Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-02-04
OLD GOA THE GOLDEN
ITS SITE is NOW ONLY A VAST AND
GRASSY TOMB.

Its Masterpiece of Art the Tomb o
st. Francis Xavier.
1t was said that during the prosper
GUS times of the Portuguese in Indi
you could not have seen piece Of irol
ia any merchants house, but all gol'
and silver. They coined immense guam
titles of the precious metals and use'
to make pieces of workmanship II
them for expectation. The very sol
diers enriched themselves by com
merce.
But then at last came the inquisition
which celebrated its terrible and deadly
rites with more fervOr and vehemenc'
at Goa than in any other place. Reli
gious persecution, pestilence and wars
with the Dutch, disturbances arising
from all unsettled government, and
above all, the slow but sure workings
of the shortsghted policy of the Portu
guese in intermarrying and identifying
themselves with the Hindoos of the
lowest caste, made her fall as rapid as
her rise was sudden and prodigious.
In less than century and half aft
or Da CANA had landed OH the Indian
shore the splcndor of Goa had departed
forever. The inhabitants fed before
upon the devoted precincts of the city,
and in 1913 the viceroy transferred his
headquarters from the ancient capital
to Parjina. about eight miles distant.
Soon aftcrward the religious orders
were expelled, leaving their magnifi-
cent converts and churches all but ut
terly deserted. and the inquisltion was
suppressed upon the recommendation
of the British government.
The place is now grass grown will
derness But still the firm and well
built causeways of this olden city and
Its mOldering splendOrs are reminiscent
of echoing pageants and the tramp Of
armies which once sounded there. AS
we tread the ancient wharf, long.
broad road lined with double row of
trees and faced with stone, more sug-
gestive scene of desOlatiOn can hardly
be conceived Everything around teens
with melancholy associations, the very
rustlngs of the trees and murmur Of
the waves sound like dirge for the de-
parted grandeur of city.
Towering above mass Of ruins q
solitary gateway TANKS the entrance
to the Strada Dlretta, the Straight
street, so called because almost all the
streets in old Goa are laid out in cur
viinear form. 1t was through this
portal surmounted by the figures of
st. Catherine and Yasco da Cana that
the newly appointed viceroys Of Goa
passed In triumphal procession to the
palace
Beyond the gate level road, once a
pOpulOus thOrOughfare. leads to the
Terra al Sabao. a large square front
ing the Prmacial or Cathedral of st.
Catherine. who became the patron
saint of Goa when the place was cap
tured by Albuquerque on the day Of
her festival. Groves of cocOanut palms
and mango TOPICS now incumber the
ground once covered by troops Of horse.
The wealth. the busy life and the lux
ury of the old place are dead. Kites
and cObras infest the crumbling halls
which once resOunded with the ban
Quet and the dance, and naught but a
few old monks and nuns keeps vigil
amid its desolation today.
Rut Goa possesses one treasure OF
great interest This is the tomb Of
Francis Xavier. the great Jesuit mis-
siOnary to the east. 1t Is to be found in
the Church of Bon Jesus. 1t Is mas
terpece of art which Is lost to all but
the casual visitors to old Goa. Some
have vcntured to suggest that no other
mausOleum in India or even in Asa ex-
cept the TAI Mahal can equal it, 1t Is
built of rich marble of variegated col
Ors. The lowest stage is Of rcd and
purple Jasper and Carrara alabaster
adorned with statuettes and cherubs
The middle stage is of green and yellow
Jasper decorated with beautiful bronze
plates representing incidents in the life
of the saint The highest of the three
stages is surrounded by lovely rail |
ing of red Jasper marked with white
spots, the adornments being figures OF
angels, while lis middle portion Is
graced with columns elegantly carved,
whose Intervening spaces are surmOunt.
cd by arches showing further incidents |
I'm the life of the saint. The frleZes Of /
the four lateral columns are of black |
stone and the plinths of yellow jasper. I
Surrounding this last stage lies the
coffin overlad win silver, a gorgeous
receptacle embellshed with many ex
luisite specimens of relief work
Jumps of silver depending around com
plete the adornment of the shrine. IL
Is worthy relic of Goa's departed glo-
ry.
The bell Uf the AuguStinlan convent
still rings forth its vesper peal above
this old city of ghosts, and it is impos
sible to forget the effect Of the deep,
notes as they strike upon the
EAR. Never was heard more beautiful
DR. more sadly musical summons than
that which calls In vain from the tower
1f the Augustinians to the fOrsaken and
solitary city
1t Is all summed up in the eloquent
apOstrophe of Sherer: Goa the golden
Exists no uiOre; Goa. where the aged
Da Cana closed his glorious life Goa.
where the immortal Camoens sang and
suffered Ii is now but vast ana
grassy tomb. and it seems as If it's thin
md gloomy population of priests and
'riars were only spared to chant re
luiens for Its departed FOULS. st
James Gazette
She Had Winning Way.
L..