Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-07-02

One Of the most interesting sights foi
foreigners In Benares is an observatory
erected about 10 years ago, and still 10
a good state of preservation. IL wal
built by the order of Jaya Singh Raj
putana chief, and rises high above ont
Of the CHATS or flights OF stone steps
from the river to the top OF the cliff.
The instruments were also constructed
under the immediate guidance OF Jaya
Singh. They are OF vast size. built OF
solid masonry, aud covered with a fine
and durable plaster. which gave to the
surface OF the Instruments when new the
appearance of enamel. One OF the fnstru-
ments is called "Yantra Samrat." or
.sprince of instruments. II consists OF
wall 80 feet long, Al feet broad, ex-
actly in the plane Of the meridian. The
wall slopes from the southern end, where
it Is feet Al inches high, up to the
northern end, where it is 20 feet ~
inches high, and points directly to the
north pole. Ia the centre of the wall
are stone steps to ascend to the top oft
On the eastern and western sides OF this
wall there is mural quadrant 8 feet | |
inches broad and "A feet thick. Both
sides OF each OF the arcs are marked with
divisions of six degrees each, each OF
which Is subdivided into six equal parts,
and each 2 inches in breadth. The
radius of the lower edge of each Of tie
arcs is o feet 81 inches. BY means Of
this instrument the distance from the
meridian and the defamation of any
planet or star and the sun and also the
right ascension of star may be known.
Benares contains several wells and
tanks, square or oblong in shape. Each
of the four sides is bounded by flights OF
stone steps along the whole length. All
these wells are regarded as sacred. There
are several. such as the Well OF Fate,
the Well OF Virtue, aud the Well of Ser
penis, etc. The Manikarnika Well, OF
Well of the Ear Jewel, is tie most won
derful. IL consists OF large oblong ex-
cavation, the four sides of which are
flights of stone steps leading down
twenty-five or thirty feet to the water
of the well. On the north side OF the
steps is an image of the god VIshnu, and
close to the wafer on the west side are
sixteen small affairs, all in a row, on
which pilgrims and others place offer
ings TO their ancestors. The well con-
tains only few feet of water, except In
the rainy season; on account of the con-
slant use of il 10y thousands it is exceed
ingly foul. All pilgrims on their AN
nual visit to Benares inquire anxiously
fer-tbi.,, ,xall....1 h4ts hatay@.,.il eat liz
their sins, however heinous, will undoubt
| edly be washed away
There is no place in Benares or in India,
| suppose, held in such superstitious rev
erence as this well. The legend regard
ing its origin is so silly that it is hard &c
believe how it could have been writer
in earnest. 1t is known from the legend
| given il the Kashi Khanda, a Sanskrit
book, that the god Vishnu dug the vel
with his discus, and instead of watel
filed it with the perspiration from his
own body. He then went to the north
side and began to practice austerities.
In the meantime the god Mahades ar
rived, and looking into the we'll saw il
it the beauty of a hundred millions o
suns, and was so enrapturcd that he a
once broke out into loud praises o
Vishnu. In his Joy Maha cs declared
that whatever gift he might ask of hin
he would grant. Pleased ut the offer
Vishnu replied that his request was tina
Mahades should always reside with him
| Mahades hearing this was greatly rat
tered, and his body shook with delight
| From the violence of the motion an ear
ring fell from his ear into the well. From
this circumstance Mahades gave it tn
name of Manikarnika Keep-Well of tn
Ear Jewel. - New York Times.