The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-11
IT'S A CITY OF GHOSTS.
Remnant of Portuguese Ascendaney
in India,

1t was said that during the prosperous
times of the Portuguese in India you
could not have seen piece of iron in
any merchants house. bet all gold and
silver They coined immense quantities
o. the precious metals. and used to make
pieces of workmanship in them for expor-
tation. The very soldiers enriched them
selves by commerce.
But then at last came the Jesuits and
the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition.
which celebrated it's terrible and deadly
rites with more fervor and vehemence at
Goa than in any other place. Religious
persecution. pestilence and wars with the
Dutch disturbances arising from an I'M
settled government and above all the slow
but sure workings of the short-sighted
policy of the Portuguese in intermarry-
ing and identifying themselves with the
HIndus Of the lowest caste made her fan
as rapid as her rise was sudden and
prodigious.
In less than a century and a half after
Da Cana had landed on the Indian shore,
the splendor OF Goa had departed forever.
The inhabitants fed before the deadly
fever which soon fastened upon the de-
voted precincts of the city and in 175s the
Viceroy transferred his headquartersf rom
the ancent capital to Parjna, about eight
miles distant Soon afterwards the Jesuits
were expelled. leaving their magnificent
converts and churches all but utterly
desterted and the inquisition was sur
pressed upon the recommendation Of the
British government.
The place is now a grass-grown wilder
ness. But stln the firm and wen built
causeways OF this oIden city and its mold
dering splendors are reminiscent Of echo
ing pageants and the tramp OF armies
which once sounded there. As we tread
the ancient wharf. a long broad road.
lined with z double row OF trees and faced
with stone. a more suggestive scene ~
desoIations. the very rustlings OF the trees
and murnur Of the waves sound like a
dirge for the departed grandeur OF a
city.
Towering above n mass OF ruins q sOli-
tzry gateway TANKS the entrance 20 the
Strada DiTes;a. the straight street 50
called because almost ell the streets in
old Goa are laid out IN cGrviliEear form
l. was through this portal slrmoun;ed
by the figures OF 81 Catherine and Vssco
da Cana that the newly appointed Vice
orys OF Goa. passed in iriumphsi process
sion 20 the palace
Beyond the gate level road. once a
ropulous thoroughfare. leads 20 the Terra
d. Sabaic. large square fronting The
Frfnacial or Cathedral Of ST Catherine.
Who became the ratron selnt u Goa whe5
the place vas captzred b -.Ibugrercue
or the dan OK Der festival Groves %
cocoauut palms ard mango topes nov ~
cuzabsr The ground once covered b the
troops Of horses The ~esitn. ,hs husy
life the l1xury q the pace are dad
Kstes and bonras infsst the crusstiiae
halls ~hlrh once resosDded with TIE bar
aus; and the dance ard azught N; a
few old monks and nuns keep vsEsi amid
Is dssolatloa today.
But Goa POSSESS ere treasure Il great
Interest This = The tomb CO Fraocis
Xavier :hs Erea; Jesuit missionary % The
East i r. % - found - fhe chuTrr
o. Bon Jesus Il = masterpiece q at
xhich = Isss 20 all puf the casual visitors
- Old Goa Sor-e have vsrsured e sas-
sest thai 10 other E.sauEoIe1z1 - iatiz
r evsa IN Asa. sxc~y; the Tai 8zbsis
- equal a. II - bsut % rsra marie
o. Tsrsexztes coso-r- The soEeEs stage
= -ed Art purple jasper ard csrrs-z
a-sbzs;e7. adorned <ith s-Atr>.tsz ard
ckerubs The n.sdie stage Is % s-esn
AID yellow tasP~r decorated With oeassi-