Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-08-01

marble arches supported by marpie p'iia's'
The floor is of beautiful marble, laid IN
squares the arches and columns supporting
he roof are exquisitely carved anu ihi''ia
with precious stones. On the east side, III "a
recess like small gallery. is the throne WIN
its walls and ceiling inla.d with bloodstones
jasprs lapis-lazuli ald garnet represent
ing running vines with flowers, halustrade
in from, of tessellated marble in beautiful tie
signs. Onthe other sides of the hall are open
archei cJonnades. TWO and three deep ana
two storie, high with an overhangins bal
cony between them, having open work mar
bic screens, go inst the ladies' Of his seraSlio
could without ieing seen witness the transac-
tions of the MOBILES and listen 10 the appeals
and complaints OF his subjects while he was
sitting upon his throne in one OF the two
marble c,airs glittering with rubies.
garnets and carbuncles with which they were
richly inlad. In the rear Of the throne, just
across snail open court, upon bastion
of the fort overlooking the river. is marble
pavilion with dome resting upon saracenic
arches supported by columns all Of marble
and inlaid With precious stones. Here the
emperor usel TO receive privately the mobiles
of his court. From it he also had full view
of large pen Enclosure where elephants
were brought to fight for his amusement.
The five hundred or more cloistcrs for the
accommodation of the ladies OF the harem are
in the uppertier of the colonnades surrounding
the great audience hall. There is terrace
within the walls of the fort, and in view ot
the Emperu's private pavilion, with floor
paved with black and white marble like a
checker board where his ladies were wont to
play the game of drafts by walking from one
suuare to another as the game progressed.
| In quadrangular court within the walls OF
the fort about one hundred and seventy tive
feet sdusre, stands the Pearl Mosque built
by Shah Jehan, the second succeeding En-
peror after Akbar. 1t is built OF pure,
plain, white marblr. surrounded by three
large white dOmes tipped withspires OF gold
Bathing is one of the most important re-
| ligious ceremonies of the Ilindoo and Ma
homedn. Bathing ghuts and tanks are
seen everywhere. We have seen them OF
immense aze in public places, and smaller ones
scattered over the country and among mud
huts. In the fort at Agra is one having a
series of unamented arches and pillars with
small excavations in the marble floor TO
which wafer is conducted by open conduits.
| The walls contain thousands OF small mirrors
placed at such angles with each other as to
produce a wonderful effect when illumlnat-
ed In some places the water falls some SIX
i q or
apron so constructed that when light is
placed behind it it presents the appearance
of fish plunging over the miniature cataract.
There is also a beautiful garden within the
walls, watered by miniature system of ir-
| rigation highly ornamental as well as useful
and necessary for the perfection OF vegcta-
BILE growth. Gold and silver fish swim along
its currents and leap through the ali from
higher to lower points.
Delhi, March 20, 1S19.-We engaged an
old native for guide to-day, who from his
wrinklcd appearance and claims to ancient
birth We might have picked out from among
the ruins of old Delhi yesterday. That last
negro servant Of Gen Washington's who
died in Pomfret u few years ago at the age
of 100 years, when | met him last Il short
time before he took his flight from earth, ap-
peared like a boy to this old man. He wa:
ioothless but not tongueless "a he proved Il
us as we passed through the old fort, ant
visited the MOSQUES and the citadel of tho
Morul cmperors. Tie Mogul house o.
Timour ruled from 1920 to 1907 IN its great
est power and splendor. 1t was during that
period that
They built their structures AMI ther pillar
reard
Wonder and beauty Ill their works appeared.
Winch ol.s sid guide failed not to reminC
us of, as we passed through the public au
dlence court, the emperor's private chambers
baths and place of worship.
The position of the famous ''pcacoch
thrcpe' was pointed out 10 us
which WA one OF the mos
costly structures Of tile Mogul emperors
1t was so-called from its having the figure
of two peacocks standing behind it, with out
spread tails, inlaid with emeralds, sapphires
pearls, rubies, bloodstone, onyx and othe
precious stones, 81 as to represent the color
and tints peculiar 10 the plumagr Of that gay
fowl The throne itself was six feet long
standing upon four supports, all OF solid gol,
inlaid with diamonds and other preclou!
stones. The canopy above it was supported
by twelve pillars. ornamented with precious
gems, and fringed with pearls. be
| tween inc ItdCOths IdilOt ShlN'u AVN
Il single emerald; and on either side massive
umbrellas, with handles made OF gold ans
| ornamented with Jewels Its estimated cos
ranges from five TO twenty million dollars
In 1880, the CITY was attacked by Zoe VIII,
pillaged it and carried away its treasures, in
GLIDING the golden throne. Many places wer'
pointed out to rs where beautiful birds
| flowers and vines were represented by gem
| ,,-In art tho common one,
now remain The pits in the beautiful marble
walls and columns still indicate the position
in which the costly jewels were placed t'
give the proper colOring to beautiful Hover
and the CAV plumagc of birds. The king
baths and those for the ladies of the zenans
were painted out 10 us ; they were Of marble
perfectly white Us were also the arche'
colonnades surrounding them, and most eA
quisitely inlaid with bloodstone, jasper an'
carnelians. They had suffered somewha
from the ruthless hands of the invaders
but not enough to render them useless To-
present occupancy,
Our phantom-like guide stepped lightly u
he led our way 10 the grand mosque . umni
Musiid," situated upon one side OF II conr
surrounded by high walls and paved Will
square blocks of red sandstone. In TN
centre of the court is n marble reservoir 10
water, thirty feet square. The mosque /
pol feet long by l20 broad it is sur
mounted by three large white marbl
domes having each II copper spire plaie'
with gold In the construction of TIL
magnificent building 5000 men were en-
ployed for six wears, at cost IN labor an'
material of upwards of half million dollars
Its cost is engraved in Niskis characters AM
the red sandstone is inlnd above the archie,
| L., a,,in Tia. sanscIit language, upon ticl
corner are minarets 1870 feet high ou
| loulacious guide conducted us from ON
temple To another and from tomb To tomb
until WE could proceed no further from In
| tigur vet our interest WAS not IN the leas
aiated or curiosity satisfied. TN reachin
our hotel, and reviewing ouf experience o
| the day our enthusiasm over The beauties %
| art We had seen waa seriously uuiled ny Us
tening to an account OF some 81 lhn ttrfioi
tragedies that had transpred WITHIN an
| Just outside the walls inclosing the tort AM
| The palucc At one time upwards of l6O, OO
of the natives Of India were put To the swor'
md every one killed Blood ran the stree
! cutters and crimsoned the waters Of the rive
| for mile. 1t another time upwards OF 81, ON
peoplc wcr,' uut I. the sword Within tn
memory vi the ngrraiur s,o,cs III men, va
men and children had bonn cut III pieces b.
order Of the emperor, while he sat -ipplni
his coffee unmovcd by the horror In
cruelty and barharity, the selfshncss ans
vanity OF some of the old moguls heggar dc
scription Fathers killed sons and son
fathers; brothers, unclrs, ncphcws,and noble
no; Connected by blood were Slaughtered
singly or by thg wholesale Punishment 10
crime, actual or supposed, u torture and tn
! dungeon were of daily occurrence. Bencatl
one of the palaces We visited, Is long un
derground dark passage way leading Iron
the J4Eins 10 an artificial cave, ~ the bottom
Of whicL is deep wfll which by many i
supposed TO be conHc,iei ithlle llVGr' nv
! hundred yards distant AbIVb tln wen - al
ingeniously arranged gallows by which tn
victim could be suspended by the neck o
arm at the will of her master who while sltiin!
in his gildei gallery, above the walls OF TN
tou. in view OF beautiful landscape
could by the touch ot spring loosen In
knot that held the life of n beautiful woman
4 VIC had been the recipient ct his earess,s
anil piunfe ,... ;n,o the abyss below, Will
/ he sat smoking his cigailu. and ''pnng III
/ coffee with Ii dozen ladies around him slng
ing and dancing TOR his amusement I'm,
/ toSe, Ier he doomed j. n beautiful dolnet
! clInoio wifi, a g,l, apuc resting upon lou