Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-06-18
GIlOLY" DENARESs
'' VS. "'"ndulterntC.a Engun-
ism and fiitn,

city: 1t took until the afternoon of
the next day at 4 o'clock to reach Be-
mares. The country was.an illimitable
prairie, dotted with palms, mangos and
several kinds of cactuses. The soil
had been baked ly the scorching sun
of four rainless months, and as there
was but little verdure, it was painful
to the eyes to look upon it, even
through themedium of our blue glass
windows. There were several i'm
mense bridges over streams that in the
rainy season are rushing torrents half
mile wide, but which were at this
time of the year nearly or quite dry.
At Patna, we were in the heart of
the opium country Of the Bihar Prov
ince. In every direction from the car
windows we could see immense fields
of the poppy, through which nearly
naked natives were walking and work
ing, their black skins contrasting pic
turesquely with the sea of whitepoppy
blossoms.
At Mogul Serai, six miles from the
GangeS, we changed cars, We had
scarcely opened our carriage doors
after the guard had unlocked them be-
fore horde of hotel runners flowed
like water into the apartment, exactly
on the American plan. Each one
vowed that the places kept hy the rest
were low, foul smelling dives, etc.
Shutting my eyes picked out one OF
these, and after Il sauguinary contest
succeeded in putting the Others to
route. When the cars finally stopped
near the Canges this compacent men
tor escorted me to the gharry stand and
negotiated with the driver for me on
the commission plan for passage to
Sphrole, or the CantOnmCnt, rs the
European part of Benares is called, a
distance of Il little over four miles.
The price was fixed at two rupees, and
we started.
Descending the sandy bank we
crossed the sacred river on bridge OF
boats the worst | ever saw, paying
for this delectable privilege the eXtor-
tionate sum of eight annas (about
twenty cents). The river is at this
point about 800 yards wide and some
fifty feet deep In the rainy season,
however it rises to an additional height
of forty feet, and becomes half mile
wide. Then passengers take a ferry
boat right at the door of the depot.
The Oudh and Rohilkund Railway is
now engaged in the mighty task OF
bridging this great river, and ere an
other year tourists may be taken direct
to the CantUnmcnt without all the Ger
cmonial torture which | endured.
apo you see that object floating in
the river there" inquired my escort
Us we drove upon the rickety bridge,
| assented, and he continued:
THAT is Il dead body. See, there's
another-and there, and right here
close to us woman. The people whC
are too poor to cremate their dca(
throw them into the sacred waters OF
the Ganges Come down here in the
morning and you will see plenty o
them. 1t is against the law, ofcourse
but they do it in the night. II really
can't be helped. Many of the people
are too poor for any other method o
disposing of their dead, however mex
pensive. There are always quite
number of bodies lodged under thi'
bridge
| looked about me in some bewilder
ment. There came a black carcass
feariully bloated, On top of it sat
crow, which as the drifting mass ap
preached me, paused in his gorgn!
process, whctted his beak on the bon
of forearm and then eyed Inc in a re
Nective way, as much as to say;
"Ah, there comes a stranger-one o
the green foreigners. | can tell hin
by his inexperienced air. Let him sta.
here a little while and we'll initial
him.
In striking contrast with this often
sive spectacle was my first view OF tn
river front of Benares, the sacred cit,
of the HindOos as seen from this sam,
bridge at the same moment. The cit
Of Benares is built along the bank o
the Ganges, with an average depth o
one mile. and height above the rive
: of from eighty to 100 feet. From tn
waters surface to the summit of tn
cliff are splendid CHATS, built of tn
! finest Chunar stone. Owing to tn
, insecurity of the foundation, some o
these terraces are now in Il somcwha
, ruinous condition. At the summit o
, the cliff rises an amphitheatre of mag
nifcent buildings from four to 81,
stories in height all constructed O
stone. Many of these are tho palace
, of native princes and opulent citizens
, who are wont to journey hither at cel
tain seasons of the year to renew thei
spirituality by dipping themselves il
the holy water of the Ganges, a pano
cea for all the vlest sins which Hin
doc may contract in less sacred local
{ Nes.
) feel so powcrless to approach tn
, task Ct adequately describing thi
, scene that | shall simply quote fror
Bayard Taylor a passage which mos
of the guides have handy to hurl a
Won whom thev witness yOur mnt