The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-31
A Visit TO Calcutta.

On our way we crossed the Grand Maid.
en-, public place. in which we perceived
at least three thousand Mohammedans
knecling in regular lines, shoes off, arrang.
Cd i'll rows behind them, forchcads bare and
| touching tho earth, in alteration of the
prophet Mohamnlcd. Next we met in a
narrow street BengulGc Baboas, gentlemen
OF Bengal, without hats aud arraycd in
looso flowing durzas, shirts with skirts.
some OF these Baboas were perfect Apoos
III appearance others bore great rcsem-
Dlance to ideal pictures Of Julius Cn ;ar,
Antony, and other noble Romans. We
passed clowd Of painted IIindoos, each
very scantlly arrayed, and ornamcntcd
with adaub OF paint on the bridge of his
nose, the lnseparablc emblem of the idoa-
Tor The Bhcasti Wullah was everywhere:
he had tied TO his back The skin OF u gout
lllicd with water, with which he supplied
the thirsty multitude and sprinklcd the
parched thoroughfarcs. Marching by us
WIN regular military tread was q suuad of
native Sepoy police, who looked quite com
mundlng Ill their white SHIRTS and scarlet
turbans. We were riding in g.:umy, a
sort OF closed carriage, but learned after.
ward That the popular mode Of city travel
was ny palanquins, which are always avail
able on the street Of any East Indian CITY
NJ Il tritling expense. These paanquins
arc carried by four naked uindoos or
painted heathcns called "palkc malluhs,"
wallah or bearer, VINO lmportuncs every
Engllshman i'll the following terms 'sPal
kee, Sahib ,Juldaj jOw-nastcr palkce, (which
interpreted means, "Palanquin, sir, III; 90
quick; will you have the palanquin Z" and
you often near them Chant, as they bear
you at rapid pace, the uindoostancc words
with now and then AL unlnterprcablc
English term thrown in, of Il popular sonv,
inc literal meaning OF which Is that tic
English SahiD Is full Of champagne and
wants To be taken home us quickly as posi-
slDlc, and that he is willing 10 give extra
Dackshccsh (moncy) for il.
Turning the corner of Il street which led
from Dhurumtola Street to Juhn l}uZar we
met yelling mob Of idol -wor shippers carry
ing on Their shoulders dozens Of euorD,ons
ana hldcous-looking wooden idols, and
amid the din and noise of crazy horns the
Drassy banging of gongs and the dull lhud
thud Oh numerous tomlOms, they drew near
20 The holy GAngcs, where, as we were told
thcy We're To Cast these distorted shapes into
The holy stream, and then plunge in them
serves, under tho protection OF these inunc
gods. Ii crocodile selZcS one of them. or
he turns sick and hes down and dies on the
SANDS, or the tide rises and swecps him
away, then he Is happy; he is accepted OF
the gods But If the tide refuses him, ,und
The crocodllcs reject him, he is kicked out
as vile and unworthy the privileges OF his
CASTE
~ ilrs. night in India is always full of
prospective horrors for the new conner. AT
midnight, III the principal streets, the fcs-
1--WE Jackal holds high carnival and cmts
s''4n'is ANA runs ihr hisr,r'i"nt vmmmt yiv.
company at rehearsal, or the first ATTEMPT
Oh Juvenile trombone player. l have nc.
tually seen the elect Of Il whole scene of
native opera, sruincd by these scrceching
scavongers, which in droves of 90 and 100
assemble on the public streets and in front
OF churches and thcaLcrs, and howl as if in
opposition.
AS the Mohammcdnn can never be
HadggIs until after performing his piIpri.
mage TO Mecca, neither can our modern
magicians become perfect in Their att un-
TIL they have visited the Indies to see the
clever manipulation OF tho native coniuror.
They perform the most marvellous Things
in the streets, corridors and on the decks Of
vessels, without the aid Of upparnLus-lhc
"Daskct trick" and 'thc growth Of the
mango trec' being among their easiest per.
1ormances. The growth Of the mango lrec
is illustrated by placing Il seed beneath a
little heap Of earth, which is covered Tor II
few brief moments; the cover is removed
and behold, we see Il little green shoot just
peeping from the top OF the earth 1t is
again covered and removed at Intervals of
three minutes, until we have quite pre-
tcntlous trco, of about three icct in height.
Tho mystery Of the basket trick, as por-
formed in India, lies in the unuccountubc
disappearance OF the girl who is placed be-
meath All oval cover of rotiCulutcd sLraws:
swords arc run through this covering hilt
deep, and in every dircction--it is even
troddcn hat, and when Raised the girl is
gone. a laugh is then heard, VIC turn in
that direction and we behold, with open
mOuthCu uStOnlShnlcnt. the lrlrl RUNNING IN