Morning journal and courier., 1884-05-21
annas was passed up along with my guide

court, ana are made or Wnlte AarDie ana red sandstone placed in alternate vertical strips. There are three marble balconies at about equal distances from each other. We carefully weHdsd our way to the extreme top, where a view was obtained of the whole city and the surrounding country for miles, dotted everywhere with picturesque ruins I found myself far from steady fn the head. and scarcely dared to look down. Finally I prostrated myself and gradually orawled to the edge of the marble bRlus- trade. Looking over and down I then found myself SC dizzy that I was afraid to rise for a time. But the sight which saw below beggars description. I regard it as the most sublime and impressive religious pageant that ever witnessed. There were perhaps five thousand worshipers standing in long lines extending the whole width, facing the kibla of tho mosque and therefore Mecca at the same time. Their flowing white robes and gaily- -oolored turbans made the scene brilliant one, while the slow uniform motions of the worshipers in obedience to the leadership of the priest, who stood in front in tho center of the line. added a weird solemnityto the scene that shall never forget. Now they stood erect like so many soldiers, now they bo ~ed in unison. and now they knelt The chanting of the priest waited faintly up to me. The great congre- gation obeyed each injunction with graceful, digniied uniformity, so that the long sway ing lines reminded me of field of poppy blossoms bowed by the wind. Never again do expect to see such an immense body of worshipers gathered in such magnificent open building, oblivious to the scorching rays of the ssun. Even the "Chatauqua salute'' as seen in the great amphlteater IS less thrillingly impressive.
 A body was brought in and placed upon a bier in front of the white .robed priest. A mournful chant followed, brief, solenInly 1f and tha h0dO was conveyed thence, while the great com pany broke up. Some of the people began to lave themselves at the fountain, while others came forward to the mosque am not infatuated with Mohanmedanisn or any of these oriental faiths, ,theistic or ldolatrous But there seems to me to be something ideally primitive in the grand free sim plicity of this outdoor worship.
 descended from the minar, but not being deliberate enough about it, suffered for an hour or two with stiff, lame legs. Noticing that crowd was gathering about the open side of the mosque drew near. l found that boy with closed eyes aud hands folded behind him was facing marble tablet, and reoitiug in clear ringing tone of voice. gathered that he was repeating the preoepts of the KorsD, for he kept at it for a full hour while stayed and watched him Toward the last could s4e by his hesving breast that he was tired, but he never forgot the melody of the chant, and only once trip ped just little on . long word. l suppose the youngster must have been eleven or twelve years old. His sweet voice and bright intelligent face interested me in hina very much I noted the quiet respectful attention of large audience.
 Now for the other side of this strange semi-obnoxious religion. There Is one part of the mosque which is not accessible to the visitor who Is not a Mussulman, DOT tion of the square at the northwest angle, partitioned of by finely carved marble screen. Here, had learned, were deposlted certain spurious relics, and accordingly hlther I betook myself A decrepit old priest mys- tsriously unlocked @ strong door, and took from chest manuscript volume carefully wrapped In folds of silk This was said to be an illuminated copy of the Koran over 700 years old. It was in Arabic, and the ink seemed to be quite undimmed by age. This sacred relic the priest handled with the great est reverence I should judge that it's custodian was in the greatest danger of falling to pieces. Then he disclosed to my own admir- ing CD gaze hair from Mohammed's beard, the sort I suppose, by which the Mussnl- raen swear. I longsd for command of Hindoostenee with which to ask the faded old gentleman why he didn't collect some of the existing hairs of the great prophet beard. and make 8 hair mattress out of them Perhaps he did see the look Of contempt on my face, for when he capped tho climax by producing stone which purported to con- tain an i'm print of Mohsmmed's foot, It was with cautious and somewhat agGrievsd air. But pice heals all wounds in India-eyen spiritual ones; and . paltry presentation recovered for me the old m ans fav or, and elicited his profoundest salaams in part ing
 One of tho things in Delhi which has seemed to carry me away back into the musty pss iE one of Asoka's pillars, which bears the fol lowing self explanatory ins cription: ''Thi' pillar was originally erected at Aeerut in tho third century BIG. by King Asoka; it wal reMovsd thence, and set up iu'- the Koshol shikar palace near this place by the Emperor Fsroz Shah, A. D. 1866. Being thrown dowr and broken into i've pieces by the explosion of powder mag azine in 1713-19, 1t wal restored and set up In this place by the Brit ish government, A. D. 1887" Think of con templating such hoary relic, and knowing that it was genuine.
 Around Delhi in almost every direction are architectural monuments in various stages of decay, showing whore Delhi has stood in ages past. The area covered by ruins has been proved to be not less than 45 squarG miles, Some of these ancient structures ara still in excellent condition, and command the enthusiastio admiration of the beholdel of to-day. Among the most famous oi tbess monuments of the past is the Kootuh Minar, about eleven miles from Delhi. The Kootub Minar is the tailest column standing on earth to-day. As near as I can find out il was constructed sometime in the eleventh century, but it has several times undergone repairs since, when injured by lightning or in other ways. Its present height Is PAP feet, but there is good reason to believe that il once stood over 800 feet high The diam eter of the base is fifty feet, while that of the summit is but thirteen. Near by in an in- closure is a cupolR which used to belong to the top, but which tumbled to the ground at some unknown period. There are 375 stone steps leading to the top. At five places there are balconies which serve as resting places and prospect points to those making the as- cent. The height when the summit has been attained is giddy one; indeed, too giddy to yiesd any substantial enjoyment to me. Un- like some light-headed people found myself able to walk down; but confess that for 8 moment wished myself home in my little bed, or somewhere else where it would be safe.
 Among the massive ruins at the Koetub's base is an iron pillar sunk into the ground at least sixty-two feet, and projecting twenty two feet above. The shaft is of solid mixed metals and possesses diameter of sixteen inches It was planted there by some super stitious, fifteen cent rajah, who hoped thus to penetrate the head of the snake god which inhabits the bowels of the earth, and in this way insure the perpstuity of his dyna7ty. Bus what interested me msst was well over 1OOfeet deep, with some stone galleries at diff eerent points oR one side, and long sandstone staircase descending to the very waters edge on this same side. From these balconies natives let themselves fall into the watsry abyss below. The falls could not have been sss than 80 or 90 feet. It was blood-curd- ing thing to witness. The men dropped feet foremost in rapid succession without It would be some time after they touched the waser's surface before they would rise to the surface again. Of course his was a catch-penny scheme, and I soon 'ound myself surrounded by a wild horde ,f dripping heathens who were noisily olam- ,ring for bucksheesh. Not being Croesus, concluded not to remain long in the local- ty.
 There is much that Is interesting in these Titanic ruins. Some of the walls are eight set thick; and up in the Pnnjab to the north Ire many monuments quito ss remarkable IS those have bson seeing for the past few weeks. But the blistering heat that is now loming em warns me to hasten on to B0m- pay, and I shall tarry up-country no ongsr. EMILE.
 INVENTORS.
 JOHN E. EARLE,
 Kn RkN Gh0vaol RfRs0ok