Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-02

n
PRrseh' 'rOmbB-First Admission OF
EusOpeam Visitors 60 the Sacred
Cemetery Of Bombay.
Madras Cor. Lor don Standard.l
In the southwestern corner OF Bombay
Island the low plain swells up rather sud.
denly into hill of 200 feet high, from
the top Of which the whole city. and
almost the whole island are visible to the
north and east and to the west and south
the wide sea. 1t is a spot which, with
ont doubt, presents the finest view Of
what has been called one Of the choicest
scenes of the world, and might we'll,
therefore, have been selected for the gay.
est villas of the richest inhabitants; bat
it ia fact that, till the Prince came to
lis, no European, except it may have
haan Nv stealth, had set foot upon il
Nono HS ~, ,inly, were privileged TO ex-
an;na III, a, -ange place, and it any
~ car,a ,Sicb @ NAV veil be doubted, at
most they could hut caA. survive E'Ance
around them, and steal sway ~s;n.
Two centuries have passed 5. "'e, ~
this then most desolate and savage 81. "
q gray tower was raised. no sign of life
or mans habitation, but an abode OF
death, apdiHO we'll called the Tower OF
Silence. AS time went on four other
towers raised around the frat, the ParseB,
to whom these towers belonged grew 10
wealthand influence, the whole bill be-
came theirs, and high encircEDg wall
with iron gate barred access to any but
those of.thfir own nation. Up to the
Prince OF Wales visit / do not only say
that no stranger has visited theI spot;
say more, that no one ever expected to
see it. The Parses are not proselytiz.
ing sect; they would not accept prose
ytes, though they came to them Yolunta
rily There is veil Of mystery and
mysticism over much that the Parses do
and they do not love to talk with strsngert
about their sacrsd things, Next to the
'strangeness Of the Princes visit itselI
the strangest thing which has happened
during that visit Is the easy way IN
which the curtain which has 80 long beer
held up by the Parses round their tombl
has been dropped by them.
The Prince wished to see the. Towers
Of Silence. Sir Bartle Frero wrote tc
the governing body Of the Psrses thai
the Prince wished it, and lol it was done
II may be quite true that the Ere wor
shippers had found that the detractori
had made uae of the mystery in which
they shrouded their funersl rites to in
vent many caumnies against them, but
still do not think that desire to sci
themselves right with the world would
alone have them to raise the veil. i
would never have been put aside but foi
the Princes wish to have it ramoved
and 80, il his visit to India should hav,
no. other result it will have in thii
brought about one of the most curious
changes that India has witnessed, Thu
thing camo about so suddenly that th,
Secretary Of the Parses found himself
60 he told me, standing under the wal
of The principal Tower of Silence, clos'
to the vast stone slab on which th,
corpses are deposited, explaining from I
model the interior economy OF thl
structure 10 his Royal Highness and
group Of his suite before be had tims /,
prepare his dress or thoughts for th'
occasion.
Yon may ascend the hill Of the Tower
OF Silence by a long succession OF ter
races and flights Of steps from the south
or you may drive in by carriage nd
at the northern entrance, and read q
you pass the gate the inscription, whic
tells you that the costly road was mad
at the expense Of the son Of the FIRE
baronet, Sir Jamshidje, in honor Of hi
fathers memory. After driving qual
ter of mile you proceed on foot up
. long, rocky ascent till you come TO q gat
with the warning, None but Parses ma
enterp But the Prince had unseale
the entrance, and, in company With th
courteous Secretary Of the Parse GOV
! srning Committee, ! went ID, and foun
q little way on my right stone chap,
or house Of prayer, where the Parse
who attend the funerals perform the
devotions. III
From this spot there is most enchan
ing and nnequaled view over Bomba.
which every European visitor should sc
If he can While | sat here a model I
( tower Of silence was brought and e;
plained to me- the sane identical mod
which had interested the Prince, and Il
explanation was given by the same e
positor. AS listened two corpses, OF
!. Of which WAS that OF mohed or prizes
we're brought up the rocky ascent, eaC
followed by about one hundred Parse
in white garments The biers we're CO
b ried by four men, snd two others f
lowed, who alone are allowed to ent
the towers. The Parses who walked
the procession had their garments link
two-and two, and this had mystic mea
: ing
! The towers are circular, and are
4 we'll built tha. tho oldest has stood
y 200 years without requiring TO De