The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-07-10

! 'J s"i"uSh "hioh pusscu Whb
level, and for the most part covered with
pease, maize aud cotton. The latter is of
fair quality and remarkably cheap, costing
here in the raw state but four cents a
pounl. The greater part Of this staple
commodity is shipped to England, but the
natives also card and spin it into coarse
cloth which serves them for garments.
The road was good, aud with relays of
horses fair rate Of speed was maintained.
About sixteen miles distant from Agra
| see upon my right long, low range Of
sandstone hills, and going on six miles
farther the ruins (six miles in circuit)
appear upon the western extremity of this
ridge, surrounded by lofty wall which is
much decayed. ride through two or
three spacious gateways on up to the sum
init of the hill, past remains Of palaces
ordinary buildings and huge mounds of
brick and sandstone, and enter large
quadrangle, surrounded by arched CALLER
les, on one side of which is the Emperor's
dewan-i-aum, or hall of public audience.
Passing through gateway to the left
alight at Akbars cutchery, or court of jus
tice, small One-story sandstone building,
now fitted up as a dak Jungaio,o for the
use of foreign travellers. Here Igave my
provisions, brought from the hotel at Agra,
into the charge Of the khansamah or but
Ter, and order him to have dinner ready
for me at four o'clock in the afternoon.
A good guide is the first requisite in set
ting out to explore the ruins and l am
fortunate enough to obtain the services of
Mustag Allie, son of the noted Shekh
Busharat Allie, mentioned in that charming
volume, "a Visit to India, China, and
Japan" Busharat Allie has been dead
sixteen years, aad Mustag Allie, who al
ways speaks with the greatest enthusiasm
of Mr.. Bayard Taylor's visit, is now the
acknowledged cicerone to the "places Of
interest at Futtehpore-Sikri.
We pass the cmperor's palace and enter
the great courtyard in which is the tomb
of Shekh Selim Chisti. We go in by the
west gate, but the proper entrance is by
the gateway on the south side. Here is
the little village of Futtehpore, while Six
ri lies upon the other side of the hill; both
Of these towns are simply little clusters of
mud huts, and are almost entombed by the
surrounding ruins. Ascending a magnif-
cent fight of stone steps We have before
us tho great gate, built OF sandstone, in
laid with white, black, aud brown marble,
surmounted by numerous cupolas, kiosks
and minarets The arch, around which
are inlaid the customary sentences from
the Koran, is seventy-two feet in height,
and the entire gateway is one hundred and
forty feet from the pavement of the court,
and fully two hundred from the ground be-
low. At the summit one Obtains splen-
did view of the surrounding country, and
toward the east can Just discern the snow
white dome of the Tai Mahal, appearing
like bright star on the horizon. Having
descended we pause for moment to look
at the gates of solid teak timber, studded
with hundreds of horseshoes of all sizes
and shapes. "These are so placed" Mus
tag, the guide, said, Sin honor Of Shekh
Selim Chisti, for if a man has horse
which is sick, he prays to the Shekh for
its recovery, and should the animal become
well, he then nails one of his shoes upon
this door in token of gratitude"
Upon one side of the gateway is carved,
in 6dsso-reliepo Arabic characters, this son
tence "Jesus, on whom be peace, has said
the world is merely bridge; you are to
pass over it and not to build your DWELL
ings [hopes p upon it," This lofty portal
is fitting entrance to what is probably
the largest mosque courtyard in the world,
it being four hundred and fifty feet square,
paved with sandstone slabs, and bordered
with colonnades fifty feet in height. Di.
rcctly opposite the entmnce is the tomb
of Shekh Selim Chisti, and on the left
hand is the "great" mosque The Shekh
was Mussulman ascetic, in answer to
whose prayers son Is said to have been
born to Akbar, called Selim, and who sub
sequently became Emperor of Hindustan
under the name of Jehangir. The tomb,
built by Akbar, is about fifty feet square,
and fifteen in height, being surmounted
by an elegant dome, and raised upon a
platform, all made of the purest white
marble. We pass through three doors
the first Of ebony, the second of sandal
wood, and the third of marble-into a
room Enthusiastically frescoed, though the
colors are becoming dim through age. The
floor is of marble, sandstone, cinnamon
stone, and jasper.
The aphagus is covered by cloth
Of silk I'D gold, and is only barred to the
public gaze once year, at particular
religious festival It is made, Mustag
Allie said, Of mother of-pearl, and is sur
rounded by low but intricately carved
marble railing. The room is lighted by
two pierced marble screens and the door.
The former in particular attracted my at
tention, from the fact of their having hun
dreds of little pieces of colored worsteds
and strings and ribbons tied through their
perforations. An explanation volunteered
BY stagfollowed. Itappears the Shekh
was a very holy man and prophet, for
which reasons he is now wcrshipped, and
devout Mussulmen, when they ask favor