The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-26
AMONG H HIMALAYAS
JUDGE BALDWIN TAKES THE ZIG
GAG RIDE UP TO DARJEELING.
Mountafn-Sides Densely Populated
and Covered with Tea Plantations
Methods of Growing Tea.

DARJEELING. Jan. 31.-Darjeeling is the
summer house of Calcutta. 1t is $500 feet
above the latter place and under the
shadow Of those enormous mountain
peaks, Everest and Kinchinjunga, the
two highest mountains in the world:
and in order that Calcutta might
take its mountain air and bring
all its clothes and other luxuries
with it, the government has ON
structed one of the most interesting rail-
ways i'm the whole world. Leaving CAL
outta at 4 p. m. we cross the Ganges. 10
miles to the north. at about s o'clock. Last
night the moon was at its full and the
lovely river was a mass OF liquid silver.
L do not wonder at the Hindoo superstition
that a bath in its sacred waters washes
away a lifetime of sin. The banks OF this
great river where We crossed it are masses
of white sand-so variable that the railroad
has never built a station, but drops its
freight and passengers upon the river bank
whenever the sand bars will permit a pas
sage across. The ferry often has to go
twelve miles 10 effect a landing. From
the north bank OF the Ganges a mopoton-
Gus ride of two hundred miles brings us
to the foot of the Himsiayas. Here we
change cars and take the mountain road
with its two-foot gauge and toy cars The
engines are specially built so as TO twist
around gorges and climb hills. Its driv-
ing shaft just clears the ground and the
floor is not over one foot frora the track.
One curious feature is that so much fric-
ton is developed that these engines have
to be bathed in water every two or three
hours to prevent overheating. A queer
sight, to see a railway engine taking it's
bath. In fifty miles the road ascends 1850
feet, or $50 feet to the mile. At one place
the road rises 500 feet without making
over five miles Roadway. The trains are
short and easily make a half-curve in go
or a complete curve in 500 feet. When the
grade is so sharp that this cannot be done.
then the difficulty is overcome by a series
of rs. At least half a dozen of these rs
are made in ascending the Himalayas.
And now comes another strange fact.
These mountains are cultivated from bot
tom to top and densely populated. Every
where it is tea, tea, tea. These tea plan
tations hang upon the eyebrows of those
awful gorges. 1t is wonderful how this
plant grows in such inaccessible places.
AS these mountains are the dieiding line
between India and China the coolies are
more like Chinese than Hindoos. In fact.
there are few Hindoos here at all. They are
a deteriorated race and dwell in the plains
and work i'm heat and sand. The noun
taineers are fine looking fellows and all
horn fighters. The English recruit their
best troops in Nepaul and vicinity. :
From where i am writing this letter we
look over in Thibet and a large portion OF
the natives Of Darjeeling are Thibetans.
I should like to nnger on the magniacence
OF these mountains and of the glorious
peaks Kinchinjunga and Everest. whose
white shoulders are far above the clouds.
L should like TO be able to paint the colors
of sunset and sunrise upon their inaccessi-
BILE heights. but all one can do in the
mighty and awful presence of the HimaIay-
as is to keep silence and to wonder.
A VISIT TO A re- FARM.
Tea requires three things: Fat soil.
heavy rains and hot sun. Strange to say.
this Himalayan crest furnishes them all.
The soil originally supported and still sup
Forts in its forest portions very heavy
timber. To my inquiry: do you not. In the
process of time. have to use manures?'
tea. When the land is worn out we must
go elsewhere" To my great surprise
plants forty years old still grew excellent
looks much like a livelihood potato patch.
but closer inspection shows the diff
ference. The tea plant If a bush
almost thirty inches high; the
stocks are often two inches In diameter.
and IL left TO grow wild would run up ten
feet. but they are severely clipped, and 50
make a thick mass Of intensely green TO-
liage. None OF the old leaves are used. Each
spring the trailers are severely pruned. and
the tea OF is the newly grown
leaves and fresh buds upon the clipped
branch. Two leaves and a bud IS the
rule for picking. This is done three times
a year, from April TO November. when the
season closes. The bushes are kept per-
fectly free from all weeds and insects. and
are "hilled up with a hoe just as we I'm
Indiana "hill' cabbages and other vege-
tables. On thousand acres Is n gOOd-sized
tea garden" and such an estate would
employ 1000 coolies. of whom 200 or 300
would be men for the rough work and the
remainder women and children. these last
being preferred on account Of their lighter
touch, for tea Is a very delicate plant and
must be made up into the article OF COM
rnerce within twenty-four hours after IL Is
plucked. Tn machinery with which TO DO
this is very costly, as much 50 as that 10
manufacture sugar. III the tea r. plucked
i'm the afternoon IL requires a great deal OF
night work. else IL will spoil. The coolies
who work a tea garden are a class by
themselves, and their hiring and manage
ment are all regulated by law. They are
by no means the heather which we think
they are. and require 20 be fairly and lib
orally treated TO get the best results. Their
children are very bright and handsome.
and begin work in the fields as early as
six years and keep at IL for life. The Won
der OF IL is that upon the tremendous
gorges of these gigantic mountains some of
the best tea In the world Is grown. You
look down 5000 feet. and each side OF the
Tavine with a roaring torrent at the bot
TONI Is covered with this beautiful plant.
1 am sorry TO say that this. as well as the
indigo industry, IS quite depressed a. pres-
ent. to the great detriment OF India
ID II