Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-14

tAteHuinS from IL ue-
grees minutes to 25 degrees north latitude,
and is about 10 degrees of longitude in width.
To one whose experience of tropical life, with
Its surprises and joys of sight and sound, has
been limited to the ordinary routes of travel,
the approach to the city of Bombay from the
sea Is pleasure never to be forgotten. The
coast of the island which the city is situated
has for its background regular range of
| mountains called the ''Bhor Chat or western
mountains, forming the boundary between the
Deccan table land and the coast Of Concan, the
| water-washed lowlands of the Indian peninsula.
These mountains, clear cut and sharply de-
fined against the blue of the sky, appear cren-
ellated and deeply denied, SO that one is forced
to believe them the ruins of fortresses, battle
ments and castles.
The distant verdure Of Maabar Hill appears
like an emerald spot in the scenery and its
thickly placed gardens and villas give the i'm
preston of dense population. The island of
bombay has an area Of something over twenty
two square miles and consists of an irregular
plain some eleven miles long and nearly three
miles wide, fanked by two parallel lines of low
hills. The neck Of land lying on the southwest
forms the harbor on its eastern side. and in
closes space Of some six miles in width.
On slightly elevated strip of land between
| that body of water called Back bay and the
harbor is situated the city of Bombay
The city is latitude 10 degrees. SO minutes 81
seconds north and longitude " degrees, 50 min
utes east from Greenwich.
APPROACHING THE CITY.
One of the first sights to strike the eye as the
city is approached is the beautiful Palmyra
palm, extensive growths Of which spread on
either hand. The huge bulk of the massive
fort shows itself above the part of the city
| called the Colaba quarter the southeastern
point of the island, while the hundreds of sea-
going craft from every port on the globe SEEM
lngly crowd the roomy harbor to repletion.
Prominent among these latter are the two iron
clads, veritable monitors" which form the
only efficient defense of the city, and being
painted Of snowy wilderness are marked
objects Of interest to all new arrivals. The
Portuguese were the first discoveries of this
Pearl Of India, " and its present name is a cor
ruption Of ''Buona Bahia, - "Good Bay of its
first occupiers
The harbor is the largest and best in India.
its mouth is toward the south, being bounded
on the north by the mainland and on the west
by Bombay Island
The island extends north and south. and the
main portion OF the northern end is covered by
the palm forests of Mahim.
The southern end is comprised Of two pro-
montories, curved somewhat in the shape of
the claws OF crab, inclosing the broad and
placid Back bay"
celebrated Malabar Hill. the residence quarter
OF the more important of the foreign residents
Of Bombay.
THE LANDING QUAY
FOR all shore-goers and merchandise is the
"Apollo-Bunder" Undian ''pallow-bunder, ~
fish market,) a solidly built and well-kept
landing, near the head Of which is an excellent
hotel, and from its balcony full view can be
had of the wonderful mountain scene nv and of
the harbor. The esplanade of the Apollo Bun
der Is favorite promenade and drive for the
residents OF the city, and here after nightfall
the fine military band of the Colaba barracks
nils the air with the latest music from
''home" and the rest of the world.
The turnOuts of the wealthy foreigners
compare favorably with any in cities not SO far
| away, while not far away can be seen the pleas
ure-lovlng natives squatted about numerous
brilliant bontires on the beach. listening to the
interminable fables of the professional story
teller or humming the peculiar airs to which the
native Indian is ever prone
The scene. under the splendors of full moon
and cloudless sky, is one whose equal can be
found In few parts of the world, and it is hard
to believe that all of this beauty. elegance and
| refinement is in Far Cathay"
THE TWO SECTIONS.
Like the majority Of cities in the east. Bonn.
bay is divided into two important sections, the
portion including the European quarter being
called the Fort" while the native city is
called BLACK Town." and it is in the latter that
the foreigner, newly arrived and weary to death
OF the monOtOny of ship life, first gets that
glimpse of eastern life and habits which serves
as pleasant memory the rest of his DAYS. II
Is here that every variety of costume known in
the east can be seen, wandering through the
bazaars smoking in the tiny doors or working
in open-air shops, which remind one at every
step that here, within touch. are the men who
make the wonderful creations in gold silver
and silk SO eagerly sought after by the western
| world.
THE BUsTLE AND ACTIVITY
OF this native city surpass belief and is in
marked contrast with the placid aspect of some
of the more renowned cities of the far orient
Unlike many of the cities of this part of the
world, Bombay is noted for the cleanliness and
absence of smells of its streets and it is to its
excellent average sanitary condition that the
city Is seldom visited by widespread epidemics.
The display OF oriental wares in the native
bazaars is simply bewildering, and if pur-
chase Is to be made the very richness of dis
play operates as a deterrant. and where every
| thing is SO beautiful and picturesque it is al
most impossible to decide what to get.
MANIPULATING PRECIOUS METALS.
| think one of the most interesting sights il
the skillful manipulation of the precious metals
1t seems wonderful that such beautiful bangles
rings, crowns and armlets can be made with
tools apparently SO crude and in shops SC
meager in space. Squatting beside a tiny
brazier filed with burning charcoal these
swarthy goldsmiths continually turn out model,
Of besuty and grace such as can only be found
| among people accustomed to consider RolG
| and silver as having no other valne than what
can be given to it by the hand of the cunnins
| workman.
| THE HINDoos.
The costumes, or ut times the lack Of costumes
make never-failing source of interest in tn,
native town. The Hindoos form the larges
portion of the inhabitants and are noticeabl,
for their somewhat diminutive stature. delicat.
| features and dark-brown color. Their children
swarm in all directions, utterly devoid of cloth
ing. their mahogany brown limbs as round ant
perfect as little bronze statuettes. Among tn,
HindoOs Of Bombay only the wealthier class
wear more than an apology for clothes, although
girls not older than ten years may be seen with
the simple flowing garments which are SO grace
full and 80 admirably fitted to the climate. The
cries Of the vendors, the strange sights ant
| sounds go to make up one Of the most pictur
esque and interesting experiences to be me
| with anywhere in the east.
The men among the Hindoos Of Bombay an
by all odds Landowner than the women, tn,
fashion among the latter OF wearing in the lef
nostril q huge hoop Of silver adorned with pre-
cious stones not tending to enhance the modi
cum Of beauty they already possess This rim,
is often 30 large that the mouth and chin ar
covered by il. The married women also chey
the leaves of the betel PALM and 80 their teetl
ov.A lima S<asvx ~~S~xs