The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-02

was to see the Oldest one. The trip by
carriage was through a country as dry
and stony as the worst part of Idaho
or Wyoming. Everywhere ruins of
mosques. tOmbs, palaces and forts;
ruined mosques, temples, tombs pal
aces and forts were as numerous as
farm houses in the section OF country
between AtchisOn and HiaWatfa This
is a very modest statement: L have no
doubt Of its truth; there are so many
ruins of various kinds that there is
little room for farming. The land for
hundreds of miles around Delhi=and
allzoxsT-1 India FOR that Eaatter-is-eEVH-
ed by Rajahs. and the farmers rent it.
The scrubby trees along the highway
are owned by the government, and
when one is injured by the wind, the
Injured limbs are sold at auction to
the highest bidder for fuel. A drouth
and famine exist here at present, and
we saw poor farmers irrigating a little
field of wheat out of a well. The water
was drawn UP by bullOcks, in a. skin
bag, and the men sang prayers as they
worked; prayers for blessings on their
oxen, their crop, their families, etc. It
was pltiful little field Of wheat. no
larger than six AtchisOn lots. and the
men said they would not have half a
crop.
At a native village, we were besieged
by children, so we had them sit on the
ground, and We gave them pop corn
and sweets from a stand" There
We're Sixty OIL LElG EUltQTeD. 0GaTiV all
the little girls carrying babies. Final
ly there was a scramble, and they all
went down in a heap the babies under
Meath The children were nearly all
good looking; they were all of one
color. a dark bronze, with very black
hair, and regular features. In addi-
ton to the pop corn, they were given
parched beans. made into balls held
together by molasseS. We bought
everything the stand keepers had and
the total d.
dollar. can give you no idea of the
poverty Of the little Wretches, or of
their scanty attire.
We also visited a purely agricultural
village; a type Of those to be seen
everywhere in the rural districts Of
India. The head man met US, and
escorted US about and dozens of chill
dren followed US. You Kansas people
can form no idea of the dirt and pow
erty in the village. We went into
many of the houses and the women ran
about showing us their homes, but al
ways keeping their faces covered It
was about noon. and one woman was
cooking her husbands dinner. to be
sent him in the fields, by the children
The dinner consisted of pancakes.
made of coarse flour. and boiled milk.
You wouldn't have eaten the dinner
under any circumstances. The woman
showed US the meal from which the
cakes were made, and the grains from
which the meal was made; in a crude
mill in the house. The meal was made
I of beans. barley. and miliet. so far as 7
could Judge The head man took US
into his house, the best in the village.
At first, I thought it was a temple, but
he explained that it had been built
many years before, by his ancestors.
who were better Off In the main room
downstairs. cows and bullocks We're
( stabbed. Within q few feet of this filth
his sons wife was engaged in cooking
/ over a fire made of little sticks and
COW chips I have never seen a flthfer
place.
Upstairs. the members of the family
slept, in open galleries. The village was
entirely surrounded by a wall and IN
one corner was q little temple. in 7notf-
er corner. the village well. The children
who followed US about were very timiG
and did not beg. therefore we cheerfully
gave the head man a rupee, to be in
vested for their benefit. All the girls Ct
IL and II were married. The houses
were of adobe. covered with straw roofs
At stil another place, three dancing
girls entertained Us by dancing and
singing One of the girls was the
mother Of the other two. the Young
1 girls were really very pretty. and Gov
I cred with bangles bracelets on thafr
ankles. etc The girls had enormous
/ rings in their noses. On our departure
I they sang a song wishing US 4 pros
4 porous voyage, and the three Sail:
/ ''Dogon the Team" at my request trans
l lated by the old wolf who acted az our
4 guide. All this was in the country
/ where the people were natural and po-
/ lite.
we stopped for luncheon at a govern
( ment rest house: a house provided with
i every convenience, except bedding. a
+ man who lived near cooked curry and
( rice for us, in native fashion; also an
: omelette. These rest houses was main