The record-union., 1894-03-14
THE GLORIEO OF TEE FAR EAST.
India, as Seen Through the Eyes of a
Sacramentan.
An Interesting Sketch Read Before
the Academia Society by
Frank Miller.

his Journey through India some elsnt
years ago, including recital of the usual
incidents of sea voyage from San Fran
cisco.
It consumes, he said nearly six weeks
travel by steamer to 60 to India from San
Francisco, and it takes almost as long TO
go by water from India onward around to
New York. In ordinary weather this
kind of travelling is monotonous, and
usually very restful and beneficial. When
in the warm tropics, the deck is rooted
with thick canvas awnings. Each passen-
ger has a steamer chair, the piano Is
hoisted up from tho cabin to the main
deck and lashed to the mast, right in the
center of the lounging place for all pas
sengers. On Sunday mornings the crew
of one hundred laScars are mustered
along the deck for drill and inspection.
Each man is dressed in thin white
blouse and trousers and wears green or
red sash. All are barefooted.
At the close of roll-call the bell sud-
denly rings with rapid stroke and the
men rush to the boats and prepare them
for launching, or they get out the hre
hose. Just as the boats are ready 10 pe
lowered and Just as the water comes out
of the pipes the bell stops its loud alarm
and tolls slowly for church.
We go below into the large saloon and
listen to the service devoutly, for we have
new understanding of the dangers TO
those who go down to the sea In ships.
About 9 o'clock in the evening the pas
sengers disappear from the decks.
The men soon come back in their
paiamas and slippers, their bedding IS
brought up and placed on the deck, and
they lie down for quiet night of sleep.
The steamer chairs are piled up SO as to
= 1.,rlf rlaxN alSn
sleep on deck. Before dayDreak the sail
ors scatter the sleepers with broom and
hose. Six or more marble bathtubs with
hot and cold sea water are ready; also,
coffee, tea and toast. The morning air is
the best of the day, and so one finds that
breakfast is ready too soon, even at 8
O'Clock.
The fortnight which I spent in India
made a deep impression on me. 1t was
preceded and followed by these long and
dreamy voyages. 1t is all like dream.
Pardon me if my descriptions are lmper-
feet.
If you will place piece of paper on
large globe over India and trace thereon
the outline of that country, you Will find
that Won have drawn pear, whereof the
stem is near the equator and the island Of
Ceylon is like leaf hanging to the stem
of the pear. The opposite or northern
end covers the Himalaya Mountains. In
the northeast portion is Calcutta, and IN
the northwest portion IS Bombay. rms
pear is about 1000 miles long and the
same in width. Cut out the pear from
the sheet of paper and turn the globe half
Way round, following the same lines of
latitude.
You will see that Calcutta can be placed
over Havana. Bombay can be fitted over
the City of Mexico. New Orleans and
Memphis will be covered by the Hima-
hn cto will down
Isthmus of Panama.
India is rich in vegetable products, but
is so crowded with people that many,
very many of them, are always near TO
starvation. Their wheat is sent to Liver
pool, and their labor there completes with
our labor. Wheat has fallen to price
which may mean untold disasters to
India and to California.
The silver problem has affected them
and us alike, and disastrously for years.
To them California is the only country
which produces much wheat and much
silver. They are bidding against US in
struggle for life.
1t is near P NJ. in California and
our citizens are preparing to rest after a
day of toll and anxiety as to the price of
wheat and silver; at this moment the
morning sun is rising over two hundred
million people i'll India who awake to
meet the same problems which confront
us.
Aside from Bombay and Calcutta there
are few large cities in India. The British
Government is rigid and just. There are
about two million white people in the
land. only one per cent. of the whole.
The other ninety-nine per cent. are
feeble race of many castles and sects.
They will never unite into one strong
nation unless ruled by the iron hand of
Mohammedan or an Englishman. The
Government builds railways and subsi-
dies ships and steamers.
While practising free trade at the GUS
tom-houses on the shores of England she
pays out immense sums for the protec-
tion of her infant industries around the
world.
Jeypore is very interesting place to
visit, because it is native city under a
native ruler. 1t has high walls and wide
streets and excellent buildings.
A few miles away is the ancient and
deserted palace of Amber, to which you
ride on the back of an elephant. This
huge fellow is furnished free by the Ra-
jah. Here l saw the professions which
are made to celebrate the marriage of
children. The custom, no doubt, is a
wise one. In a land where hunger is
ever threatening, the parents have
learned to protect their children. The
girl is given to the parents of the boy.
and she becomes their daughter forever
and also the wife of the son. If the lat
ter dies she must be kept a widow, hon.
orably and in seclusion, as all the women
are kept, or else be thrown out upon an
overcrowded world to a short and cruel
fate.
Your attention has already been drawn
to the literature of India. / have found
1.-THE Light of Asia,' by Sir Edwin Ar
mold, and all of Kipling's stories, very
pleasant reading.
L met Arnold in Ceylon and also met
there my old friend Colonel Olcott, who
is now a Buddhist. Olcott introduced
me TO the high priest. He was a fine
looking old man with bald head and dark
skin. He wore long robe or toga of rich
yellow and looked a bronzed statue of
Socrates.
Going north from Calcutta by train
you arrive at the foot of the Himalayas,
and you suffer from the intense and
heavy heat and know that cholera is
hardly ever absent from the Ganges
River. You leave the train and step
upon little car which runs on a track
two feet wide. 1t is covered with a cam
vas wagon cover and it is hauled by a
tiny locomotive up the slopes six thou
sand feet. There are miniature tunnels,
switchbacks and loops by the dozen. Tea
plantations are on every side.
Finally the train stops at Darjeeling
where the air is cold and bracing. Fur
clad natives come to meet you, and look
ing at their high cheek bones, you i'm
mediately guess that they or their pro-
genitors come from China and Thibet.
One old bag begs with one hand, while
in the other she twirls a sort of whip.
On the lash are prayers TO the Grand
Lama. For q penny she will reel of a
dozen prayers for your welfare.
By journeying a dozen miles beyond