Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1922-12-28
WRITES OF DARJEELING
SUMMER RESORT IN INDIA


Darjeeling is a summer resort
more than 800 miles north from
Calcutta and place of much inter-
est to the traveller on account OF
the fine views of the snowcapped
Himalayas which are in clear view
(except in case of fogs) as though
they were but short distance
away. We were bit in doubt as to
our going, for fogs or low clouds
might entirely cut off the view, ana
everybody remarked upon the ex-
treme cold in Darjeeling. We knew
that it was extremely hot in Calcut-
ia even If the calendar did show us
it was new years time. The police
officer on the boat had advised go
ing with plenty of wraps and some
of the hot fluid. Deciding to make
the trip, we did equip ourselves
we'll with clothing and bedding for
it is not the custom of boarding
houses and railways to supply bed
ding.
From Sealdah main station the
Journey of less than % hours
(Which formerly required five or
six days, before railways were
built) was begun. A pipe parallel
with the tracks and hung i'm
mediatety. over the cars, supplies
the train with wash water. Drink
ing water is obtained from the din
ing car. The track is five feet and
six inches wide and the train Of
fers four grades of accommodation
at various prices. The baggage car
has shelves in it so the baggage
hn CT from
floor to ceiling. A Federal" truck
(American) brings the ROYAL
mail" to the depot. Some of the
cars, maybe all, have hall along
the side from which you enter the
compartments. The second class
equipment gives you a nice room
and the combined toilet and wash
room is tiled in three colors. The
first class is better finished and the
toilet room has a shower BATH OF
course we are but little above the
sea at Calcutta. When we change
to the narrow gauge road at Sill
guri we are 400 feet above the
brine. In our first mile we cross
the Mahanuddy river on a bridge
in seven spans of 100 feet each and
stop in the eighth mile at Sookna,
533 feet above the sea, and the real
beginning of the ascent which at
times is very steep, is made to
Ghoom latitude 7,407 feet) with
out resOrting to rack and piniOn
construction. From GhOom, Dar-
jeeling is reached in about four
miles and at lower level by near
1y 500 feet. In order to make this
ascent, the engineers have resorted
both to spirals and zig-zags, there
being number of each. The fourth
and final loop has a radius of but
So feet, and this is the narrowest
gauge road. think have ever
seen.
The trip is interesting for it gives
stranger much variety. He starts
on broad gauge, changes to stand
ard gauge and finishes out on mar
now gauge. This last line has lit
tie self-contained engines of great
power which carry the coal just in
front of the "cab" and the water
in tank hung across the engines
back. 1t was noticed that some of
the motive power was from Phil
adelphia shop. When a Britisher
was asked about the presence of SO
many autos in the east, he answer
ed: "Well there is just one reason,
ye know. They can make quicker
shApments!" Quick shipments may
have something to do with this
Yankee motive power. AS we
ascend the mountains the scenery
is continually changing. Now we
look up and see a tea plantation
and the houses above us, later we
are as high as they; and after while
we look down upon Them Dar-
jeeling is situated something like
Hong Kong. That is, it hangs to
the slope of the mountain side and
the streets run in diagonal lines
and not in parallels with the eleva-
tion. We located stopping place
and then went out with our eyes
for exercise. A lady of the Metho-
dist mission, st. Louis woman.
was an interesting stranger to
meet. With her we visited the
Thibetan missionaries and saw
some curios and quantities of jewel
ry in the bazaar. II any one wears
more jewelry than Thibetan
woman, do not know who it is.
Toes. ankles, fingers, wrists, arms,
neck. nose, ears and forehead are
all accounted suitable places to put
on the decorative hardware and as
many as 16 bracelets have been
seen upon one feminine arm in In
dia. Sometimes the anklets are
omin'1HinnHR1ilnIl lnlII1uIlnnriIlaulIInKA