The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
COL. OLCOTT FAR OUTDONE.
AN AMERICAN F1KIR IN AN nv
DIAN TEMPLE.
ne Hss Penetrated Oceultisn So Fer thst
He Has Bee- Made Hieh Muck-s-Muck
Over Two Tribes OF Sacred Mcrkeys

Il khhh shN HtANO h"N NSHA
the fakir presiding over the Hanuman Temple
on the summit Of the Jaiko, in the Himalayas,
that I made ready, the other day, TO climb the
1900 feet 10 the mountain top In company OF =
devout Hindoo. This holy man was an Ameri-
can, according 10 common report, and having
never seen . saint in my own country | was
more than anxious to make the pale-faced Brsh-
mans acquaintance.
We found him sitting in front Of tho shrine
contemplating the fascinating panorama be-
meath him, the slopes of the "Snow Abode"
with wonderful Simla, that has risen In the
desert almost with the rapidity OF an American
city, the green landscape dotted here and there
with ancient ruins. small clumps OF mango trees
and lonely palms towering in their height as II
on sentinel duty. He is a powerful man, In spite
| of his age and mode of living, with a strong.
almost naughty face. Around his hips he wore
a white linen scarf, leaving bis legs and feet
free. A leopard skin was drawn over his
| shoulder. and a turban on his head. Near
| him lay a crutch with shining handle OF which
he seemed to make little use when he walked
about with us later on. The fakir answered our
greetings In good English. He spoke slowly. but
his words were well chosen.
MY father came from the south of America 70
Simla in 1885 and engaged in the mercantile
long since dead. came from The North Of the
UNION. DuJ my IhLltE " vi cht OoSOh
He was very successful in trade and gave me
the benefit Of what is called by you people an
Among our native house servants was a
Sadhu ~(disciple) who had originally served the
afterwsrd upon the death OF the fakir became
his successor. | loved this good man, and when-
ever had Nd occasion sronnd h 70 s Il + nun On one st Occasion
the teacher had threatened me with severe pun
s iss%snt l. for rS falling IN to 20 J 1sIE6 M ny less2n' S Where re
I remained a week or longer undisturDed,
proGting BY the teachings Of the Brahmnni;
me to return to school. But all endeavors to in
terest me in study and in the life my parents
the seclusion and freedom of the hermit, and
one morning, after consulting withthe holy man
entered upon my n%ovitiate, with a staff and beg
gar's bowl as my sole capital; ] became a rover,
so %fT %reiisi"Gs folks FED. me and the heavens
were my cover for twelve long years, during
ali The temples standing beside the stupendous
glaciers mill my soul was full of wonder and
twelve times / worshipped Mt the holy sources
Of the Ganges, then TO return To- simla' strewn
with ashes and clad In my locks that during
father had died meanwhile, leaving me indc.
pcndently rich. But what was money to me?
| never went near the official administering my
fortune. After learning Of my fathers death |
proceeded Mt once to. this temple and took my
place at the feet of the holy man. became his
disciple. and when he died, years after, he nom
mated me his successor.
ANA you IuNt nv w iibiti' W y.
enter society and to make use OF your fortunei'
l asked. Have you never felt any homesick-
II dctest Europeans he said slowly, mot as
individuals. but as mcmbers of a degraded COM
tionaIhiyty goes, certainly i belong to the so.calIed
civilized world, but | would rather die and rot
as Asa a heather eat Ss, , GTte a. tb ,nT ,ea sa2m,s Of y the lme Wing,
deccitful English clergy. devoted to all the vices
and luxuries ever invented" .o,,
thing of his curious and idle life. the shrine he
prcsidcs over is sanctified to the God of the Mon
keys. tho gray bearded monkeys of the Himn-
layas, whom the Hindoos invoke as the bestow-
ers Of certain worldly boons and which receive
from them offerings that may add to their com
are not indispensable for their existence. The
plant god. is only q lesser divinity, It Is true,
but the Hindoos OF the Himalayas take him for
therefore. much devoted to him.
The fakir's business Is to receive the offerings
from the natives and divide them among tho
apes after deducting his own share. De Rousette
told us the monkeys OF the Sinla region are d.
othsq in m different nTS sred districts nts" Of TIER the fcr rest" which
they leave only at the periods of migration. re-
their wandering" said the fakir. NO English
regiment snnL thst ever ever tr9 The Indian msrch soil ind msyed a, II
drilled by the Prussians, and iron discipline is
maintained in the ranks may their route be ever
lit IS said in the valley you possess prodigious
influence over the four-handed legions." l re-
81 nominate their king" said the faklr, smil-
ing; his Majesty does the rest. But there they
In an instant the trees and bushes around the
temple were alive with whiskered monkeys,
leaping from the branches or walking erect on
their hind legs, with staffs in their hands. The
',gros" Of the army remained on the terrace OF
into the sanctum. The fakir took my arm and
led me IN; too' " said Is the Mnh i.r,sJ ma
OF proud dignity, Is he notf"
His Majesty sat down on the furs spread upon
fakir a bowl filled with maize and wild ginger.
Then he began to eat. slowly and delibeTately'
The Kings General" called Kotwal. mean
while kept order without. He was a big monkey
himself, who stood head and shoulders above
the rest of his tribe. The Kotwal marshalled
once in a while was il necessary for him
TO use the mighty club lie, carried in his
iskesdi Monkeys who endeaVored to put
away more than their share by sending
bedience was invariably punished by the stick,
Not until all ordinary monkeys had been fed did
consisted OF the best morsels the fakiry afforded.
When all had finished the monkeys salaamed
good;by to which the fakir made answer; "Jao
About 1--WE minutes later the other group of
monkeys made their appearance in the same
fakir told me their march route was so selected
that the two gangs never met on the way. other
VAoo y bhNNAp W 10 oaAN " AASA ~ - nay
A do you remain here all the year round p
/ asked DE Rousette.
The American made haste 10 answer that he
would not think OF burying himself in this will
derness. " stay In the temple only during the
season. he said; "in winter | visit the great
shrines and the sources of the Gnnges."
had asked the question to ySriiyi in a way;
Simla, and which says that on one of his pill
grimages the fakir fell in with a native prince,
who became so impressed with the holy mans
piety that he gave him a large tract OF land and
other valuabies. DE housetto accepted the gltt
and a lew days later asked his Highness for
the hand Of his daughter, a girl only IL
years OF age, adding that he WAS willing
to give up his Ascetic life and claim his
fathers inheritance. provided the Princess mar
ried him. but the maiden eyInced no passion to
unite her fate TO the lOng-hAired American, and
her father landed him promptly over the from
tier, Withdrawing at the same time the landed
donation he had made In his favor.
That was twenty five years ago, and a subse-
Quent bath in thu Ganges freed De Rousette for
the rest OF his life from all ambitions OF the
flesh. He is now, and has been for a number of
years, a most respectable fakir, as fakirs go.
The HindOos Of the Himalayas even think him a