the objects of careful cultivation. In the woods and highlands of Orissa, Telingana, Berar, 
 and Malabar, we meet with the goat which yields the morbid concretion called bezoar. 
 
 What a subject for the fertile pen of the naturalist is presented by Indian Ornithology I 
 
 17 
 
258 
 
 THE LAND OF THE PEACOCK. 
 
 The birds of the peninsula are not very remarkable for number and variety, but for beauty of 
 plumage ; and an enthusiastic ornithologist would quickly dazzle the reader with his descriptions 
 of glowing colours and diverse dyes. India is the native country of the peacock^ and the Greek 
 writers have not forgotten to record the delight and surprise which Alexander the Great felt on 
 first seeing " the bird of Juno." Prior to his epoch, however, it was known in Palestine ; for it 
 
 THE TEACOCK. 
 
 is mentioned as one of the treasures imported by the fleets of Tarshish in their expedition to 
 Ophir (2 Chron. ix. 21). Notwithstanding the ravages committed by bird-dealers, the peacock 
 is still found in large companies in the forest-glades ; and in some localities is so abundant that 
 Colonel Williamson, in one day, counted between twelve hundred and fifteen hundred. 
 
 An important gallinaceous curiosity is the horned turkey, the head of which is furnished 
 
INDIAN BIRDS. 
 
 359 
 
 with a couple of callous horns, besides two long and broad dew-laps, pendent one from each side 
 of the bill. This is more properly called, perhaps, the horned pheasant, or tropogon, a native of 
 Nepal. To Nepal and the Himalaya belongs the splendid lophophorus, or Impeyan pheasant, 
 with its plumage glittering like precious stones in rare combinations of bronze, violet, green, 
 and blue. 
 
 THE IMI-ETAN rHEABAHT. 
 
 We have no space to dwell upon the numerous species of ki ngfisher s, vivid with the 
 brightest plumage ; of flycatchers , shining with a rich metallic lustre ; of shrike s, which 
 seem to have assumed all the colours of the rainbow ; of calyptomenes, clad in a coat of 
 emerald green ; of drongos, attired in deepest blue — which inhabit the hills, plains, and valleys 
 south of the Ganges. We might rise higher in the scale of animal life, and tell of the lordly 
 
260 PARROQUETS AND COCKATOOS. 
 
 eagle and rapid falcon, of the hawk of Kashmir, and of the Brahmany kjte^or Corornandel 
 eagle, which the Hindus regard with high veneration as an incarnation of Doorga. As to the 
 crows, they are as familiar and audacious as the monkeys. They frequent the European 
 bungalows, and, when the servants are carrying in dinner, alight on the dishes, and bear away the 
 meat, unless driven off by persons who attend with sticks for the purpose. The Hindus look 
 upon rooks and ravens as receptacles of the soul when dissociated from the body : the souls of 
 Brahmans are supposed to be embodied in the ardigigas. Then, as to owls, they are numerous in 
 the more secluded woody districts, and on the Malabar coast assemble in flocks composed 
 of several thousands. Among the various species we may enumerate the well-known white owl, 
 the great horned owl, and the double-eared, the prevailing tint of whose plumage is gray. 
 
 " Nearchus tells us," says Arrian, " of a parrot bred in India as a great rarity there, and 
 takes much pains to describe the several qualities of that bird, particularly its imitation of men's 
 words. But as I have seen many myself, and know them to be common enough, I shall forbear 
 speaking of them as anything marvellous." They are certainly no rarity, as every visitor to the 
 Indian temples, or to the gardens of the Taj Mahal, can easily determine. It is said that 
 upwards of fifty species have been recognized in the Deccan. Cockatoos, white as the snow of 
 the Himalaya, are also met with, even in the streets and thoroughfares of busy towns, if, as is 
 often the case, they are planted with trees ; and they are so tame, and familiar with men, that 
 they do not fear to breed under the eaves of the houses. Their name, kakatuas, is an instance 
 of onomatopoeia. Parroquets are also numerous ; most of them are handsome birds, with 
 plumage of green, and red, and purple, and blue. The Alexandrine, of a bright emerald 
 colour, was the only species known to the Greeks, and it is said that the warriors of 
 Alexander the Great introduced it into Europe. A rose-red band on the back of the neck 
 is the distinctive mark of the rose-ringed species, which commits great havoc among the grain 
 crops. 
 
 Still handsomer than the handsomest parroquets are the cuckoos, which rejoice in a very 
 varied and dazzling plumage. The trogons also claim our notice. The fasciated trogon, about 
 ten inches long, with black head and neck, a white band on the breast, and gray and dusky tail 
 and wings, frequents the lofty trees of the jungle-wildernesses. The Malabar trogon inhabits the 
 forests of Malabar, its range extending to an elevation of about three thousand feet. It has a 
 habit of sitting with its head nestled between its shoulders, as if it had no neck, or rather as if 
 it were covered with a Fakir's kufori, or cowl. Hence it is known to the natives as the 
 kufori churi. 
 
 The paradise drongo elevates its head proudly, crowned with a crest of feathers. The two 
 outer feathers of the tail are considerably elongated, so as to form two long naked shafts, which 
 terminate in small palettes composed of barbs. Its food is the larger coleoptera, but it also preys 
 upon flying insects. It has a very characteristic note, distinctly divided into two parts ; the first 
 a kind of harsh chuckle, and the second a metallic sound like the creak of a heavy wheel. From 
 its aptness in imitating the strains of other birds, the Hindus call it the huzar dastan, or " bird 
 of a thousand tales." 
 
 Among native Indian birds are many which form the delight of our English groves and 
 glades ; such as the thrush, the creeper, the wheat-ear, the nut-hatch, the yellow wren, the 
 house-swallow, the snipe, and the woodcock. The mango, so called because it feeds on the fruit 
 
INDIAN 1JIKDS. 
 
 261 
 
 of the mango-tree, is a well-known European bird, t he golden oriole. Among the balmy flowers 
 of imperial gardens may often be seen the honey-sucker, perched on the sweetest blossom, and 
 extracting its nectar with its long slender tongue. The bright-plumaged bee-eater arrives in the 
 Ganges valley about the end of autumn ; and it is worth while to watch it on its hunt after 
 insect-food, its aerial movements are so rapid and so graceful. 
 
 the iHixoctana hokxbilu 
 
 Of shrikes t here are several species. As, for instance, the Malabar shrike, which inhabits 
 most parts of India ; is as large as a jackdaw in Bengal, and as small as a thrush in Malabar ; is 
 always clothed in black, and has its head crowned with a graceful crest, the feather-tips of which 
 are backward inclined. The Bengal shrike is known as the butcher-bird, from the dexterity it 
 shows in dissecting its victims. This genus of birds is held in unfavourable repute for its strident 
 
262 
 
 NEST OF THE GROSBEAK. 
 
 voice, yet one species has been named the "fighting bulbul," — a bit of popular irony, perhaps, as 
 the bulbul, or nightingale, is famed far and wide for the beauty of its song. Its bellicose epithet 
 refers to the fact that the natives train it to fight for their amusement, as we English of old 
 trained game-cocks. 
 
 Nor is India without its extraordinary or curious birds : such as the so-called coppersmith 
 bird, whose voice at a slight distance is easily mistaken for the sound made by a man in 
 hammering metal ; and the elegant sarus crane, which dies of a broken heart, it is said, if its 
 mate be killed, and is, therefore, spared by all but the cruellest-hearted. The buceros, or 
 hornbill, with its huge, strong, and boldly curved beak, presents a remarkable appearance. The 
 male is accustomed to confine the female in the hollow of a tree, plastering her up, and feeding 
 her, while she hatches her egg, and brings up her young. The hole chosen is generally at a 
 considerable height from the ground, and is stopped up with clay or mud, which the male bird 
 carries in his beak. The Malacocercus terricolor deserves notice on account of its strange habit 
 of flying about in flocks of seven ; whence the Hindus call them " the seven sisters," — a name 
 reminding Englishmen of Wordsworth's beautiful ballad. 
 
 The grosbeak is celebrated for the pendulous nest which it weaves with so much skill and 
 
 patience. This social bird, the baya of the Hindus, 
 is about as large as a sparrow, with yellowish brown 
 plumage, and a thick conical bill. Preferring a 
 lofty position for its nest, it frequents the cocoa or 
 palmyra palms, or the Indian fig-tree, selecting one 
 that overhangs a rivulet or well. Its nest is woven, 
 or felted, of grass, or the long fibres of plants, until 
 it assumes a texture like that of cloth, and the shape 
 of a gourd, or large bottle. By means of a stout 
 fibre, eighteen to twenty inches in length, this 
 marvel of ingenious industry is suspended to the 
 end of a slender branch, with its mouth or opening 
 downwards, as a security against snakes and birds of prey. There it waves with the wind, but 
 undergoes no injury. 
 
 " Behold a bird's nest ! 
 Mark it well, within, without ! 
 No tool had he that wrought, no knife to cut ; 
 No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert ; 
 No glue to join ; his little beak was all ! 
 And yet how neatly finished ! What nice hand, 
 With every implement and means of art, 
 Could compass such another ? " 
 
 NESTS OF THE GROSBEAK. 
 
 Internally, the nest exhibits three compartments ; in the first of which the male keeps 
 watch, while in the second the female incubates, and in the innermost are accommodated the 
 young. It is said that in the outer cell a little tough clay is fixed to one of the sides, and here 
 two or three fire-flies are held in captivity ; not, as the natives believe, to afford the inmates 
 light, but to provide them with food. 
 
 The grosbeak is gregarious, and not seldom the nests of a whole community will be found 
 among the branches of a single tree, with a sloping roof like that of a thatched barn erected 
 
THE BAYA OF BENGAL. 
 
 263 
 
 above them, as a protection against tree-snakes and other reptiles. It is one of the most 
 industrious of birds, and better fitted in this respect to point a moral than the proverbial ant. 
 All day long it seems to be engaged in building or repairing its nest, or collecting food. As the 
 number of the settlers increase, so do they increase the amount of accommodation, until the tree 
 can no longer bear the burden imposed upon it, and, by giving way, compels the birds to go 
 in search of a new home. 
 
 With the Hindus the baya enjoys a well-deserved repute. A native naturalist says of it : 
 " This bird is remarkably sensible, faithful, and docile ; it never willingly abandons the place 
 where its young were hatched ; but, like many other birds, it shows no aversion to the society 
 of mankind, and is easily taught to perch on its master's hand. It may also be taught to fetch 
 a piece of paper or any small object its master may indicate. It 
 is a well-attested fact that, if a ring be dropped into a deep 
 well, and a signal given to the baya, it will fly down with 
 wonderful swiftness, catch the ring before it reaches the water, 
 and bring it up with apparent exultation ; and it is confidently 
 asserted that, if a house or any other place be shown to it once 
 or twice, it will carry a note thither on a proper signal being 
 made. One instance of his docility," says the writer, " I can 
 myself mention with confidence, having frequently been an eye- 
 witness of it The young Hindu women at Benares, and in other 
 places, wear very thin plates of gold, called ticas, slightly fastened 
 by way of ornament between their eyebrows ; and as they pass 
 through the streets it is not uncommon for the youthful gallant-. 
 who amuse themselves with training bayas, to give them a sign 
 which they understand, and send them to pluck the golden orna- 
 ments from the foreheads of their mistresses, with which they 
 return in triumph. The baya, when free, feeds on grasshoppers 
 and other insects ; but when tamed will subsist on pulse mace- 
 rated in water. The female lays many beautiful eggs resembling 
 pearls : the white of them, when boiled, is transparent, and their 
 flavour is delicious. When a number of bayas are assembled on a 
 high they fill the air with their lively strain; but it is 
 
 chirping, rather than singing. Tin ir lack of musical talent is, 
 however, amply compensated by their natural sagacity, in which 
 they are not excelled by any of the feathered inhabitants of the 
 
 Among I ndian birds i t would be unpardonable not to notice 
 the pigeons, w hich are truly remarkable for the variety and beauty 
 of their plumage Thedonu — t i « - pigeon is found in great numbers, 
 and in the time of Akbar, whom Pennant describes as the greatest 
 pigeon-fancier of his day, great attention was paid to their breed. HMU, > °* *om*m. 
 
 Passing over the pied flycatcher, so much esteemed in Bengal for its melodious song 
 that it is named shawbul, or king of the singing-birds ; the pagoda-thrush, which frequents the 
 
264 
 
 THE REPTILE WORLD. 
 
 courts of the temples, and charms the air with its minstrelsy ; s wallows , goat -suckers , and 
 other passerine birds,. — we come to the aquatic tribes, which we can notice only with the utmost 
 brevity. Argalis, or adjutants, are familiar enough in the streets of Calcutta. Some 
 persons suppose them to be Garuda, the deified carrier of Vishnu. They are held in great 
 repute, probably on account of their usefulness as scavengers. They wage war against snakes 
 and noxious reptiles generally, and complete the work which the jackal and vulture begin. 
 The Hindus believe them to be animated by the souls of Brahmans ; which is hardly flattering 
 to the Brahmans, as they are birds of unpleasing aspect, with a red, naked, pendulous craw, 
 and plumage of an iron colour — the legs and half the thighs quite bare. 
 
 In Bengal the ibis is a common bird. There are at least three species : the white-headed, 
 the black-headed, and another with long yellow bill and pale brown wings. The banks of the 
 Ganges are haunted by the flamingo and the pelican ; and at night the booming cry of the 
 bittern echoes across the marshy plains of the Delta. 
 
 In the Reptile World we are at once confronted by the serpents, which are unpleasantly 
 numerous in every part of India. On the Coromandel coast alone upwards of forty species 
 have been distinguished. The roy_al_serpent, or boa constrictor, which frequently attains the 
 length of twenty-five to thirty feet, has an odour of sanctity. According to Sir Robert Ker 
 
 1%. 
 
 COBKA DI OAPELLA. 
 
 Porter, it is not venomous, nor is it known to injure man ; however, the natives of the plains 
 stand in great dread of it, never bathing in waters which it is known to frequent. Its usual 
 dwelling-place is chosen near a lake, swamp, or river ; and it lurks also in the close and wet 
 ravines produced by inundations of the periodical rains. Fishes, as well as the animals which 
 
THE COBRA DI CAPELLA. 
 
 265 
 
 repair there to drink, become its prey. It waits and watches secretly under cover of the water, 
 and, while an unsuspecting animal is drinking, suddenly dashes at its muzzle, and, with a grip of 
 its back-reclining range of teeth, never fails to secure the terrified beast beyond the power of 
 escape. In a moment the sluggish waters are lashed into foam. The whole form of the 
 serpent is in motion ; with its huge coils it rapidly encircles the struggling victim ; and but a 
 short interval elapses before every bone in its body is broken. 
 
 Sometimes the boa conceals its length in the depth of the marshy jungle ; or attaches its 
 tail to the branch of some overhanging tree, and, while thus suspended, allows its head and 
 body to float supinely on the surface of the water. 
 
 What shall we say of the dreaded c obra di capella. or hooded snake — the ndga of the 
 natives? It has been described so frequently and so amply that another description would 
 tax the reader's patience. As he is aware, this formidable reptile receives its name from tho 
 dilatable membrane on the top of its head, which it has the power of expanding into a kind of 
 cap or hood. In the middle of the said dilatable skin may be seen a mark, in black and white, 
 
 V 
 
 ■■■rarr-cHAMttw. 
 
 resembling a pair of spectacles ; whence the cobra is also called the spectacle-snake. It 
 distends this membrane only when agitated by fear or some other passion. Then it rears the 
 fore part of its immense body erect, — spreads it out, — moves its head around, — projects its 
 forked fang, — and darts in every direction a fiery glance. Its poison is very virulent; but it 
 
266 INDIAN SERPENTS. 
 
 never attacks man, except in self-defence. It lives almost entirely upon rats, frogs, and toads, 
 with a young chicken occasionally by way of variety. 
 
 The Indian snake-charmers make use of the cobra, as they do of the cerastes, in their 
 surprising performances. The modus operandi is thus described by one authority : — 
 
 The juggler takes in his hand a root, regarded popularly as a preservative against any ill 
 effects from the cobra's bite. Drawing the reptile from the basket in which it is kept confined, 
 he excites its passion by presenting a stick to it ; immediately the creature, after the manner 
 of its kind, elevates the fore part of its body, swells out its neck, opens its jaws, and projects 
 its forked tongue ; its eyes begin to blaze, and it hisses violently. Then a kind of struggle 
 ensues between the serpent and its charmer ; the latter, intoning a low monotonous chant, 
 opposes his closed fist — sometimes his right, sometimes his left— -to the reptile, which, fixing its 
 gaze on the threatening hand, follows its various movements, and, balancing its head and body, 
 simulates a dancing measure. 
 
 On the Coromandel coast the bungarum and the kerait are found in considerable numbers. 
 They are like the cobra, but without the hood ; they prey upon small mammals, toads, lizards, 
 and probably on other snakes. It is said that the bungarum's bite is very dangerous ; but the 
 danger with this, as with all other species of venomous snakes, depends on various collateral 
 circumstances, such as the size and energy of the snake, and on the place of the wound. 
 
 In the wooded districts abound the leaf-green, arboreal, viperine snakes, called trimeresmi. 
 Slow and lethargic, they make no effort to move out of the path of the stranger ; and as, owing 
 to their colouring, they very closely resemble the branch on which they repose, frequently they 
 are not perceived until they prepare to dart, vibrating the tail, and emitting a low, faint, hissing 
 sound. Accidents, therefore, are by no means of rare occurrence ; and it is a fortunate circum- 
 stance that these snakes are seldom above two feet in length, so that the consequences of their 
 bite are less to be dreaded than that of other poisonous species. When angered, they are 
 remarkably fierce ; they strike at whatever is within their reach ; and, in their frenzy, will fix 
 their fangs even in their own bodies. They live upon birds, frogs, and small mammals. 
 
 The bite of the cobra marrilla, or cobra morril, is very formidable, and its poison has 
 been known to kill a bull-terrier in twenty minutes. The natives call it Tic-plonga; it has a 
 bluish-coloured body, a non-prehensile tail, a broad head, and is beautifully marked with a 
 triple row of oblong brown spots, bordered with white. As it enters the houses, and creeps 
 upon the beds and chairs, it is specially dangerous ; and European and native are equally 
 eager to kill 
 
 " This small close-lurking minister of fate, 
 Whose high concocted venom through the veins 
 A rapid lightning darts." 
 
 To describe or even to enumerate the I nsect tr 'bps. i° V^y^"^ our province. A volume 
 might well be devoted to the beautiful _butterflies, dragon-flies, beetles, cicadas, and other 
 insects which animate the groves and gardens with their various tints, and fill the air with 
 their continuous hum. These are the creatures of the day ; at night the deep dark foliage of 
 the banian-tree is illuminated by the tiny lamps of myriads of fire-flies (la mpyris) ; while the 
 broad branches of the tamarinds and other trees are sometimes converted into actual " pyramids 
 of light." The true silkw orm, B ombyx mori, does not appear to be a native of India, but has 
 
THE INSECT WORLD. 
 
 267 
 
 been introduced in comparatively modern times. Wasp and b eea-are ubiquitous, — the latter 
 building their nests in caves and hollow trees, and producing an abundance of honey and wax, 
 which were formerly articles of export. Insects of the mantis tribe, such as the species (phasma) 
 
 /-x 
 
 H-V J;' ■£ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 THE CIAXT IHAKMA. 
 
 that simulates a er as ing leaf, are not uncommon. A silk of a useful quality is obtained from 
 the cocoon of the phalana, which inhabits the orange-tree ; and among other insect-labourers 
 may be named the coccus larva. Among the predatory tribes are spiders, scorpions, ants, and 
 termites, which in every place arouse the hostility of man ; while the destructive locust is an 
 occasional visitor. But, by common consent, the most troublesome, though not the most 
 formidable, of the insect-plagues of India is the mosquito, which not only inflicts a painful 
 bite, but by its loud continuous buzzing " murders sleep " and makes night hideous. As some 
 ■light defence against their attacks, the beds are furnished with " mosquito curtains," — a covering 
 of gauze, which the occupant draws closely around him after he has made a hasty retreat to his 
 pillow. Sometimes, however, a pertinacious insect will effect an» entrance at the same time, 
 and then there is no rest for the afflicted mortal until he has hunted out his persecutor and 
 destroyed it The natives smear their bodies with oil, as some slight precaution against the 
 dreaded attack. But there is something so amazing in the restless pertinacity of this trouble- 
 some gnat, that an old Indian settler has declared to us his deliberate opinion, that it more 
 than outweighs all the enjoyment which might otherwise be derived from India's wealth of 
 tropical vegetation and plenitude of interesting forms of animated nature. 
 
I ff D E X. 
 
 Acacia tub, species of, 245. 
 Adams Peak, Ceylon, 290; footprint of Bud- 
 dha on, 250. 
 'Adan, or Aden, 19. 
 Adinath, temple of, 172. 
 Administration of British India, 20, 21. 
 Agra, description of , 102 ; the Taj Mahal at, 
 
 10S-U0; the fort, 110; the i«lace, 110-112; 
 
 tomb of Akbar, 112 ; Akbar s summer- 
 
 palaoe near, 113; mausoleum at, 113; grand 
 
 durbar at, 113- 117 ; viait of Prince of Wale* 
 
 to, 117. 
 Ahmadabad described, 150, 100. 
 AhiiKfUumigiir, 54. 
 Ajniir, 152; iu bazaar., 152, 153; monuments 
 
 and building* at, 153. 
 A junta, cave* of, 65. 
 Akbar, college erected by, 79; tribunal of, 
 
 110 ; tomb of, 112 ; auniuer-palace of, 113. 
 Alexandria, 18, 19. 
 Allahabad, actuation of, 01 ; English character 
 
 of , 01 ; iu •acred plain, 62 : ita fort, 63 ; 
 
 it* native quarter, 63 ; indigo factory, 68 ; 
 
 railway bridge, 64 ; mutiny at, 65; visit of 
 
 Prince of Wales to, 65. 
 Amritaar described, 96; the Golden Temple 
 
 of, 96. 
 Animal life in India, 2S0-2A7. 
 Ant-eater, the, 254. 
 Antelope-hunting at Bemda, 49. 
 Aravalli Mountains, the, 163. 
 Argali, or adjutant-bird, the, 222, 261 
 Army, the Indian, 21. 
 Arrack-palm, the, 206. 
 Arrah. Stt, 
 Attock, 30, 101. 
 Audh, annexation of, 135. 
 Aurungabad, 54, 56, 6*. 
 Aurungxebe, Mosque of, at Banana, 136, 142. 
 
 Baboo, a booee of, deacribed, 219. 
 
 Bagur, or country of the Bheels, 160. 
 
 Bamboo, the, iu utility, 211, 346. 
 
 Banana, the, 242. 
 
 Banian, or Indian fig-tree, the, 345. 
 
 Barker, Lady, quoted, 93. 
 
 Baroda, situation of, 46 ; proee«aion at, 46-10; 
 
 antelope-hunting at, 49 ; public building! 
 
 of, 40. 
 Barrack pur, 230. 
 
 Bathing-pilgrimagea to the confluence of the 
 Gangea and Jumna, 62. 
 
 Baya, the, neat of, 363 ; deacribed by a Hindu 
 naturalist, 363. 
 
 Begum, the, of Bbopal, 176. 
 
 Benares, a ■acred city, 131 ; history of, 131 ; 
 bathing ceremonies at, 132; life in, 132-136; 
 famous temples of, 136, 137; festival of 
 Ganeaa, 138 ; the Ganges at, 141 ; visit of 
 Prince of Wales to, 143. [160-163. 
 
 Bh eels , the, country of, 160 ; characteristics of, 
 
 Bbopal, the Begum of, 176; town of, 179; 
 Moaqoe of Pearls at, 179 ; festival at, 180 ; 
 aspects of life at, 183. 
 
 Bbopal Tal, the, 180. 
 
 Bhurt |«ir, 154 ; sieges of, 154-158 ; Prince of 
 Wales at, 158. 
 
 Birds of India, 257-361 
 
 Birring Deo, palace of, at Duttiah, 147. 
 
 Pish ash war, temple of, at Benares, 136. 
 
 Bison, the, range of, 188. 
 
 Boa constrictor, the, characteristics of, 204. 
 
 Bombax tree, the, 244. 
 
 Bombay, island of, S3 ; annals of, 33 ; distant 
 view of, 34; fortof,34; the Parages' bazaar 
 at, 85 ; strange sights of , 36, 37 ; popula- 
 tion of , 38, SO ; life at, 40. 
 
 Brahmaputra, the, origin of , 31 ; its course, 31; 
 ita delta, 31. 
 
 Browning, Robert, quoted, 15. 
 
 Buddha, 133 ; footprint of, 250. 
 
 Bullock -cart, a, deacribed, 323. 
 
 Bondelcrmd, the, 144. 
 
 Bungalow, a, description of, 36. 
 
 !tiirriu»n, 23.1 
 
 Butter-tree, the, 340. 
 
 Buxar, 333. 
 
 CAino, 19. 
 
 Cal cutta , impression produced by view of, 217 ; 
 various aspects of, 318 ; temple of Kali at, 
 330; interes ti ng features of, 222; trades 
 and occupations of native population, 222- 
 225; the Maidan.or Esplanade, at, 235, 236. 
 
 Camoens, quoted, 248. 
 
 Cape 81 Vincent, 15; Cape Trafalgar, 15. 
 ' Cassia-trees, 344. 
 
 Caste in India, 204, 227. 
 
 Caves of Elephanta, 42, 43 ; Kenery, 44 ; Kar- 
 li, 53; Ellora, 54 ; Ajunta, 55. 
 
 Cawnpur, a military station, 118 ; outbreak of 
 the Mutiny at, 119; the English settlers 
 besieged, 119, 120; massacre at, 121, 122 ; 
 memorial church and well, 123. 
 
 Central India, 144-151. 
 
 Cereals, cultivation of, 241. 
 
 Ceylon, its boundaries, area, mountains, geol- 
 ogy, 234 ; its vegetation, 235 ; its animal 
 life, 236 ; ita inhabitants, 236 ; its annals, 
 237 ; provinces and chief towns, 237-239 ; 
 Prince of Wales in, 238. 
 
 Chandemagar, 230. 
 
 Chandnee Chowk, the, at Delhi, 66, 80. 
 
 Chandra, iron column of, 79 ; popular legend 
 concerning, 79, 80. 
 
 Cheetah, the, 254. 
 
 Chenab, the, 101. 
 
 Chilka, Lake, S3. 
 
 Chini-ka-Rozah, mausoleum of, at Agra, 113. 
 
 Chinsurah, 330. 
 
 Chopayatravelling, 184. 
 
 Chunar, ruins of a Hindu palace at, 64. 
 
 Churuk-Pooja, the, ceremony of, 220. 
 
 Chutter Bhoje, temple of, at Oorcha, 148. 
 
 Chutterpur, 148 ; festival at, 148-151. 
 
 Cingalese, the, characteristics of, 236. 
 
 Civil service, the, 21. 
 
 Cleopatra's Needle, 19. 
 
 Climate of India, 22. 
 
 Cobra di capella, the, bite of, 265; Indian 
 jugglers and, 266. 
 
 Cockatoos, Indian, 260. 
 
 Cocoa-nut palm, the, 235. 
 
 Coffee-farm, a, description of, 238. 
 
 Colombo, 237. 
 
 Combermere, Lord, his capture of Bhurtpur, 
 157,158. 
 
 Conjeveram, 305. 
 
 Cotton, production and manufacture of, in In- 
 dia, 240. 
 
 Cremation in India, 135, 138, 220, 225. 
 
 Gumming, Miss Gordon, quoted, 93, 141, 211 
 
 Dacoitb, the, 191. 
 
 Deocan, the, 22 ; villages of, 204. 
 
 Dehra, valley of, 95 ; tea plantations in, 95. 
 
 Delhi, position of, 66 ; the Chandnee Chowk, 
 or " Street of Light," 66 ; the great mosque, 
 70 ; the palace, 73 ; ruins of ancient cities 
 round about, 77 ; streets and trades of, 80 ; 
 
270 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 historic?! sketch of, 81 ; outbreak of the 
 Mutiny at, 82 ; massacre at, 83 ; besieged 
 by the British, 83 ; assault and capture of, 
 84 ; Hodson captures the king of, 85 ; visit 
 of the Prince of Wales to, 85, 86. 
 
 Deodar, the, 247, 248. 
 
 Dholepur, 144. 
 
 Doorga Khoond, the, at Benares, 137. 
 
 Doudon, 153. 
 
 Dowlatabad, 54. 
 
 Duff, Mr. Grant, quoted, 70, 105, 112, 113, 210. 
 
 Durbars, at Agra, 113-117 ; Oodeypur, 167. 
 
 Duttiah, 147. 
 
 Eastwick, Mr., quoted, 203. 
 
 Elephant, the Indian, 250. 
 
 Elephanta, island of, 42 ; rock-caves of, 42, 43. 
 
 Ellenborough, Earl of, 111. 
 
 Ellora, caves of, 54. 
 
 Eucalyptus pendula, the, 244. 
 
 Euphorbias, or spurges, species of, 245. 
 
 Fakir's Rock, the, 29. 
 
 Eergusson, Mr., quoted, 59, 110, 160, 187, 207. 
 
 Ferozebad, 80. 
 
 Forests in the neighbourhood of Sanchi, 191. 
 
 Forest trees of India, 244. 
 
 Fort, the, Bombay, 34. 
 
 Fruit trees of India, 242. 
 
 Fryer, Dr., quoted, 245. 
 
 Futteygurh, citadel of, 180. 
 
 Futteypur Sikri, 113. 
 
 Ganesa, temple and festival of, 137, 138. 
 Ganges, the, source of, 25 ; sanctity of, 26 ; delta 
 
 of, 26 ; valley of, 29 ; inundations of, 29, 30 ; 
 
 at Allahabad, 61 ; at Benares, 141 ; at 
 
 Hurdwar, 211. 
 Ganges Canal, the, 213. 
 Garry, a, descriptions of, 50, 88. 
 Gaur, or Indian bison, 188. 
 Ghat, the Burning, at Benares, 135, 138 ; at 
 
 Calcutta, 220. 
 Ghazi-ood-deen Hyder, tomb of, at Lacknow, 
 
 130. 
 Ghazni, 111. 
 
 Gibraltar, description of, 16 ; its sieges, 16, 17. 
 Godavari, the, 31. 
 
 Golconda, fortress and necropolis of, 56. 
 Govindgurh, 192-196. 
 Grandidier, M., quoted, 208, 218, 220, 227, 
 
 228. 
 Grasses, the, of India, 246. 
 Great Chaitya, or Temple of Buddha, at Ken- 
 
 ery, 44. 
 Great Imambara, the, at Lacknow, 129. 
 Grosbeak (or baya), the, habits of, 262. 
 Gum-ammoniac, 244. 
 Gwalior, 168 ; fortress of, 171 ; the King Pal 
 
 Palace, 171 ; temple of Adinath, 172. 
 
 Havelock, Sir Henry, 122, 126. 
 
 Heber, Bishop, quoted, 110. 
 
 Himalaya, the, description of, 22 ; vegetation 
 
 of, 23 ; view of, at Simla, 90 ; from Lall- 
 
 teeba, 95 ; from Sealkote, 98. 
 Hindu Rush, the, extent of, 24. 
 Hodson, Major, exploit of, at Delhi, 85. 
 
 Holi, the, festival of, 148-151. 
 Honore, Lake, 32. 
 Hopley, Mr., quoted, 19. 
 HornbUl, the, 262. 
 
 Hosseinabad Imambara, at Lacknow, 129. 
 Hugli, 217, 230. 
 Humayoon, mausoleum of, 77. 
 Hurdwar, scenery at, 211 ; character of, 213 ; 
 great fair at, 214 ; pilgrims bathing at, 214. 
 
 Imperial Palace, the, at Agra, 110. 
 
 India, boundaries of, 20; divisions and ad- 
 ministration, 20, 21 ; derivation of name, 
 21 ; physical contrasts, 22 ; climate, 22 ; 
 mountains, 22 ; rivers, 25 ; lakes, 32 ; vege- 
 table life, 240-249 ; animal life, 250-267. 
 
 Indigo manufacture, processes of the, 63. 
 
 Indus, the, source of, 30 ; its course, 30. 
 
 Insects of India, 266, 267. 
 
 Itmad-cod-Doulah, tomb of, 113. 
 
 Jains, the, 175 ; architecture and religion of, 
 
 174, 175. 
 Jaipur, description of, 153; royal palace at, 
 
 153 ; Jey Sing's observatory, 153. 
 Jamboo, the, 242. 
 Jats, the, account of, 154. 
 Jehanara, the princess, anecdote of, 112. 
 Jehangir, tomb and garden of, Lahore, 97 ; the 
 
 Daulat Bagh of, at Ajmir, 152. 
 Jey Sing, observatory of, 153, 154. 
 Jhansi, fortress of, 147. 
 Juggernath, temple to, at Dholepur, 144 ; at 
 
 Puri, 228, 229. 
 Jugglers, at Bombay, 39. 
 Jummoo, 98. 
 Jumna, the, junction of the Ganges and, 62 ; 
 
 bathing- pilgrimages to, 62 ; at Agra, 102. 
 
 Kailas, temple of, 54. 
 
 Raiser Bagh, the, Lacknow, 124. 
 
 Rala Masjid, Delhi, 77, 81. 
 
 Kali, temple and worship of, 220-222. 
 
 Ralighat, 220. 
 
 Ralka, 89. 
 
 Randely, Lake of, 239. 
 
 Randy, 238. 
 
 Ranha, hill of, excavations on, 44. 
 
 Rarli, caves of, Rhandala, 53. 
 
 Rashmir, scenery of, 98. 
 
 Raveri, the, 32. 
 
 Raye, Sir J., quoted, 83, 84, 126. 
 
 Renery, caves of, 44. 
 
 Rhariwara, 163. 
 
 Ring Pal Palace, the, Gwalior, 171. 
 
 Rishengurh, 153. 
 
 Rolair, Lake, 32. 
 
 Rootub, the, at Delhi, 78. 
 
 Rrishna, the, 31, 329. 
 
 Lacknow, description of, 124 ; the Raiser 
 Bagh, 124, 125 ; the Residency, siege and 
 heroic defence of, 126 ; memorable objects, 
 129 ; the Hosseinabad Imambara, 129 ; the 
 Prince of Wales's visit to, 130. 
 
 Lahore, description of, 96 ; biiildines and fort 
 of, 96, 97 ; principal objects of interest, 97. 
 
 Lake, General, 154. 
 
 Lallteeba, or the Red Hill, 95. 
 
 Landoor, 95. 
 
 Lawrence, Sir John (afterwards Lord), grand 
 durbars by, 113, 129; Sir Henry, 126; 
 death of, 126, 127. 
 
 Lion, the, or leopard, 254. 
 
 Lions' Lat, the, 187. 
 
 Lotus, the, growth of, 241 ; its poetical associa- 
 tions, 241. 
 
 Macleod, Dr. Norman, quoted, 70, 112, 217 
 
 221. 
 Madras, view of, from the sea, 200 ; landing 
 
 at, 200 ; its English quarter, 203 ; Prince 
 
 of Wales at, 203. 
 Madura, 210. 
 
 Mahabalipur, 206 ; temples at, 207. 
 Mahanadi, the, 31. 
 Maidan, the, at Calcutta, 223, 225. 
 Malabar Hill, Bombay, 36. 
 Malta, description of, 17, 18. 
 Man-ape, a, 192. 
 Mango-tree, the, 37, 242. 
 Marble Rocks, the, on the Narbada, 31. 
 Martin, Claude, the French adventurer, 124 ; 
 
 palace of, 129. 
 Matheson, Mr., quoted, 217, 223. 
 Mazagon, 37. 
 Meeanmeer, 97. 
 Meerut, description of, 87 ; objects of interest 
 
 at, 87, 88. 
 Memorial, the, at Cawnpur, 123. 
 Mhowa-tree, the, 249. 
 Midnapur, 227. 
 Milton, quoted, 245. 
 Mirzapur, 64. 
 
 Mitchell, Mrs. Murray, quoted, 250. 
 Mohurrum, the, festival of, 180-183. 
 Monkeys, the, habits of, 255 ; sacred character 
 
 of, 255. 
 Montgomery Hall, Lahore, 97. 
 Moore, quoted, 96, 98, 111. 
 Mosque, the Great, at Delhi, 70-73 ; the Pearl. 
 
 at Delhi, 74; at Agra, 110; Mosque of 
 
 Aurungzebe, at Benares, 138. 
 Mosquito, the, 267. 
 Motibagh, the, at Baroda, 49. 
 Moti Masjid, the, at Delhi, 74 ; at Agra, 110, 
 
 112 ; at Bhopal, 179. 
 Mountains of India, 22. 
 Muchkoondo, Sacred Lake of, 144. 
 Muggra, 233. 
 Murshidabad, 233. 
 Mussoorie, 95. 
 Mutiny, the Sepoy, at Allahabad, 65 ; at Delhi, 
 
 82-85 ; at Agra, 117 ; at Cawnpur, 119-122 ; 
 
 at Lacknow, 126 ; at Jhansi, 147. 
 Myhere, 191. 
 
 Naga Pahar, the, 153. 
 
 Nanak, founder of the Sikhs, 95. 
 
 Nana Sahib, the, at Cawnpur, 119-122. 
 
 Narbada, the, course of, 31. 
 
 Nautch party, a, description of, 39-41. 
 
 Nicholson, death of General, 84 ; monument 
 
 to, 101. 
 Nowshera, 101. 
 Nursingurh, 184. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 271 
 
 OoDKTrTB, 163; palace at, 164; gardens and 
 
 lake of, 167 ; country round about, HJ7. 
 Oorcha, 148; temple* and palacee at. 14>. 
 Opium, cultivation of, 240, 241. 
 Owls in India, 260. 
 
 Pahabjs, or hill-men, 89. 
 
 Palace of the Moguls, Delhi, 73. 
 
 Palanquin, a, described, 38. 
 
 Palar, the, 32. 
 
 Palms in India, 243. 
 
 Pandooah, memorial tower at, 233. 
 
 Paradise drongo, the, 280. 
 
 Parrots and paroquets in India, 280. 
 
 Pan rati, temple of, 5ft 
 
 Patna, JSS. 
 
 Peacock, the, 258. 
 
 Pennair, the, 32. 
 
 Perfumes, Indian, 243. 
 
 Peshawar, 101. 
 
 Pheasants of India, the, 359. 
 
 l'i k -"n«. •->.;(. 
 
 Pinus, species of, 247. 
 
 Pompey's Pillar, 18, 19. 
 
 Pundicberry. described, 208. 
 
 Poshkur, Lake of, 153. 
 
 Prince of Wales, the, at Allahabad. 65; at 
 
 Delhi, 85, 86; at Agra, 117; at Lacknow, 
 
 130; at Benares, 143; at Bhurtpur, 158; 
 
 at Madras, 203; at Trichinopoli, 208, 309; 
 
 in Ceylon, 238. 
 Pr oce ssi on , grand, at Baroda, 46-49 ; at Agra, 
 
 117. 
 Pulikat Lake, 23. 
 Puna, description of, 5a 
 Punna, 196 ; diamond mines at, 116-199. 
 Parana Kila, the, 80. 
 I'un, 'SS7. '."■>. 
 
 Rabia Dcakaxi, tomb of, 59, 60. 
 Rajmahal Mountains, the, 223. 
 Kajputana, 160. 
 
 Rima, Pool of, 37. 
 Kamnuggur, 143. 
 Rawul Pindee, 101. 
 Reptiles of India, 264-266. 
 Rewah, 196. 
 Rhinoceros, the, 251. 
 Rivers of India, 25. 
 
 Roueselet, M., quoted, 46, 55, 61, 124, 141, 167, 
 217,220. 
 
 SAHABAlfTCB, 88. 
 
 Salsette, island of, 33, 44. 
 
 Salvadora persica, the, 245. 
 
 Sanchi, 187 ; Great Tdpe at, 187. 
 
 Sandal-tree, 244. 
 
 Scindia's Ghat, 14L 
 
 Sealkote.98. 
 
 Sebore,18S. 
 
 Seringham, island of, 209. 
 
 Seths, palace of the, at Ajmir, 153. 
 
 Shah Alum, mosque of, 109. 
 
 Shah Jrhan, gardens of, Lahore, 97 ; builder 
 of the Taj Mahal, 109, 112. 
 
 Shrikes, the, 261. 
 
 Sikandra, Akbar's tomb at, 112. 
 
 Sikhs, the, 96. 
 
 Simla, attractions of, 90; the Himalaya at, 
 90; monkeys at, 93; Himalayan forest, 93. 
 
 Sotnnauth, gates of. 111 ; capture of. 111. 
 
 Sonaghur, the "Golden Mountain," 147. 
 
 Strathnairn, Lord, 148. 
 
 Soex.19. 
 
 Suliman Mountains, the, 24. 
 
 Sundarbans, the, 26 ; peculiarities of the dis- 
 trict of, 390. 
 
 Suftur Jung, fnanaoamun of, 77. 
 
 Taj Mahal, the, at Agra, 106-110. 
 
 Tanjore, 210. 
 
 Tanna.44. 
 
 Taragurh, fortress of, at Ajmir, 152. 
 
 Tavernier, quoted, 60, 73, 74, 345. 
 
 Tea-plantations at Dehra, 95. 
 
 Tennent, Sir Emerson, quoted, 236. 
 
 Throne of Peacocks, the, 74. 
 
 Tiger, the, 251 ; hunting, 252, 253 ; ravages 
 
 committed by, 253 ; hunting at Govind- 
 
 gurh, 195. 
 Tintool, 163. 
 Toghlukabad, 80. 
 Tomb of the Queens, mausoleum of, Ahmada- 
 
 bad, 160. 
 Tope, a, described, 188. 
 Tower of Silence, Bombay, 37. 
 Trevelyan, Mr., quoted, 118. 
 Trichinopoli, 208 ; fort and Tamil temple at, 
 
 208, 209 ; Prince of Wales's visit to, 208, 
 
 209. 
 Trimeresmi, or viperine snakes, 266. 
 Trinomalee, 239. 
 Triveni, the, at Allahabad, 62. 
 Trogons, the, described, 260. 
 
 I'lwir, 154 ; mausoleum at, 154. 
 Umballa, 88. 
 
 Valkbia Indica, the, 244. 
 Valetta, 17. 
 
 Veddaa, the, of Ceylon, 236. 
 Vegetable life in India, 240-249. 
 Vindhya Mountains, the, 24. 
 Vishnu, temples to, 206, 209. 
 
 Walkbsrwab, 36. 
 Waxirahad, 101. 
 Well-worship at Benares, 137. 
 Wheeler, Mr., quote.!, 61, 209, 238. 
 
 \VI !.-r. Sir Hugh, :it Cawnpur, 119; murd-r 
 
 of, UL 
 Wilson, Mr., quoted, 94, 247, 257. 
 
 Yak, the, 396 ; riding upon, 257. 
 
 Znc, the, 256. 
 
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