The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-11
Gmg#tlEgslres.
Experiences of q wheeling Man
IN IntiR-OFIental scenes that
IIeInind One Of the Arabian
Nights.

"hN
Eii,on luielllUnett;
took the train At Lucknow on the
Morning OF December 4th. The country
through which we passed was very dry
and barren, becoming almost desert as
w. approached the river Jumna, which
va crossed on a bridge of boats before
reaching CawnpOrC, u mean and mtssr'
,6bic Mace made infamous BY the mAssa'
ere Of EasIiIh women and children by
Mana sahib during the sepOy rebellion.
Beyond Cawnpore the country improves,
becoming a, length the finest | have seen
in India. The natives are bu'iIy engaged
in the fields plowiDS and sowing the
Grain. The plowa are primitive affairs,
Ming uereIya straight stick sharpened
nj one end FOR share the other serving
Jnr n handle This is attached to another
. w. slick for beam, and Is drawn
hv cows or asses, and sometimes BY the
"" ~, ], wonderful to see the number Of
bits. Of many kinds that are swarmiDg
everywhere. l noticed hanging birds
nests, shaped like large pears, many Of
them pendant from the same tree. TWAS
nearly midnight when we arrived at Agra.
EARLY in the morning | Aauntered forth
from my hotel toseO the Sightp, "sieul
neis al mos" Passing down tho gravel.
led walks Of the flower garden, sRunter.
Ell along the shady streets Of the Can.
ioomentS, seeing now and then fine
mansion peeping out from the midst Of
clamps Of shady trees. Al length |
caught sight Of swelling domes rising in
the distance above the morning mist, aud
bent my steps in that direction. After
laundering about for some time in the
FQuGlid native city, came suddenly out
upon q magnificent mosque with walls
aud swelling domea built Of red and
white marble. Close by | saw the high
aud massive walls Of the fort which IL
built Of red sandstone, and topped with
towers and battlemenlA, machicolationI
and embraSureS. Needless OF all these, l
still pressed onward in the hope that the
GROWING object Of my long pilgrimage
might soon meet my view, but only be-
came more deeply entangled in the lnazes
Of the filthy and crowded streets. Tired
out at length, tried to retrace my steps,
when, passing an angle Of the lofty walls
Of the fort, / saw ia the distance, over
the dim.lit' waters Of the Jumna,-rislng
like an .exhnlation out Of the misty at.
mosphere,-the clustered bubble.like
domss Of the Tai.
The SoIIened sunshine, seeming like
melIow golden moonlight, lies asleep
upon the glimmerins marble domes, while
the building below Is enveloped in Il
mantle OF amethysline haze, obscuring
but not hiding altogether its outlines,
hlIing the fancy with vague conjectureS
Of what may lie beneath.
| FASTENED along the banks OF the
river, catching aud losing at intervals
glimpies Of the beautiful vision. At
length came to a quadrangular court
surrounded by high walls, and stood in
front d lofty arched aud vAulted gate.
way which leads into the garden Of the
Tai The gateway is built Of red sand
stone, and is ilInked by towers and cap.
ped By fringe Of white marble cupolaJ
resting upon slender Moorish arches and
columns. Ia surface ia deliberately
carved and iulaid with white marble
ornaments and inscriptions from tho
Koran.
Through this superb and fitting frame.
work, 4 glorious picture bursts upon my
view in all its perfect lOveliness. In the
foreground, on either side Of basins and
fountains Of crystal water, are broad Dor.
deFs Of brilliant colored tropical flowers
and rose trees, backed by rows OF tall and
graceful expresses. At the end OF the
ye-ta stands the Tai, its glorious dome
swelling alott and shining out in dazzling
whiteness againsL the deep blue sky. A
perfect image is reflected from the sur.
lace Of the CLASSY waters below, together
with the forms Of bright birds fitting
from tree to tree. Other smaller domes
are visible with glimpses OF poppy head
ed wlnds and graceful minarets rising
from out the topmost branches Of the
trees, alao dark Expresses and feaIhery
palms and spreading tamarinds, peepul
aHd nCem.
The dome Of the Tai is a perfect cup
shaped flower or flower shaped cup in.
vetted. The stem Of this inverted flower
10 surmountsd by gilded crescent. Be.
meath it are spread out tho auted sepals;
then swells forth the oalix Of
the perfect flower below. The build.
ing beneath Is a square with
the four corners cut OF. It stands in tho
centre Of aaquarO platform or plinth OF
white marble from each corner Of which
rises a lofty and graceful minaret, sur.
rounded by balconies and surmounted by
agracetul Moorish pavilion. This plat
form, eighteen feet in height, rests upon
much broader platform Of red sandstone,
at one side Of which stands a mosque Of
the same material crowned with three
white marble dOmeS. On the opposite
side is the ja,S1b or answer, precisely
similar structure, built merely for the
sake OF harmony.
On each OF the four principal sides Of
the Tai is lofty Semi.yauIted Sarecenic
arch, set in asquarS paneled frame work
that rlsea high above the main building
and on each side Of the main arch are
two smaller ones, placed one above an.
other. Corresponding arches are placed
III each OF the smaller sidea and from the
top OF each Of the angles rises a slender
lotus headed wand. The main dome
which sweIls up from the centre is sur
rounded by four smaller domes, one ris.
Ing from each OF the truncnted' corners,
As you approach the marvellous struc.
I,nre 1t does not fade nor vanish away,
but iss beauty grows upon you as you
gaze. In every portion Of the building is
discovered the most exquisite taste and
aH'sh. The four minaretS, the walls, the
panels above the arches, the base Of the
dome, are all inlaid with colored s.ones,
wrong t into running letters, leaves and
lowering tracery. l entered through the
lofty arch and passed through the twelve
chambers and four inner portals that
surround the central shrine. The walls
ct all OF them are wainscoated with tho
alest white marble, proiusely culptured
Nth !iIies, roses and other dropping
uJwer', and have borders Of Florentine
mosaic. The central chAmberiS octaEonal
~ shape and ia crowned with a lofty
dome. The lower part Of the walls are
completely covered with flowers Of vari-
Gus kinds and ColorS, having perfect pet.
aIsand leaves, and stameus and stems, all
eonpo.ed of precious stones. The upper
part OF the walls are plain with the ex.
CepUOn OF the cnlnFed sunrSya that apr