St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-01

1857, has few attractions for the tour
ist, we departed for Lucknow, which,
| was the seat of the Sepoy rebellion.
Plain evidences Of the siege remain in
the ruins of the fort and shattered
buildings, whose gaping walls speak
| louder than words of the awful struggle
] which the small body of English soldiers
made in resisting the attack of the
horde of mutineers surrounding them.
| We took advantage of our stay in Luck
now to visit an opium den-a legaliZed
| institution eff the British government,
and one of the worst curses this fair
land has to deal with. Immediately off
one of the principal thoroughfares we
| entered series of low, poorly lighted
| rooms, which were crowded with native
| men, women and children in different
stages of intoXication from the effects of
The Subtle Drug.
Reclining on the bodies of each other
| around central lamp, forming circle.
were ten or dozen devotees OF the pipe
in each room, being served as fast as
| the attendants could wait upon them.
| Some already drunk had been rolled
back in the corners to sleep off the eff
fects of the stupor. whilst their places
| were quickly filled by new arrivals.
There we're probably 100 in the den we
visited which was only one of dozen
such nlaoes to be found in any In
dian civ. and l don't want to
see sadder sight than that OF young
girls rolling around over the stnpehed
bodies of men. or OF young children
Juggling awav at the almost llIelesS
bodies of their parents in VAIN attempts
| to get them home. Ana YET IIoin 1 SUI,
| curse to her citizens, does lndla
| Jo,;.o 49, &c - Drinpinal sources of
revenue. After Lucknow travelling
| Eastward comes Benares, the holieSt>of
holy cities. whose five thousand bar
| smelling temples are the resort of
! immense tnrongS of pilgrims from all
| parts of the Orient. who make yearly
visits to worship at the numerous
streams and wash away their sins in
| the holy -Ganges. The Monkey temple
! where hundreds of the mischievouS lit
! tie creatures hold high carnival as gods
| and goddeSses and fatten on the offer
ings of the faithful Hindoos, as well as
the Cow temple where sleek looking
Brahma Bulls
and heifers are nurtured in marble
stalls. surrounding the altar, are the
two temples usually shown to tourists.
Having seen the two named and few
others. and escaping with our lives
from the avaricious beggars who haunt
them, we concluded to leave the balance
| OF the 5000. which fail to interest one
after the glorious buildings of Agra. for
more energetic travellers, and turned
our attention to the chief attraction of
Benares-the Burning Chats (gawts).
In my last | attempted a description of
the manner used by the Pansees of
Bombay. for disposing of their dead by
feeding the bodies to vultures. Any in
bot h 90, Il lkxvf T.,
crude method of cremation used by the
Hipdoos. One afternoon we went down
to the Ganges and chartere d a qnaint-
looking two-storv craft propelled by
oars. he top Of which was fitted up with
comfortable bamboo chairs for Observa-
ton purposes. We climbed up OH top
and slowly floated down the river. pass
ing Ell route the numerous bathing
CHATS, which line the shore. and which
at this hour were frequented by thOus-
aeds OF both sexes bathing together, but
with due modesty. Some were only
taking their daily afternoon bath, whilst
others have travelled weeks and probably
months that they might enjoy the
ecstatic delight of washing away their
SINS, which had accumulated since their
last pilgrimage hither, by bathing in
these holy waters. We had heard all
kinds Of
Horrible Stories
about seeing bodies floating in the riv-
erS of India, but, until we arrived at
BenareS, none of them were verified.
However, during this row of about one
mile we passed two bodies floating down
the Ganges, and after our further eX-
periences with the holy stream we lost
all appetite for fish and turtle soup.
We were what tourists call fortunate"
0,c rI,%r, 81
one afternoon, and especially that of
the burning CHATS. from beginning to
end. For when we arrived at the CHATS
one body was being slowly consumed
by the log fire, as protrudiug foot too
plainly indicated; another was lying n
the river receiving its last bath in II e
holy watera part Of the ceremony, and be-
fore we had fairly taken in our surround
ingS third arrived on Stretcher bonn
by four swarthy natives, and in a few
| minutes fourth procession came down
the shore carrying body wrapped in
| silk SWathlngS and preceded by brass
band, which indicated the wealth of tie
deceased. No objection is made to
| Europeans attending the ceremonies.
and although our boat was anchored
within forty feet of the fires, no atten-
! ton was paid to our presence, although,
from the number of bodies, it looked as
though matinee performance had been
arranged for our benefit. The fourth
body had hardly been placed on the
| pyre when, singing weird chant as
| they walked, some more distinguished
| looking bearers approached with the
remains of young woman, as her red
robe, encircled with wreaths of
Pretty Flowers,
Indicated. After the attendants had
administered the last bath and arranged
| her body on the pile of wood, the priest
| mixed some sweetmeats, which he ten
| derby placed on her breast among the
flowers. All bodies receive about the
same rites. First. after their arrival at
| the CHATS they are lowered into the
| GangeS, then removed from the stretch
er. after which friends and near rela-
! tives gather around, and, dipping the
holy water up by the handfuls. they
last farewell. The body is then
placed on pile of logs which
would seemingly contain about fourth
! of cord more wood being spread over
! the body, leaving the head and feet
exposed. Sandalwood Is used by
| the wealthy, but, ordinarily, common
wood serves the purpose. Ii costs about
| So to burn body, and even that small
amount is large sum to families who
have nothing, and it is frequently nee
essary for some member of the family
to sell himself into slavery to pay off
the debt thus incurred. When all is
ready the nearest living relative walks
around the pyre three times and then
Applies the Torch.
Formerly it was customary for the
widow to throw herself on the fire and
be consumed with her husbands body,
bat fortunately that has been stopped
by the authorities, although perpetual
widowhood still exists, and widows
among the Hindoos cannot marry again.
1t requires from one to two hours to
burn body, after which the ashes are
thrown into the river, no effort being
made to preserve them. The rich are
burned with piece of gold or silver in
| their mouths. the Door with a bit of