The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-26

covered with copper gilt which gives the name
OF Golden Temple. They look very like many brass
kettles inverted; but the Hindoos insist upon 1t that
they are gold and are quite offended If you say that
which indeed is all that 1t is Our profane feet were
not allowed 70 pollute the interior OF the sanctuary
None but Brahmm priests Of very high order are
allowed to have charge OF this shrine. The ignorant
wOrshippers are only allowed TO pass by the door,
throw their offerings In and make way for tue sing
ing crowd which rs always pressing behind them
Old men whose sands OF life are running low
women whose beauty has long since faded, If they
ever possessed tlatsdangerous charm; young men
III the prime OF life,by0ung madens, rosy with ex-
panding nie aud evert infants IN arms are crowded
seething throng with jar OF Ganges water carried
on the head or held high up In the air and garland
OF lowers hung around the neck or carried In the
And what do they come to worship?
What do they seek for sign?
That again is not so easily expressed in language
ut for Western ears
In the centre OF malbe hall was round basin
from which marble cylinder rises TO the height Of
four or five feet IRON the top of which the jet OF
fountain plays among the lowers which are hung
around It's carved extremity by the devoted Wvr-
shippers.
creative principle OF life among the Hindoos There
are Thousand such temples In Benares, millions in
India, and billions and trillons IN Asia; but men-
tlon OF one Is quite Sufficient. AS we brought no
native offerings TO the shrine the priests insisted
upon hanging some gariands OF flowers around
our necks as evidence Of the parental favor
OF the deity we had seen enthusiastically adored.
They would no doubt have accepted few gold
mopens but We did feel II benevolent mood.
In the same enclosure Ii the well or knowledge,
wnere tue god OF wisdom is supposed TO live at the
bottom like frog The water from the fountain in
the Golden Temple runs into this sacred wei and
supplies the water continually drawn from IL by
uevotees. The water is considered so holy that Il
WIN wash away all the sins OF the body, however
enormous and prepare the soul for blissfu change.
Fhe water looked very foul and the enluva arising
from the well did not encourage confidence in It's
virtues for purlncation. La the vicinity il temple
dedicated to yisinu, IN which there are affairs on
winch pilgrims present offerings to their ancestors
An observatory In Benares which was erected la
the sixteenth century, gives evidence that the Hin
n nj fla nuIn nj oefr
my. Tine Mosque OF AurungZebe Is the grandest
MohamInedan structure in Benares. II was built on
the ruins OF Hindoo temple to marx the triumph OF
God and the Prophetn over the debasing supersti-
tons Of The conquered Hlndoos The mosque Is
butt on the banks OF the river nearly 100 feet above
watermark. gbaut Of 100 stone steps leads down to
The river from the front OF the mosques they Tor
nerly led The faithful rom the publication OF the
Ganges to worship at one OF the temples
OF Vighnu. The mosque Is remarkable for It's
symmetrical minarets rising so gracefully between
river and SKY that they scarcely seem to belong to
earth. In height or l5o ieet The diameter Is d.
mn.shed only one loot The bases Of the mnarets are
100 feet above The waters OF the Ganges and their
SUBMITS are 15G feet above the terrace which the
mosque Is erected; l3o steps would carry us to the
top, and the reward would be panoramic view OF
the Canges; SO we concluded to ascend and after q
tOlsome ascent, az the steps are not pc pendcular
we emerged lnt0 an iron railing on the summit, The
mysterious Ganges sweeping by under our Ieet 25s
feet below and city OF 100000 inhabitants
spread out Ike a pa.orafna before u.s. The streets
were 80 narrow, and the houses hign that we
could only see aconfused jumbo OF houses mlndrets
pagodas, temples broken here and there by an open
space for fountain or palm grove while a broad
belt OF green country stretched away north along the
banks OF the bright fer,ilizing stream.
The nat roofs VI the houses gave Us rather an Inn
pertinent view OF tile domestic concerns OF the In
habitants, as We could see here and there some
wealthy NATIVE stretched on divan with the smoke
from his pipe famed away by some beautiful Hin
doc or hdndmaden from Cashmere whose feet
never touch the ground.
We made a very pleasant visit to the Queens Col
lege tine building in Gothic style, surrounded by
the most beautiful grounds ornamented with orlen,
tai trees aud flower gardens 1t rises from amid
the chaos of Pagan architecture. serene and majes
tic, like purity arising ron the depths or pollution.
In this college 100 naive students receiving
the benefits OF Western education at the expense OF
the government Of Iaoia. Tne principal very kindly
walked through the building with US, exhibiting
many curiosiles In the museuln going far back into
the mysteries OF the Hndoo race. The principal cause
OF application leave OF absence from study would
scandaze a Western institution. The boys FREE
quentiy request permission to remain at home few
As they marry at eleven and twelve years OF age
they must necessarily pursue their studies after they
have entered upon tue grave dudes OF natrmony
We walked in tile grounds and had the delight OF
gathering ripe straw berries from the beds in
the open air IN the month OF FEBRUARY. As we were
wandering about the grounds group approached
clad IN gay costume as Ii going 10 a wedding feast;
Dnt they came nearer 1t was ascerained tnat they
had been there some time before; alas too long.
The bride, love and her lord IN train. She was
Yelled and followed by some female at
PENDANTS. The disappointed bridegroom led her
by the hand and seemed devoted in his attentions
lie seemed boy vi some twelve or thirteen years Of
age, and she q woman OF more mature years. The
union had not oeen fruitful, and they had come to
worship the deiiled principal Of lie, which stands in
grove Of trees adjoining the college grounds The
parties approached the marble shaft, and the BRIDE
having been unveiled, proceeded TO do poolahn To
the divinity by whose favor she hoped for "a well
spring OF pleasure She kneit at Its feet and hung
garands OF mowers around Its head. We had no de-
sire to Visit any more Hndoo temples, and con-
ciuded ~ take leave of Beuares aud push to the
North: So with many thanks to Mr.. Shakespear for
bis kind attention. We moved our baggage across
the riv,r TO the station TO be In readiness Tor the
Az tie tram dld not leave Benares station until
two O'Clock III the morning We had long evening
INN O.1s "A I
possible, not a book TO read, not drop to drink,
and nobody but turbaned Hindoos for company. 1t
1ne moonlight night so we concluded TO hire
a boat and have row the Gauges IN front OF the
hoy city. We pulled along by the great stone
winch were worn into noes by the naked feet of the
myrads OF people who had descended and assembled
TO batne IN the sacred stream; but all was quiet as
DEATH There were no bathers here now. The
palaces of the Indian princes rose high above the
gAuis towering in the air SIX and seven stores hlgh
butt Of MASSIVE stone, aud some OF them of rare
architectural beauty: but they were untenanted,
and no light cleaned from their windows but the re.
nectlon OF the moon from the water. The grand
mosque OF Aurungzebe rose In Its magnincence
above the hundred stepped ghaut ts mnarets stand
ing out In the moonlight like columns In the SKY;
but there were sentinels on the minarets aud no
worshppers In the mosques. The bathers had pun
fed themselves early IN the morning, aud the water
carriers lad supplied their water jars and carried
them away about SHUTDOWN. mysterious charm
seemed to hang over the sacred river, which pro-
hbited being Jolly, and nothing was heard but the
measured strokes OF our oars when propelling the
boats along In the water without The accompanl-
ment OF song or cadence
At the lower part OF the city the stencil OF a burn
ing BODY upon the rver,s bank was all that occurred
to remind OF life death. IL was not jolly this,
rowing upon the Gauges on moonlight night-it
OF no use 10 get up any sentiment on this SUD-
ject; 1t would not come; we commanded our boat
men 70 put about, drift down stream by the long
rows Of stone stairways under the shadow OF the
temples OF the mosques and the palaces OF departed
Indian princes, to the landing at the railway station.
The only act Of devotion performed was TO dip
the top Of my head IN the Ganges and pray for an
increased tOnsure where the HAIR IL getting little
thin upon the top OF M head: but alas for want OF
tn perhaps, up to the present time no Increase Is
perceptble ON that part OF the head where the hair
ought " grow.
CRIME IN INDIANA.