The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-12-06
THE LOCOMOTIVE ABROAD.
Scenes of Railroad Travel In Intlia-f stas
tion in Africa.
WONDERS of the Railway.l

tion in Africa.
Wonders of the Railway.1
One of the curiosities of the railroad
is seen in descriptions of Scenes of
Railroad Travel in India. " The Hin
docs arrive at the station four or five
hours before the departure of train,
They are always accompanied by friends,
sometimes 100 or 500 of them, and the
peasant, if his stay is to be for a week
or two, generally brings a bag of rice,
one of Tour, a supply of ghee (buttrJ
and donkey load of sugar-ca for he
has heard that provisions are dear where
he is going, and wants to live cheaply
But the poor fellow finds at the last
moment that the freight charges are
such as to turn the tables the other
way, lie cannot throw away his pre-
visions, and so he pays the bill, witt
many maledictions and heavy heart.
The natives are not admitted to the
station till an hour Lefore the departure
of train, so they squat on their hams
outside in the sun, chewing sugar cane,
eating sweet-meats and chatting with
their friends. The noise, confusion,
heat and stencil are something wonder
full.
When the ticket Office is opened the
clatter of voices rises to wild uprOar
as the crowd ruShes in, each man fight
ing his way as best he can. When the ma.
tive presents himself at the window he is
told that the price of his ticket is,
for instance. rupee & annas Now
he has all his life been accustomed to bt
asked one price and to pay another, and
the state of mind of the official may be
imagined when he is asked if he will not
take | rupee 2 annas. If the native
does not come to terms at once tht
policeman at hand gives him a era III
with his stick to expedite mat ters. The
Hindoo next rusheS to the freight o lice
to get his baggage weighed, and there
again he tries to beat down the price
In the meantime the train has arrived
and is ready to start; but the locomo
tive whistles and the bell rings in vain
only one-half the crowd is yet aboard.
If one of the mob wants to lind d
friend in the crowd, he raises so terrific
yell for him, calling him by name
that the sound browns even the whistle
1t is usually half an hour after the ad
yertised time that the last man is in hi,
plae and the train moves off. Their,
are no seats in the ears occupied by the
natives. They all sit on the tlool, frs
stripping themselves to the waist. The
third and fourth-claSS cars are, one ant
all, distinguished by the quiet anc
fragrance of monkey house, thu
roominess of a herring an,
all the pictures luencsS dervable from
an endless weller of bare browl
arms and legs, shaven crowns an.
shaggy black hair, white cloaks, re
wrappers, blue or scarlet caps and tut
bans, grinning teeth, rol ing black eyes
and sharp-pointed noses adorned viii
silver rings so large that you f,a
tempted to take them and give doubi
knock, all exhaling a mingled perfun
of co,oanut oil and overheated human
ity so strong as to knock down fir
man.
III Africa the scene is also varic,'
At the stations every one move
slowly ano gently, as if oyerpowere
with drowsiness. In the baggage de
partmcnt there is dark fellow with
red fez, who pays no attention t
the clamors of the crowd VIII
want their baggage checked. Here ar
men and women selling curds, let
tuce and black bread, all eagerly pur
chased by the passenger. All at one
the station agent rings large dinner
bell which he has been carrying for
halfhour on his shouller, guard i
red fez closes the doors, the blue gown
AMI bare feet, the water-jugs an
prayer mats and carpets, the tins an
brass walters are all slowed away, anC
without whistling or putting, the engin
moves out from the shadowy station t
the intense white sunshine. At ever
station there is loud outcry for watt
to wash the hands, this being a necc'
sary preliminary to prayer, and I'll
Turks, not wishing to lose any tim,
pray during most of the trip, while ba
mels at incredible prices are to be ha
at occasional stations"