The record-union., 1894-03-14

Darjeeling one can see Mount Everest,
some $4,000 feet high. 1t had been cloudy
for weeks, and gave up the trip, hoping
that the next morning the sky would be
clear and that | could see Mount Kin
chlngunga, which is almost as high.
was indeed fortunate the following day,
for IL was clear.
Let me ask you to imagine that you are
on the Coast Range and looking eastward
10 the Sierra NevadaS, lO0 miles away.
Let the valley be covered with a low fog
so that you can see below you a sea of
silver waves reaching from your feet TO the
snow-capped range opposite. Let your
eye run along the range until it comes to
solitary peak which rises like pyra-
mid into the air, until its sharp peak
touches point three miles above the crest
OF the range. See the heavy bank OF
clouds which are being driven by the
winds against the left flank. The mass
climbs slowly up that immense cliff, and
then the vapor is blown over the top and
straight away from it, making long
streamer, or flag, miles in length. The
sight of kinchingunga was indeed worth
a long journey.
AT Delhi l saw immense mosques and
mausoleums. In one corner of quiet
cemetery, and near marble tombs which
are hung with silks is found a modest
little grave. Here is buried the daughter
of the mighty conqueror Shah Jehan.
She was his companion in his captivity.
Near by the grave is a slab stating her
wish that neither stone nor silk should
cover her remains; the grass should rest
above her head.
Far away at Agra lies buried her father.
In the days of his power he lost his be-
loved wife, and for her tomb he built the
renowned Tai Mahal, the most beautiful
structure In the world. 1t cost Sl5, ,000, 900,
and is made entirely of marble 1t is
about one-third as large as our State
Capitol. The dome is of marble also.
Built about 400 years ago, it remains as
the greatest monument the world has
ever seen, erected by a husband to his
wife. 1t is indeed true that Shah Jehan
intended to build similar tomb to re-
ceive his own remains.
The Tai stands on the bank of the
river some distance from the city, and he
planned to erect another and similar
structure on the opposite bank and con-
meet the two with marble bridge. His
son made war against him and held him
prisoner until his death.
In that climate the marble retains its
whiteness and brilliancy in remarkable
manner. The Tai is to-day almost as
spotless as when it was built. Inside
and even outside you will find designs
OF sprays and leaves and scrolls made by
lnlaylng colored stones. In other words,
the huge palace is like mosaic marble.
Many precious stones were used in this
work, and some of these have been stolen,
but practically the work is as perfect as
when first completed. Its northern
side is on the bank of the river. 1t is in
closed on the other sides by beautiful
garden and this is protected by high
wall of red stone. There is pavilion or
castle in each of the three faces of this
wall.
The one in the western wall is mosque
where the faithful bow toward Mecca.
That in the southern wall is the entrance
gate. The structure in the eastern wall
is exactly like the other two but is of no
use whatever except to make the design
uniform and well balanced.
The gravestone of the Empress is in the
center of the Tai. under the dome, which
is almost as large as the dome of our
Capitol; but the dome of the Tai is an
immense marble arch or vault. After
viewing the interior you are taken down
into the foundations, and there in the
sand, directly under the grayestones on
the main floor, are the two real graves of
the Emperor and his spouse.
l arrived at Agra soon after midnight
and drove out to the Tai. My guide
aroused the men who were sleeping be-
fore the entrance gate.
PaSslng through the garden had the
moonlight view of the outside OF this
palace OF enchantment. AT the main door
we aroused the guards who were Sleep
ing on the floor. They opened the door
and l passed in and called aloud to try
the echoes of the vaulted dome. Sud-
denly the native attendants lighted red
fires and Illuminated the whole interior.
l stayed in and around the TAI until the
sun had come up and given me every
possible view of this-one of the wonders
of the world. 1t seems as light and
transparent as a bubble. 1t seems as a
dream, and yet it is not dream.