The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-04
TELLS ABOUT INDIA
REV. ]. B. THOMAS ARRIVES IN THIS
CITY FROM SOUTH ASIA.

Bubouic Plague In Bombay WAS Fully
as Bad as Reported-Climate is Pie asant
In Winter But Terribly Hot in summer
British Admire Americans.
Rev. ]. B. Thomas and wife, who but
recently arrived in this country from
India, reached this city yesterday on a
visit to DR.. ]. C. Wilson, who is a
brother of Mrs. Thomas. Rev. Thomas
end his wife went 10 India as m.ssiona-
ries about eight years ago. and have
DOT in all that time visited their native
country. They are now on years va
cation from the duties Of the work they
have volunteered 10 undertake, an il is
Is hardly necessary to say that they are
enjoying the change. Il is hard 10 real
lie the hsrdships which the missicna-
ries TO foreign fields are called upon to
endure OF course, there are some in
teres:ing things in all countries, but
TO be separated from friends, and ev-
efything which mas become familiar, is
what few can endure without murmur-
Ing.
Rev. Thomas and his wife were located
IN The northen part of India, their sta
ton being Budaon, near Lucknow
When approached, Rev. Thomas said
that the very first person whom ne saw
upon landing a. New York was re-
porter, VINO mad MIN corEered within five
minutes after he had landed in the Gus
tom house for an interview upon the
condition IN the country he had recently
left. Newspapers are not so plentiful
IN India" said he. 'as they are here in
this country; bur we have several Of
them nevertheless, the largest in the
northwest provinces Of India being the
Pioneer published in Allahabad. 1t is
a large paper and ably edited"
Among other things OF interest men
toned by Rev. and Mrs. Thomas, was
the famous Tai Mahal ar Agra. This is
considered the finest structure in the
world. II is the tomb of the wife of
one Of the rulers of India, and originally
was richly overlaid with jewels; bat in
en- invasion. ali these were taken away
and yet retains its reputation for beauty.
Where the large panels Of jewels orce
wore, II has been decorated with an in
desctrUcti5le paint which nothing seems
to effect in the least
In speaking OF that land, Rev Thorn
as. among a great many other interest
ing things, said: 1.-The people of that
country are either Mohammedans or
Hindoos. The former are followers o.
Mohammed, and the latter are worship
perS of all sorts OF things \ Hindoo
worships everything from small ball
OF common mud, to the largest tree N
the country. You see these sacred cat
lie in the shows, but they are all sa-
cred to Hindoo. One of these people
will not Intentionally kill anything. not
even a poisonous serpent, this being
part of mis- religion"
'Our station is up near the foot OF the
Humalaya mountains, and one peculiar
thing about this range is, that they rise
abruptly out of the level plains. Kath-
godam is 80 feet above sea level, and
Maine Tai Satrum twelve miles from
that place. is nearly twelve thousand
feet higher. The summers in the north
ern part are very pleasant: today is
ABOUT like the temperature Of six months
Of the year there. The summers make
up for this fully. 1t is not infrequently
that the thermoHeter rises 70 I75 de-
grees, ana no one of the Europeans in
that country who can get away pretend
TO stay there"
The British government does every
thing in their power to assist the mis-
sions in their work, and no one is taken
better care OF than an American. There
Is very kindly feeling among the peo-
pie for America and anyone from here
When this recent Venezuelan affair came
up, there was much regret but no bitter
ness among the English people over the
turn matters had taken
When asked about the famine and the
cause. he said: THE famine was caus-
ed by failure Of crops. There was
enough in the country 70 feed the people.
but the grain merchants. seeing the turn
things were taking. bought IN all o.
the grain in the country, and then asked
fabulous prices for il. This Of course.
took il beyond the rearch of the poorer
people. ana in many places they formed
inac bands. and arming themselves with
=.
broke into the storehouses of the grain
dealers and helped themselves. The gov
eminent refused 10 interfere. or 10 arrest
any Of the participants. and in this man
neT if in no other. encouraged the
raids. The Bubonic plague in Bombay
was fully as severe as Was reported.
People died at first in tens. then laler
hundreds. every day.
linda is about one-th:rd the size Of
the United States. but instead of sev-
erty-twO million, it has about three
hundred r,iliion inhabitants. There is
now ahou, one hundred and fifty con-
Nerts II Christianity among the mis-
aions in India. during every month: and
1 Think that i. fo- any reason the mis-
siOns were compelled 10 suspend. that
christianity would live. Yet Is Is by n,
means strong enough 10 let run Itself
yet, but ihe work IS steadily improv-
ing.
The people Of this country are OF the
old Aryan race. and although their skin
is dark. they have The same features
ria; We do. With education they are
quite ready students. and have a oecu-
liar liking for the sciences. During he
famine many children were offered us
Il we would take chem. This * abou.
hte only way that the missions can OBJ