The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-03-24

MINI and placed on the summit at
. cost of a quarter Of a million dol
lars, was constructed by voluntary
labor, and subscriptions in money
and jewels with which the I'll is or
namented, were sent in from all parts
of the Province; the devotion of
these people to their religion is mar
velous.
The park and botanical garden are
beautiful, a large lake being in the
center, and when the Shove Dagon
lighted at night a reflection is
thrown into the lake showing the
Pagoda upside down, and the effect
is very beautiful.
From Rangoon we sailed for CAL
cutta through the Bay Of Bengal
md although it was quite warm dur
ing the day the heat was not OPP
pressive and the nights were much
more pleasant than we anticipated.
We locked at one of the Chats in
Calcutta one morning about 10
o'clock and went ashore, and al
though 1 knew that the city had a
population of about 100000 /
was surprised to find such magnfic-
ent buildings.
The Hindu population is about
500 900, the Mohamedans about ESQ.,
900 and the others Christians, Jews,
Chinese, etc., and the variety Of ma
tive life is consequently most inter
esting.
We visited here the finest Botani-
cal garden in the world which con-
tains tropical plants and trees OF
every known variety as well as Or
chids of the rarest kinds, and here
we also had the pleasure of standing
under the shade of the largest Ban
van tree in existence which covers
with it's branches about an acre of
ground.
Here too we had the pleasure of
visiting our first Jane Temple and
we were astounded at its beauty, the
foundation platform is of white mar
BILE, beautifully carved and the tenn
pie itself Is built entirely of small
mirrors ranging from the size of a
! finger nail to an inche or more which
are laid to represent branches and
flowers, %garlands, etc., and being
every shade of color; you a mag
inc how beautiful it must be and
the amount Of labor required to build
it; I am told that several hundred
men were employed for nor than
three years.
The founder Of this religion lived
about the same time as Guatama
Buddah 500 B. C. it does not differ
greatly from the Hindu religion;
their chief aim however Is to prevent
the transmigration Of their souls, and
believing that all living things have
souls, they protect all animal life,
even insects, and Of course touch no
.! 1esh or fish, living entirely on a veg
etable diet; I believe there are
something more than 100000
Tains in India; quite a small number
of course as compared with Hindus,
Buddhism and Mohammedans.
From Calcutta we went by rail to
D~arjeeling which is called the roof
of the world and I think the name IS
most appropriate; to reach it we
travedel a part of the way (about so
miles) on the crookedest railway in
the world.
The track is only "a inches wide
and the little cars hold only about
a dozen people in each and the en-
CINE a ~curiously constructed affair,
with two natives sitting in front
throwing sand on the track, makes a
good deal of noise as she laborously
makes the ascent.
On account Of attending races,
operas, etc., I did not finish my letter
in Bombay so will do 50 now and
post letter at Port Said or Cairo.
Although it is only about $50
miles from Calcutta to Darjeeling it
took US about a day and q half to
make the "trip, but it was worth the
time and Inconvenience, yes, and
more. i Il