Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-30
UP THE HIMALAYAS.
A Railroad Trip Into the ClOuds-dsrand
Scenery and Strange People.

Philadelphia Bulletin Letter.
Early In the afternoon Of warm, oppressive
day we left Calcutta from the Sealdah station,
and travelled northward by the new railway. In
less than an hour we passed through Barrack-
pore, where the government arsenal is located.
the scene OF the affair Of the creased cartridges.
80 memorable in the mutiny. After running
rather more than hundred miles over level
country. dotted with bamboo villages, We came
to the banks Of the Ganges. Here, as there is
no bridge, steamboat carried US over the broad
stream, breasting the strong current, and con-
tinuaily sounding to avoid the many shoals
During the forty minutes on board they gave US
modest dinner. On the other side Of the river
we found train with the usual sleeping car
rlages. In one of which our resdts (quits) were
soon spread. All night long we traversed low.
swampy plain, which abounds with feathered
game. Early morning brought us to the ter
minus at Silliguri, about 800 miles from Cal
cutta i III
After breakfast we again started; now upon
the narrow-gauge steam tramway. lately COM
pleted. Away the little engine sped across the
deadly Serai, maiarious. marshy jungle, In
which no European can steadily reside. 1t
foot of the hills In this section tigers and
leopards are plenty. and the untamed elephant
Is at home. That is, II what others declare Is
true, as never yet saw an assortment of wild
animals strung out along the roads.
We now began to ascend the Himalayas The
tall underground gave way to forest trees and
the tea plantations, for which the Darjeellng
district and the neighboring province Of Assam
are noted. Higher up the fields were adorned
With flowers, yellow and purple, blue and lilac
Great clumps OF bamboo lifted their feathery
tops TO height we had never before seen, and
blooming creepers let down their rope-like
tendrils fifty feet or more from the overhanging
branches Of the woody m0narchs. Boldly
winding onward and upward the miniature
locomotive abated nothing OF its hurried pace
undue, exertion, it dashed into the hamlet Of
Teendara, and halted for O. rest.
In few minutes our iron horse was again
climbing the silent hills, now and then startling
them with defiant screech of the whistle One
moment the eye dwelt upon distant peaks OF q
gigantic ravine, while in the next, on rounding
a slope, panorama OF surprising grandeur
opened like vision. Below us lay the wooded
SUBMITS, descending from one to another, and
beyond them bOundless plain, nbboned with q
silvery stream,
Murmurtng adown from Himalays broad feet,
10 Dear It's tribute into Gunga's wave.
Now, for the first time during the season, our
heavy OvercOats were required. The moist
heat OF Calcutta had been gradually ex-
changed for the wintry mountain breezes
edge OF the precipice, but accidents are said to
be rare. Even with such expedients, some
of the curves are so acute that it was q surprise
to see them turned by q locomotive. In one
place called the Loop. the line crossed itself on
bridge within length OF about five hundred
feet. Familiar bullock carts creep along the
roadway beside the track, but they were no
longer accompanied BY puny Bengalees. We
had penetrated to the region Of a sturdier race,
bearing the stamp of Monaghan origin upon
their features. Many were leading black pigs
that took fright at the train and attempted to
bolt into the thicket, but were held back by
cords attached to the hind legs. The struggle
with his hams pulled from under him and his
fore feet extended, the pig hay prone upon the
ground unable to move. Amid these and other
diversions about noon we ran into the curious
village Of Kurseong, 1900 feet above the sea.
where we had tihfn.