The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-05-09

A CALL UPON THE MAHARAJAH AT JEY
PORE - ENAMELLED JEwELRY TIL
NAUTCH DANCE.
John Russell Young's Letter to N. Y. Herald.
JEYPoRE, February 25.-We saw tn
sights of Jeypore on our return. Their
was school of arts and industry which in
terested the General very much, his specia
subjects of inquiry as he travels being th'
industrial customs and the resources of thu
country. He would 60 ten miles to see I
new fashioned plow or to avoid seeing {
soldier or gun. The school Is one of the
Princes favorite schemes, and the scholars
show aptness in their work. The specia
work in which Jeypore excels is enamelled
jewelry, and some of the specimens showr
us were exceedingly beautiful and dear
We went to the mint and saw the work
men beat their coin and stamp it. We
went to the collection of tigers and saw a
half-dozen brutes, each of whom had his.
tory. Two or three were man-eaters. One
enormous creature killed twenty five men
before he was taken, and he lay in his cage
quite comfortable and sleek. Another was
in high temper, and roared and jumped
and beat the bars of his cage. He was also
a man eater, and I am sure his manifesto.
tious quite cured us Of any ambition to go
into the jungle-cured all but the Colonel,
whose coming campaigns in the jungle are
themes of occasional conversation. On re-
turning to the residency we found group
of servants from the palace an the veranda,
each carrying a traying tray laden with
sweetmeats, nuts, oranges and other fruits.
This was an Offering from the Prince, and
il was necessary that the General should
taste some of the fruit and say how much
he was indebted to bis highness for
the remembrance. Then the servants
marched back to the palace. don't think
that any one of us could have been in
duced to make meal out of the royal
viands, not for considerable part of the
kingdom but our servants were hanging
around with hungry eyes, and as soon as
the General touched the fruit they swarm
ed over the trays and bore away the Of
ferings. The Doctor looked at the capture
from professional point Of view, and saw
that he would have work ahead. The sure
of a present of sweetmeats
from the palace is that the residency ser
wants are i'll for two or three days.
The Maharajah expressed regret
that the general made 80 short stay. The
General answered that he came to India
late and was rather pressed for time from
the fact that he wished to see the Viceroy
before he left Calcutta, and to that end he
had promised to be in Calcutta on March
10th.
His Highness then made gesture and a
troop OF. dancing girls came into the court
yard. One of the features of visit to
Jeypore is what is called the Nautch. The
Nautch is sacred affair, danced by Hindoo
girls of low caste in the presence of the
dolls in the palace temple. A group of
girls came trooping in under the leader
hip of an old fellow with long beard and
] hard expression of face, who might have
'een the original Of Dickens Fagin. The
.irls wore garments heavily embroidered,
he skirts composed of many folds, cover
d with gold braid. They had ornaments
IN their heads and jewels in the side of
heir nose. They had plain faces, and car
led out the theory of caste, if there be
Inything in the theory in the contrast be-
ween their features and the delicate, sharp
y cut lines of the higher caste Brahmin
md the other castles who surrounded the
Prince. The girls formed two lines,
bird line was composed Of four musicians,
Who performed a low, growing kind Of
music on unearthly instruments. The
lance bad no value it, either as an express
ion of harmony, grace or motion. What
t may have been as an act Of devotion ac-
ording to the Hindoo faith / could not
Judge. One of the girls would advance
tep or two and then turn around. Anoth-
n would 60 through the same. They
vent down the double line, the instru-
nents keeping up their unearthly din. I
rave theory that music, like art, has
meaning that is one of the expressions of
he character and aspirations of people,
nd am quite sure that an ingenious and
,uick-witted race like the Hindoos would
Iot invent ceremony and perform it in
heir temple without some purpose. The
yautch dance is meaningless. 1t is not
ven improper. 1t il attended by no ex-
itement, no manifestation of religious feel
ng. A group of coarse, Informed women
TODD in the lines, walked and twisted
bout breaking now and then into a cho-
us, which added to the din of the instru-
aents. This is the famous Nautch dance
which we were to see in Jeypore with
and to remember as one of the
lights of India. Either as an amusement
+ religious ceremony it had no value.
The Maharajah and his court looked on
s gloomy as ravens, while the General
vore that resigned expression-resignation
inted with despair-familiar to those who
lad seen him listen to an address from the
Nomen's Rights Association or receive q
delegation of Sioux chiefs. But the scene
gas striking IN many ways. Here was the
ourtyard of palace, the walls traced in
anciful gossamer-like architecture. Here
vere halls and galleries crowded with
ourt retainers, servants, dependents, soir
iers. Here was the falconer in attend
nee on the Prince fine. broad -chested,
manly fellow, the falcon perched on his
,risr-standing in waiting, just as ! have
cen in pictures representing feudal man
ers in early England. Here was the
'rime Minister, the head Of the Jeypore
government, tall, lank, nobleman in iow-
ng embroidered robes, with keen, narrow
eatures that l fancied had Hebrew blood
q them.
sToNEwALL JAcKsoN's DEATH.--I had .
onversation this morning with . decent
intelligent aud quiet gentleman who was
eld officer in Stonewall Jackson's army,
nd who was intimate with the great
reacher- warrior. g Did you consider