Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-06-15
iNplA's HoRRleLE GODDESS.
Aencure CoMway's Description ~
the worslsip OF Kali.

the Worship Of Kali.
Car. Phila, :. l''h.a r,iue.
Az VIC pass through the streets If
they can he 30 called, they are eight ~
ten feet wide, between booths bristling
with begging hands-we come upon
lane of bowling malformations, mon
strosities, madnesses One bag has no
legs, another no thighs; armless boys.
legless men, several whose arms
end in bone or thin legs in
clubs: an epileptic crone. beat
ing her head against the ground.
another who resembles black ball on
two bones ali, it was horrible, horrible |.
As, scattering o piece to each, We
pressed beyond these raving sufferers,
their cries sounding as if gathered in
one sharp agonized yoice-the blood
curdling scream Of some monster. But
now We are caught in crowd if any.
thing still more uncanny. 1t is a crowd
of frantic women, fresh from the annual
holy orgies at Sugar mouth of the
river, all struggling to get near yon en-
trance to the shrine. The slight, some
times semi-transparent, garment each
wears, is nearly torn of some Of them,
but they forget that and everything
else as with shouts and cries they push
and elbow each other.
A path is laboriously made for us,
until finally We reach the portico, be-
yond which our profane feet cannot o.
/ do not wonder they should conceal
the interior Of the temple, but rather
that they should reveal SO much,
Strange, for instance. that Kali should
ever be unveiled. The goddess is now
only five or six yards away, but for u
time quite shut from our view ly a
dense wall of naked backs, every muscle
in which is corrugated by the effort TO
get nearer to Kali. was almost in de-
spair of seeing Kali at all, but DIR.
Hunter held silver talisman in his
hand, at sight of which three stalwart
worshipers leaped upon the stone plat
form and pummeled away at the wall
of backs until an impression was slowly
made
One after another veered to the side.
and through Q rift in the hag-ridden
mass beheld the face and upper form
Of ali. II is, perhaps, well enough
tina ] am unable to convey her face to
your readers geographically. They
will have one nightmare the less. Her
visage, of ogreish size, is black as tar,
save for three huge blood.red eyes zone
in the forehead, red eyebrows, and
red tongue lolling down and dripping
b God on her breast. Two erect cobra.
reads make the ornamentation of kali's
cheeks, and crown of gold and red,
haloed with black smoke-rays, is on her
lead. She has four ieweled arms and
hands; of these two, blood-red, are held
one upward, the other downward; the
others bear respectively reeking
rapier and the head it has Just cut of.
Her form, below the breast, is in sort
OF pit. where several people stood max
ing offerings. II SO happened that
while ! was gazing, the head of one
Of those who had got SO close, turned,
and beheld, beside the fearful face OF
hall, the countenance of Q young
woman which seemed to me-possibly
BY contrast almost beautiful.
When I had made few notes of the
details about Kali and her shrine We
drew of Q little way, and then for the
first time / caught sight of an animal
sacrifice. / cannot obliterste from my
eyes the frightful scene. For space
OF twenty feet the pavement was wet
with blood, and all around were strewn
the decspitated kids in their last con.
WILSON'S. There was wooden wise to
hold the animals neck. and beside il an
executioner with sword ever busy. As
] turned away there rose before Inc the
great face Of Buddha. From such q
scene as this il was that his heart re-
coiled and babe men harm nothing
that had life; from that hideous three.
eyed fury he turned and said TO the
covering masses Behold, ! bring You
glad tidings; there is no God"