Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-29
Life i'm Calcutta.

were leetiliiI tHefe our III taught me lesson. L
| haven't had much trouble since Them
Life in Calcutta.
| Correspondence of the Brooklyn Eagle.
Neverdid a stranger in foreign land open his
eyes with more OF wonder and curiosity than
did when l awoke the morning after my arrival
in Calcutta. The sun had risen over the Glauts
and cast his light On the opposite shore of the
| river. covered with cocoanut palms. and on the
forest OF shipping that lay peacefully on the
tranquil waters. Here were ships from all parts
OF the world. not only from England and Amer
lea. but from every port of Asia and Africa, and
from Australia. When first entered the city
was greeted-not by New York expressmen or
cab driyers-but by crowd Of bare-footed and
oare-legged Hindoos. clad in snowy white, with
mountainous turbans en- their heads. who were
ambitious of the honor of driving me;intO the
city. The native carriage. or gtd,rie as it is
called. is not handsome equpage. 1t is mere
DnX, ob!0ng in shape, set Oh wheels, having lat
| tced windows like paianquin to admit the air
and shut out the sun.
A HINDOO TURNOUT.
Mounting into such carriage our HindOO
cabman gave rein to his steeds, and was trot-
ted off into the heart Of the city, The streets
seemed endless, of course; the population is
chiefly native, and this it is which eycites NV
constant wonder. An old HndOo. whom I saw
| sitting against a wall with his legs cured up
under him. seemed more like a chimpanZee than
| man; they have a way of sitting On their heels,
| posture which would be impossible for Eu-
rQpean, but which a HiDdOO will keep for hours.
One thing which amused me very much was to
see a lHtle native boy entirely naked carrying a
parasol over him. Truly, never was so Devil
dered since left home. Yokohama seemed
strange and Hong Kong stranger still, but CAL
cutta strangest of all. The streets are swarm
Ing with life hive swarms with bees The
baZars are like SO many ant hills, but the crea-
lures that go in and out are not like any race
that have seen before. They are not white
like Europeans, nor black like Africans, nor red
like our American Indians, but are of dark
brown color, the effect of which is even greater
Us they are generally clad in the garments which
nature gave them.
CALCUTTA STYLES.
The laboring classes 60 half naked, or more
than half. 1t is only the house servants that
wear anything that can be called costume
The coolies or common laborers have only O
strip Of cloth around their loins. They have
nothing to hide the swarthy breast or limbs
Those of the higher class who wear clothing
show their oriental fondness for gorgeous ap-
parel by wearing the richest silk turbans and
flowing robes The women find way to show
their feminine vanity. and are decked out in
many cOlors. dark red, crimson and scarlet. with
yellow and orange and green and blue; the
one rides through the bazars and crowded
streets which CLEAN with all the colors OF the
rainbow. The effect of this tawdry finery is
heightened by the. gew-gaws which they wear.
Earrings are not sufficiently conspicuous
for a Hindoo damsel, who has gold or
silver ring hung through her nose, which
is considered great addition to female
beauty. Heavy bracelets of silver adOrn their
wrists and ankles. Almost every woman
who shows herself on the street, although of
lowest naCfQ tod CT
her pride by having huge silver anklets cIasping
her naked feet. But these Asiatc faces, strange
as they are, would not be displeasng but for
artificial Disbursements. II men did not chew
the betel nut, which turns their lips to bril-
liant red, and did not have their foreheads
sIneared with paint with the signs of their diff
ferent castles, the effect would not be SO unat-
tractfve. Imagine a whole city crowded with
dark skinned people, thus dressed or not
dressed, or half naked, walking about and one
may have some idea Of the picturesque appear
ance of the streets of Calcutta We never sit
down to dinner but with the punka fan) swing
ing over us, and the ''punka walla' Qhe man
who pulls the fan rope) is a recognized institu-
ton. Now the hot months have set in. they
are kept swinging all night over US.
HOW THEY KILL TINE.
Morning in the tropics is delightful; there is
dewy freshness in the air. Rising at daylight,
we go for an hours walk, then back home
again to study, &c. Although Calcutta is city
Of Hindoos, it is thoroughly governed by the
English. Among the principal buildings in the
city are the Government house, the residence
of the Viceroy of India, the post Office the tele-
graph building, the college and general hos
pitfalls, Duf's college and the Calcutta Univer-
sity; all are large and imposing building. The
English residents are shut up during the heat
of the day. but as the sun declines the English
world pours forth. The Viceroy's carriage
rolls out from under the arches fthe Govern
ment house and great many other officials are
out for drive. stranger ia surprised at the
number OF dashing equipages, with positions
and servants in livery, that are in this foreign
city, all dashng hither and thther on the espla-
made. Sometimes of an evening go to the
Eden Gardens, pleasant resort about sunset |
when the band is playing and there is great
turnout OF carriages, with the fashion and wealth
Of Calcutta, to listen to the music and to inhale
the fresh southerly breezes.: In the crowd Of
well dressed people, wealthy Parsees (distin- |
guished by their peculiar high hats) and Hin |
docs mingle withEnglish officers and gentlemen.
and the children Of all run about on the lawn.
In another part Of the city the Geological Gar
dens are open to the public. in which can beseen
all the wild beasts, birds and snakes which In |
habit the jungles Of India. Outside the city |
and down the river little Way the Botanical |
cent walks and avenues, with all manner Of |
plants, flowers and trees and an endless variety /
Of palm trees. The most noted tree In all India |
Is the banyan, and 1t is one Of those tropical |
trees whose branches droop and as soon as they |
touch the ground take root, never dying. It is
considered an emblem of Immortality. On the /
opposite side Of the river Is the famous King OF |
Dudes palace. It occupies about six acres Of /
ground, and he has his three hundred wives. |
Here he lives on large revenues, but without his
kingdOm, which tho En81Ieh government has |
taken nom him on account Of his cruelty and |