Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1910-06-17
LETTER FROM Mr.. GREENFIELD
May 5, 1910
En- Route to Egypt.
Mr.. W. w. Booher,
Elk. Neva la.

Mr.. W. w. Booher,
Elk. Neva la.
Dear Sir
Darjeeling is the point from
which the ride is made by pony to
Tiger Hill from which on a clear
morning one can see the sun rise
over Mount Everest in the dis.
tance. We arose at two O'Clock
and after chOta hazree, the early
morning lIncn, mounted our ponies
and stared, reaching Tiger Hill
about day break. On the way as
we moved along the hillside and
looked down in the valleys below
the oceans of clouds rolling over
mountain peaks and down the slope
into the canyons were unlike any
thing had previously seen. But
unfortunately the heavy clouds hung
over the mountain that we had
come to see and there they staid.
The sonw capped range however
loomcd up in the distance as the
day advanced but Mount Everest
we did not see. We saw the mist
but missed the scene and will have
to be satisfied with seeing some of
the lesser lights among the worlds
mountain peaks. doubt whether
Everest would have appeared more
glorious to us, however. than our
own lordly RuDics though it is
over twice the height, the highest
peak in the world.
Upon returning to Calcutta we
left by night train for Benares.
the center of the Hindu religion,
the Mecca of Hinduism, the end of
their pilgrimages to which city they
journey oftimes by measuring the
distance with the length of their
body. Here we spent two days
visiting the first day, the sight
places in the city ccnters and the
second day, the CHATS along the
river by river boat. | had the
advantage of having a boat of our
own so that we could stop where
ever we chose. There are things
old and worn in Bcnares and the
neglect of their fallen temples
shows the decay of Hinduism in its
very center. 1t has been estimated
that at least 100000 pilgrims
visit this city annually. The present
site however is somewhat removed
from the old location by seven miles.
At Bcnarcs, we saw many bodies
burning along the shore. The poor
up country people being unable TO
burn the body for lack of sufficient
fuel cast il unburncd into the
Gangcs and il is no uncommon
thing to see dead bodies floating
down the stream. Here also for
merit all kinds of suffering is
undergone. Men bold their arms
up until they become fixed and it
is impossible to lower them. Spiked
beds become the means resortcd to
by some and here they lie on
sharpcncd points doing penance.
But while we were in Benares there
was but one thus engaged and that
was a woman taking the place of
her husband. priest, who was
absent at a religious festival. She
was resting while we were thcr and
had 10 be called from her cell of
religious meditation. Bcnarcs is a
weird and bcwildering city, ruled
by priests, infested with holy mon.
The age of this holy city, no man
knowcth; $500 years ago the founder
of Buddhism came here after his
long retirement and when he came
he found an ancient city and
large. Bcnarcs displays the Hindu
religion as It is practiced and lived
The women who arc married to tho
gods and live with the priests are
the we'll known dancers of the
temple courts. They only am mone
all the women can claim the right
of men. Approaching the hoII