The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-17

cuStOmeQ TO meetlnS EuSlisu-sPeohiiS Q
| people at all turns; slowly but surely
they are leaving the ways OF their
ancestors, already more than two mil
lion having become Christians.
England allows full freedom Of wor-
| ship. The only thing she set her iron
heel upon were some barbarous GUS
toms, such as the juggernaut-car and
its slaughter, the putting to death OF
| widows when the head Of q family
died, and like practices, for which
Brahmins, Parsees and MussulmaEs
alike have actually become thankful,
as these things were relics Of ancient
barbarism that clung to the country.
Such sights the two travellers look
upon-here is a retail grocery with
many odd things upon the shelves, and
the Queerest object about the place is
probably the banija himself; indeed,
Joe declares he must be a natural
clown from his dress, while Sandy
berates himself for not having one OF
the newsstyle little cameras with him,
by means Of which he could secure
masterpiece for a subject.
Next door is shelf-like shop, where
all manner of bric-a-brac may be
found, anything that Is bizarre haV-
ing place, and the Hindoo proprietor,
smoking his hubDle-bubble mods weari-
ly over his Koran.
Here are some snake-charmers, such
as exhibited their tricks and horrid
pets upon the square Of Esbehiyeh, In
Cairo. Then comes merry fakir,
known as O bickharrie here, shouting
out his wares. Next we have some
mountebank athletes, performing won
derful feats in agility, with perhaps
wizard who can make tree grow IN
the middle of the street, with full-sized
leaves and birds singing in the
branches; while it is not uncommon to
run across a group Of bowling der
wishes, who take the place of our New
York little German band, making night
hideous In a certain locality, passing
the hat around, and then forced to
move on by indignant shopkeepers,
who are glad to buy them of.
All of these sights and many more
can be seen around tie streets Of
Bombay. Occasionally an elephant
looms up, but these animals are found
more in the interior. OF monkeys there
is no end. One need not be at all sur.
prised to feel his hat suddenly jerked
from his head, and, looking up, see an
agile fellow climbing to the top OF a
house with it. Then the monkey
police have to be summoned and varl'
GUS maneuvers resorted to in order to
recover the lost headgear.
One wonders why these things are
allowed until he discovers that the
Hindoos, as a class, are believers in
theosophy. They look upon these AM
mails as unfortunate human beings un-
dergoing punishment for some past.
Thus there are many things going
on all the time in this strange city.
One need never grow weary with Sec
ing the same sights, since there Is a
constant variation. The blending Of
bright colors in the shifting panorama
is what pleases Sandy most Of all, and
he is ever on the watch for a new
variety of turban. Of which there
seems to be an endless number.
Mynheer Joe has given Kassee the
freedom of the city during their stay,
well knowing that the intelligent Hin
doc will not abuse the privilege. AS
Kassee has been informed concern
ing the baron and his ways, it may be
presumed that he will keep a jealous
eye upon the Russian. This is what
Joe wishes, for he knows that, us a
spy, his servant has no superior.
10 the surprise Of the travellers they
discover this same Kassee walking
along the street in company with an
other Hindoo, and both of them seem
to be in rather a convivial frame Of
mind.
The servant happens to catch his
masters eye, and makes a rapid hani-
signal that gives Joe solid satisfaction,
since it tells him that the other is on
the alert, and means something by his
| actions.
Sandy does not see this side-show.
He is eagerly taking in the sights. aud
as they have now reached q portion
of the grand-bazar street where the
lights are more plentiful, and the
shops present the finest appearance.
it Is really worth his time to observe
these things.
Here is a sannar, or goldsmith, dis
playing his quaint wares in a most
attractive form, and by eloquent 81
lence inviting the passers-by to pur'
chase. Then there are curiosity shops
where a thousand and one queer
things have been gathered from the
four ends of the earth. Perhaps the
next place will belong to a mosaic
worker, and his shop is certainly a
model of neatness.
At q turbanmaker's Sandy stops
some time to see the yards of costly
cloth twisted into odd shapes. each
tuft being afterward pointed with got!
or silver cloth. These turbans are the
delight of the Hindoos, and the man
" no has a W shape is the envied OF
his fellows.
After this comes a variety Of shops
from silversmiths down to the dur
zee's, or tailor's. Our friends take !;
in, and will never in all likelihood for
get the sights their eyes rest upon. The
crowd is such 4 good-natured one, and
| raant dalinhtrlll of oil daoc not nust