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DUE WEST

Or

Round the World in Ten Months

by

MATURIN M. BALLOU

 Plus je vis l'étranger, plus j'aimai ma patrie. DE BELLOY

Third Edition. 

[Illustration: Logo]

BostonHoughton, Mifflin and CompanyNew York: 11 East Seventeenth StreetThe Riverside Press, Cambridge1885

Copyright, 1884, by Maturin M. Ballou. All rights reserved. 

Riverside, Cambridge:Electrotyped and Printed byH. O. Houghton and Company. 

 _I rather would entreat thy company To see the wonders of the world abroad, Than, living dully sluggardized at home, Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness. _-- Two Gentlemen of Verona. 

PREFACE. 

To circumnavigate the globe in our day is only a question of time andmoney, the facilities being ample, and the inducements abundant. Intelligently and successfully to consummate such a purpose is aneducation in itself. The tourist will find all previous study enhancedin value by ocular demonstration, which imparts life and warmth to thecold facts of the chroniclers, besides which a vast store-house ofpositive information is created which time cannot exhaust. Perhaps themajority of travelers see only that which comes clearly before them; butthis they do most faithfully, being possessed of a stronger sense ofduty than of imagination. The clear, direct vision of such people hasits merit. There are others who both see and feel, to whom the simplestobject in its suggestiveness may be full of beauty. It is the latter whopluck delightful mysteries out of travel; and who, after viewing nature, it may be in her calmest moods, bring away with them upon the tablets ofmemory a Claude Lorraine. The eyes will operate automatically, but it isof little avail unless one exercises the observing power; then theybecome luminous. You will find poetry nowhere unless you bring somewith you, says Joubert. If the author succeeds in imparting to thereader but a share of the great and varied pleasure he realized in theten months of travel herein recorded, his object in transcribing theseexperiences will have been fully consummated. 

M. M. B. 

CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I. PAGESynopsis of the Journey. --Crossing the Continent. --A GreatMidland City. --Utah and the Mormons. --The Sierra Nevada. --SanFrancisco. --A Herd of Sea-Lions. --Possibilitiesof California. --The Love of Flowers. --Public SchoolSystem. --Excursion to the Yosemite. --An Indian Stronghold. --Descriptionof the Valley. --Passage of the Mountains. --Caughtin a Snow-Storm. --A Forest of Feathers. --TheMammoth Trees of California. --Passing the Golden Gate. --Voyageacross the Pacific. --A Lost Day 1

CHAPTER II. 

Landing in Japan. --Characteristic Street Scenes. --Native Bazars. --Womenof Yokohama. --Excursion into the Country. --Visitto Kamakura. --Peculiar Scenes on the Road. --AWonderful Bronze Statue. --Popular Religions of the Country. --TheHakone Pass. --A Youthful Mother. --NativeJugglers. --Temple of Shiba. --Review of the Soldiery. --LudicrousSights. --A Native Fair at Tokio. --A Poor Japanese Woman's Prayer 30

CHAPTER III. 

Foreign Influence in Japan. --Progress of the People. --TravelingInland. --Fertility of the Soil. --Grand Temples andShrines at Nikko. --The Left-Handed Artist. --Japanese Art. --Cityof Kobé. --Kioto and its Temples. --Idol Worship. --NativeAmusements. --Morals in Japan. --Lake Biwa. --Osakaon a Gala Day. --The Inland Sea. --Island of Pappenburg. --TheTarpeian Rock of Japan. --Nagasaki. --GirlsCoaling a Ship. --National Products 55

CHAPTER IV. 

Sail for Hong Kong. --Ocean Storms. --Sunset at Sea. --AWater-Spout. --Arrival in China. --Typhoon Bay. --Mannersand Customs. --In and about Hong Kong. --Public Buildings. --Voyageup the Pearl River. --City of Canton. --Strangestof Strange Cities. --Opium Dens. --Temple ofHonan. --The Worship of Swine. --Praying with a Fan. --LocalPeculiarities. --Half Round the World. --Singapore. --ATiger Hunt. --Burial at Sea. --Penang. --The Wonderful Palm 81

CHAPTER V. 

Sailing Due West. --The Indian Ocean. --Strange Sights atSea. --Island of Ceylon. --Singhalese Canoes. --Colombo. --ALand of Slaves. --Native Town. --Singhalese Women. --FantasticNurses. --Local Pictures. --Cinnamon Gardens. --WildElephants. --Lavishness of Tropical Nature. --CuriousBirds and their Nests. --Ancient Kandy. --Temple of Maligawan. --ReligiousCeremonies. --Life of the Natives. --InlandScenery. --Fruits. --Precious Stones. --Coffee Plantations. --GreatAntiquity of Ceylon 125

CHAPTER VI. 

Arrival in India. --Tuticorin. --Madura. --Bungalows. --Reptilesand Insects. --Wonderful Pagoda. --Sacred Elephants. --Trichinopolyand its Temples. --Bishop Heber. --NativeSilversmiths. --Tanjore. --The Rajah's Palace. --Pagoda andan Immense Stone Idol. --Southern India. --City of Madras. --Wantof a Harbor. --In and about the Capital. --Voyagethrough the Bay of Bengal. --The Hoogly River. --PoliticalCapital of India. --A Crazy King. --The Himalayas. --Sunsetand Sunrise at Darjeeling 150

CHAPTER VII. 

From Calcutta to Benares. --Miles of Poppy Fields. --RuinedTemples. --The Mecca of Hindostan. --Banks of the SacredGanges. --Idolatry at its Height. --Monkey Temple. --TheFamous River Front of the Holy City. --Fanaticism. --Crematingthe Dead. --A Pestilential City. --Visit to a NativePalace. --From Benares to Cawnpore. --A Beautiful Statue. --EnglishRule in India. --Delhi. --The Mogul Dynasty. --Lahore. --Umritsar. --Agra. --The Taj Mahal. --Royal Palace and Fort. --The Famous Pearl Mosque 187

CHAPTER VIII. 

From Agra to Jeypore. --An Independent Province. --A UniqueIndian City. --Wild Animals. --Elephant Traveling. --TrappingTigers. --A Royal Palace. --The Harem. --Native Rule. --WildMonkeys and Peacocks. --Long Journey across Country. --Bombay. --TheRival of Calcutta. --The Parsees. --Towersof Silence. --Feeding the Vultures. --A RemarkableInstitution. --Island of Elephanta. --Street Jugglers. --Crossingthe Sea of Arabia. --The Southern Cross. --Aden. --Passageup the Red Sea. --Landing at Suez. --Traveling in Egypt 223

CHAPTER IX. 

Cairo and the Arabian Nights. --Street Scenes and Cries. --Camelsand Donkeys. --Turkish Bazars in Old Cairo. --Water-Carriers. --ThePyramids of Gizeh. --The Sphinx. --InterestingVisit to a Native House. --Mosque of MehemetAli. --The Rotten Row of Cairo. --The Khedive's Palace. --EgyptianMuseum. --Mosque of Amer. --Whirling and HowlingDervishes. --Suez Canal. --Ismailia and Port Said. --Island ofMalta. --City of Valetta. --Palace of the Knights. --Bird's-eye View 259

CHAPTER X. 

Voyage through the Mediterranean. --Gibraltar on Sunday. --BeautifulAlameda. --Visit to the Famous Fortress. --WildMonkeys. --Cannon and Flowers. --Tangier. --Morocco. --Straitsof Gibraltar. --A Moorish City of To-day. --LocalScenes. --A Private Museum. --The Governor's Palace. --RustyKeys. --The Typical Moor. --The Slave Market. --OrientalTableaux. --Visit to Washington Mount. --A Cupof Moorish Coffee. --From Gibraltar to Malaga. --Spain. --TheCity of Raisins and Sweet Wine 288

CHAPTER XI. 

From Malaga to Granada. --Military Escort--A BeautifulValley. --A Dream Realized in the Alhambra. --The Moorin his Glory. --Tangible Poetry. --A Brief Legend. --TheGeneralife. --The Moor's Seat. --The Home of the Gypsies. --AGold Bearing River. --A Beautiful Residence. --EarlyHome of the Ex-Empress Eugénie. --City of Granada. --SpanishBeggars. --The Remarkable Tomb of Ferdinand andIsabella. --French Vandals. --The Cathedral. --PreciousRelic. --The Cartuja. --Love of Music 311

CHAPTER XII. 

Granada to Cordova. --An Antique City. --The Guadalquivir. --OldRoman Bridge. --The Grand Mosque-Cathedral ofCordova. --Court of Orange-Trees. --Army of Beggars. --FromCordova to Madrid. --Local Characteristics of the Capital. --TheGate of the Sun. --The King and Queen in Public. --TheRoyal Palace. --Spanish Ladies and Gentlemen. --TheFan. --The Picture-Gallery of Madrid. --National Sportof the Bull-Fight. --Cowardice!--Interesting Visit to theCity of Toledo. --The Escurial 331

CHAPTER XIII. 

From Madrid to Burgos. --Through a Barren Country. --TheCathedral of Burgos. --Monastery of Miraflores. --Local Pictures. --ASpanish Inn. --Convent of Las Huelgas. --From Burgos to SanSebastian. --Northern Spain. --A Spanish WateringPlace. --Bayonne. --Lower Pyrenees. --Biarritz. --A BasquePostilion. --A Pleasant Drive. --On Leaving Spain. --Sunday and Balloonsat Bordeaux. --On to Paris. --Antwerp and its Art Treasures. --Embarkingfor America. --End of the Long Journey 365

DUE WEST. 

CHAPTER I. 

 Synopsis of the Journey. --Crossing the Continent. --A Great Midland City. --Utah and the Mormons. --The Sierra Nevada. --San Francisco. --A Herd of Sea-Lions. --Possibilities of California. --The Love of Flowers. --Public School System. --Excursion to the Yosemite. --An Indian Stronghold. --Description of the Valley. --Passage of the Mountains. --Caught in a Snow-Storm. --A Forest of Feathers. --The Mammoth Trees of California. --Passing the Golden Gate. --Voyage across the Pacific. --A Lost Day. 

On the morning of September 16, 1882, four individuals, two of whom wereladies and two gentlemen, comparative strangers to each other, met atthe Fitchburg depot in Boston, drawn together by the common purpose of atrip round the world. Adding the conductor, Mr. Gno. Dattari, anintelligent and experienced courier, the little party numbered fivepersons. The latter individual is attached to the traveling agency ofThomas Cook & Son, London, the house undertaking, for the sum of twothousand dollars each, to pay all transportation and board bills inaccordance with a very comprehensive itinerary. This embraced thepassage across the continent of America and the Pacific Ocean to Japan, with a month of residence and travel in that country; thence to Chinaand up the Pearl River to Canton; a week in Hong Kong; a thousand-milevoyage down the China Sea to the chief ports of the Malacca Straits;across the Indian Ocean to the Island of Ceylon, with a week forexcursions therein; thence to India, with a liberal exploration of itsprincipal cities, including a visit to the Himalayas in the extremenorth; through the Sea of Arabia, the Straits of Babelmandeb, and theRed Sea to Egypt, Cairo, and Alexandria; through the Suez Canal and theMediterranean to Italy, Malta, Gibraltar, France, and England. Areasonable length of time was allowed for each section of the route, including a voyage across the Atlantic to the starting-point. 

Any divergence from the prescribed route was to be at an additionalcharge, according to expenses incurred. The money was paid at theoutset, and the agreement on both sides fulfilled to the entiresatisfaction of all concerned. Thus much it has seemed well to premisefor the information of the reader who proposes to follow our course duewest, as presented in these pen-and-ink sketches of many lands. Itshould also be mentioned that the season of the year had beenjudiciously chosen, so as to bring us into each country at the mostfavorable period for its healthful and agreeable enjoyment, acalculation which is imperative for any one contemplating a journey ofthis character. Otherwise, the intense heat of the tropics, as well asthe Arctic chills of the north, may render such a trip a hardship ratherthan a season of pleasure. 

The first day's experience served to acquaint the little party with eachother, and no possible association can effect this so rapidly astraveling together, where individuals necessarily become inseparable, and where fixed traits of character must inevitably exhibit themselves. Mr. M---- and his daughter, as also the author of these notes, wereBostonians; the fourth person being a Miss D----, of Yorkshire, England, who came hither to make the long circuit of the globe. Even Americanparlor-cars, which embrace as much of domestic comfort as is compatiblewith their legitimate purpose, could not prevent our being somewhatfatigued by an unbroken journey of over five hundred miles, when wereached Niagara Falls at two o'clock in the morning. And yet the dayseemed short by reason of the varied and beautiful scenery of the HoosacTunnel route, particularly in the region of the Deerfield Valley, andalso west of the Massachusetts state line. The abundant foliage was inits autumnal prime, not yet having been touched by the wand of the FrostKing, while the teeming fields gave evidence both of fertility of soiland skilled cultivation. The neat farm-houses were ornamented bycreeping vines, and tiny flower-gardens in their fronts. Tall conicalhaystacks flanked the spacious, well-filled barns; big yellow pumpkinsdotted the half-cleared cornfields; and handsome groups of cattlequietly ruminated in the pastures. A picturesque line of beehives, halfa dozen happy children at play before the house door, and the sturdymaster of the thrifty scene, leaning over the fence to exchange pleasantwords with a passing neighbor on horseback, were frequent ruralpictures, which were afterwards contrasted with those of othercountries. 

A quiet Sabbath was passed at the Clifton House, on the Canada side, where an excellent opportunity is afforded for viewing the falls intheir various aspects. It was a still, clear day, bright and sunny. Acolumn of vapor rose many hundred feet above the falls, white as snowwhere it was absorbed into the skies, and iridescent at the base, whichwas wreathed in ceaseless rainbows. A practical eye could not fail toobserve that a portion of the enormous force here running to waste hasbeen utilized by means of a canal, dug from a point above the falls to aplateau two miles below them, whereby some large grist-mills andpaper-manufacturing establishments are operated with never-failingpower. The usual round of sightseeing was performed on the followingday. When we remember that there is conclusive evidence of these fallshaving been at a former period fully six miles nearer to Lake Ontario, and consequently that there is a daily though infinitesimal wear goingon, it leads one to speculate as to what will be the probable resultwhen the great falls shall have receded so far as to open, at oneterrific plunge, the eastern end of Lake Erie. 

Another day and night in the cars over the Great Western and MichiganRailroad brought us to Chicago. Fifty years ago only a scattered tribeof the Pottawatomies inhabited this spot on the shore of Lake Michigan, where is now located the most important capital of the NorthwesternStates. The commercial growth of Chicago is the natural sequence of itssituation at the head of the great chain of lakes, which form a mediumof unequaled inland navigation, supplemented by a railroad system ofnearly a score of trunk lines which centre within its limits. A driveabout the town served to impress us with a due appreciation of itsbusiness enterprise and rapid growth in all the departments of educationand of art, which characterize a prosperous American community;especially was a spirit of intense activity observable, entering intoevery element of trade and business. The private houses of wealthymerchants adorn the environs, while Lincoln and South Park, lying oneither side of the city, rival anything of the kind in Europe orAmerica. Chicago is the natural centre of the grain trade of ourcontinent, and we had almost said of the food-supply of the world, astatement exemplified in the fact that, during the last year, onehundred and fifty millions of bushels of grain passed through itselevators. 

The next objective point was Salt Lake City, the distance being oversixteen hundred miles, to accomplish which we passed four days andnights in sleeping-cars. Two days' rest at this point afforded anopportunity to look about us, and to gather some information touchingthe singular people who make it their home. The capital of Utah, so wellchosen for its special purpose, was an unbroken wilderness forty yearsago, but can now boast a population of twenty-five thousand. Under thehands of its present occupants, the whole surrounding valley has beencultivated to a degree of fertility scarcely equaled by the same numberof square miles on the continent. The city proper is laid out in broadstreets intersecting each other at right angles, and which are borderedwith cottonwood trees, forming a pleasant shade; while in every gutter astream of water runs swiftly along, with a rippling sound, fresh fromthe neighboring mountains. Great attention has evidently been paid tosanitary matters, and everything looks neat and clean. The visiblemarvel of the city is the great Mormon temple, or Tabernacle, a buildingcapable of holding and seating over twelve thousand people, the roof ofwhich is self-supporting, and is believed to be the largest one of itscharacter extant. The acoustic properties of this immense structure arealso remarkably perfect, which was proven to us by some curiousexperiments. As to general effect, however, there is no morearchitectural character to the Mormon Tabernacle than to a prairie dog'shole. Its roof resembles nothing so much as a huge metallic dish cover, forming an awkward and prominent feature of the city. 

It is not within our province to discuss in detail the peculiar andabhorrent domestic life of this people, no visible evidence of whichmeets the eye of the casual visitor; though in scanning the features ofthe large audience assembled in the Tabernacle on Sunday, the obviouswant of intelligence in the faces of the women, compared with the men, was certainly striking. One seemed also to read a spirit of discontentor of calloused resignation in some of the better female countenances. Of the thrift, industry, and material success of this community therecan be but one opinion. An important statistical item occurs to us inthis connection which is highly significant. It appears that whileColorado and Kansas spend each one dollar and a tenth, and Nebraska twodollars and a tenth per head on the education of their schoolpopulation, Utah expends but nine-tenths of a dollar for the samepurpose. Upon inquiry it was discovered that polygamy did not at firstform any part of the faith of Mormonism. The originator of the creed, Joseph Smith, never promulgated such doctrine, and possessed but onewife. The "celestial marriage" humbug was first preached by BrighamYoung, in 1852, when he produced a document bearing the above title, pretending that it was revealed to Joseph Smith a year before his death. Smith's widow and son, both surviving, pronounced this to be afalsehood, a pure invention, but Young was too strongly seated in hischair of authority not to be able to carry his point. This "revelation"was incorporated into the Mormon faith by a meeting of the assembleddeacons of the church, and has since become its most prominent feature. Mormon missionaries seek proselytes mostly in Brittany, Scandinavia, Denmark, and Wales, addressing themselves to the most ignorant classes. These poor, half-starved creatures are helped pecuniarily to emigrate, believing that they are coming to a land flowing with milk and honey. Inmost cases any change with them would be for the better; and so theranks of Mormonism are numerically recruited, not from any religiousimpulse in the new disciples, but through the simple desire to bettertheir physical condition in life. No portrait of Mormonism will prove tobe a true likeness which does not depict its twofold features, itsiniquity and its thrift. The conclusion forces itself upon the visitorthat railroads and contact with the world will gradually obliterate theinstitution of polygamy. 

Two days and one night of additional travel brought us to San Francisco, a distance of six hundred miles. We passed through the grandest portionof the Sierra Nevada Mountains between midnight and dawn, but the moonwas near its full, and the sky radiant with starlight; so that, byplacing seats upon the platform of the cars, a fine view of thisremarkable passage was obtained, characterized by deep cañons, wildgorges, lofty wooded peaks, and precipitous declivities, under a mostimpressive aspect. A few specimens of native Indians were seen at SaltLake City, who had come in from the hills to purchase trifles; but afterleaving Ogden more or less of the Shoshones and Piute tribes were to beseen lounging in picturesque groups at nearly every railroad station. Afew also traveled with us short distances in the baggage car, which ismade free to them. The men were dirty, uncouth specimens of humanity, besmeared with yellow ochre and vermilion, dressed in red blankets, andbearing a hatchet in their hands, their only visible weapon. The womenwere dressed in tawdry colors, --striped government blankets and redflannel leggins, with a profusion of colored beads about their necks, and cheap jewelry on fingers and wrists; each one with an infantstrapped in a flat basket to her back. They did not beg ostensibly, butwere ready to receive trinkets, tobacco, pennies, or food. The womenwere very uncleanly in their appearance, their coarse long hair entirelyuncared for, but they were good-natured and smiling, while the men worea morose and frowning expression upon their countenances. War, whiskey, and exposure are gradually but surely blotting out the aborigines. 

We were thus, without any special haste, but twelve days in crossing theAmerican continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on about thefortieth parallel of latitude, the trip having afforded us much quietenjoyment and a great variety of bold and beautiful scenery, too nearhome and too familiar to our readers to dilate upon in these pages. 

San Francisco, with its population of three hundred thousand, is a cityof great commercial wealth, much architectural pretension, andprogressive ideas, affording the traveler the best and cheapest hotelaccommodations in the world. As is well known, it owes its early impetusto the discovery of gold in 1848, but the product of the precious metalhas long since been exceeded more than tenfold in intrinsic value by theagricultural development of the great Pacific region, which finds itsshipping point through the Golden Gate. Though California still producesand sends out into the world at large an average of two millions of goldeach month, still the shining ore is but a secondary consideration inher productiveness, and is also surpassed by her export of wine andfruit. Men who came here with the gold fever, between twenty and thirtyyears ago, gradually recovered from their unwholesome Aladdin-likedreams, and settled down to reap from agriculture and legitimatebusiness surer and more permanent fortunes. The population which soughtits gains in wild and lawless adventure, characterized by all theobjectionable features of rude pioneer life, has gradually given placeto one of a more stable nature, governed by a respect for the laws andthe wise conventionalities of society. There lies a brilliant futurebefore this section of the country, which in grand possibilities defiescalculation; it has passed through its baptism of fire, and, let it behoped, has burned out the dross which is incident to the too rapidgrowth of large communities. 

The territorial importance of California will be most readily presentedby a statement of the facts that, if it lay on the Atlantic shore, itwould extend from Massachusetts to South Carolina; that it is about fivetimes as large as the combined New England States; and that itabsolutely teems with gardens, vineyards, orange, apple, pear, and peachorchards, and vast grain fields. The climate presents most of theadvantages of the tropics, with few of the drawbacks. Hot-houses fordelicate plants are hardly needed in winter, and the fan-palm flourishesas it does at Singapore. 

A visit to that part of San Francisco known as China Town revealed thefact that twenty thousand Chinese were here living in tenements whichwould be insufficient for three or four thousand Americans. They areclearly actuated by the same purpose as that indicated by the motto ofthe home Spaniard who leaves Madrid for Cuba: "Seven years of starvationand a fortune. " The Chinaman hoards nearly all he receives, and in fouror five years can return to his native land with a sum of money which, to him, is an assured independence. They are extremely unpopular withthe citizens of all classes, and not without some good reasons, beingnaturally a filthy race, and in many ways specially offensive. It mustnot be understood that there are only Chinese washermen, laborers, andartisans in the city; there are also responsible merchants, brokers, andmanufacturers belonging to that nationality, wielding considerableinfluence, both among their own people and the citizens at large. Everystreet in China Town has its joss-house or temple, and however low theseMongols are as a race, they never fail to give heed to their professedreligion and its various forms. It is also a fact that crime is lessfrequent in China Town than it is in other parts of the city; anddrunkenness, except insensibility from opium, is scarcely known amongthe Chinese in California. 

Driving in and about the city, one is impressed by the manifest love offlowers exhibited in the front yards of the dwelling-houses, and in thepleasant gardens attached to suburban villas, as well as by the bloomingplants displayed on the window-sills of the homes of all classes. Theadmirably chosen spot for a cemetery, on the rising ground behind thecity, is also finely ornamented with choice trees and flowering shrubs, among which are pines, cypresses, Australian gum trees (evergreen), mimosas, and many other blooming plants, well arranged for good effect. The scarlet geranium here grows six and eight feet high, producing withits brilliant bloom a dazzling effect. The same drive which conducts tothe cemetery, a little further on brought us to a most delightful publicgarden and park combined. Here were broad roads, as smooth and perfectas roads can be made; footpaths leading into inviting groves, beautifullawns relieved by groups of graceful trees, lakes, and fountains, withseveral large ornamental conservatories for the most delicate exotics. The whole formed an exposition of landscape gardening of which any citymight be proud. 

A couple of miles beyond this noble park brought us to the Cliff House, a favorite resort of the people, situated on a high bluff of the Pacificcoast and affording an ocean view only limited by the powers of thehuman vision. Looking due west, no land intervenes between this shoreand the far-off coast of Japan, a distance of five thousand miles, whichwe were destined soon to traverse. Two hundred yards off the shore, justopposite the Cliff, a large rock rises from the sea some hundred feet ormore, upon which scores of sea-lions come out of the water at all hoursof the day to sun themselves, affording a very peculiar and amusingsight. They are of all sizes, weighing from fifty to one thousandpounds, some of the old ones even exceeding this estimate, yetpossessing a muscular power which enables them easily to climb the roughside of the precipitous rock. The half roar, half bark of the herd comeswith harsh discordance upon the ear of the listener at the Cliff. Thelaw of the State protects these sea-lions from all sorts of molestation;so here they quarrel among themselves furiously, suckle their young, tumble into the sea, and thrive and multiply. 

In many respects San Francisco resembles a New England capital, --a verynatural result when we remember that a large percentage of her peopleare natives of these Eastern States. She has copied the Boston schoolsystem almost exactly, and there are few of our oldest cities so wellorganized in this department of progress, though the city is but littleover twenty years of age, dating from the time when she first cameprominently into public notice. Girls and boys are not only afforded themost excellent educational advantages, but a spirit of emulation issuccessfully fostered among them, especially encouraging to theobservant visitor. There is a high school for boys and one for girls, also a Normal school for the education of teachers. San Francisco hasfrom the outset established a fixed reputation, by employing andliberally compensating the best pulpit talent to be had in the country. 

Finding that the steamship in which we were to sail for Japan would bedetained for the period of ten days, it was resolved to improve the timeby a visit to the Yosemite Valley, involving a journey, in the roundtrip, of over six hundred miles, a large portion of which is performedby coach. The time, trouble, and expense were, however, abundantlyrepaid by the experience gained among the wonderful developments ofnature, as exhibited in Alpine scenery and the grandeur of forests whichproduce giant trees over three hundred feet in height and forty indiameter, and which are proven to be over thirteen centuries old. Thecars took us to Madeira, a frontier station to which the broad grainfields of California already extend. From here, early next morning, wetook a four-horse covered wagon to Coarse Gold Gulch to dine, and herewe passed the night on our return, it being a ranch kept by a worthyGerman family. Though the accommodations were rather crude, amplesatisfaction was assured by the cheerful service rendered and thecleanliness which characterized everything. 

We reached Clark's Hotel, located at the foot of the mountains where theabrupt ascent begins, on the evening of the second day after leaving SanFrancisco. Early the next morning the journey was renewed, six horsesnow taking the place of four, which number, with frequent changes, hadbeen quite sufficient on the previous day. The driver who now took us incharge was a large, fine specimen of the mulatto race, and certainly avery excellent whip, steady, and as strong as a Hercules. There are fewpositions which require more skill and vigilance than to safely drive ateam of six horses and a coach full of passengers by the precipitous, winding road over the mountains intervening between Clark's and thelevel of the valley, to enter which a rise of over seven thousand feetmust be achieved. Scarcely had we fairly commenced the upward climb, when it was observed that we had left all signs of human habitationbehind; and soon even fences disappeared, except about the coachcompany's ranches, where we stopped to change horses, in groves of sugarpine and yellow pine trees of great size and beauty. Here we wereliterally surrounded by Nature, which some quaint writer denominatesGod's Old Testament. 

An austere and almost mournful air of loneliness surrounded us, as wecrept higher and higher towards that ethereal blue canopy which hungover the loftiest peaks. All was silence save the rumbling noise of ourconveyance; and when, as was the case at a sudden angle of the windingroad, a large black bear was seen coolly sitting on his haunches, withlistless hanging paws, looking at the stage and its contents, it did notseem at all strange, but quite in keeping with the solitarysurroundings, though some of our horses did exhibit a littlerestlessness. The pistol-like crack of the driver's whip was anintimation to Bruin which he understood, for he slowly dropped into thethick brush and rolled awkwardly away from the roadside. The eye wasnever weary in detecting the natural architecture of the mountainacclivities, which, in the constantly varying scenery, formedamphitheatres like old Roman circuses, and now square battlementedcrags, like crumbling castles on the Rhine, and again a deep, shadyravine of unknown depth, where lonely mist-wreaths rested likesnowdrifts. In the far background were cliffs like oriental minarets, and balled rocks capped like the dome of St. Peter's. 

There were often seen nestling beside the road, struggling for aprecarious existence, frail wild flowers of delicate shades, surroundedby vigorous ferns and creeping vines, showing that Nature has her poeticmoods even among these deserted regions. Now we came upon a crystalstream of water, winding and fretting over a narrow bed of rocks on themountain side, sparkling in the sunshine, as it formed tiny cascades, until presently it lost itself by an artificial culvert under theroadway; but even then it could be heard leaping and tumbling down thedeep abyss on the other side. The horses were familiar with the road, and had confidence in the stout hand that guided them, or they would nothave gone on at such a quiet, unconcerned, uniform gait, close besideabrupt gorges that would have destroyed us all as instantly as a strokeof lightning, were the wheels to diverge but a few inches from thetrack. 

It was interesting to observe the species of trees which characterizedthe several elevations. At one thousand feet nut pines and oaks mingledgracefully together, but at another thousand gradually disappeared, giving place to the lofty yellow pines, added to which the sugar pinewas found at three thousand feet, that in turn dying out at seventhousand feet. Next came the spruce, superbly developed, growing to aheight of two hundred feet; then the white pine, the silver fir, and thearbor vitæ, all thriving luxuriously after their kind. Birds almostentirely disappeared at these altitudes, preferring the more genialwarmth and life of the plains; but now and then an eagle, with broadspread pinions, swooped gracefully from the top of some lonely pine, andsailed, without a flutter of his wings, far away across the depth of thevalley, and was soon lost to sight by the winding of the gorge. Even thepresence of this proud and peculiar bird but emphasized the lonelinessof these silent heights. 

After hours of upward struggle the crowning point was reached. Thedriver remarked, with a flourish of his whip: "It's all down hill fromhere;" soon after which we emerged from the forest road and came to theopen plateau known to tourists as Inspiration Point. Here the firstcomprehensive view of the valley is obtained. We paused briefly tobehold and to realize, as far as possible, such a scene as might neveragain be afforded us. Though we were now at an elevation of over seventhousand feet above the plains, the Yosemite Valley itself, from thispoint, was but about three thousand five hundred feet below us, intowhich we gazed with uninterrupted view. Running nearly due east andwest, it looked small and circumscribed from this great height, but wasreally a gorge of about eight miles in length by two miles in width. Oneither side rose vertical cliffs of granite, varying from four to fivethousand feet in height, the lofty gorges here and there dischargingwaterfalls of transparent beauty. 

The precipitous mountains which wall in the valley are composed ofseventeen distinctive formations, the loftiest of which is Mount StarrKing, 5, 600 feet in height; but the Three Brothers, with an averageheight of less than 4, 000 feet, and Sentinel Dome, 4, 500 feet, are quiteas prominent, so far as the ordinary power of vision goes; while ElCapitan, which is but 3, 300 feet high, seems, from its special position, more striking and effective than the other three. From the gorges aboveand between the precipitous cliffs, eleven falls, of greater or lessmagnitude, come tumbling into the valley, the loftiest of which isSentinel Fall, 3, 000 feet high. To our taste, the fall known as theBridal Veil was the finest of them all in effect, though but a littleover 600 feet in height, or say four times as high as Niagara. The loftyYosemite Fall, over 2, 600 feet, can be seen from the piazza of the hotelto good effect, where one can sit and watch the current of air, whichsweeps up the valley, play fantastic tricks with the broad glitteringsheet of flying water. No pen can adequately describe this scene, and noAmerican who can possibly do so should fail to visit the spot. Theabundant moisture of the locality and the vertical rays of the suncarpet the valley with a bright and uniform verdure, through the midstof which winds the swift flowing Merced River, altogether forming ascene of most entrancing beauty. 

It was not until so late as 1851 that the feet of a white man ever trodthe valley, which for years had proven the secure hiding-place ofmarauding Indians. In their early battles with the savages, the whiteswere often nonplussed by the sudden disappearance of their foes, wholeft no trace behind them, on which occasions, as was afterwardsdiscovered, they fled to the nearly inaccessible Yosemite Valley. Betrayed at last by a treacherous Indian, the tribe was here surprisedand nearly all destroyed; the few remaining warriors were only too gladto make terms at any sacrifice. The name Yosemite, in the native tongue, signifies "Great Grizzly Bear. " There are few residents in the valley, except those connected with the stages that run hither during the summermonths, and with the hotel kept for the accommodation of visitors. Thevegetation is remarkable for its profuseness and almost tropicalluxuriance. A few domestic cattle find rich browsing and good winterquarters, but provisions must be laid in before the fall is over, theplace being inaccessible in winter. 

Our last view, on leaving the valley, was at the sheet of water alreadymentioned as the Bridal Veil, falling from such an immense height thatit becomes in its course gauze-like, almost as thin as lace inappearance, notwithstanding its large body, which is evident enough whenit reaches the rocky bed and joins the Merced, not far away. Around thebase of the cliffs, promoted by the constant moisture, there was anabundant growth of vegetation and especially of ferns, of such size andvariety as is seldom seen out of the tropics. An encampment of nativeIndians was located on the river's bank, under the shade of a grove oftrees, adding to the picturesqueness of the scene during our visit. Thefish and forest game close at hand afforded these aborigines ample food, besides which they had stored for winter use the acorn crop about them, which when ground makes good bread. They were sad looking creatures, farworse than the Spanish gypsies we afterwards saw in Andalusia. TheMerced River, which winds through the valley, rises some twenty milesaway towards the north, fed by the Yosemite Fall, a cataract unsurpassedin height by any other upon the globe. The vertical height of the fallis set down at 2, 550 feet, though it is not composed of oneperpendicular sheet of water. The reader will remember that the landscoming under the general term of the Yosemite Valley have been ceded bythe National Government to the State of California, to be kept in itspresent wild and natural condition for all time. It must not beconsidered anticipatory, in the course of these notes, to say that inno other part of the world have we seen the natural beauty and grandeurof the Yosemite Valley surpassed. 

When we commenced our return from the valley, early in the morning, heavy clouds hung over the mountain tops, but there was no otherindication of bad weather; so we started off and struggled upwards witha stout team of six horses, the gentlemen walking to lighten the loadand expedite the ascent. At the close of the first hour's progress achilliness in the atmosphere called for extra clothing for those whoremained in the coach, and presently a thin mist enshrouded us, cuttingoff all distant view. Up, up we plodded, steadily but slowly, until themist turned to rain and then to hail, sharp and cutting. By the time wehad reached Inspiration Point we were in the midst of a livelysnow-storm. This was not only disagreeable, but dangerous, as itrendered the road slippery and obliterated the wheel tracks; unlessthese were carefully adhered to, we might at any moment be launched intothe ever-threatening abyss. It was late in the season to attempt thepassage, and our party was cautioned as to the risk which was connectedwith the expedition. The regular stages having been taken off for theseason, ours was an extra, improvised for the occasion. Suddenly itbegan to grow lighter; the dark clouds, like the Arabs, folded theirtents, and silently stole away. The sun, the warm, bright, morning sun, shone forth in marvelous splendor. 

What a scene then burst upon our vision!

Pine, and fir, and tall spruce, every tree and shrub, in place ofleaves, had assumed a dress of milk white feathers. How dazzling it was. The eye could hardly bear the strong reflected light. A forest offeathers! We had never seen this effect in such perfection before. Andnow the sun, kissing these feathery sprays with warmth and burningardor, made them blush rosy red, like the cheeks of a young maidenpressed by amorous lips. The feathery robe of the branches was as frailas false modesty, and melted away like good resolutions under strongtemptation, so that in half an hour the snow had entirely disappearedwherever the sun had discovered and visited it. The deep green of theuncovered foliage only sparkled with the dewy moisture that was left, asthough dropping tears of shame at being thus denuded of their gauzyveil. Never shall we forget the varied and beautiful appearance of thefoliage under these rapid changes. It was like a theatrical exhibition, where a nearly transparent scene dissolves before the eyes of theaudience. The sky, before so dark and brooding, was now all smiles; thesun, after its dalliance with the foliage, seemed to have taken newlife; and the atmosphere even became clear and transparent, as it hadhardly been when we came up the other side of the mountain to enter thevalley. 

For a brief time the views were grand and far-reaching as we spedrapidly on our way, descending towards the plain. Undoubtedly it wassafe enough, since accidents seldom happen; but it looked a littlecareless, to one not accustomed to the road, to come down its narrowwinding course, just clearing such frightful chasms, drawn by a team ofsix horses at the full gallop. By degrees the weather changed again intoa sombre mood; the clouds gathered in close array, and began to pelt us, first with hailstones, but, having apparently soon exhausted thesupply, were content to soak us with a deluge of water. But we onlylaughed at this, for had we not accomplished the Yosemite in spite ofprognostications to the contrary, and the assurance that it was too latein the season to attempt it? We were rejoiced now that we had not heededthe stories about people who had, in former seasons, been "snowed in"for weeks. It was nearly night when we reached Clark's, and we were injust the condition to appreciate the big fireplace of the sitting-roompiled with unsawed cordwood, by which we dried our dripping clothes andrehearsed our experiences. 

It not only rained that night, but it poured so that on the followingmorning, when we started for the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, twelvemiles off our regular route, the query arose whether a boat or a wheeledvehicle was the best conveyance for the purpose. We will not attempt togive a detailed account of what has been so often and so well described. Suffice it to say we visited the locality famous for its forestmonarchs, in a quiet glade, thousands of feet up the slopes of theSierra, and viewed those marvels with none the less interest because wewere already familiar with their actual measurement. Our entire team, stage, driver, passengers, and horses, passed through the upright hollowtrunk of one of the mammoth trees, which, though sufficiently decayed toadmit of this, was still possessed of such vitality as to cause it tobear leaves to the topmost branches, three hundred feet above theground. Our attention was called to the curious fact, that althoughthese are the largest known trees in the world, yet their cones are nobigger than walnuts, and their seeds hardly a quarter of an inch inlength. There are trees lying upon the ground in the immediateneighborhood, thrown down by tempests, which are believed to have beengrowing on the spot long before Christ first came upon earth, and otherswhich are satisfactorily proven to have had thirteen hundred years'growth, by their clearly defined annual rings. How immense must havebeen the power required to uproot the huge trunks that lie here andthere, like prostrate giants fallen in a confused fight. There areothers, white with age, and bearing no leaves, but which still firmlyretain their upright position, with outstretched skeleton arms defyingthe tempest. 

We embarked on board the steamship Belgic, of the Occidental andOriental line, from San Francisco, October 10, in a heavy rain storm, amid the usual bustle and commotion attendant upon the departure of alarge passenger ship for a long voyage. Everything looked very cold, very dreary, and very damp, causing our spirits to partake of the samenature, when we realized that for three weeks or more this was to be ourfloating home. With space so circumscribed, ventilation was inadequate, and the cook's galley pungent. Finally the United States mail was passedon deck, the last loiterer was on board, the gangway was hauled on tothe wharf by the stevedores; the engine gave three distressing whistles, not clear and sharp, but asthmatic ones, as though not having clearlymade up its mind to whistle at all; the pilot took his station on thebridge, and the screw began to revolve. The bow-line was let go, so thatthe ship might swing by her stern hawser well clear of the wharf, thenthe order to let go the stern line was shouted, and we had literallybidden good-by to America for many a long month. 

Presently, when we passed through the narrow strait known as the GoldenGate, and laid our course westward, we began to realize that fivethousand miles of ocean flowed between us and the shore towards which wewere steering. One is apt to have some serious reflections on such anoccasion. What lay before us in the many thousand miles of land andocean travel? What perils and experiences were to be encountered? Whocould say that we should all, or indeed any of us, live to return to ourseveral homes? At San Francisco our company was augmented by theaddition of an Englishman, Mr. D----, of London, a stranger to us, butwho came thither to join the party, making our number six in all. 

Hundreds of large white sea-gulls hovered over and about the ship, as welay our course due west. The harbor of Sail Francisco swarms with thesemarine birds, and a score of them followed the ship after the pilot leftus. As we were watching them, an officer of the Belgic remarked: "Theywill follow us across the Pacific;" and certainly that number ofsea-gulls actually appeared to do so, though whether they were alwaysthe same birds, it would be impossible to say. The flight of a sea-gullat times exceeds twenty miles an hour, while the Belgic, at her maximumspeed, scarcely exceeded half that; and thus these swift-wingedcreatures often flew far ahead of the ship, but soon settled back againto watch our wake, from whence they got their food supply. 

There were twenty-five cabin passengers, and about three hundred Chinesein the steerage. The latter were returning home after some years oflabor and saving in this country, for few if any of them emigrate exceptwith a fixed purpose of returning to the Celestial Empire sooner orlater. The purser of the ship informed us that there was not one of themwho had not at least a thousand dollars in specie with him, and many hadthree times that amount, which would be sufficient to support them forlife and without labor in their native land. The same authority assuredus that it did not cost over ten cents a day each to feed these men, they being quite content with boiled rice, three times a day, seasonedwith a little dried fish or curry. Their passage money costs themforty-five dollars each, including food, so there is a liberal marginfor profit to the ship. A careful estimate was made which showed thatthese passengers were taking out of the country over half a million ofdollars in specie, though they had landed on our shores without a dollarin their pockets, and the number returning by the Belgic was below thegeneral average. This proved the complaint of the people of SanFrancisco to be correct so far as figures went, namely, that the Chinesecame to take away what they earned, and that they do not spend any oftheir wages in this country, living on almost nothing and hoarding whatthey receive. Still, there is another side to this case. We mustremember that they leave behind them the result of their labor at least, which in fact represents just so much capital. It is Chinese labor whichhas built the railroads of California, dug her canals, forwarded herpublic works, erected the houses of San Francisco, discharged and loadedher shipping, until she has grown up to her present high position in thepolitical and commercial world. 

Six of our cabin passengers were missionaries, four ladies and twogentlemen, bound to Japan and China; the rest were travelers intent uponbusiness or pleasure. Of these some were seriously prostrated byseasickness, and especially the ladies; but this finally passed away, the greatest sufferers being exempt from it during the last half of thevoyage. The inevitable monotony of our daily life was somewhatoppressive, there being few events to vary it. Occasionally a whale wassighted, throwing up a small column of water, as it rose at intervals tothe surface, and thus marking its course, leading the passengers to somediscussion as to the nature of this monster of the deep, whether it wasproperly a fish at all. A whale can be as surely drowned in the water asa man, but this cannot be said of a fish. A whale differs also in manyother respects from the finny tribe proper. They bring forth livingyoung, they breathe atmospheric air through their lungs, in place ofwater through the gills, having a double heart and warm blood, like landanimals. Their blow-holes on the top of the head answer to the nostrilsof terrestrial animals. Many of these simple facts were quite new tosome of our intelligent companions. 

Flying-fish were frequently seen, queer little creatures with the natureof a fish and the ambition of a bird. Dolphins sometimes played roundthe ship for hours together, and a few hideous man-eating sharks kept inour wake day after day, as if they hoped for a stray victim to tumblefrom the decks and appease their cannibal appetites. The sea-gulls, already mentioned, with tireless pinions followed the ship thousands ofmiles to pick up the refuse from the cook's galley, --the mystery beinghow they could sustain such continuous flight, for though they were seento light upon the water it was but for a moment, and they did not failto keep up with the Belgic in her steady headway. Save the objectsnamed there was nothing to engage the eye except the endless expanse ofwaters, which seemed to typify infinite space. Our course did not lie inthe track of commerce, nor did we sight ship or land from the hour wesank the shores of America until just three weeks later, when thepicturesque coast-line of Japan appeared upon the horizon. It was avoyage of storms and calms combined, sometimes the ocean for days beinglike a small inland lake, and then again in its rage tossing our shipabout as though she were a mere fishing skiff, --the waves often making aclean breach over the hull, thoroughly drenching everything andeverybody who happened to be on deck. 

Persons who have only witnessed a storm in narrow seas, or near thecoast, would be surprised to realize the difference in the waves on thebroad Pacific. The short, chopping sea is changed into long, heavyswells, covering the expanse of waters with vast parallels separated bydeep valleys, the distance from crest to crest being from one hundredand fifty to two hundred feet, when a heavy gale prevails. The height ofthe waves is measured from the trough to the crest, and is of courseconjecture, but in a continuous storm which we realized on board theBelgic was certainly some thirty feet. One aspect was to us an unsolvedproblem: the storm being on our starboard quarter was so nearly aft asto give us some idea of the velocity of the waves, which was clearlymuch greater than that of the ship's progress, and yet they increasedthe speed of the Belgic scarcely at all. That is to say, these wavesexercised little if any propelling force, but seemed to pass under ourkeel, causing the hull to pitch and roll so that it was quiteimpossible to stand without holding on to some substantial fixture. OldGeorge Herbert, in his quaint way, advises people to praise the sea, butto keep on dry land. 

Life on shipboard, as has been intimated, becomes a little trying aftera week or ten days' experience. Tedium and monotony have a tendency tobring out the less amiable characteristics of passengers who are thuscrowded together under peculiar circumstances. Even the most equabledisposition is liable sometimes to exhibit weakness. Where there aremany passengers thorough agreement becomes hardly possible. Hastyconfidences and abrupt prejudices are both the outgrowth of suchenforced association. Reading is a great and intelligent resort at sea, but do not let the student flatter himself that he will find time andopportunity for study. Sea-life is antagonistic to such an idea, and thebest resolves in that direction will end in idleness and disappointment. 

The crew, the waiters, and the cooks of the Belgic were all Chinamen, and it must be admitted that in each capacity the service rendered wasexcellent. It seems to be generally acknowledged that when a Chinamanknows what is required of him, he will faithfully perform the duty, and, entirely unlike most employees, does not need the watchful eye of amaster constantly over him. The ship was well officered by Englishmen, was scrupulously neat and clean; there was no loud talk or reiteratedorders in its management; the effective arm of discipline was felt butnot seen. To observe the Chinese passengers was a source of someamusement. In fine weather they crowded the forward and lower deck aft, not being permitted to infringe upon the cabin-passengers' deck. Theysquatted in picturesque groups round the hatchways much of the time, playing cards and dominoes for very small stakes of money. John is bynature a gambler, and cannot resist its fascination. The dull noxioussmell that permeated their quarters at all times, in spite of enforcedventilation and the well-observed rules of the ship, was often waftedunpleasantly towards our cabins and deck, telling a significant story ofthe opium-pipe, and a certain uncleanliness of person peculiar toAfricans and Mongolians. When the sea became rough and the ship laboredwith the storm, a visible anxiety was depicted on the Mongol faces asthey gathered in groups and gave up all attempts at amusement. On suchoccasions they prepared pieces of joss-paper, bearing some Chinesecharacters, and cast them overboard to appease the presumed anger of thespecial gods who control the sea. 

As we were losing one hour in each fifteen degrees of our course, or, tostate it perhaps more clearly, in each thousand miles of progresswestward, when half round the world from Greenwich twelve hours would belost. It is therefore customary to drop a day in mid-ocean, which we didon crossing the hundred and eightieth degree of longitude west and eastof Greenwich. When the traveler shall have reached Greenwich again onthis course, the remaining twelve hours will be exhausted, and his timewill agree with that of the starting-point. During the voyage two of theChinese passengers died, and were embalmed by the surgeon of the ship. It is a conviction of these people that their soul cannot rest in peaceunless their ashes be buried in their native land. When a Chinaman diesin a foreign country, sooner or later his remains are carried home forinterment. If only the bones are left, they are finally dug up and thusdisposed of by surviving friends. This sort of cargo has formed no smallsource of profit to ships sailing west from San Francisco, bones andbodies being shipped like merchandise. 

As we crept slowly at half speed into the harbor of Yokohama, among themerchant shipping, surrounded by a myriad of little shore-boats, steering in and out through the Russian, English, and Japanesemen-of-war, the twilight was gradually approaching; and when we roundedto, three hundred yards from the shore, under the lee of the UnitedStates sloop-of-war Richmond and let go our anchor, she fired herevening gun. At the same moment her band, in recognition of the flagthat floated from our topmast head, as we carried the American mail, poured forth the strains of the "Star-Spangled Banner" with a thrillingspirit which caused a quick and hearty cheer fore and aft the Belgic. Perhaps it is necessary for one to be thousands of miles from home, andto have just arrived in a foreign port from a long sea voyage, to fullyappreciate this little incident. 

CHAPTER II. 

 Landing in Japan. --Characteristic Street Scenes. --Native Bazars. --Women of Yokohama. --Excursion into the Country. --Visit to Kamakura. --Peculiar Scenes on the Road. --A Wonderful Bronze Statue. --Popular Religions of the Country. --The Hakone Pass. --A Youthful Mother. --Native Jugglers. --Temple of Shiba. --Review of the Soldiery. --Ludicrous Sights. --A Native Fair at Tokio. --A Poor Japanese Woman's Prayer. 

Passengers arriving at Yokohama are obliged to land in small boats, asthere are no wharfs; and vessels, on account of shallow water, anchorhalf a mile off shore. A small steam-tug came for us, and we found verycomfortable quarters at the Windsor Hotel, kept by an American, --alarge, well-organized establishment. The housemaids were little Japanesemen dressed in black tights, but very quick, intelligent, and desirousto please. The servants all spoke English; indeed it is the commerciallanguage of the world, and there are few ports open to commerce where itdoes not form the basis of all business transactions. French is thepolite or court language of many countries, and with these two tonguesat command, one can get along easily in nearly any populous region ofthe globe. 

When Commodore Perry, in 1854, cast anchor with his little fleet ofAmerican men-of-war in the harbor of Yokohama, it was scarcely more thana fishing village, but the population to-day must exceed a hundred andthirty thousand. The space formerly covered by rice fields and vegetablegardens is now laid out in well-built, wide thoroughfares, smoothlymacadamized and faultlessly clean and neat. The town extends along theshore, which is level, but is backed by a half-moon of low, well-woodedhills, among which are the private dwellings of the foreign residents, built after the European style, on the location known as the Bluff. Thetwo principal hotels, the club-houses, and some consular businessresidences, are located on the water-front, a wide thoroughfare known asthe Bund. A deep, broad canal surrounds the city, passing by the largewarehouses and connecting with the bay at each end, is crossed in itscourse by half a dozen handsome bridges. 

Ascending the bluff one gets a fine and extended view, embracing thecity on one side and Jeddo Bay on the other, with a foreground composedof the harbor of Yokohama, where more or less shipping, representingforeign nations, is always to be seen. In the distant west, over seventymiles away, the white, cloud-like cone of Fujiyama can be clearlydiscerned, while close at hand are the charming, villa-like residencesof the European settlers. Towards Mississippi Bay, as it is called, numerous native gardens are to be seen, with cultivated fields ofmillet, cotton, rice, and buckwheat. On getting nearer to them, onediscovers sweet potatoes, egg-plants, and a queer vegetable called thedaicum, of which great use is made by the people. It resembles anelongated turnip, is about as large round as one's wrist, and milkwhite. On the path leading round the base of the bluff were many prettywild-flowers, among which the blooming trefoil and the harebell wereseen intermingled with a large and handsome species of daisy. Thestarwort, a great favorite with the Japanese, was met in abundance. Itwill be remembered that this flower forms part of the Mikado's arms. Itwas November, but the winter sleep of the flowers is brief here, andthere are said to be no days in the year when a pretty bouquet may notbe gathered in the open air. Ferns burst forth in abundance about thebluff, and so great is the variety, that of this special plant, one isconstantly tempted to form a collection. Here and there among theundergrowth were patches of soft, pea-green moss, of a velvety texture, that no cunning of the loom can equal. 

There is a smart, business-like aspect to everything in Yokohama; theimpression upon the stranger is that he is in a wide-awake community. The first business of a traveler upon arriving in a new country is notto look up its history, nor to study its geography or political economy. He should be at least grounded in these already; he follows his naturalinstincts, guided by curiosity, shrewdly watching the out-door lifeabout him, the dress of the people, the architecture of the houses, modes of conveyance, mechanical operations, the fruits, flowers, andshop-windows, and especially the manners of the women, their status asit regards treatment, occupation, and the respect accorded to them. Nothing is so sure a keynote or test of civilization and progress asthis. We do not look to see women receive, even in Europe, much less inthe East, such chivalric deference and respect as are shown to them inAmerica, but the nearer any people imitate us in this respect, the moreadvanced will they be found in the other refined amenities of sociallife. 

In this commercial capital of Japan everything struck us as curious, every fresh step afforded increased novelty, every new sight was arevelation, while all about us were tangible representations of theimpossible pictures of the cheap fans, the lacquered ware of commerce, and the school books. The partial nudity of men, women, and children, the extremely simple architecture of the dwelling-houses, thevegetation, the extraordinary salutations between the common people whomet each other upon the streets, the trading booths or bazars, and thequeer, toy-like articles which filled them, children flying kites in theshape of hideous yellow monsters, each subject became a fresh study. Menpropelling vehicles like horses between the shafts, and trotting off ata six-mile pony gait while drawing after them one or two persons withease, was at first a singular aspect to a stranger. So were the nakedcoolies, by fours, bearing heavy loads of merchandise swung from theirshoulders upon stout bamboo poles, while they shouted a measured chantby which to keep step. No beggars were seen on the public streets, thepeople without exception seeming neat and clean in their remarkablyscanty covering. 

The houses were special examples of neatness and of toy-like size, beingseldom more than twenty feet square. All persons, foreigners or natives, took off their shoes before entering upon their delicately-lacquered orpolished floors. This we not only did out of respect to the universalcustom of the country, but because one did not feel like treading uponthose floors with nailed heels or soiled leather soles. The convictionwas forced upon us that such universal neatness and cleanliness mustextend even to the moral character of the people. A spirit ofgentleness, industry, and thrift was observable everywhere, impartingan Arcadian atmosphere. We saw at first no domestic animals except atailless cat, with an attempt at that appendage, which was a decided andignominious failure. These creatures were frequently tied to the housedoor like a dog, but for what purpose who can say? A cat confined afterthat fashion elsewhere would strangle itself directly. Later on we sawspecimens of the curious lap-dogs of the country, so diminutive as to bequite remarkable, and which were highly prized, though one could see nobeauty or attraction in their snub noses and big, bulging eyes. Greatcare is taken in the breeding of these oddities, which at theirperfection are thoroughly useless. Some dwarfing process is employed, asthey do not exceed ten inches in length when full grown. 

Cows' milk is unknown among the natives, though the universal drink istea without sugar, and by no means strong. The general food is rice andvegetables seasoned with dried fish, but no meats. Some domestic fowlswere seen, not in abundance, and the eggs are used for domesticpurposes. Doubtless the fowls are also eaten, but the average Japaneseis satisfied with rice and vegetables, adding the inevitable cup of teathree or four times a day. Women carry their children lashed to theirbacks like American Indians, and thus encumbered perform field labor ordomestic work, without seeming in the least to realize their doubletask. The elder children carry the younger ones in the same manner, going about their play with a load on their backs that would stagger aYankee child. This we found to be a universal custom both in town andcountry, while the great multiplicity of young children was a constantsubject of surprise. The married women shave off their eyebrows andblacken their teeth as evidences of wifehood, the effect being hideous, which indeed is the wife's professed object; and, like the ancientGrecian ladies, they count their age from the time of marriage, not fromthe time of birth. The ideas of strangers as to the proprieties aresometimes severely outraged; but habit and custom make law, and men andwomen bathe promiscuously in the public baths, --notwithstanding whichthere is a spirit of delicacy and good breeding among them, in itself aspecies of Christianity. Windows are glazed with rice paper in place ofglass, and the light is really but little impeded, though one cannot seethrough the paper, all of which circumstances fix themselves on thememory. 

The pictures and authorities relative to Japanese life which one hasaccepted as authentic have not quite prepared the traveler for the factsand experiences which crowd upon him, when among this very interestingrace. The actual embodiment of the people, their manners and customs, together with the local surroundings, are all so different from thepreconceived ideal, that everything comes with the force of a surprise. Figure, physiognomy, costume, nudity, --one is not quite prepared foranything; all is like a fresh revelation. Once brought face to face withJapanese life, our fabric of anticipation tumbles to pieces like a houseof cards. Everything is unique. There is no criterion for comparison. Nothing but personal observation quite reconciles one with the mannersand customs of a race, powerfully individualized by the isolation ofcenturies. The generally accepted idea that the Japanese resemble theChinese in their lives and habits is entirely erroneous, the markeddifferences between them extend into all the relations of life. Especially is this the case as to courtesy and civility, qualities whichcost nothing, but which buy everything. 

A visit to the curiosity bazars, or curio-shops, as they are called, isone of the first excursions of the newly-arrived tourist. The Japanesehave quickly discovered to what European and American tastes run, andthey can manufacture antiquities as rapidly as purchasers can be found. In the line of antique bronzes they especially excel; and as to oldchina, from four to five centuries of age, it is now turned out by thewheelbarrow load daily at Yokohama, from half-a-dozen establishments. Ofcourse there are some genuine pieces, though rare, and the pricescharged for such are almost prohibitory. Well made, substantiallacquered ware takes the place of nearly all other for domesticutensils. China and glass are far too brittle and perishable for commonuse among the people. When strangers appear, the china is produced, andthe universal tea served in it. 

There are two streets in Yokohama known as Honcho-dori and Benten-dori, where the stranger will find an extensive collection of bricabrac, aswell as other fine goods. It is amusing to examine the old spears, swords, daggers, bronzes, and astoundingly ugly carved idols. There arestores also devoted to lacquer, china, porcelain, and satsuma ware, notancient, but choice, elegant and new patterns, far more desirable to ourtaste than the cracked and awkward specimens held at prices equal totheir weight in gold. The former speak for themselves, the latter can beand are constantly imitated. The reason that so many swords and daggersare for sale, and at prices for which it would be impossible tomanufacture them, is because the army has discarded the native weaponsand adopted European arms. So the junk-dealers and curio-shops have theformer supply of the army. The Japanese sword is remarkably welltempered, and will cut through a copper penny without turning its keenedge, this being the usual test of its quality. In these streets thereare also some fine silk and lace stores, with many choice articles ofladies' wear, embracing very fine specimens of native silk industry. TheJapanese trader has got the trick of asking twice as much as he iswilling finally to take for his goods, but there are also some of theseestablishments where the one price system is honestly observed. As arule, however, all through the cities, the price at first asked for anarticle need not be taken by the purchaser as any real criterion of itsvalue. Strangers would do well to engage the services of a resident whomthey can trust, when they go upon a shopping expedition; otherwise theresult of their bargains will probably be anything but satisfactory, when the goods are received at home and prices considered. All buyingand selling in the East seems to be a sort of warfare, where each partyendeavors to take advantage of the other. In China it is much more sothan in Japan. Main Street, as the name indicates, is the principalthoroughfare, quite Europeanized, mostly improved for stores andoffices, and containing at the northwest end the town hall, telegraphand post offices. 

A ride in a jinrikisha, a small man-propelled chaise, afforded us otheragreeable surprises. The loveliness of the hills and valleys, sodelicate and diminutive compared with our late Yosemite experience, seemed more like fairy land than reality, making one crave the pencil ofan artist to depict them. In little plots adjoining the small, frailnative houses, various cultivated flowers were observed, among whichchrysanthemums and occasionally roses were to be seen; also a species offuchsia, bearing a bell-like blue and scarlet flower. The foliage of thetrees, and especially of the feathery bamboo groves, was very beautiful, while the specimens of the various pines, yews, and arbor vitæ were manyof them odd and new to us. The leaves and minor branches of the pinesseemed to emulate the alphabetical characters of the Japanese language, growing up, down, and inward, after their own eccentric will. The teafields, mostly located upon side hills with favorable exposures, were infull bloom, looking as though there had been a fall of snow, and theflakes still rested on the delicate tips and branches. Far away and allaround were yellow rice fields, heavy with the milk-white grain, thebroad acres undulating gracefully beneath the pressure of the passingbreezes. The abundant wild flowers were vivid in color and fantastic inshape, nearly all unknown to us, save now and then an azalea, an iris, or some single-leaved representative of the rose family. 

In the houses which we entered--all are open; there are no fasteningsupon dwelling-houses in Japan--we found neither chairs nor tables, thepeople all sitting, eating, and sleeping upon the floors, which were asneat and clean as a newly-laid table-cloth. The humility and deferenceof all classes was quite disconcerting, for when we entered or departedfrom a house, the host, hostess, and children bowed their heads untiltheir foreheads touched the floor. Japanese women, both in features andgeneral appearance, are far from prepossessing, but we were told therewere marked exceptions among the people of rank. The exclusiveness anddebased condition of the sex produces a shyness and diffidence veryprejudicial to their appreciation by strangers. The eyes of the women, though elongated, are not nearly so much so as those of the Chinese, thefeatures being more open in expression, and devoid of a certain cunningalmost always observable in the face of a Chinese woman. 

Japanese women give the greatest attention to dressing their ebon-blackhair. None are so poor or humble as to forget this inexpensiveornamentation. Nature has endowed them with a profusion of covering forthe head, and they wear no other. It is not very fine, to be sure, butalways black as ink, long and heavy, and when arranged in their peculiarstyle, with broad-spread puffs, like old-fashioned bow-knots, it forms avery striking exhibition of head-gear, shining with oil and sparklingwith flashy hair-pins. When once disposed to the wearer's satisfaction, the hair is not disturbed for several days, and is almost the onlyevidence of personal vanity which they exhibit, as they wear no otherornaments in the form of jewelry. The pillow of which they make use atnight, when sleeping, is calculated to preserve the well-greased andplastered tresses in good order, being nothing more nor less than acurved piece of wood upon which the neck rests rather than the head andfrightfully suggestive of an execution block. 

Here and there, upon the roadside, shrines and holy niches were oftenobserved, approached generally by a flight of stone steps, on ahill-side, looking very old and moss-grown. Upon these were placedconsecrated idols, or religious emblems of peculiar character, calculated in our uninitiated eyes to provoke mirth rather thanreverence. The principal object was usually a sitting figure in stone, wood, or metal, gilded, and more remarkable for contortion of features, multiplicity of arms, and obesity of body, than for any othercharacteristic, visible or symbolical. Fertility of soil was manifesteverywhere, each square foot of earth bearing its tribute of rice, millet, or vegetables, the rice crop predominating. The fertilizingprocess is strictly observed and appreciated here, being the enrichmentof the soil almost universally applied in liquid form. 

A trip to Kamakura, fifteen or eighteen miles from Yokohama, and nearwhere is located the wonderful statue of Dai-Butsu, was one affordingmuch satisfaction. We traveled by jinrikishas, the men drawing usthither, one passenger in each vehicle, in three hours and a half, andback again towards night in the same length of time. The road is mostlylocated along the sea-coast, or rather in sight of it, so that in manyplaces the ocean comes in to give additional interest and beauty to thescenery of green valleys, well-wooded hills, and richly tilled land, Fujiyama, the one volcanic mountain of Japan, nearly always in sight. Rarely is such rich and varied vegetation to be seen, combined withbeautiful outlines of hill-side and mountain top, here covered with aninfinite variety of firs. The ancient town of Kamakura was once thepolitical capital of the country, but is now composed of only a fewstraggling tea-houses or small inns, and half a dozen native dwellings. Here is the famous and deeply interesting Shinto temple of Hachiman, one of the deified heroes of Japan. Some of the trees which clusterabout it are a thousand years old; while within the structure arehistorical emblems, rich, rare, and equally old, composed of warlikeimplements, sovereign's gifts, ecclesiastical relics, bronzes ofpriceless value, and the like. Time consecrates; and what is gray withage becomes religious, says Schiller. The temple is built upon a loftyplateau, reached by climbing many broad stone steps, slippery, moss-grown, and of centuries in age. Here was pointed out a fine, loftyspecimen of the umbrella tree, of the pine family, with broad leaves ofa deep green. The general form was conical, with branches and leaves sodense as to hide the stem. 

Less than two miles from this temple is situated the great Buddha image, composed of gold, silver, and copper, forming a bronze figure of greatsize, nearly sixty feet in height, within which a hundred persons maystand together, the interior being fitted as a small chapel. A vastnumber of little scraps of paper, bearing Japanese characters, flutteredfrom the interior walls of the image, plastered there by pious pilgrimsas prayers to the presiding deity. As the door was opened for us toenter and was closed again, these scraps rustled in the agitatedatmosphere like an army of white bats, producing a puzzling effect untilour eyes became accustomed to the dim light, and the cause was apparent. 

This famous and sacred figure is certainly as remarkable as the Sphinx, which so gloomily presides over the sandy desert lying at the feet ofthe great Pyramids. As a work of art, perhaps its only merit consists inthe calm dignity of expression and repose of features which are socolossal. It is many centuries old, --certainly six hundred years; andhow such an enormous amount of bronze metal was ever cast, or how set upin such perfect shape when finished, no one can say. We are told that itwas formerly covered by a temple, long since mouldered to dust; but itis certainly none the less effective and impressive, as it now sitssurrounded by the natural scenery and the thick woods. Were not thegroves God's first temples? Guide-books have not yet invaded the farEast, or we should be told how many square inches of bronze is containedin the Dai-Butsu figure, and how many ounces it weighs; statisticsconcerning which we felt a most sublime indifference, while we gazedupon its combined and wonderful effect. 

The glorious old temple of Hachiman, already spoken of, is a sort ofJapanese Mecca for pilgrims from all parts of the country; though whenwe were there, wandering among its lofty and sacred groves, wending ourway over its well-worn stone steps and causeways, by its lotus-ponds andheavy-eaved shrines, there were no other visitors. A strangely solemnsilence impressed us, until our very voices seemed to be echoed backwith a mysterious significance. The shaded and pleasant paths are keptin perfect order, swept clear of every falling leaf or broken twig, showing that care and a sense of responsibility is not wanting. Althoughthese temples are built of wood, so carefully have they been kept, theyappear as fresh and bright to-day as though a single decade only hadpassed since they were finished, instead of a thousand years. A largebody of priests reside upon the spot, and are in constant attendance, supported by the offerings of the semi-annual pilgrims who come from thesouth in large bodies, as well as by the contributions of devoutvisitors from neighboring cities. 

It is well to mention in this connection that the prevailing religionsof Japan are Shinto and Buddhism, each, however, being sub-divided intomany sects. The Shinto may be said to be indigenous to the country, andis also the official religion, being largely a form of hero worship;successful warriors are canonized as martyrs are in the Roman Catholicchurch. The Buddhist faith is borrowed from the Chinese, and wasintroduced about the sixth century. There may be any diversity of creedsamong a people, extending even to idolatry. Creeds never came fromheaven, but morality is the same in Christian or heathen lands, becauseit is of God. It is singular that two nations located so near to eachother, both of Asiatic race, and with so many important features incommon, should have for two thousand years maintained a policy of entireisolation towards each other, though they are now good friends as wellas neighbors. This is more remarkable when we remember that a thousandyears before the Japanese borrowed from China their written characters, religion, and philosophy. As to the language of Japan, it is composed, as popularly written, of the Chinese and Japanese combined, --the fiftyChinese characters being so intimately interwoven with the originalJapanese as to form a medley of the two. Modern authors freely use bothin the same sentences, and indeed the characters of both languages oftenappear in the same line. 

It is rather deductions than detail which we propose to record in thesepages, and though many excursions were made, a minute description ofthem would prove tedious. Places were pointed out to us here and there, where large and populous cities once stood in eligible spots, but whereno ruins marked the place. A dead and buried city in Europe, or even inIndia, leaves rude but almost indestructible remains to mark where greatcommunities once built temples and monuments, and lived and thrived, like those examples of mutability, Memphis, Pæstum, Cumæ, or Delhi, butnot so in Japan. At first it seemed strange that a locality where half amillion of people had made their homes within the period of a centuryshould now present the aspect only of fertile fields of grain. But whenit is remembered of what ephemeral material the natives build theirdwellings, namely, of light, thin wood and paper, utter disappearanceceases to be a surprise. It is a curious fact that this people, contemporary with Greece and Rome at their zenith, who have only rearedcities of wood and temples of lacquer, have outlived the classic nationswhose half-ruined monuments are our choicest models. The Hellenic andLatin races have passed away, but Japan still remains without a dynasticchange and with an inviolate country. 

One of our excursions carried us to the Hakone Pass. Miyanoshita is alittle hamlet, lost as it were among the hills, yet famous for itsbeautiful scenery and natural hot-baths, accessible only by a difficultmountain-pass which, having become belated, we ascended by torch-light. It proved to be quite a climb, especially under the adversecircumstances of a heavy rain, which impeded the narrow path withminiature torrents; but with the advent of a clear, bright morning whichfollowed, we looked back upon the long, laborious, and even painfulstruggle up the steep and narrow defile, as a mere episode to heightenafter enjoyment, and so it seems now in the memory. Happy the provisionof nature which leads us to recall more vividly the sunshine than theshadows of our experience!

Miyanoshita is a very lovely spot, a picture of complete isolation andrepose. Here a good hotel, almost American in its excellence andcomfort, is to be found, replete with cleanliness, and surrounded byornamental grounds after the Japanese style. There were rockeries, overwhich tumbled mountain rivulets; ponds with gigantic gold and silverfish, which seemed to be always hungry and inclined to breed a famine byeating any amount of bread; pretty miniature bridges spanned water-waysand formed foot-paths about the grounds. There were novel floweringplants, and some remarkable specimens of dwarf trees, over which thenatives expend endless care and labor, together with examples of curiousvariegated leaves, one of which had zigzag golden stripes upon a darkgreen base. This hotel among the mountains was two stories high, anunusual thing for a Japanese house; but it had only rice-paper windows, and thin sliding panels in place of doors or partitions. If desired, awhole story could be thrown into one apartment, or subdivided atpleasure into cozy little sleeping-rooms. All material, all food, wasbrought hither up that pitiless path on the backs of mountaineers. People who do not feel able, or who are not inclined to go up the passon foot, are carried up in kagos, as was the case with two of our littleparty. The kago is a sort of palanquin borne on the shoulders of fourstout men, the path being impracticable even for mules; but were it lesssteep and wider, the Japanese have no mules. 

When we came down that five-mile reach by daylight, we saw and realizedall the beauties which had been hidden from us under the inky cloak ofnight during the toiling ascent. The scenery was lovely, sometimesgrand, often fantastic; and for the first time we heard the clearringing notes of the little Japanese nightingale. Watching theexquisitely feathered bamboos in green clusters, camellias on treesthirty feet high, the tall, slim, but graceful pines, the rocks fringedwith lichens and mosses, mingled with the rarest of ferns, fresh andbright after the rain, kept the eye busy with delight. Now and then wegathered the delicate maiden-hair ferns for a backing, and made bouquetsfrom the white, blue, and pink wild flowers that bloomed by the wayside. They were not fragrant, though among them were blue-eyed violets, butthey were beautiful as they were frail. Deep gorges lined the way, hereand there relieved by sunny slopes of soft, bright green; while themusic of a tumbling cascade, hidden by the dense wood, occasionally fellupon the ear. The sweet morning air was both a physical and mentaltonic. All was so enjoyable, so inspiring, that the ladies broke forthin carols like the very birds among the branches. 

After reaching the foot of the mountain we found our jinrikisha men, each with his little chaise, ready to trot off for Yokohama, aboutthirty-five miles distant. Along the road, as we progressed, evidencesmet the eye of fine agricultural results; the fields and meadows werecultivated to the highest point, entirely by hand. No plows are used;every foot of the soil is spaded by men and women. We were told that itwas rather late in the season for the cotton to remain unharvested, butthe thrifty fields showed us an abundant crop of the yellow-whitevegetable fleece, in little balls like Marshal Niel roses. The absenceof domestic cattle was conspicuous. A few cows and sheep, browsing hereand there, would have completed a delightful picture of rural life. Occasionally, when the men stopped at a wayside tea-house for a cup oftheir simple beverage, the only stimulant or refreshment they desired, we walked on in advance of them, observing the snowy head of Fujiyama, the pride of Japan, and which every native artist is sure to introduceinto his pictures, no matter where located. 

As we passed near a humble cottage, a youthful mother was observed atplay with her little nude, brown baby. It lay upon its back on the greensward with wild flowers clutched in either tiny fist, itself only ablossom of humanity, crowing and laughing at its mother's pranks, as shekneeled over it. It was difficult to say which exhibited the morepleasure in the occupation. The Japanese become mothers frequently atfourteen, and here was one who was certainly no older, as brown andnearly as naked as her baby. We had surprised her at this maternal game, and she rose to her feet folding her hands before her, while lookinghalf abashed at the passing strangers. It was a pretty tableau. 

As we dashed over the smooth road at a lively pace the glowing sunsetpainted scarlet the white turbaned head of the distant mountain, whileit bronzed and gilded the clouds in the west. Opal fires burned all overthe sky, as the twilight threw its amber hues about us, and presentlythe men halted, each taking out a funny little painted paper lanternfrom under the seat, and lighted a candle inside of it, which they hungon the end of the shafts. We went on then along the narrow way in aprocession of six jinrikishas, the men on the full jump; for theapproaching lights of the city inspired them to extra exertion, and theyshouted cries of encouragement and emulation to each other, and pressedforward with increased speed. Altogether it was a very characteristicscene, as we rolled into Yokohama at a mad gallop that night, returningfrom the Hakone Pass. 

As a rule, one has little patience with the foreign jugglers who annoyand importune travelers to witness performances of snake-charming, sleight of hand, and deceptive tricks generally, to the sound of a fifeand drum, but we witnessed one exhibition at Yokohama in the open air, which was remarkable, not for any mystery about it, but as showing towhat degree of adroitness and skill the human hands may be trained bypatient practice. The performer was a middle-aged man who had justclosed a series of the stereotyped tricks before the British Consulate. It was a new exhibition to us, though one that is well known, and whichwe saw indifferently imitated afterwards in China. As has been said itwas out-of-doors, but the air was perfectly still. The performer took asheet of thin white paper, and tearing it so as to obtain two smallsquare bits, each an inch and a half in size, he rapidly twisted them soas to rudely represent butterflies, and tossed them into the air. Instantly drawing a fan from his girdle and spreading it, he kept themsuspended by its action in so remarkable a manner that it seemed asthough they must possess individual vitality. They were not permittedto separate any great distance from each other, but the delicate forceof the fan was so scientifically applied as to guide them sometimesfrom, and sometimes towards each other, now fluttering aloft as thoughpursuing some object, then turning together as in a loving embrace, andagain separating, so that it was a marvel how the same hand could impartthe dual motion. Presently they were made to light upon an object closeat hand, the arm of one of the group of spectators, then dexterously torise again. But, most difficult of all, they would rest for an instanton the tip of the fan itself, until promptly aided by the performer'sbreath, the bits of paper were again launched into the air to go on withtheir gyrations. The adroit performer never for one moment took his eyesoff the artificial insects: it would have broken the charm at once. Inusing the fan, the juggler seemed scarcely to exert the muscles of thearm at all. The effort came from the wrist, as an adroit swordsmanhandles his weapon. Years of patient practice must have been required toenable that man to impart vitality to bits of paper in such anextraordinary manner. 

Tokio, the political capital of Japan, is situated about twenty milesfrom Yokohama, and November 3d, being the Mikado's birthday, we wentthither to see him review the local troops. A large field near thecitadel was chosen for the display, and all Tokio turned out to witnessit, forming about as conglomerate a mass of humanity as can be conceivedof; brilliant in its array of brightly dressed and painted women, notladies, for Tokio, like Paris, has its _demi-monde_. The number ofbabies present was amazing. There were young mothers with their infantsstrapped to their backs, and old women with their grandchildrenfastened to theirs. Each young boy and girl of nine or ten years had ababy brother or sister secured to his or her back, and there were menwith babies in their arms, though this is unusual in Japan. The infantryamong the spectators outnumbered the infantry in the field. No matterwhere one goes, on the coast or inland, the extraordinary number ofyoung children forms a marked feature. 

There were about five thousand men in line, representing the severalarms of the service, all dressed in European costume, and mostlyofficered by foreigners. The Mikado reviewed the troops on horseback indue form, and made a very good appearance accompanied by awell-appointed suite. The military display, being conducted uponimported ideas, was very like such a ceremony in America, save that thecavalry was small in numbers, riding upon the merest caricatures ofhorses, --ponies about the size of Newfoundland dogs; but what theylacked in size they made up in viciousness, so that it was about all thegallant cavalry could do to keep in their saddles. Indeed, many of themcame to grief, spread out like galvanized bullfrogs upon the greensward, while their horses scampered off the field. 

Tokio must contain over half a million of people. There is said to beover a million, but this may be doubted, though geographically it coversmore ground than London. It is well laid out, with broad streets andgood roads, and has a thorough police arrangement, having adoptednumerous European and American ideas. The city is intersected by manycanals and river courses, one bridge especially attracting ourattention, the Bridge of Japan, which is to this country what thegolden mile-stone was in the Forum at Rome: all distances throughout theempire are measured from it. The review having taken place in the earlymorning, we had a large portion of the day to visit places of interestin the town. Among these was the renowned temple of Shiba, which is oversix centuries in age, composed of numerous kiosk-like buildings, lookingmore like immense lacquered jewel cases than anything else. There aremany broad walks and courts, and stone pillars for lanterns, lofty treesand sacred tombs, for here lie buried most of the by-gone Tycoons. Thetemple portion of this vast space contains a great amount of gold, silver, bronze, and carved articles, the intrinsic value of whichaggregates millions of dollars. Where could such an accumulation ofwealth come from? History knows nothing of the importation of theprecious metals, though it is true they are found in more or lessabundance all over the country. Copper of the best and purest quality isa native product, the exportation of which is prohibited, and mining forthe precious metals is carried on to but a very limited extent. Thetemple of Shiba is located near the centre of the population, occupyingmany acres of ground, walled in and shaded by a thick growth of trees, whose branches are black with thousands of undisturbed rooks andpigeons. The principal characteristic of the architecture is itsboldness of relief, overhanging roofs, heavy brackets and carvings. Thedoors are of bronze, in bas-relief. 

After visiting the temple of Shiba we took jinrikishas to that sectionof the suburbs known as Atago-Yama, a hill from which we were promised afine view of the city. Here a steep flight of a hundred stone stepswere ascended, which led to the summit, where were found sometea-booths, tended by fancifully dressed Japanese girls, and a smalltemple with sacred birds and horses. The temple required a strong effortof the imagination to invest it with the least interest, but the viewfrom this point was fine. A couple of miles southeasterly was the broad, glistening Bay of Tokio, and round the other points of the compass wasthe imperial city itself, covering a plain of some eight miles square, divided by water-ways, bridges, and clumps of graceful trees, loomingconspicuously above the low dwellings. The whole was as level as achecker-board, but yet there was relief to the picture in the fine opengardens, the high, peaked gable roofs of the temples, and the broad, white roadways. 

At a subsequent visit to the city we attended a fair held in the groundssurrounding one of the many temples of Tokio, giving it a half-secular, half-religious character; but the whole exhibition, as to any coherentpurpose, was quite incomprehensible to a foreigner. Enormous paperlanterns covered with blue and yellow dragons, and other impossiblecreatures, with small bodies and big heads, hung over the grounds in alldirections. We were told that these would be lighted at night, andglaring fire would be seen coming out of the eyes of these dragons! Thetemple was gaudily decorated for the occasion with bold and vulgarcaricatures, mingled most incongruously, the sacred with the profane. The priests were propitiating the idols inside the temple with drums, fifes, and horns, while the pleasure and trading booths were doing athriving business outside. The confusion was very great all over thecrowded inclosure. Old and young men were flying kites, some wereshooting at a mark with bows and arrows, and some were beating tom-tomsvigorously. 

There was a show of wax figures in one of the booths, illustrating aterrible murder, and another of figures constructed of flowers, similarto immortelles. These last were certainly curious, and with swords andspears placed in their hands were supposed to represent warriors of thebravest type. Japanese art has much of the Chinese element in it, and isapt to culminate in dragons with half human countenances. There were anumber of these graceful beings in the show. There were also inclosureswhere dwarf trees in pots were exhibited, some actually bearing naturalsized fruit, like a baby with a man's hat on its head; beside these weresingular specimens of blooming plants. In another inclosure were strangebirds: green pigeons, Chinese pheasants, and parrots that lookedartificially painted, so very odd was their plumage. There were cakes, candy, and fruit for sale, and men, women, and children devouring them. 

In another department near at hand, there was exhibited china ware andJapanese toys and curiosities, and our party "invested. " The guide couldnot make us understand what all this meant, but it was a "fair, " thatwas plain enough, and he gave it the English name. The natives were verymuch in earnest, and worked hard to achieve a good time. At such anexhibition and miscellaneous out-door gathering nearly anywhere elsethere would have been sure to be many individuals present more or lessunder the influence of spirituous liquors, and a squad of policemenwould naturally be in attendance. Here there was not the least evidenceof inebriety or of quarrelsomeness, and certainly no police werepresent. There was a child-like satisfaction depicted on the faces ofthe crowd, showing that the people were very easily controlled andamused. 

As we stood watching this gay and singular scene, a sad-faced Japanesewoman, of a youthful figure, passed up to the temple, without heedingany one of the crowd about her, and pinned a small scrap of paper on oneside of the altar, among many other similar tokens. Then we wonderedwhat her prayer might be, as she retired quietly from the spot. Was it apetition for forgiveness of sins, or asking consolation for some greatbereavement? Be it what it might, tendered sincerely, though in thatblind and simple form, it doubtless won as certain response as theformal devotion of the most pronounced Christian. 

CHAPTER III. 

 Foreign Influence in Japan. --Progress of the People. --Traveling Inland. --Fertility of the Soil. --Grand Temples and Shrines at Nikko. --The Left-Handed Artist. --Japanese Art--City of Kobé. --Kioto and its Temples. --Idol Worship. --Native Amusements. --Morals in Japan. --Lake Biwa. --Osaka on a Gala Day. --The Inland Sea. --Island of Pappenburg. --The Tarpeian Rock of Japan. --Nagasaki. --Girls Coaling a Ship. --National Products. 

Realizing the obtuseness of the Japanese in all matters relating toreligion, it seems strange that the national government permits ourmissionaries, and those from other Christian countries, such free scope, even employing them to educate classes in English, formed of the youngmen of the country. Some writers have lately spoken of an organizedpersecution of Christians as existing in Japan to-day. This we cannotabsolutely controvert, but it was a subject of inquiry with us indifferent sections of the country, and an entirely different conclusionwas the result of all we could learn. There can be no doubt that aninclination to conform to the American model in government and habits oflife is rapidly growing in Japan. Every returning youth who has beeneducated in the United States, or even in Europe, where many are sentfor the purpose, becomes on his return an active agent to this end. 

It is especially observed that these youths come back wearing theAmerican costume, and they continue to do so, rather priding themselvesupon it as a mark of self-respect and distinction. A very earnestdesire to acquire the English language is evinced by the middlingclasses especially in the sea-ports. Yet it is an open question with nota few intelligent people of Yokohama, where we heard the subject freelydiscussed, whether foreign commerce and foreign intercourse, all thingsconsidered, have been of any real advantage thus far to Japan. Trade hasbroken in upon the quiet habits of a people who were living in greatsimplicity, and has excited desires and artificial wants heretoforeunknown to them. It has made the cost of living much greater, and aspirit of unrest universal, without elevating or improving the people toany appreciable extent. All this in a certain degree is undoubtedlytrue. At present the common classes are satisfied with the most moderatecompensation for their services, and living, lodging, and transportationare cheap enough. As the Japanese become better acquainted with foreigntaste and extravagance they will undoubtedly become contaminated andgrow extortionate. 

A pleasant excursion of a hundred miles inland, with Nikko as theobjective point, enabled us to get some idea of posting with Japaneseponies, which are the most nervous and vicious little creatures of theirspecies upon the face of the globe. One little rogue required six men toharness him, and then was dragged forward by his mate for a longdistance. The driver, however, finally got the animal into a run, andkept him at that pace until the close of the stage, and another changetook place. The fact is, a horse, on the dead run, has not much time tobe vicious, but is obliged to go straight ahead by the simple force ofcircumstances. 

Two thirds of the national road between Tokio and Nikko is lined oneither side by large and ancient cedars, so thickly set that both bodyand roots, in many instances, have mingled and become one. These trees, completely overarching the narrow road, form a welcome shade, and arealso very ornamental, with their straight shafts and thick foliage. Thefirst half of the distance to Nikko is perfectly level, in fact one vastrice field. The journey was divided by stopping at Utsonomiga, where wepassed the night in a native tea-house. Our sleeping arrangements werevery simple. A Japanese bed consists of a thin cotton mattress spreadupon the floor, and a similar article with big sleeves for the arms, which forms the covering. The pillow is a block of wood, for which theexperienced traveler usually substitutes his valise. There is not muchprivacy afforded by the paper screens which divide the severalapartments, and which prove to be no obstacle to conversation, if onedesires a colloquy with his neighbor. Our night-lamp was a floatingwick, in a cup of cocoanut oil, placed in a square paper lantern onlegs. The morning toilet was made at a basin of water in the opencourt-yard. There are no chairs, tables, or wash-stands, unless youimprovise them. However, we had a very good night's rest, and startedoff bright and early in the morning for Nikko. 

One is impressed with the manifest fertility of the soil and the highcultivation it receives at the hands of the farmers; and this must becharacteristic of a country which, as is shown by government statistics, with but eleven millions of acres under cultivation, feeds and clothesthirty-five millions of people; besides there are twenty-five millionpounds of tea, three million pounds of raw silk, and thirty-fivemillion pounds of rice exported annually. The population must constantlybe on the increase. All along this finely shaded road neat farm-houseswere to be seen, but no domestic cattle. Rows of tea-houses werefrequently in sight, extending occasionally into a village or town ofconsiderable dimensions, and filled with an active population. Thetea-houses, as well as the shops and dwelling-houses, were all open, exposing each domestic arrangement to the public. The floors of thesecountry houses are slightly raised from the ground, say one step, andcovered with neat straw carpeting, upon which the family and visitors"squat" and take their refreshments. 

The people in the places through which we passed were a little curiousat our appearance, but offered no real annoyance. Many were engaged inmechanical pursuits, but were working after what appeared a most awkwardfashion, their tools being simple and of little variety; while as tomachinery wherewith to facilitate hand-labor, the Japanese seem to haveno more idea of it than does a South Sea Islander. Many of the peoplemake the raising of silk-worms and silk winding a source of livelihood. In the rear of some houses were seen little mulberry orchards, andspread out by the roadside, upon mats, were thousands of cocoons in thewarm sunshine. Women were frequently seen outside the houses spinningthe silk and winding the thread. Though silk raising is so large andimportant an industry in Japan, the winding of the material is stillperformed in the most laborious and primitive manner. Grain was beingwinnowed, as we drove along, by the simple process of passing it fromhand to hand, this being done by the women, who also separated the ricefrom the stalks, drawing it by the handful through fixed upright woodenteeth, placed close together. Nothing could be more primitive. 

We had read of Japanese intemperance in the use of saki, a spiritdistilled from rice; but during the time we were in the country, oneperson only was seen under the influence of intoxication, and who wasobserved on the road during this trip inland. Intemperance cannot becommon among the populace, or it would be more obvious. One may see moredrunkenness among the common people of American cities in ten minutesthan in ten weeks in Japan. Grapes are raised to some extent, but nowine is made from them, or at least not in any large quantity. 

The city of Nikko is at present a place of not more than five hundredhouses, all of which are located upon one broad thoroughfare, thatchedwith rice straw, and built of the frailest material. We were told thatabout a century ago a hundred thousand people dwelt here, but a fireswept their homes away in a single night, leaving only ashes to mark thespot. There is no foundation or cellar to a Japanese dwelling. Thetemples in this vicinity are isolated from the dwellings, a riverrunning between, and are wonderful in architecture, size, andcostliness. They are many hundred years of age, and contain, among othercurious ornaments, statues of grotesque shapes in bronze, of pricelessvalue, mammoth bronze figures of birds of the stork species, etc. , life-like in character, and of exquisite finish. There are also manyemblems and idols in gold, silver, and gilded wood. Some of the bronzesare known to be over a thousand years old, and we were assured thatnone of such valuable composition has been used for centuries. Allancient Japanese bronze has in it a large percentage of gold and silver. 

Before the door, just over the entrance to these temples, there isfastened a gong, and above it hangs a metallic hammer, depending fromwhich is a rope. When a priest, or native of the people, comes hither topray, he pulls the rope vigorously, and thus produces a series ofstrokes upon the gong that might wake the dead. This is to call theattention of the Deity, and lead him to give ear to the petition aboutto be offered! Enormous bells of exquisite purity of sound, hung a fewfeet from the ground in the area before the temples, are rung at statedperiods by the use of a battering ram of wood, suspended near them, causing the huge monsters to give out soft, muffled, though deep andfar-reaching notes, that float off among the mountain passes, and comeback again from Echo's lips, with startling distinctness. Severalpriests, clad in long, yellow robes, were seen actively employed, chanting, praying, and performing inexplicable ceremonies. One had a lotof little pine chips by his side, and was busy in alternately feeding asmall fire upon a stone slab and beating a tom-tom. This, as our guideinformed us, was to propitiate the god of fire, and to avert allpossible catastrophes from that much dreaded source. When we passed outof the grounds, some hours later, this priest was still busy with hischips and the noisy tom-tom, though there was no audience present exceptour little party. 

Before another shrine, not far away, was a dancing priestess, clothed ina fantastic manner, the only woman devotee whom we chanced to see inJapan. She held out a lacquered salver for money, presumedly forreligious purposes, and on receiving the same she commenced a series ofgyrations worthy of the whirling dervishes of Cairo. It was impossiblenot to recall De Foe's couplet as applied to this witch-like creature:--

 "God never had a house of prayer But Satan had a chapel there. "

If she had been young and pretty one might have endured the farce, butthe woman was positively hideous, old, and wrinkled. Another priest, hard by, was seen to be writing prayers upon bits of paper, inanticipation of future demand, suited to all sorts of cases; and to besold to visiting penitents, who would pin or paste them up in thetemples as already described, and where the gods could peruse them attheir leisure. The wood-carvings, representing vines, flowers, birds, and beasts, which formed a part of the elaborate ornamentation of thetemples, could not be surpassed in Europe or America, and were as freshand bright as though but just finished by the artist. 

Our guide told us that the carvings of these temples were executed by aman whose facility was considered miraculous, and whose whole life wasdevoted to this object. He was known as the Left-Handed Artist, havingbut partial use of the right hand, and being also a dwarf. It seems, according to the legend, that, while this artist was working at theornamentation of the temples at Nikko, he saw and fell in love with avery beautiful Japanese girl resident in the city; but she would havenothing to do with him on account of his deformity of person. In vainwas his genius, in vain his tender pleadings; she was inflexible, sothat at last, quite heartbroken, the poor sculptor went back to Tokio, his native place, where he carved an image of his beloved in wood, life-size, which, when finished, was so perfect and beautiful that thegods endowed it with life, and the sculptor lived with it as his wife inthe enjoyment of mutual love all the rest of his life. A classic fableof similar import will occur to the reader. Is there anything new underthe sun?

The temples, shrines, and tombs of Nikko, in such perfect preservation, are to the writer's mind the most remarkable in the world. Theircomplete isolation, far away from any populous neighborhood; the solemnsilence which surrounds them at all times, shaded by a grove of loftycedars surpassed only in size and height by the giants of the Yosemite, all tend to make them singularly impressive. The approach to the site isby a wide flight of many stone steps, black and moss-grown with therains and dews of centuries, forming a grand example of ancient masonry, the large, uniform granite blocks so laid and bonded that, after restingthere for ages, a knife-blade could not be introduced between thejoints. On careful examination it appeared that no composition either ofcement or mortar had ever been employed in this masonry, the buildersconfining themselves to proper foundation and perfect matching togetherof the stones. At Tokio, the Shiba temple, curious, strange, andinteresting as it was, lost effect by the neighborhood of the busythrong always at hand. To enter the Shiba temple was like visiting agrand museum of specialties, while these lonely Nikko shrines at oncecommand the visitor's half unwilling reverence. 

Our tea-house at Nikko was a duplicate of that at Utsonomiga. In thegarden was the usual ornamentation so much affected by the people here, consisting of rockeries, little mounds of bamboo or dwarf pines, together with small plots of flowering shrubs, and little ponds of goldand silver fish. These fishes attracted notice as being quite differentfrom any with which we were acquainted. They were a small species, notmore than three inches long, and generally smaller than that; but theywere supplied with a double complement of tail, and had large protrudingeyes like a King Charles spaniel, and pug noses like a fashionable bullpup. They were ludicrous little fellows, so curious withal, that atgreat trouble and care a few were brought home by one of our party; notall of those selected, however, survived the exigencies of the longjourney. 

On this posting trip, both going to and coming from Nikko, we observedupon the road, in the several villages and posting stations, manycurious things. Women seemed to perform the most of the out-door work, ditching and laboring in the rice swamps, with infants lashed to theirbacks. When they were met taking articles to market, upon the littlecountry ponies, they rode astride, man fashion. Hens were seen with hairin place of feathers, hens as small as domestic pigeons, hens withplumes on their heads like militia captains, and hens with bare crownslike shaven priests. There were also green pigeons and speckled crows, tame as domestic fowls, among which was seen that anomaly, a white crow. At the tea-house where we stopped for the night, our passports, specially granted, were taken by the local officials and returned to usin the morning. The passport was rather a curious document, anddisclaimed all responsibility on the part of the Mikado and hisgovernment should the holder be murdered by the way, from whatevercause. In short, we were permitted to travel inland, but at our ownperil. It is still looked upon by many as somewhat risky to travel awayfrom the populous centres, but we met with no special trouble. 

The natives upon the route were inclined to be a little curious as tothe ladies' bonnets and dresses, nor were they quite satisfied withoutusing some familiarity about the gentlemen's attire; but they seemed tobe of a soft and pliant mould, easily managed by exercising a littlefinesse. It was curious to observe how entirely opposite to our ownmethods were many of theirs. At the post stations the horses were placedand tied in their stalls with their heads to the passage-way, and theirtails where we place their heads. Thus they are fed and kept. In placeof iron shoes the Japanese pony is shod with close-braided rice straw. Carpenters, in using the fore-plane, draw it towards them instead ofpushing it from them. It is the same in using the saw, the teeth ofwhich are set accordingly. So the tailor sews from him, not towards hisbody, and holds his thread with his toes. They have no chimneys to thehouses, the smoke finding its way out at the doors and windows, thoughbrasiers are used instead of fireplaces, and in hot weather are placedoutside the dwelling for cooking purposes. The men shave their headsjust where the Chinese do not, making a bald spot on the top; and so wemight go on specifying peculiarities, showing that the Japanese are ourantipodes not only geographically but also in manners and customs. 

As regards Japanese art, of which every one has seen such laughablespecimens, it must yet be admitted that there is a certain artisticelement extant among the people; otherwise we should not have thethousand and one beautifully finished articles which are produced bythem, exhibiting exquisite finish and perfection of detail. Ofperspective they have no idea whatever; half-tones and the play of lightand shade they do not understand; there is no distinction of distances. Their figures are good, delicately executed, and their choice of colorsadmirable. In profile work or bas-relief they get on very well, wherethere is no perspective required, but in grouping they pile houses onthe sea and mountains on the housetops. At caricature they greatlyexcel, indeed they scarcely attempt to represent the human face andfigure in any other light. In place of entertaining any idea of what islovely in our species, they look only at the human face and form fromthe ludicrous side, and this they render by giving it ideal ugliness, orby exaggerating the grosser characteristics. The Japanese artist knowingnothing of anatomy as a science, in its connection with art, nor evenattempting the simplest principle of foreshortening, we can only fairlyjudge as to his success in what he practices. It will be curious towatch the progress of the Japanese, and see their first attempts inperspective drawing. So intelligent and imitative a race will not failto acquire this simple principle of art and nature; the only mysteryseems to be how it has so long escaped them. 

Architecture can hardly be said to exist in Japan, though we have usedthe term. The houses of the prince and the cobbler are the same, consisting of a one-story building composed of a few upright posts, perhaps of bamboo, and a heavy thatched roof. The outer walls are meresliding doors or shutters, while the interior is divided by screens orsliding partitions. The man of means uses finer material and polishedwood, with better painted screens: that is all. Prince and peasant userice-paper in place of glass, and a portable brasier to warm the handsand feet and to cook with; there are no fireplaces in the country, except in European houses. The pagodas and temples at Nikko andelsewhere are of the typical Chinese stamp, and as far as architecturaldesign is concerned are all alike, and all built of wood. When speakingof the fine and durable masonry, reference was had to the loftyinclosing walls, causeways, and steps which lead up to the broad groundand tombs at Nikko. 

We took passage from Yokohama for Kobé in the English mail steamshipSumatra, of the P. And O. Line, which, after two days' pleasant voyage, landed us at the northern entrance to the Inland Sea of Japan. Kobé isof some commercial importance, quite Europeanized, but of very littleinterest to the traveler, gaining its business as the sea-port for theimperial city of Osaka, with which it is connected by the river Yedo. After looking about us here for a day, visiting some lofty and prettyfalls in the neighborhood, and some curious Buddhist shrines in a groveback of the town, the cars were taken for Kioto, sixty miles inland, where we arrived in the afternoon and found a good native public house, the Masuyama Hotel, situated on a hill-side completely overlooking thetown. Here we had beds, wash-stands, chairs, and the ordinary comfortsof civilization. Kioto has a population of over three hundred thousand, and, as we were told, once numbered two million of inhabitants, whichone can easily credit, since it was in the past the political capital ofthe country and sole residence of the emperors; but now the Mikado livespermanently at Tokio. 

Kioto is called the City of Temples, and we certainly visited so manythat only a confused memory of them in the aggregate is retained. Theywere by no means equal in grandeur, ornamentation, architecture, or ageto those of Nikko, Kamakura, or Tokio. More religious pretentiousnesswas obvious here, --more people were congregated before the images, engaged in acts of devotion. It might be added, if there was anychastening influence in the ceremonies, they were more needed at Kiotothan at any other place, perhaps, in the whole country, judging fromonly too obvious circumstances. The Japanese character presents as muchunlikeness to the Oriental as to the European type, and is comparableonly to itself. In nothing is this more apparent than in the fact that apeople who are so intelligent, who can reason calmly and cogently onnearly any other subject, should be so obtuse in religious matters. AJapanese believes the little caricature in ivory or wood, which hasperhaps been manufactured under his own eye, or even by his own hands, is sacred, and will address his prayers to it with a solemn convictionof its powers to respond. Than this idolatry cannot further go. His mostrevered gods are effigies of renowned warriors and successful generals. African fetich is no blinder than such baseless adoration performed byan intelligent people. Some of the indigenous animals, such as foxes, badgers, and snakes, are protected with superstitious reverence, if notabsolutely worshiped. At Tokio we saw ponies that were held sacred, dedicated in some way to the use of the church, kept in idleness, andreverenced by both priests and people, being fed on the fat of the land, like sacred bulls at Benares. 

At the Kioto temples it was observable that fully a score of priestswere kept busy writing brief prayers upon slips of paper at thesolicitation of devotees, doubtless suited to their supposednecessities. These scraps the recipients pressed to their lips, foreheads, and breasts, then pinned or pasted them up in the templesamong thousands of similar offerings. One of these temples, we were toldby our guide, contained over thirty thousand idols, and as far as acasual glance could take in the confused mass of them ranged close toeach other, the aggregate number may be correct. These idols were threefeet high, representing some approach to the human figure, eachpossessing many arms and hands. They were carved from solid blocks ofwood, and very heavily gilded, presenting a most gaudy and toy-likeappearance. While we stood within this temple some women came in, prostrated themselves before the glittering toys for a few moments, andthen passed out, making room for others; but we saw no men at devotionin this temple of many thousand idols. 

The streets of Kioto were thronged with mountebanks, peep-shows, performing acrobats, and conjurers. Sleek and pampered priests in yellowrobes were met at every turn, a class who exercise a certain influenceover the people through their superstition, but who command no personalrespect. We were told that they are a profligate set, like too many oftheir class elsewhere, and enjoyed a certain immunity from the laws. Before the temples was seen in one or two instances a theatricalperformance in progress, which seemed rather incongruous, but uponinquiry this was found to be designed to appease the special gods of thetemple, --to entertain and amuse them! so that they would grant favors tothe people. The exhibition consisted of dancing and posturing byprofessionals of both sexes, accompanied by the noise of tom-toms, whistles, gongs, bells, and fifes. There was no attempt at time orharmony, as far as could be discovered, the end and aim being apparentlyto make all the noise possible. 

Amusements are not lacking at Kioto, as there are numerous theatreswhere farce, tragedy, and comedy are duly represented after the crudefashion of the country. These theatres open at early morning and theplay lasts until midnight, with the briefest intermissions. Thespectators bring their food with them; so that eating, drinking, andsmoking are going on all the while during the performance. At some ofthese theatres women only perform, at others only men, but in noinstance do the two sexes mingle in these public exhibitions. Themechanical arrangements are of the most primitive character, such aswould not satisfy children in America, but the pantomime is very good. As to speaking characters, they are very seldom attempted. The price ofadmission is about five cents of our currency, and from six hundred to athousand persons often gather at these theatres. Music (it is called bythat name) and posturing fill up the intervals. To an American observerthe whole exhibition seems cruder than a Comanche wardance. 

Singing and posturing girls are here let out in groups, as in otherJapanese cities, to entertain foreigners or natives at their meals; butthe performances and the purpose are highly objectionable, morality inthis latitude being much like that of the average European capitals, that is, at a very low ebb, as viewed from our stand-point. There arealso public exhibitions of acrobats in wrestling, fencing, and the like, while others are devoted entirely to sleight-of-hand tricks, very goodof their kind. 

The porcelain manufactories of Kioto were found interesting, --everythingbeing done, however, by the patient and slow process of hand labor, withthe crudest of tools. The same remark applies to the silk manufactories, where the weaving is performed in a laborious manner, each smallhand-loom requiring two persons to operate it. The goods thus producedare really fine, but could not be sold in the present markets of theworld except that Japanese labor is held at starvation prices. Theaverage pay of the weavers is less than thirty cents per day, and theboy helpers, who work the shuttles, receive but twelve. The variousmanufactories of paper here and elsewhere in the country form one of itsmost extended industries, the basis of the material being the bark ofcertain trees; indeed, one is on this account designated as thepaper-tree, and, being a species of the mulberry, it serves a doublepurpose, --its leaves feeding the little insect which is so important afactor in Japanese products. It must not be supposed that the largeamount of paper which is produced indicates its consumption for printingpurposes: the demand for that species of the article is very limited, but the general uses to which the manufactured paper are put in Japan isinfinite. A very superior grade of oil paper is manufactured which issuitable even for clothing, and is so used. It has been mentioned howuniversally a certain grade is used in place of glass; paper is alsoemployed for partitions of rooms in place of lath and plaster; for fans, an immense amount is required; also, for cases and boxes, for twine, letter-bags, purses, umbrellas, and many other articles. 

The largest lake in Japan is that of Biwa, a very fine sheet of water, nearly fifty miles long, but rather narrow, probably not exceeding anaverage width of more than ten miles. It is situated about eight milesfrom Kioto, and thither we went in jinrikishas. It was anciently thesummer resort of the Mikados, and is a very beautiful lake, abounding infish, a most important matter to the neighborhood, as rice and fish arethe chief diet in Japan. There are many pleasure-houses, so-called, along its banks, where the visitor is entertained with fish fresh fromthe water, cooked in a great variety of ways. On the north and west sidethe lake is hemmed in, like a Scotch loch, by lofty hills, but on theother sides by pleasant, highly cultivated lands, slightly undulating, and ornamented with pretty little hamlets, and tea-houses for visitorswho sail upon the lake for pleasure. Our jinrikisha men took us there inless than an hour and a half, but as the road rises towards Kioto wewere fully two hours in returning. On this occasion women harnessedtandem, with men, to some jinrikishas were met, and they trotted offquite as easily at a pony gait as did the men, but it is gratifying tosay that it was the only time we saw women so employed. 

We returned to Kobé by way of Osaka, a city nearly as large as Kioto, and much more of a business and manufacturing centre. The national mintis located here, with some other large government works. The ancientfort overlooking the town is of great interest, and is still fortified, affording barracks for a couple of regiments of the regular army. It isa remarkably substantial structure; many of the stones of which it iscomposed are so large that it is a wonder how they could ever have beentransported intact from the quarry. Osaka has rivers and canals runningthrough it much like Amsterdam, though not so numerous, and has beenappropriately called the Venice of Japan. It is not Europeanized likeKobé or Yokohama; it is purely Japanese in all respects, and possesses aconsiderable commerce. The day of our arrival was a festal one, beingconsecrated to the god of the waters; wherefore large boats gayly deckedwith flags and party-colored streamers, containing crowds of gaylydressed men in harlequin style, were rowing in long processions throughthe water-ways of the city and under the many high-arched bridges. Onthe decks of the boats the people were dancing and singing (howling), tothe notes of an indescribable instrument, which could give a Scotchbag-pipe liberal odds and then surpass it in its most hideousdiscordance. Music is not a strong point with the Chinese or Japanese;if they have any actual melody in their compositions, no foreign ear candetect it. At one of the public performances at Kobé it seemed that thenotes were produced by a file and rusty saw. 

We embarked at Kobé November 26th, on the Japanese steamship NügataMarü, officered by Europeans, but manned by natives, bound for Nagasaki, near the southernmost point of Japan, and to reach which we sailed thewhole length of the famous and beautiful Inland Sea. It was a mostenchanting voyage of two days and two nights, among innumerable islandsand grotesquely formed hills, which were covered with foliage andverdure to the very water's edge. Many of these islands were inhabited, and cultivated on their abrupt sides in terraces, like vineyards on theRhine, displaying great care and taste. The aspect of the conicalislands, bluffs, headlands, and inlets recalled the St. Lawrence Riverin Canada, presenting narrow and winding passages, losing themselves increeks and bays after a most curious fashion, while little brown hamletshere and there fringed the coast line. At night, the scene changingconstantly was enhanced in beauty by the clearness of the atmosphere andthe brightness of the moon. We slept scarcely at all on board the NügataMarü; it seemed almost sacrilege to miss an hour of the beautiful flyingpanorama which was being so silently spread before our vision. 

The sea was one sheet of rippling silver; the stars, partially eclipsedby the moon, "silver empress of the night, " were nevertheless bright andsparkling with diamond lustre. All was still, for though we eagerlywatched, we rarely spoke; silence became eloquent on such an occasion. Now and then the deep, hoarse voice of the captain from the forecastleof the steamer floated aft: "Port your helm, " "Starbord, " "Steady. " Inthis intricate navigation the captain leaves the bridge to the officerof the watch, and temporarily takes the post of the forward lookout. Nowwe run close in under some towering headland, now sheer off from a greenisle so near that none but an experienced pilot would dare to hug theshore so closely. At many points the sea seemed to be completelyland-locked, like the Lakes of Killarney, framed in by lofty hills. Toomuch had not been promised us in this special voyage through the InlandSea. For once, fruition was confirmation. We could have sailed on andon, over those still, deep waters and among those fairy-like isles, forweeks unwearied, and when at last we anchored in the snug harbor ofNagasaki the voyage had been only too brief. 

A sad interest attaches to the small but lofty island of Pappenburg, which stands like a sentinel guarding the entrance to the harbor ofNagasaki. It is the Tarpeian Rock of the far East. During thepersecution of the Christians in the seventeenth century, the steepcliff, which forms the seaward side of the island, was an executionpoint, and from here men and women who declined to abjure their faithwere cast headlong on to the sea-washed rocks far below. The presentverdure and beauty which so characterize the spot are in strong contrastwith the sad history of the place; nor could we gaze upon itsprecipitous side, as we steamed slowly by, without a shudder at thetragedies once enacted there. 

Nagasaki was found to be a thrifty commercial city of about a hundredthousand inhabitants, with a fine harbor, the entrance being as narrowas that of Havana; but once inside, the combined fleets of the worldmight find good anchorage under the shallow of the lofty hills whichsurround its deep, clear waters. The extreme length of the harbor mustbe about four miles, by two in width. Tall, dark pines and a verdantundergrowth mark the deep ravines and sloping hill-sides, upon whichEuropean dwellings may be seen overlooking the bay, interspersed with afew Buddhist temples. During a delightful afternoon stroll and climbamong these hills, we came upon many wild flowers, shaded by oaks andcamphor-trees of great size and beautiful foliage, with occasionalspecimens of the Japan wax-tree. Still farther up, the hills werecovered with dark, moss-crowned grave-stones, bearing curious charactersand marking the sleeping-place of by-gone generations, the unbrokenquiet of this city of the dead, contrasting with the hum of feverishlife that came up from the busy town. 

Nagasaki is quaint even for a Japanese city, its clean, broad streetsornamented by growing palms, pomegranates, and bamboo-trees, while eachshop is a little museum in itself. Like Osaka, it is thoroughly Japanesein its appearance, as well as in the manners and customs of its thriftyinhabitants. Here, and throughout the entire country, one feelsimpressed with the evident peace, plenty, and content. As to theproducts of this locality, they are mostly figured porcelain, embroidered silks, japaned goods, ebony and shell finely carved andmanufactured into ornaments. Every little low house has a shop in front, and is, as usual, quite open to the street; but small as these housesare, room is nearly always found in the rear or side for a littleflower-garden, fifteen or twenty feet square, where dwarf trees flourishamid little hillocks of turf, and ferns, and small tubs of gold fish. Azaleas, laurels, and tiny clumps of bamboos are the most common plantsto be seen. 

This indicates a pure and simple taste in the people, yet there is asystem of social debasement throughout Japan, which was here so obviousthat it cannot be passed without notice. It is no worse, perhaps, thanin Vienna or Paris, where the law affords it certain sanction; but whenrealized in connection with the quiet, peaceful aspect of Japanesedomestic life, the contrast renders the system more repulsive than itappears elsewhere. The young women in these public establishments arereally slaves, as much as Circassian girls sold into Turkish harems, orat Moorish Tangier. In Japan they are also sold, while yet children, bytheir parents, for this purpose, and for a period of ten years. At theclose of their term such women are not considered disgraced, and areeligible for marriage, frequently being sought by desirable husbands, and rearing respectable families. The Japanese are not immaculate, andprimitive innocence does not exist among them. Virtue in women beforemarriage is held rather lightly, but afterwards they must be spotless, otherwise the penalty is death. 

As regards the flora of Japan we learned some interesting facts. Thoughthe country is densely populated for its number of square miles, theforest area is four times more extensive than that portion brought undercultivation. Botanists declare its vegetation to be the richest, as wellas the most varied, of any portion of the globe. The cultivation of thesoil is skillfully and thoroughly systematized, the greatest possibleresults being obtained from a given area. This is partly due to a systemof thorough enrichment, applied in the form of liquid manure, andentirely by hand. Its flora is spontaneous and magnificent, repaying theleast attention by a development and profuseness of yield that issurprising. Next in importance to the product of rice, which is thestaple food of the people, comes that of the mulberry and tea-plants, one species of the former not only feeding the silk-worm, but also, ashas been mentioned, affording the fibre of which paper is made, as wellas cordage and dress material. In usefulness the bamboo is mostremarkable, growing to a height of fifty or sixty feet, and enteringinto the construction of house-frames, screens, mats, pipes, and sails. The umbrella-pine grows to a height of a hundred feet, with densefoliage, and the cedars reach two hundred feet, with a girth of twenty, which is, however, far exceeded by the noble camphor-trees. The camphorof commerce is extracted from the stem and roots, cut into small pieces, by a simple process of decoction. 

As at San Francisco, there is an abundance of birds hovering constantlyabout the harbor of Nagasaki, not sea-gulls, but a brown fishing-hawk, which here seems to take the place of the gull, swooping down upon itsfinny prey after the same fashion, and uttering a wild, shrill cry whendoing so. Another peculiarity about this feathery fisherman is that heaffects the rigging of ships lying at anchor, and roosts in the shroudsor on the spars, which a sea-gull or other ocean bird is rarely known todo. This harbor, in its sheltered character, resembles a Swiss or Scotchlake, many of its peculiarities being identical with them. The hillsspring from the very water's edge, and the pine is the prevailing tree;the principal difference being an inclination here to more tropicalverdure than in the localities referred to. The bay is nearlyland-locked, and while a pretty heavy gale may be blowing just outside, the surface of the harbor would be scarcely ruffled. 

The ship took in coal here after a style quite Japanese. Large flatboats came alongside, each laden with many tons of coal from a nativemine near at hand; and a broad port-hole being opened near the ship'scoal bunks, a line of Japanese girls and boys, each not more than twelveor thirteen years of age, was formed upon a gangway reaching from thebunks down the ship's side to the coal barge. Along this line of girlsand boys were rapidly passed baskets of coal, which might weigh fromsixty to eighty pounds each, so fast as to form one continuous stream ofthe article discharging on board. The empty baskets were passed backinto the coaling barge by a line of younger girls at another port-hole, being refilled by a third gang in the boat. The line of full coalbaskets would not be broken once in an hour, until the barge was emptiedand another hauled alongside to be similarly discharged. It wasremarkable how quickly the ship took on board her necessary supply offuel in this manner, and how steadily those young begrimed childrenworked all day. The local agent told us they were paid for the ten ortwelve hours' work fifteen cents each. Their boiled rice and dried fishwould cost them four or five cents for the day, and so they would beable to save ten cents. Clothing does not enter into cost when it is notworn, and these little imps were as nearly naked as was possible. Theystopped work for about twenty-five minutes at meridian, and were servedeach with a bowl of rice and fish, which they dispatched withchopsticks, then drank a lacquered bowl of hot tea. 

An extremely interesting month had been passed in the country which wewere now about to leave behind us, and should have been glad to tarrylonger in, but our arrangements, to a certain extent, were imperative, and so we prepared to sail southward, through the long reach of theChina Sea. Some reflections, the result of our late experience, wereforced upon us at this juncture, relative to the people whose briefacquaintance we had made. 

The natural intelligence of the Japanese has no superior among any race, however much it may be perverted, or have lain dormant for want ofstimulus. There is evidence sufficient of this in the fact that theyoung men of Japan, who are sent to this country for educationalpurposes, so frequently win academic prizes and honors over our nativescholars. This, too, notwithstanding the disadvantages under which aforeigner must be placed. Instances of the brightness of their naturalintelligence have been so numerous in our colleges and educationalinstitutions as to cause public remark. It is therefore safe to say thatthe mental capacity of the Japanese youth is certainly equal to those ofour own in the same class of society. No sooner have they been fairlyintroduced to American and European civilization than they have taken astride, of four or five centuries at a single leap, from feudalism inits most ultra form to constitutional government. When an Americansquadron opened the port of Yokohama, in 1853, to the commerce of theworld, it also opened that hermetically sealed land to the introductionof progressive ideas; and though, unfortunately, the elements ofcivilization which are most readily assimilated are not always the mostbeneficial, still, the result, taken as a whole, has been worthy of theadmiration of the world at large. 

When we speak of the progress of the Japanese as a nation, we must notforget that the national records of the country date from nearly sevenhundred years before the time of Christ on earth, and that a regularsuccession of Mikados, in lineal descent from the founders of theirdynasty and race, has since that remote date been carefully preserved. Taking the Western Powers as a model, the Japanese have not failed toemulate them in nearly all the prominent features of civilization, promptly furnishing themselves with rifled cannon and torpedo boats, with newspapers and a national debt. As we have remarked, the army andcivil officers have long since adopted the American costume. Therailroad and the telegraph, too much of an innovation for the morepretentious Chinese, are quite domesticated in Japan. But still it isreally to be hoped that the progressive spirit, so apparent in thepolicy of the Mikado and his advisers, may not quite obliterate alltraces of the antique and picturesque customs of a country so peculiarand original. 

CHAPTER IV. 

 Sail for Hong Kong. --Ocean Storms. --Sunset at Sea. --A Water-Spout. --Arrival in China. --Typhoon Bay. --Manners and Customs. --In and about Hong Kong. --Public Buildings. --Voyage up the Pearl River. --City of Canton. --Strangest of Strange Cities. --Opium Dens. --Temple of Honan. --The Worship of Swine. --Praying with a Fan. --Local Peculiarities. --Half Round the World. --Singapore. --A Tiger Hunt. --Burial at Sea. --Penang. --The Wonderful Palm. 

We sailed from Nagasaki early on the morning of November 29th, in thesame steamship, the Nügata Marü, which had brought us from Kobé, beingnow bound for Hong Kong, through the Yellow and China Seas, a distanceof eleven hundred miles. These are proverbially rough waters, and theyfully sustained their reputation for the first two days of the voyage. The marvel seemed rather to be that more ships were not lost here, thanthat so many were. It is really little better than a vast graveyard forcommerce. Our staunch iron hull was tossed about like a feather in thewind, causing us to realize that there is something awfully grand inthese ocean storms, uncomfortable as they are. 

Our crew was composed of Japanese, and excellent sailors they are, quiet, obedient, and untiring. Sea life is very similar in nearly alllatitudes, and affords but few incidents worthy of recording. An oldsea-captain told the author, some years since, that the finest sunsetshe had ever seen were in these waters, off the coast of Cochin China, and that it was a peculiarity of the region; or, to use his own words, "First, we would have a typhoon that shivered our sails into threads, and then a sunset that looked like a scene in a theatre. " Allowance wasmade in this instance for a fancied charm brought about by the greatcontrast of a raging storm followed by a serene nightfall. It seemed asthough we had witnessed as fine exhibitions of Nature in this line, bothin Europe and America, as could be enjoyed, but an agreeable surprisewas in store for us. 

We had crossed the southern portion of the Yellow Sea, and having rundown the Corean Straits, with the Loo-Choo Islands under our lee, weresailing southward upon the China Sea. It was the 2d of December, and wetoo were now off the coast of Cochin China. Never before had any of ourlittle party witnessed such a gorgeous array of cloud and color effect;nor was the display fleeting. The peculiar aspect lasted for half anhour or more, full of change to be sure, like opal hues, hovering andevanescent, but not obliterated. The transparent clouds that hung abovethe western horizon, as dainty in form and texture as a butterfly'swings, were tinted with turquoise blue. Immediately over the sectionwhere the sun had so lately disappeared, the gradations of color weremultiform and brilliant, fading into each other's embrace. Close to thewater line, where sky and ocean mingled, there was a mound of quiveringflame that seemed like burning lava pouring from some volcanic source. This lavish display of iris hues was softly reflected by the vaporytissue of clouds that hung over the opposite expanse; the shadeschanging to ruby and sapphire tints alternately, until the east almostrivaled the west in the gorgeousness of its robes. In the mean time thesea, now wonderfully calm, expanding into infinite space, reproducedupon its shimmering surface, as in a mirror, this magic array of colorpermeated by the amber twilight. Gradually the curtain of night droppedover the scene, but there still lingered a long crimson line on thedistant horizon where the sun had sunk into the sea. The most carelesseye on board the ship watched the constantly changing effects with batedbreath. Nature revels in beauty, and does her work with a lavish hand inthe far East. It has been our lot to see the sun set in many lands andon many seas, but never before in such gorgeous splendor. 

Just at night, December 4th, we arrived below Hong Kong, dropping anchorin Typhoon Bay, where, among the dark shadows of the cliff-like shore, we watched the stars overhead and the long bright wake cast by thelight-house, counted the small dancing lights in the native settlementson the shore, and wondered what Hong Kong was like. 

With the early morning light we steamed up to the magnificent harbor, surrounded by a range of lofty hills, rendering it a shelter andaffording depth of water sufficient for any known tonnage. Its extensivearea was well covered with ships of war and merchantmen, bearing theflags of all nations, among which the Stars and Stripes gladdened oureyes. Hong Kong signifies "good harbor" in Chinese, and the name is wellapplied. This is the most easterly possession of Great Britain, whichshe has taken care to render very strong in a military point of view, and where a large number of troops are constantly kept. The scarletuniforms of the garrison form a striking feature of the busy streets, atall hours of the day. The houses in the European section of the cityare large and handsome structures, mostly of stone, rising tier upontier from the main street to a height of some hundreds of feet on theface of the hill immediately back of the town. On and about the loftyVictoria Peak are many charming bungalows, with attractive surroundings, and a noble prospect of the harbor and country. The streets appropriatedto the occupancy of the Europeans are spacious and clean, but theChinese portion of Hong Kong is quite characteristic of the race, --verycrowded and very dirty, seeming to invite all sorts of epidemicdiseases; and consequently the mortality is very great and sweeping attimes, promoted by ignorance and excess among strangers and seamen. 

One soon learns to detect an opium-eating people, and here we foundexamples all about us in every relation of life. It is a vice nearlyalways pursued in secret, but its traces upon the heavy, bleared eye andsallow features are plain and disfiguring enough. The disgraceful tradein the fatal drug, forced upon China by the English at the point of thebayonet, flourishes and increases, forming the heaviest item of import. It seems almost incredible that a people can long exist and consume suchlarge quantities of this active poison. Other forms of stimulants areseldom resorted to by the natives, and an intoxicated person isscarcely, if ever, met with among the Chinese population. As toEuropeans, it is the same here as it is in India, the habit of drinkingfreely of spirituous liquors is universal, and one half the invalidismwhich is attributed to climate should be ascribed to indulgence in harddrinking. 

The streets of Hong Kong afford strange local pictures. The shoemakerindustriously plies his trade in the open thoroughfare; cooking goes onin the gutters beside the sidewalks filling the atmosphere with greasyodors; the itinerant peddler, with a wooden box hung from his neck, disposes of food made from mysterious sources; the street barber is seenactively employed out of doors; the milkman drives his goats to thecustomer's door and there milks the required quantity; the Chinesethemselves ignore the article altogether. The universal fan is carriedby men, not by women, and when the owner is not using it, he thrusts itin the back of his neck with the handle protruding. Sedan chairs arerushing hither and thither, borne upon men's shoulders, transportingboth natives and Europeans on business errands. Here, as in southernItaly, one observes a propensity to eat, sleep, live, and die in thestreets, exhibited by the mass of the population. 

Imagine a short, slouchy figure, with sloping eyes, a yellow complexion, features characterized by a sort of low cunning, a shaved head with apigtail, clad in a loose cloth blouse, half shirt and half jacket, continuations not exactly pants nor yet a petticoat, and shoesthick-soled and shearing upwards like a Madras surf-boat, and you haveJohn Chinaman as he appears at home. The portrait is universal. OneChinaman is as like another as two peas, --a uniformity often leading toludicrous mistakes. John eats principally rice. It is in fact the basisof all his dishes, which are varied by the addition of dried fish andvegetables, adding occasionally such portions of animals as are usuallythrown away by civilized people. Rats, cats, and dogs are not declinedby his omnivorous appetite, and he is charged with craving nearly allsorts of vermin, such as snakes, slugs, scorpion's eggs, andcaterpillars, which he complacently adds to his stews. Without thephysical strength or size of Europeans, he makes up in industry what helacks in muscle; and as his food costs about one fifth the sum which wegenerally calculate necessary for a common laborer, he can work muchcheaper, and still lay up money from his wages. 

Certain peculiarities challenge our observation. The Chinese mariner'scompass does not point to the north pole, but to the south; that is, theindex is placed on the opposite end of the needle. When Chinamen meeteach other in the street, instead of mutually grasping hands, they shaketheir own hands. The men wear skirts and the women wear pants. The menwear their hair as long as it will grow, the women bind theirs up assnug as possible. The dressmakers are not women, but men. The spokenlanguage is never written, and the written language is never spoken. Inreading a book the Chinaman begins at the end and reads backwards; allnotes in the books appear at the top of the page in place of the bottom, as with us. White is the mourning color, not black; surnames precede thegiven names; vessels are launched sideways, not endways; in mounting ahorse the Chinese do so from the off-side. At dinner we commence themeal with soup and fish, they reverse the order and begin with thedessert. Grown up men fly kites, and boys look on admiringly; ourbridesmaids are young and dressed in white, theirs are old women clad inblack; and so on. 

From its special position in the East, Hong Kong is the resort of allsorts of people, from all quarters of the globe. England is of coursethe most strongly represented. There are comparatively very fewAmericans, but plenty of French and Germans, the latter mostly Jews andmoney lenders. There are numbers of East Indians, Italians, Portuguese, and Spaniards, with here and there a Parsee, making altogether apopulation which reminds one of Marseilles in its conglomeratecharacter. These several races, mingling with the Chinese, make up anincongruous community. An early morning visit to the water front of thecity affords much amusement, especially at the hour when the marketboats arrive from the country, and from along shore, with fish andvegetables. Here the people swarm like ants or bees more than like humanbeings, all eager for business, all crowding and talking at the sametime, and creating a confusion that would seem to defeat its own object, namely, to buy and to sell. The vegetables are various and good; thevariety of fruit limited and poor in flavor; but the fish are abundantand various in shape, size, and colors. Nine tenths of the business onthe river front is done by women, and nearly all have an infant strappedto their backs, while they carry heavy burdens in their hands, or areengaged in rowing or sculling their boats. They carry on trade, makechange, clean fish, and the like, quite oblivious of the infants attheir backs. Babies thus managed are often shaken about mostunmercifully, and among Europeans would assert themselves by the loudestscreeching; but who ever heard a Chinese or Japanese baby cry?

The environs of Hong Kong are extremely interesting, and the roads arekept in most admirable condition. The jinrikisha is the common mode ofconveyance, though the palanquin is perhaps nearly as much used. Theintroduction of the former vehicle into both China and Japan is of quiterecent date. We enjoyed several expeditious in the suburbs by both meansof transportation, the charges being extremely moderate. The Japanesejinrikisha men seemed lighter, yet more muscular, than do their Chinesebrethren when between the shafts; and the latter, after a few miles, exhibited symptoms of fatigue, whereas, on a long thirty-five mile trip, this was never observed in a Japanese: either he was superior in pluckor muscles, or both, to John Chinaman. 

The English burial-ground, located about three miles from the town, is avery beautiful cemetery, and is to Hong Kong what Mount Auburn is toBoston, --not quite so extensive, but superior in its collection offlowers and trees, which must have been gathered and naturalized here ata great cost. The varieties of the cactus family are remarkable innumbers and mode of training. The same may be said of the camphor-tree, the aloes, tall and graceful cypresses, mingling with which are Capejasmines, hydrangeas, magnolias, and the scarlet geranium, tall andhedge-like, barked by white, variegated, and scarlet camellias. Everything indicated a semi-tropical climate. These Chinese gardenersexhibit great skill and genius in the cultivation of all plants, andlandscape gardening is carried far beyond our ideas of the art inAmerica. Some flowering shrubs, on close examination, proved to be oldfriends, but so trained and developed as to be hardly recognizable. Weobserved a curious mode of grafting plants so as to cause severalspecies to blossom on the same branch, thus forming, as it were, aglowing bouquet. The samples of dwarf trees were also very singular, --alittle orange-tree, for instance, bearing an orange weighing more thanitself, and lemons so arranged as to grow by grafting in and with anorange. It was an agreeable sight to see choice bouquets for sale on thepublic streets, containing a great variety of flowers arranged withgenuine taste, a little too formal and stiff to meet our fancy, but yetfinding ready customers at reasonable prices. In Madrid, Florence, orParis, it is sunny-faced girls who offer these fragrant emblems to thepasser-by; but at Hong Kong it is done with less effect by almond-eyedmen and ragged boys. The city is so far Europeanized as to be lesstypical of Chinese manners and customs than are cities further inland;but revelations come upon us with less of a shock when mingled, as theyare here, with more civilized methods. 

The policemen of Hong Kong are Sikhs, whom the English government haveimported from India for this special service. These officers are underexcellent discipline. They are tall, dark, and heavily bearded men, presenting quite a striking appearance in their semi-military uniforms. Of course they have no sympathy with the Chinese, who cower under thepolice batons, which are ruthlessly used when deemed necessary. Societyin the city is entirely English, and, to use an expressive word, is"fast. " Balls, races, regattas, and fêtes of all kinds follow each otherwith ceaseless energy. The gayety of domestic and social life, and theluxurious mode of living generally, exceed that of any European colonywe have chanced to meet with. Club life, evening entertainments, andlate hours, are the characteristics of Hong Kong; the serious affairs oflife seem to have been left at home in far-off England, --an inevitableresult where the military element enters so largely into the community. 

It was represented to us, and so appeared upon observation, that thewell known practice of compressing the feet of the females from theirbirth was a gradually declining custom. Some few middle-aged women weremet with in the streets whose feet had been thus treated in infancy, andwho hobbled about with much difficulty, but no young girls were to beseen thus hampered. When this hideous deformity has been adopted, theknee and ankle joints do not bend at all in walking; all movement isfrom the thigh joints, a mincing gait is imparted, and the arms swingfrom side to side, the whole body being at all times liable to toppleover. A traveler is not competent, however, to speak of the higherclasses of women, as no access is afforded to domestic life in wealthyfamilies. Only women of the common class appear indiscriminately inpublic, Oriental exclusiveness wrapping itself about the sex in Chinanearly as rigidly as in Egypt. If women go abroad at all, it is incurtained palanquins, quite hidden from the public eye, or at most onlypartially visible through semi-transparent veils of gauze. Anywhere eastof Italy woman is a toy or a slave. 

The European portion of Hong Kong consists almost entirely of one broadavenue, called Victoria Road, which is the Broadway or Washington Streetof the city, and which runs parallel with the shore front, from which itis separated by a single block. This thoroughfare is well paved, and ismostly lined with attractive stores, hotels, and club-houses, with a fewdwellings intermixed. The intersecting streets are in many cases sosteep as to be ascended by broad stone steps, like portions of Naplesand Rome. After leaving the Victoria Road, one plunges immediately intoChinese life among narrow lanes and crowded, dirty abodes, like ChinaTown at San Francisco, such dwellings as are only to be found in themidst of a miserable and degraded condition of humanity. The river orharbor front is lined with lofty European warehouses, and some goodresidences, --half devoted to business, however, the locality beingmostly given up to the requirements of commerce. It will be rememberedthat Hong Kong is an island, nearly forty miles in circumference, consisting of a cluster of hills rising almost to the dignity ofmountains. The gray granite, of which the island is mostly composed, affords an excellent material for building purposes, and is largelyemployed for that object. Nearly all the public buildings areconstructed of this granite, which presents a fine appearance, andaffords good opportunity for architectural display. 

The side-wheel steamer Han Kow was taken for a passage up the PearlRiver to Canton, the commercial capital of China, situated a little lessthan one hundred miles from Hong Kong. The steamer had some two or threehundred Chinese passengers, who were partitioned off in a part of thevessel by themselves, and securely locked, away from the Europeanpassengers. In the cabin, ranged about the foremast, were a dozen loadedrepeating arms, rifles, and pistols for the use of the whites, in casethe Chinese should rise and attempt an act of piracy by taking the ship. This has more than once been done upon the Pearl River, and thesteamboat company now goes prepared to visit condign punishment uponsuch offenders. 

In passing up the river, on board the Han Kow, a fine view was affordedof the farming and vegetation of the country. Banana, orange, sugar-cane, and tea culture, in their various stages, were in distinctview, the steamer at times nearly grazing the right or left bank, andbeing obliged to move slowly on account of shallow water in the windingchannel. Strange birds, brilliant flowers, and remarkable trees trainedto grow in the shape of men and animals, were seen bordering theplantations. Great fertility of soil, however it might be induced, wasmanifested on all hands, and the vegetation exhibited tropicalluxuriance. The number of small fishing-boats upon the river was quitemarked, showing from whence came a large percentage of the daily food ofthe humbler classes. These boats seemed to be almost entirely rowed andmanaged by women, always with the inevitable baby at their backs, sometimes sleeping, sometimes gazing vacantly about, but always quietand contented. 

The river is nearly two miles broad on an average, sometimes openinginto bays of considerable size, six or eight miles across, and thusforming a water-way of immense importance in a country where railroadsare unknown. The canals and rivers of China are her great dependence, her inland highways or roads being unworthy of the name, --exhibiting oneof the most prominent features of the lack of national enterprise. Chinalooks to the past, not to the future. Some advance has been forced uponher in the art of war. She no longer fights with fans, gongs, andfire-crackers, but "shoots bullets every time, " as the French found totheir most serious cost very lately. The remoteness of the country fromthe centres of civilization, the exclusiveness of the government, thealmost incomprehensible character of the spoken language, --entirelydifferent from the written tongue, --has always excited curiosity, andthrown a halo of romance over everything Chinese. This false glamour, however, disappears, like dew before the sun, by personal observation, and is superseded by something like a sense of contempt. Themissionaries of science, commerce, and of religion have done much withinthe last twenty years to dispel the extravagant ideas entertained of theCelestial Empire, and have shown us that the race is by no meanscelestial, but a people very much like the rest of the Eastern nations, certainly no more civilized. 

Canton is the strangest of all strange cities, and perhaps the mostrepresentative one in China. With a population of a million and a half, it has not a street within its walls over eight feet wide. Horses andvehicles are unknown. Even the useful and comfortable jinrikisha couldnot be used here, where everything to be moved must be transported onhuman shoulders. The city extends to about a distance of four miles onthe banks of the Pearl River, and fully a hundred thousand people livein boats along the river front. The families occupying these sampanswill average at least four individuals; a man and wife with twochildren, --frequently there are half a dozen of the latter. These boatsare about twenty feet long and five wide. But a small portion of theafter part has any covering, and the cooking is done in the bow. Herethe family live, --cook, eat, and sleep, knowing no other home. Theyoungest children are often seen tied to the thwarts, and if they tumbleoverboard they are easily pulled back again. 

There are hundreds of temples distributed over the city, many of whichwere visited and found to be crowded with idols and idlers, though wenever saw a Chinaman praying in them. The corner of nearly every street, as well as numerous stores and dwelling-houses, have each an idol andsmall shrine on which incense is kept burning all the time, and everyday of the year. The whole city is permeated with the smell of thishighly scented incense, and though used in such small individualquantities the consumption in the aggregate must be very large. Of thenumerous temples and pagodas in Canton probably the most famous is thatof the Temple of the Five Hundred Gods, containing that number of gildedstatues of Buddhist sages, apostles, and deified warriors. Theexpressions on the features of this large number of statues wereremarkable in the fact that they all differed essentially from eachother; otherwise they were exceedingly commonplace. 

Every sort of manufacture or business is performed in the most primitivemanner by hand, machinery of any sort being scarcely known; but personalservice or labor is so cheap that it even competes with machinery. Oneis surprised as to how such a crowded community can exist in such aninconsiderable space; whole families live and sleep in a single smallroom. The Chinese, in point of domestic comfort and cleanliness, are acentury behind the Japanese; and this remark will apply as well tonearly all the relations of life. There is less of nudity here than inthe latter country; but, so far as one can judge by brief observationand inquiry, morality is at a lower gauge in China than in Japan. It isdoubtless as true here as elsewhere, that "one touch of nature makes thewhole world kin, " but you lack the touch of nature. With the Japanesethe traveler feels himself sympathizing. He goes among them freely, heenters their houses and drinks tea with them, but not so with theChinese; here we realize no sense of affiliation, but rather one ofrepulsion. The universal amusement is that of gambling, and the meanswhereby the people gratify this passion are endless. Dominos, andseveral similar games, are most popular in connection with cards, thelatter game, however, differing very materially from our own. TheChinese cards number a hundred to the pack. Cock fighting is universal, and is as much of a national game as at Manilla. 

Our guide, who was an intelligent and high-caste native, took us intoone of the opium dens, to be found in nearly every street of Canton, andwhere we saw the victims of the terrible indulgence in the severalstages of debasement. A number of the smokers appeared to be men ofaverage health and strength, but all had the dull, vacant eye andattenuated forms of the victims of this insidious habit. It was curiousto hear the guide stoutly defend the use of the opium pipe. He declaredthat it lengthened, not shortened, life; besides which he insisted thatwith opium one lived a double life, and therefore he lived twice as longas he would do without it. "Europeans get drunk, " said he, "and havenasty headache; Chinaman smokes opium, enjoys paradise on earth, but hasno headache. " Of course one cannot argue with an opium consumer to anygood effect. The habit once acquired is never successfully abandoned. There is always some hope of reform for a drunkard, but for anopium-eater, never. No statistics of a reliable character as to thequantity of the deadly drug which is consumed in China can be obtained, but the aggregate amount, large as it is known to be, is yetincreasing. All the opium which can be obtained from India is consumedhere, beside that which is raised in China; the former by the wealthierclasses, the latter by the poor, --the home product being cheaper andmuch inferior in quality. 

The temples generally seemed to abound with votive offerings; but theone aim, so far as we could understand, was to appease the wrath ofmalignant deities. These gods, it would appear, are largely composed ofdeparted ancestors, and the power of such spirits for mischief is themost prominent article of Chinese faith. In one temple was observed thehermetically sealed coffin of some lately defunct citizen, beside whosecasket an abundant meal of cooked rice and vegetables was conspicuouslyplaced. This preparation of food for the dead and buried is not, however, an exclusive Chinese idea. We have also seen food placed by theside of newly-made Italian graves at Genoa and Pisa, and our WesternIndians bury arms, clothing, and dried meats with the bodies of deceasedwarriors. It is known that reverence for parents is the leading moralprecept of Chinese faith, and more than that, it is lived up to uponearth by all classes, and when these parents die they are addressedspiritually and reverentially as guardians. At the entrance of thetemples there are always two large, gilded wooden figures or idols, considered as a sort of presiding guard over the place. 

We visited the Temple of Honan, a place of great sanctity to thenatives. The service is conducted by a college of Buddhist priestsresident within its walls. The institution consists of a group ofshrines or demi-temples dedicated to special gods, and standing withinenclosed courts, shaded by trees of great height, size, and age, thegrounds covering many acres. At the main entrance are placed, as usual, two hideous idols of colossal size, figures half animal and half humanin design, with strangely distorted countenances. Here the shaven-headedpriests were busy performing rites and chanting before burning incenseand lighted candles, after the Roman Catholic style. Within an enclosurewere a number of sacred hogs, wallowing in filth like any other swine. Some lively Chinese boys mounted the largest of these, and extracting afew of the "sacred" bristles offered them to us for pennies. Upon ourinquiring as to the final disposition of these animals, our guide, himself a remarkably dignified native, with "millions" of self-conceit, admitted that the fattest of the lot would probably be eaten in dueseason. We shall often have occasion, in these notes, to see how lowpoor humanity in its blindness can descend, groveling after strangegods. When trying to analyze the frame of mind which probably actuatedthese people in making sacred objects of swine, the thought suggesteditself that after all it might be an instinctive groping of ignoranceafter light and truth. Crude, and even disgusting as it appears to anintelligent Christian, it has its palliating features. The Parseeworships fire, the Japanese bows before foxes and snakes, the Hindudeifies cows and monkeys. Why should not the Chinese have their swine asobjects of veneration? There are certain forms of what is calledChristian worship which are by no means above comparison with evenChinese extravagance. 

Within the walls of this Temple of Honan was a spacious and curiousgarden, where the dwarf trees and flowering shrubs were ingeniouslytrimmed to make them grow in the forms of various animals; and here wasa large pond of the sacred lotus in bloom, the thin, soft, white velvetyleaves displaying every line and vein in their formation. The fragrancewas very delicate. In the poetical language of the East the lotus iscalled the "goddess" as we call the rose the "queen" of flowers. We werehere shown the cremating ovens in which the bodies of the departedpriests are disposed of, and also the crude cells and the largerefectory of the order. But somehow these priests, who pretend to leadsuch lives of self-denial, are wonderfully round and unctuous inpersonal appearance. Our visit to the Temple of Honan was a very curiousand not uninteresting experience, made up of a strange conglomerate ofswine, priests, fat idols, flower gardens, human roasting ovens, andpond lilies. 

All over Canton may be seen lofty towers, square in form, which dominatethe town. Our guide called these warehouses, or storehouses for the safekeeping of goods, they being both fire-proof and thief-proof. Butfurther inquiry proved them to be a series of pawnbroker'sestablishments. In summer the average Chinaman pawns his winterclothing, and other articles not in actual use, thus enabling him toemploy more capital in his business, whatever it may be. When the coldweather comes he redeems his needed clothing, and the same with otherarticles. So universal is this practice that hundreds of thesetower-like pawning places are required to meet the demands of thecitizens. As these establishments are supposed to be fire-proof, they docertainly afford a place of safety for valuable articles not in use, the owner paying storage in the form of interest for the money loaned, the goods being security. 

The dwelling-house and pleasure-grounds of the late Poon-tin-qua, adistinguished and rich Chinaman, were visited, and proved to be typicalof all Chinese pictures. Here were airy summer-houses, pavilions, bridges, rockeries, and ornamental sheets of water, as we see thesethings represented on lacquered ware, decorated China dishes, and fans. It was really very curious and amusing, and showed much of luxuriouslife, --even a private theatre being contained in the establishment. Though all seem to be deserted now and somewhat neglected, still thegarden showed us roses, camellias, azaleas, lilies, and green shrubstrained in the usual grotesque manner, not forgetting the dwarf trees, which seem to give this people great satisfaction when successfullycultivated. 

As regards the punishment of crime in Canton, one would look in vain forjustice, but there is plenty of cruelty. We visited the execution yard, a circumscribed space in the very heart of the city. Here, our guidetold us, twenty condemned prisoners were executed weekly, bydecapitation, each Friday being devoted to clearing the docket. Theexecutioner takes off a head with one stroke of the sword, and the guidesaid he had witnessed the decapitation of eleven heads in seven minutes. Through a grating in the wall of the yard, an open area was seen where acrowd of manacled prisoners were sitting upon the ground, no shelterbeing afforded them night or day. The place was more filthy than acattle-pen, --so offensive that we remained but a few moments. It isdoubtful if anywhere else in the world such barbarous carnage andcruelty exists, under the guise of legal punishment. 

Much has been said about the wonderful Water-clock of Canton, but it isactually a very simple and crude mode of measuring time, which any smartYankee school-boy would improve upon. It consists of four tubs of water, located one above the other on a wooden frame, each dripping slowly intothe one below it, the last being furnished with a float, the rise ofwhich is measured on a graduated scale, indicating units of time; andsuch is the famous Water-clock of Canton. We were not disposed to walkany more than was necessary in the public streets, where the foulestodors assailed us at every step, and disgusting sights met the eye inthe form of diseased individuals of the most loathsome type. Thestranger is jostled by staggering coolies, with buckets of the vilestcontents, or importuned for alms by beggars who thrust their deformedlimbs into his very face. It is but natural to fear contagion of somesort from contact with such creatures, and yet the crowd is so densethat it is impossible to entirely avoid them. Underfoot the streets arewet, muddy, tortuous, and slippery, so that one comes from them with afeeling that a hot bath is an immediate necessity. Why some deadlypestilence does not at once break out and sweep away the people is amystery. We know that the Ghetto at Rome, which forms the most filthypart of the Eternal City, was entirely spared when the rest of the placewas decimated by cholera; but Canton generally is far dirtier than theRoman Ghetto. 

As we found it almost impossible to traverse the streets of Canton onfoot, we were carried, each person, in a palanquin, upon the shouldersof four coolies. These vehicles can make their way through the narrowstreets, but cannot turn round in them without going to some open spacewhere several streets meet. The bearers trudge along, keeping step witheach other, and uttering a loud, peculiar cry to clear the way, reminding one of the gondoliers on the canals of Venice. People wereobliged to step into shops and doorways, or flatten themselves againstbuildings, in order to make room for us to pass in the palanquins, butthey did so with a good grace and took it quite as a matter of course. Whenever we stopped for a trifling purchase or to visit some point ofinterest, a small crowd was sure to collect. The narrow lanes are linedin many sections by stores containing very attractive goods, curiosities, silks, fine China ware, ivory, scented woods, mother-of-pearl and carved tortoise shell, all goods of nativemanufacture. The remarkable patience and imitative skill of the Chineseenables them to produce very choice goods in these lines of art. Theshops being all open in front, the entire contents can be seen by thepassers-by. Many of these passages are covered over at the top bymatting, which effectually excludes the sun, and, indeed, much otherlight, so that they often have a sombre and dreary appearance. 

It was interesting to watch the operation of the primitive hand-loom inwhich is woven the favorite Canton silk. The fabric is beautiful andexpensive, being sold by the pound in place of by the yard, as with us. Men and boys only engage in silk weaving. Women assume the heavier andmore exposed branches of labor, and of out-door-life, besides luggingtheir infants. Some of the lofty and utterly useless pagodas, which areover twelve hundred years old, are quite unique in architecture andornamentation. One was visited which was nine stories high, measuringin a vertical line about two hundred feet. Observing a woman at one ofthe shrines fanning an idol, the guide was asked for an explanation. Hesaid that the woman would presently take this fan home with which to fansome sick person, and from this process would hope for miraculousintervention in behalf of the suffering one. "And do you believe thereis any efficacy in such a proceeding?" we asked. "You would call it theresult of credulity and imagination, " was his intelligent reply, "but Ihave seen some wonderful cures brought about after this manner. Do notpeople, who call themselves Christians, believe in prayer?" "Mostcertainly, " we replied. "Well, " continued the guide, "this is simplyChinese prayer. " After this explanation, the queer proceeding of fanningan idol seamed less strange. That was certainly a good answer, --callingit Chinese prayer. 

Undoubtedly our type of features is repulsive to the average Chinaman, certainly his is very much so to us. One looked in vain among the smoothchins, shaved heads, and almond eyes of the crowd for signs ofintelligence and manliness. There are no tokens of humor or cheerfulnessto be seen, but in its place there is plenty of cunning, slyness, anddeceit, if there is any truth in physiognomy. The men look like womenand the women like children, except that their features are so hard andforbidding. The better classes wear a supercilious expression offeatures that makes the toes of one's boots tingle; and yet in all theshops there is a cringing assiduity to get all the silver and penniesfrom the outside barbarians that is possible. In the streets there was amost unmistakable surliness exhibited that would have broken intoforcible demonstration as we passed through them only for theinstinctive cowardice of the Asiatics. It is quite impossible to expresswhat a strange sea of life these narrow Canton streets exhibited, as wefloated through them in palanquins upon the shoulders of the coolies. Their filth dominated all other characteristics, and forced upon thememory Charles Lamb's remark to his friend, when he said: "Martin, ifdirt was trumps, what a hand you would hold. "

Philanthropic societies are numerous in the cities of China, hardlyexceeded in variety and excellence of design by those of Europe andAmerica. These embrace well-organized orphan asylums, institutions forthe relief of indigent widows with families, homes for the aged andinfirm, public hospitals, and free schools in nearly every district. Aswith ourselves, some of these are purely governmental charities, othersare supported by liberal endowments left by deceased citizens. Depotsfor the distribution of medicines to the poor are numerous, and othersexist for distributing clothing to the needy. One organization wasmentioned to us which supplied coffins to the poor, and bore theexpenses of burial. Among the dense population of the country there mustbe ample occasion for the exercise of such charities. It must beremembered that these societies and organizations are not copied fromEuropean or American models; they have existed here from timeimmemorial. 

Philologists have vainly endeavored to trace any affinity between theChinese language and that of other nations, ancient or modern. It isunique, --an original tongue, and, what is equally remarkable, no othernation, except the neighboring Japanese, have ever borrowed from it, oramalgamated any of its elements with their own. It must have risen inits written form from the untutored efforts of a primitive people. Likethe Egyptian tongue, it was at first probably composed of hieroglyphics, which, in the course of time, became symbolic as they stand to-day. 

The foreign population of Canton, American, English, French, etc. , liveupon a spacious and beautiful island by themselves. The island isconnected with the city proper by a stone bridge having iron gates, through which no native is permitted to pass unless in the domesticemployment of the residents, and then they are obliged to show theirwritten permits each time to the guard on duty at the gate of thebridge. All of the foreign consuls with their families reside here inelegant quarters, surrounding their European style of dwellings withfine gardens, trees, and pleasant walks, and here they extend totravelers hospitality only too open-handed and generous. They arecompletely isolated from the outer world socially, and intelligentvisitors from abroad are cordially welcomed by them. 

An inexhaustible agricultural capacity remains unimproved in China, andthe same may be said of her rich store of mineral wealth, which, underAmerican enterprise and facilities, would soon revolutionize the countryin its products and exports. Save the districts which are traversed bythe canals, the present means of communication between different partsof the country are scarcely superior to those of Central Africa. Theso-called national roads are nearly impassable. No other country in theworld would be so surely and rapidly benefited by a thorough system ofrailroads as would China. Gold and silver are found in nearly everyprovince of the Empire, the former being still procured by the mostprimitive processes, such as washing the river sands by hand, which arerecharged by the freshets from the mountains, --a mode that would satisfyonly Chinese labor. Coal is the most widespread, most valuable, and mostaccessible of all the buried treasures. If the twelve thousand miles ofcoal-fields have made Great Britain the workshop of the world, what maynot be anticipated from the four hundred thousand square miles ofChinese coal-fields, which are capable of supplying the whole world, atthe present rate of consumption, for thousands of years?

The depressing monotony in the customs, habits, and ideas of theChinese, as contrasted with their neighbors, the Japanese, forces itselfupon the notice of the traveler. There is no variety among the race, either in manners, dress, or architecture; one section of the countryseems precisely like another, so far as the people are concerned, however widely divided, and all follow one model. There is noindividuality. They look to the past not to the future. There is no suchpossibility as a nation's standing still; it either retrogrades orprogresses. China, whose people do everything in a left-handed manner, advances like a crab, backwards. It would seem as if she must eventuallydry up and die of old age; and yet, within the limits of the ChineseEmpire is probably comprised one fourth of the human race. Strive asmuch as we may to be fair and liberal, it is yet impossible to disguiseour strong dislike to the people whom we were now about to leave. Asense of relief on departing from pestilential Canton was inevitable, and there was little to attract us longer at Hong Kong, to which city wereturned in the steamship Powan. 

It is not wise to shut our eyes to facts which have passed intohistory, or be too strongly influenced by personal prejudice. TheChinese have long been a cultured, reading people. Their veritablerecords take them back to the days of Abraham. Five hundred years beforethe art of printing was known to Europe, books were multiplied bymovable types in China, and her annals thereby preserved. Whatever ofignorance may attach to the people as it regards matters extraneous totheir empire, the detailed and accurate knowledge of their own countryand its statistics is evident enough from the elaborate printed works inthe native tongue. Every province has its separate history in print, specifying its productions, a brief record of its eminent men, and ofall matters of local importance. Reliable maps of every section of thecountry are extant. The civil code of laws is annually published andcorrected. In the departments of science relating to geography andastronomy, they have long been well advanced. A certain amount ofeducation is universal, eight tenths of the people being able to readand write. The estimate in which letters are held is clear, from thefact that learning forms the very threshold that leads to fame, honor, and official position. Competitive examination is the mode by whichoffice is disposed of, those who hold the highest standard ofscholarship bearing off the palm. The art of printing has been referredto as having its origin in China. In two other important discoveriesthis nation long precedes Europe; namely, in the use of gunpowder andthe magnetic compass, the knowledge of which traveled slowly westwardthrough the channels of Oriental commerce, by way of Asia Minor or theRed Sea. It is only just and fair for us to look on both sides of thesubject. 

On the night of December 11th, being the day previous to that of ourdeparture from Hong Kong, a slight shock of earthquake was experienced, recalling a similar event at Yokohama; but as these are not of uncommonoccurrence in either place, little was thought or said about the matter. We embarked on the P. And O. Steamship, Brindisi, for Singapore, by theway of the China Sea and the Gulf of Siam. The northeast monsoon favoredus, as we rushed like a race-horse over the turbulent sea, with afollowing gale, --the threatening waves appearing as if they wouldcertainly engulf us if they could catch up with the stern of the ship. The Philippine Islands were given a wide berth, as we steered southwardtowards the equator. The cholera was raging among the group; and inillustration of the fact that misfortunes never come as single spies, but in battalions, Manilla, the capital, had just been nearly destroyedby a typhoon. Leaving Borneo on our port bow as we neared the equatorialline, the ship was steered due west for the mouth of the Straits lyingbetween the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Sumatra. 

While running off the Gulf of Siam we got our first view of a veritablewater-spout. It was from four to five miles off our starboard bow, butquite as near as we desired it to be. It seems that both atmospheric andaquatic currents meet here: from the China Sea northward, from theMalacca Straits southward, and from the Pacific Ocean eastward, minglingat the entrance of the Gulf of Siam, causing at times a confusion of theelements. At least this was the captain's theory, and it seems that hehad more than once met with water-spouts at this point. They arenothing more or less than a miniature cyclone, an eddying of the windrotating with such velocity as to suck up a column of water from the seato a height of one or two hundred feet. This column of water appears tobe largest at the top and bottom and visibly contracted at the middle. If it were to fall foul of a ship and break, it would wreck and submergeher as surely as though she were run down by an iceberg. Modern scienceshows that all storms are cyclonic, that is, are circular eddies of windof greater or less diameter. 

No two geographers seem to agree as to what constitutes the MalayArchipelago, but the five islands nearest to the Peninsula shouldundoubtedly be thus classified; namely, Singapore, Penang, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, --the latter containing more volcanoes, active andextinct, than any other known district of equal extent. If the readerwill glance at a map of the Eastern Hemisphere, it will be observed thatmany islands dot the equatorial region between Asia and Australia. Somemaps include New Guinea in the Malay group, though it is situated far tothe eastward, and forms so independent a region, being larger than GreatBritain. Lying in the very lap of the tropics, the climate is moreuniformly hot and moist than in any other part of the globe, and teemswith productions in the animal and vegetable kingdoms elsewhere unknown. The most precious spices, the richest fruits, the gaudiest featheredbirds, are here seen at home; while man is represented by a race quitedistinctive and peculiar, whose type will be looked for in vain beyondthe limits of this region. Climate, vegetation, and animated life areall specially equatorial. The elephant, rhinoceros, tapir, and theman-like orang-outang are all indigenous. It was quite natural toreflect upon these well-known facts as we came down the China Sea andcrossed the broad Gulf of Siam. 

On the 15th of December, at noon, latitude 9° 1', longitude 108° 57', wefound ourselves just half round the world from our starting-point, Boston. The capital of Massachusetts was exactly beneath us on theopposite side of the globe, a physical fact somewhat difficult torealize. 

We landed, December 17th, at Singapore, the most southerly point ofAsia, located at the mouth of the Malacca Straits, about eighty milesnorth of the equator, being the capital of the Straits Settlements. Itis the stopping-place of nearly all ocean travel to and from the East, not only for the landing and taking in of other cargo, but as anecessary coaling station, whether coming round the Cape of Good Hope, or from Suez and India by the Red Sea route. Singapore is an islandlying just off the peninsula separation from the main-land by a straitscarcely a quarter of a mile across. It is some thirty miles long andhalf as broad, containing over two hundred square miles, and supportinga population of a hundred thousand, more or less. The entrance to theharbor was very picturesque as we sailed between the low lying islandsgrouped about it, fanned by a soft welcome morning breeze, before theburning sun had asserted its power. An aspect of tropical luxuriance andlanguor reigned everywhere, --the palm and cocoanut-trees looming aboveall the rest of the vegetation. About the ship floated tropical seaweedof brilliant colors, while the long snow-white beach contrastedstrongly with the dark green, glossy foliage behind it. It was easy todivine the products of the island from the nature of the merchandisepiled upon the wharf for shipment, consisting of tapioca, cocoanut oil, gambia, tin, indigo, tiger skins, coral, gutta-percha, hides, gums, andcamphor, some of which our ship was destined to take westward. The tin, in heavy pigs, was especially noticeable as to weight and quantity. 

The surface of the island is undulating and densely wooded; in factconsists of a multitude of small hills not exceeding three or fourhundred feet in height, while the jungle comes down close to the shore. The great enemy which the natives have to contend against is wildbeasts, --tigers proving very fatal all the year round. There is nowinter, summer, or autumn here, but a perpetual spring, with atemperature almost unvarying; new leaves always swelling from the buds, flowers always in bloom, the sun rising and setting within five minutesof six o'clock during the entire year. Singapore is considered to be avery healthy place, and gets a soft breeze most of the day from acrossthe Bay of Bengal, laden with fragrant sweetness from the spice-bearingfields of Ceylon, while upon its own soil every flower and blossom knownto the Orient affords beauty to the eye and delight to the senses. Thetrees here would have seemed enormous had we not so lately come fromCalifornia. One observes the great abundance of the rattan-palm, whichforms picturesque groups of green foliage quite distinctive from theother surroundings. It seemed rather enervating with the thermometer at90° in the shade, these December days, but the residents did notcomplain. There are some drawbacks to be considered, as well as thefloral beauty and spice-laden air. Were this not the case it would becelestial not terrestial. The number of dangerous snakes, scorpions, mammoth spiders, lizards, mosquitoes, and all sorts of vermin is legion. Naturalists come from all parts of Europe to gather and form collectionsof butterflies, beetles, birds, reptiles, various insects, and shells. The great green-winged Ornithoptera, the prince of the butterfly tribe, abounds here. One enthusiastic naturalist, a German, boasted that he hadobtained within a month over three hundred distinct and remarkablespecies of beetles, within a couple of miles of the hotel veranda wherewe stood. 

The steamboat landing is some three miles from the centre of Singapore, and we drove thither drawn by a little horse which could hardly haveperformed the task had the road not been an excellent one and as levelas a parlor floor. The wayside was bordered by hedges of green andgrowing rattans uniformly clipped, and forming a continuous wall, which, here and there, threw out a graceful feathery bit of foliage. Over thehedge occasionally bent tall and handsome palm-trees of various species, often laden with cocoanuts, or other fruit of the palm family, andoccasionally whole groves of bananas were in sight. We passed manyChinamen, and many Chinese shops, showing them to be the dominatingrace, always moving promptly as if bent on some fixed purpose; while thenatives, seen now and then on the road, were listless and objectless intheir appearance, --true children of the equatorial region. The formerwere bent on accumulating the means to return to their native land inindependence; the latter were utterly heedless of the morrow. 

The local pictures, as usual in each new place, are interesting andimpressive: small hump-backed oxen driven singly to harness and at alively trot; little diminutive horses, even smaller than those of Japan, yet drawing heavy-loaded vehicles; an almost naked population, and thosewearing clothes at all affecting the brightest possible colors. Scarletturbans and white skirts, red shawls bound round the head, yellow sashesconfining one thickness of narrow cotton cloth about the body, give bitsof color everywhere. Peddlers roam the streets selling water, soup, fruit, and a jelly, made from seaweed, called agar-agar. These articlesare cried, each after its own peculiar name, and customers are notwanting; little groups of Chinese and natives often surround the peddlerand partake of his wares. Houses are built high up in the air uponstilts, a common practice for various reasons, not the least of which isprotection against the much dreaded tigers, snakes, and other dangerouscreatures. Tigers are said to devour three hundred of the inhabitantsannually; that is nearly one a day out of a population of a hundredthousand, which is the aggregate of the whole island. The number ofvictims is set even higher than this, and is mostly made up from thoseworking on the plantations. 

The jungle is very dense and difficult to penetrate. English sportsmencome hither, in large numbers, to seek this royal game. It would seemstrange at first thought that an island like Singapore could not becleared of this terrible pest, and so we remarked. "Ah, " replied aresident, "you forget that we draw an unlimited supply from themain-land. Tigers swim across the narrow straits continually, and notuntil the land is cleared from jungle will our island be free fromthem. " The natives dig pits as traps for the tigers, similar to themanner of catching them in India, except that at Singapore a series ofsharp, upright stakes were introduced, upon which the animals fell andwere fatally wounded. This, however, has been forbidden since an Englishhunter fell into a trap and was empaled upon them. 

The vegetable and fruit market at Singapore affords an amusing scene inthe early morning. In fact a traveler soon learns that it is a resortnot to be neglected in any new city; affording, as it invariably does, strongly characteristic local pictures, and for the time drawingtogether representatives from nearly all classes of thecommunity, --master, mistress, and servant. The variety of fruit is heremuch greater than in Japan or China; and there are one or two species, such as the delicious mangosteen, --the seductive apple of theEast, --which are found indigenous in no other country. The vegetablesare abundant, and the native women, who transact the market business, know how to arrange them with an eye to good effect, just as they showan artistic fancy in the mingled colors of the few clothes they wear. 

The cocoanuts ripening in big clusters on the lofty trees, and manyother fruits produced by the family of the palm, are inviting andhandsome to look upon, especially when hanging in clusters forty orfifty feet skyward. We had often read of the fan-palm, but they are muchmore curious to see than to read about, being here presented in theirmost thriving aspect. The California specimens are quite meagre andunsatisfactory in comparison with those grown so near the equator. Herethe tree springs up in the exact shape of an outspread feather-fan, asthough it were artificially trained, and reaches the height of thirtyor forty feet, making a very distinctive feature of the scenery. Fruitis always cheap in these regions, and forms a very large portion of thenative subsistence; but it was a surprise to us in paying for a dozenlarge, ripe, and luscious pine-apples to find that the price was butsixpence. It was amusing to watch the itinerant cooks, who wear a yokeover their necks, with a cooking apparatus on one end and a little tableto balance it on the other, serving meals of rice and fish to cooliesand boatmen for a couple of pennies each. Money has here, as in mostEastern countries, a larger purchasing power than it has with us of theWest. Laborers at Singapore get twelve and fifteen cents a day for workon the wharves, and less inland; but the cost of living to these peopleis proportionally insignificant. They can go into the jungle and get adinner of fruit at any time, and no one will interfere with them. 

A visit to the Botanical Garden, located a couple of miles from thetown, afforded us much pleasure, and, as a complete collection oftropical trees and plants, exceeded, in extent and variety, all previousexperience. Though this entire region is a garden, it has been deemedwell to gather close together all possible representatives of the trees, fruits, and flowers, and to surround them with all the beauties oflandscape gardening. Here, nourished by abundant heat and moisture, thrive the bread-fruit-tree, palms, dates, figs, and mangoes, mangosteens, and creepers of infinite variety. For the first time we sawspecimens of the acacia flamboyante, a large tree with broad leaves ofdelicate green, throwing out from its topmost boughs clusters of scarletflowers with yellow centres like military plumes. The floral displaywas very beautiful, and the plants must have enjoyed the care of thebest trained skill to produce such perfection. One portion of the gardencontained large bushes of stephanotis and alamanda in full bloom, andclose by was a glorious display of the Egyptian lotus in flower. Upon asmall artificial lake was a grand flourishing plant of the VictoriaRegia, with leaves that would support a small child upon the surface ofthe water. There was an extensive aviary in the grounds, with beautifulspecimens of the argus pheasant, lyre-bird, parrots of many species, anddoves with strangely gaudy plumage, as though they had barely escapedbeing parrots. The little scarlet larie, a native here, chattered like amagpie. It was certainly an unexpected pleasure to find an excellentmuseum, a public library, a Protestant cathedral, a large hospital, schools, and several benevolent institutions, as well as the fine gardenreferred to, in this capital of the Malay coast. It will be rememberedthat Singapore belongs to the English, having been purchased by them solong ago as 1819 from the Sultan of Johore, Malay Peninsula; wiseforethought, showing its importance as a port of call between Englandand India. The city is divided into the Chinese, Malay, and Europeanquarters, with a population of sixty thousand, and is elaboratelyfortified. A moment's thought will recall to the reader's mind a factwhich is of interest in this connection. England has established andmaintains a line of outposts from the Mediterranean to the far East, commencing at Gibraltar, thence to Malta, Aden, Ceylon, Penang, Singapore, and Hong Kong, thus completely dominating the south of Asia, and giving her a clear road to India, besides making her power alwaysrealized and respected in the East. 

There is no disguising the fact that the Chinese, attracted to Singaporeby its freedom from commercial restrictions, and its advantages ofposition, have contributed very largely to make it what it is, the mostprosperous settlement in the East. It literally swarms with pigtails, the Chinese composing nearly half of the population. We cannot afford toignore the commercial value of this race, however much we may dislikethem personally. Opium dens are conspicuous here, over the doors ofwhich is printed in English, "Licensed Opium Shops. " It seems that theseMongolians cannot or will not do without the subtle drug, while thereare many people who do not use the article, but who contend that it isnot injurious except when taken to excess. An intelligent resident, however, admitted that opium was in one way or another the cause of mostof the crime among the class who habitually use it. It is the Chinaman'sone luxury, his one extravagance; he will stint himself in food, clothing, amusements, everything else, to add to his hoard of dollars;but this fascinating, artificial stimulant and narcotic combined he willnot deny himself. 

An Englishman, who joined the ship at Singapore, related a tigeradventure, which had occurred here not long previous to our visit. Therewas ample evidence that one of these much-dreaded creatures had made hislair not far away from the town. Our informant had come hither with afriend on a hunting excursion, and resolved, if possible, to secure thecreature's hide. Three or four days before a native woman haddisappeared from the suburbs, and it was resolved to take advantage ofthe trail which was made on this occasion to track the beast throughthe jungle. The sportsmen, with six native beaters, easily followed thetrack, the animal's fore paws evidently sinking heavily into the groundwith the weight of the body he carried. A full mile was passed beforethe path became so dense as to cause delay, and the track was quiteclear. Here and there branches showed a lock of the woman's hair, whereher head had come in contact with some thorny bushes in passing. Oncethe tiger had evidently laid the body down, and here were finger-marksin the soil, showing that life still existed in the poor victim. 

The slight clothing she wore had been found at the commencement of thetrail, where a disturbance of the ground indicated some sort ofstruggle. At the end of the second mile the tracks grew every momentmore distinct, and the party moved with increased caution. Anexperienced beater was now sent in advance with only his broad, unsheathed knife for self-protection. Stillness reigned for some time, as the party thus advanced. The animal had scented danger, and, contraryto the usual habits of these creatures on such occasions, instead ofretreating farther into the jungle, he came boldly towards the attackingparty. Had this been anticipated, greater caution would have beenobserved. Suddenly there came a crashing sound, and a scream rangthrough the jungle. The head beater was borne to the ground by the wholeweight of the tiger, who had sprung upon him. The man had stood at themoment in a partial opening, so that man and beast were now in fullsight. One of the hunters instantly leveled his rifle, and withdeliberate aim sent a ball through the tiger's brain, causing him tostraighten out at once, quite dead. 

The man was stunned and severely wounded, but he was not bitten, andwas able to struggle to his feet, pointing exultingly to the knife, showing that he had buried the blade to the hilt in the tiger's chest, notwithstanding the suddenness of the attack. The natives generally arepoor hunters, lacking courage and coolness, both of which qualities thisman clearly evinced. A hundred yards further into the jungle from thespot where this struggle took place was found the monster's lair. It wasa small open space, surrounded by a thick undergrowth, whither he hadbrought his victims, fully three miles from the nearest village. Onlythe bones of the poor woman were found; what the tiger had not eatenother beasts and birds had consumed. Heaps of bones testified to thehavoc the animal had made. A number of bangles, arm-rings, nose and earornaments, were picked up, such as only women wear, showing that anumber of his victims had been of that sex. The beater was well enoughto walk back to the village, after a short time, and became quite a heroin consequence of the adventure. The carcass was brought to town, andproved to be that of a very large and old tiger. The fact of his comingtowards the hunters instead of retiring, as is their habit when pursuedby numbers, showed that he was an unusually dangerous animal. 

A two days' voyage through what seemed to us like a sea ofphosphorescence, every splash and ripple producing liquid gems, broughtus to Penang, the most northerly sea-port of the Malacca Straits, situated at the point where they open into the Indian Ocean, and justone hundred miles from the island of Sumatra across the mouth of theStraits. The approach to the island by water afforded a fine picture. Well-wooded hills of vivid greenness rise above the sea all about thetown. These hills grow more or less lofty as they recede inland, untilthey culminate in three mountain peaks. Penang, like Singapore, is anisland some thirteen miles long by ten in width, and is separated fromthe main-land of the Peninsula by a narrow belt of sea not more thanthree miles in width, giving it a position of great commercialimportance. It resembles Singapore in many respects, and is almostidentical with it so far as it relates to its general products andvegetation; the season, likewise, is one long, unvarying summer. Thearcea palm, known as the Penang-tree, is the source of the betel-nut, and, as it abounds on the island, has given it the name it bears. Thetown and its immediate suburbs cover about a square mile, through whichone broad main street runs, intersected by lesser thoroughfares at rightangles. A drive about the place gave us an idea that it is a thriftytown, but not nearly so populous or business-like as Singapore. It wasalso observable here that the Chinese element predominated. The mainstreet referred to is lined with open bazars and shops, mostly kept byChinamen. The front of the dwellings being all open, gives the passer-bya full idea of all that is going on in each household. Shrines werenearly always to be seen in some nook or corner of each dwelling, beforewhich incense was burning, and generally a couple of candles also, verymuch as at Canton. The shrine-room seemed also to be the eating, sleeping, and living room. 

The natives are lithe in figure, with but slight muscular development, and are yet quite strong, appearing at all times as nearly naked aswould be permitted among white people. They give up nearly all branchesof occupation, trade, and industries to the Chinamen, and contentthemselves with lying all day in the sun, eating bananas and other cheapfruits, and chewing betel-nuts. Some of them make good sailors, takenaway from their home and put under discipline. The P. & O. SteamshipCompany, as well as many others, often recruit their crews here. Is itbecause surrounding nature is so bountiful, so lovely, so prolific inspontaneous food, that these, her children, are lazy, dirty, andheedless? Does it require a cold, unpropitious climate, a sterile soiland rude surroundings, to awaken human energy and put man at his best?There is compensation always. With luxury comes enervation, effort issuperfluous; while with frugality and labor we have strength, accompanied with development of mind and body. The former producesslaves, the latter heroes. 

Humanity and the lower grades of animal life seem here to change places. While the birds and butterflies are in perfect harmony with theloveliness of nature about them, while the flowers are glorious inbeauty and in fragrance, man alone seems out of tune and out of place. Indolent, dirty, unclad, he adds nothing to the beauty or perfection ofthe surroundings, does nothing to adapt and improve such wealth ofpossibilities as nature spreads broadcast only in these regions. Thehome of the Malay is not so clean as that of the ants, or the birds, orthe bees; the burrowing animals are much neater. He does little forhimself, nothing for others, the sensuous life he leads poisoning hisnature. Virtue and vice have no special meaning to him. There is no searand yellow leaf at Penang, or anywhere on the coast of the Straits. Fruits and flowers are perennial: if a leaf falls, another springs intolife on the vacant stem; if fruit is plucked, a blossom follows andanother cluster ripens; nature is inexhaustible. Unlike most tropicalregions, neither Penang nor Singapore are troubled with malarial fevers, and probably no spot on earth can be found better adapted to the wantsof primitive man. 

The native women are graceful and almost pretty, slight in figure, andvery fond of ornament. Indeed both sexes pierce their ears, noses, andlips, through which to thrust silver, brass, and gold rings, alsocovering their ankles and arms with metallic rings, the number onlylimited by their means. In the immediate neighborhood of the town aresome English plantations and neat cottages, with inclosures of flowersand orchards of fruit trees; while still farther back are large gardensof bread-fruit, nutmegs, cinnamon, pepper, and other spices. Plantationsof sugar-cane, tobacco, and coffee are also numerous, the soil beingpronounced to be extremely fertile. We were told that nothing had to bewrung from the earth here, but, as Douglas Jerrold said of Australia, "just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest. " Here is thevery paradise of brilliant birds, with feathers "too utterly gaudy, "while Flora revels in wild luxuriance. The delicate little sensitiveplant here grows in a wild state, equally tremulous and subsiding athuman touch, as with us. Lilies are in wonderful variety, and suchferns, and such butterflies! These latter almost as big as humming-birdsand as swift of wing. 

Penang is the headquarters of the cocoanut-tree, the prolific characterof which is here simply wonderful. How these trees manage to keep anupright position, with such heavy loads in their tufted tops, is anever-ending marvel. This tree is always in bearing at Penang, givingannually several voluntary crops, and receiving no artificialcultivation. Of the liberal gifts which Providence has bestowed upon thetropics, the cocoanut-tree is perhaps the most valuable. The Asiaticpoets celebrate in verse the three hundred and sixty uses to which thetrunk, the branches, the leaves, the fruit, and the juice are applied. In Penang a certain number of these trees are not permitted to bearfruit; the embryo bud, from which the blossoms and nuts would spring, istied up to prevent its expansion, and a small incision then being madeat the end, there oozes in gentle drops a cool, pleasant liquor calledsarce or toddy, which is the palm-wine of the poet. This, when firstdrawn, is cooling and wholesome, but when fermented and distilledproduces a strong, intoxicating spirit. In fruits, the banana is perhapsthe next most valuable of the products of this region. We were told thatbetween twenty and thirty distinct species of the fruit flourishedwithin a radius of a dozen miles of the town, all wholesome andpalatable. The attention of planters is being diverted from spiceculture to that of fruit raising, the latter requiring so much lessattention, and not being liable to blight of any sort. 

In the brief stay which we made at Singapore and Penang, it is hardly tobe supposed that any very reliable judgment could be formed as to thecharacteristics of the common people; but with observation, fortified byintelligent inquiry, certain deductions were natural. The Malay seems tobe a careless, happy-go-lucky race, the merest children of nature, withno thought of the morrow. The English first, and then the Chinese, dominate the masses. When they have no money, and lack for food, theywill work; but only empty pockets and gnawing stomachs will induce themto labor. All life seems more or less torpid and listless in thetropics. As has been intimated, the morals of these people of theStraits will not bear writing about; the marriage rite has little forceamong them, and domesticity is not understood. They are more nearlyMohammedan than aught else, and its forms are somewhat preserved, butthe faith of Mecca has only a slight hold upon them. There areintelligent and cultivated Malays, those of Sumatra, Borneo, and Javaare notably so; but we have been speaking of the masses. Penangoriginally belonged to the Malay kingdom, but, about the year 1786, wasgiven to an English sea-captain as a marriage portion with the King ofKeddah's daughter, and by him transferred to the East India Company. When Captain Francis Light received it with his dusky bride, it was thewild home of a few Malay fishermen and their families; to-day it hasabout a hundred thousand population. 

The constant changes of climate, in so prolonged a journey as that towhich these notes relate, must naturally somewhat try one's physicalendurance, and also demands more than ordinary care in the preservationof health. Regularity of habits, abstemiousness, and no carelessexposure will, as a rule, insure the same immunity from sickness thatmay be reasonably expected at home, though this result cannot always becounted upon. The sturdiest and most healthy-appearing individual of ourlittle party was Mr. D----, who was in the prime of life and manlyvigor when he joined us at San Francisco; but while the rest of usenjoyed good health from the beginning to the end of the journey, helost health and strength gradually from the time we left China. Thoughreceiving the most unremitting attention, both professional andfriendly, he was conscious by the time we reached Singapore that hecould not long survive. He passed away on the night of December 21st, and was buried next day at sea, with the usual solemn ceremony. It was awild, stormy day, when the body was committed to the deep, causing thescene to be all the more impressive from the attendant rage of theelements. 

CHAPTER V. 

 Sailing Due West. --The Indian Ocean. --Strange Sights at Sea. --Island of Ceylon. --Singhalese Canoes. --Colombo. --A Land of Slaves. --Native Town. --Singhalese Women. --Fantastic Nurses. --Local Pictures. --Cinnamon Gardens. --Wild Elephants. --Lavishness of Tropical Nature. --Curious Birds and their Nests. --Ancient Kandy. --Temple of Maligawan. --Religious Ceremonies. --Life of the Natives. --Inland Scenery. --Fruits. --Precious Stones. --Coffee Plantations. --Great Antiquity of Ceylon. 

After leaving Penang our course lay due west across the Indian Ocean, ona line of about the tenth degree of north latitude; the objective pointbeing the island of Ceylon. We sighted the Andaman Islands as we passed, more than one of which has the reputation of being inhabited bycannibals; and as a matter of course some of the passengers became wittyover the second-hand jokes about roasted missionary. The rains which weencountered in this equatorial region were so profuse, and yielded sucha marvelous downpour of water as to almost deluge us, and set the insideof the good steamship Brindisi afloat. But the air was soft and balmy, the nights gloriously serene and bright, so that it was even morerefreshing, more restful than slumber, to lie awake upon thequarter-deck, and gazing idly among the clustering stars, to buildcastles in the limpid atmosphere while watching the fleecy cloudsfloating across the gleaming planets, as a lovely woman's veil coversher luminous eyes for an instant only to vivify their splendor. 

In the daytime large sea-turtles came to the surface of the water tosun themselves, stretching their awkward necks to get sight of our hull. Big schools of dolphins played their gambols about the ship, dartingbodily out of the water, and pitching in again head foremost, no doubtholding their breath when submerged in atmospheric air, as a diver doeswhen he plunges into the sea. Flying-fish were so numerous as to ceaseto be a curiosity, often skimming on board in their awkward attempts ataerial navigation, and being caught by the crew. As it is known that alight will attract these delicate little sea-moths at night, sailorssometimes extend a bit of canvas on a pole from a forward port, in theshape of a scoop, and placing a lantern above it, gather quite a mess ofthem in a brief time. One morning the cook brought himself into specialnotice by giving us a fry of the self-immolated creatures. Largewatersnakes appeared at the surface now and again, raising their slimyheads a couple of feet or more above the waves. These have been known toboard sailing ships by means of a stray rope left dragging in the water, or through an open port near the surface of the sea. But they wouldhardly attempt such feats with a swift gliding steamer, even if atrailing rope were to offer them the chance. Now and then the ship wouldsail for an hour or more through a prolific drift of that queer, indolent bit of animal life, the jelly-fish. How these waters teemedwith life! Every school-boy knows that the ocean covers three quartersof the globe, but how few realize that it represents more of organiclife than does the land. It is a world in itself, immense and mighty, affording a home for countless and manifold forms of life. We areindebted to it for every drop of water distributed over our hills, plains, and valleys, for from the ocean it has arisen by evaporation toreturn again through myriads of channels. It is a misnomer to speak ofthe sea as a desert waste: it is teeming with inexhaustible animal andvegetable life. A German scientist has, with unwearied industry, securedand classified over five hundred distinct species of fishes from thisvery division of the Indian Ocean; many of which are characterized bycolors as gay and various as those of tropical birds and flowers. Mirageplayed us strange tricks, in the way of optical delusion, in theseregions. We seemed constantly to be approaching land that was neverreached, and which, after assuming the undulating shore-lines of awell-defined coast, at the moment when we should fairly make it, fadedinto thin air. Sometimes at night the marvelous phosphorescence of thesea was fascinating to behold, the crest of each wave and ripple becamea small cascade of fire, and the motion of the ship through her nativeelement seemed as though sailing through flames. The scientific methodsof accounting for this effect are familiar, but hardly satisfactory tothose who have watched this phenomenon in both hemispheres. We began, nevertheless, to experience somewhat of the monotony of sea life, although the most was made of trivial occurrences; for out of thehundred days which we had been traveling since leaving Boston, nearlyfifty had been passed upon various seas and oceans. 

The voyage from Penang to Ceylon covers a distance of about thirteenhundred miles. We sighted the island on Sunday, December 24th, andlanded at Colombo on the following day, which was Christmas. When werounded the seaward end of the substantial breakwater now building, overwhich the lofty waves were making a clean breach, five of the large andnoble steamships of the P. And O. Line were seen moored in the harbor, making this a port of call on their way to or from India, China, orAustralia. As the anchor-chain rattled through the hawser-hole, and theBrindisi felt the restraint of her land-tackle, we were surrounded byhalf a hundred native boats, most of which were Singhalese canoes, ofsuch odd construction as to merit a special description. They arepeculiar to these seas, being designed to enable the occupant to ventureout, however rough the water may chance to be, and the surf is alwaysraging in these open roadsteads. The canoe consists of the trunk of atree hollowed out, some twenty feet in length, having long planksfastened lengthwise so as to form the sides or gunwales of the boat, which is two feet and a half deep and two feet wide. An outrigger, consisting of a log of wood about one third the size of the canoe, isfastened alongside at a distance of some six or eight feet, by twoarched poles of well-seasoned bamboo. This outrigger prevents anypossibility of upsetting the boat; but without it so narrow a craftcould not remain upright even in the calmest sea. The natives face anyweather in those little vessels. 

There was a pretense made of examining our baggage by the custom-houseofficers, but this was simply for form's sake, and then the trunks wereput into a two-wheeled canvas-covered cart, drawn by a couple ofmilk-white oxen, and we walked beside them a short distance to thehotel. It was observed that the driver of the bullocks had no whip, andthe circumstance was set down in favor of humanity; but it soonappeared that the fellow had a resort of another sort whereby to urge onhis cattle, namely, he twisted their tails, compared to which whippingwould have been to them a luxury. As we at once objected to thetail-twisting operation, the native gave it up and behaved himself withhumanity. The sun, meantime, was doing its best to roast us, and we wereonly too happy to get under the shelter of the hotel piazza. We werewaited upon with prompt regard to our necessities, and assigned tocomfortable apartments. The rooms were divided by partitions which didnot reach to the ceiling, the upper portion being left open forventilation; a style of building peculiar to the climate, but notcalculated to afford much more privacy than the Japan paper partitionsin the tea-houses. But the hotel at Colombo was a very good one in allof its belongings, and the table excellent. While we sat at our meals, in the spacious dining-hall, long lines of punkas, or suspended fans, were worked by pulleys running outside, so that during these hours wewere comfortable, notwithstanding the heat. 

This island, situated just off the southern point of India, stands inthe same relation to it that Madagascar does to Africa, and is veryancient in its historical associations, having been in the prime of itsglory four hundred years before the coming of Christ, and how far backof that period its history extends is only problematical. It isseparated from the continent by a strait called the Gulf of Manar, andis about the size of Massachusetts; containing, also, nearly the sameaggregate population. It is believed to be the Ophir of the Hebrews, abounding as it does, to-day, in precious stones, such as rubies, sapphires, amethysts, garnets, and various mineral wealth. It is also, taken as a whole, one of the most beautiful regions of the world; thevery gem of the equatorial region. 

The English government have here large and admirably arranged barracks, suitable for the housing of a small army, the troops numbering at thiswriting between three and four thousand; but more than double thatnumber can be provided for in the broad, open buildings, speciallyadapted to the service and the climate. The object is undoubtedly tomaintain at this point a military depot, with which to supply troops inan emergency to India or elsewhere in the East. But it should beremembered that Ceylon, though a British colony, is quite separate fromthat of India, so near at hand. It is presided over by a governor, appointed by the Queen of England, an executive council of five, and alegislative council of fifteen. For the first time since landing in theEast, we saw no Chinese. They ceased at Penang; for Chinamen, like somespecies of birds, move in flocks; they never straggle. There is here asprinkling of Nubians, but the general population is Singhalese, withwhom are seen mingled Arabs, Javanese, Afghans, Kaffirs, and SyrianJews, these last with their hair in ringlets like young school-girls. The subjugated appearance of the common people is disagreeably apparent. In Japan, the submissiveness and humility of the population isvoluntary, for they are a free and independent race after all; but herethe natives are the merest slaves, realizing their humble status onlytoo plainly. They call all white people "master" when addressing them:"Yes, master, " or "No, master, " "Will master have this or that?" Theywould not dare to resent it if they were knocked down by a white man. The English government provides means for the education of the risinggeneration in the form of free schools; and the English language is verygenerally spoken by the common people. This is wise, for even in hercolonial possessions she must multiply schools, or prisons will multiplythemselves. 

The police arrangements of Colombo are excellent. Notwithstanding thesingular variety of nationalities, one sees no outbreaks; there is novisible impropriety of conduct, no contention or intoxication, quiet andrepose reign everywhere. Though the ancient Pettah, or Black Town, inhabited solely by the natives, is not a very attractive place tovisit, and though it is characterized by dirt and squalor, still it isquiet and orderly, presenting many objects of interest as illustratingthe domestic life of the Singhalese. The same indolence and want ofphysical energy is observable among them as was noted in the Malays atPenang and Singapore. Man is but a plant of a higher order. In thetropics he is born of fruitful stock and of delicate fibre; in the northhis nature partakes of the hardihood of the oak and cedar. Thethermometer indicated about 90° in the shade during the week we remainedat Ceylon, rendering it absolutely necessary to avoid the sun. Only thethinnest of clothing is bearable, and one half envied the nudity of thenatives who could be no more thinly clad unless they took off theirbronzed skins. 

We made our home in Colombo at the Grand Oriental Hotel, kept by anEnglishman. The servants were natives, but well-trained, and all spokeEnglish. Each wore a white turban and a single white cotton garment, cut like a gentleman's dressing-gown, extending below the knee, andconfined at the waist by a sash, thus being decently clothed. It wascurious to sit on the piazza and watch the out-door scenes as theypresented themselves to the eye. The women were strange objects, withsilver and brass jewelry stuck through the tops and bottoms of theirears, through their nostrils and lips, their toes being covered withsmall silver coins attached to rings, and their ankles, fingers, andwrists similarly covered, but with scarcely any clothing upon theirbodies. Both men and women frequently have their arms, legs, and bodiestattooed with red and black ink, representing grotesque figures andstrange devices, --these pictorial illustrations on their copper-coloredskins reminding one of illumined text on vellum. Like most Easternnations, they do not sit down when fatigued, but squat on their heels torest themselves, or when eating, --a position which no person notaccustomed to it can assume for one instant without pain. The men weartheir hair done up in a singular manner, combed back from the foreheadand held in place by a circular shell comb, giving them an especiallyeffeminate appearance; but the women wear nothing of the comb kind intheir hair, their abundant braids being well plaited and confined bylong metallic pins with mammoth heads. Some of the women are pretty, andwould be almost handsome, if their ears and lips and noses were not sodistorted; as it is, they have fine upright figures, and the dignifiedwalk that so distinguishes their Egyptian sisters. 

These women are very generally employed as nurses by the Englishofficers' wives, and children seem to take very kindly to them, theirnature being gentle and affectionate. But these nurses seem to form aclass by themselves, and the taste for cheap jewelry could hardly becarried to a greater extent than it is with them. They are got up in the"loudest" style; after the idea of the Roman women similarly employed, or those one meets with children in the gardens of the Louvre at Paris, or the Prado at Madrid. The Singhalese nurses wear a white linen chemisecovering the body, except the breast, to the knee, with a blue cut-awayvelvet jacket, covered with silver braid and buttons, open in front, ascarlet sash gathering the chemise at the waist. The legs and feet arebare, the ankles and toes covered with rings, and the ears heavy, weighed down, and deformed with them. These, like their sisters of themasses, often have their nostrils and lower lips perforated by metallichoops of brass or silver, and sometimes of gold; to which is often addeda necklace of bright sea-shells mixed with shark's teeth, completing theoddest outfit that can well be conceived of for a human being. Savagerytinctured with civilization. The native children of six, eight, and ten, were subjects of particular interest, the boys especially, who wereremarkably handsome, clean-limbed, with skins shining like satin, andbrown as hazel nuts. These boys and girls have large, brilliant, andintensely black eyes, with a promise of good intelligence, but theirpossibilities remain unfulfilled amid such associations as they are bornto. They soon subside into languid, sensuous creatures. 

As we sat shaded by the broad piazza in the midday, the native jugglersand snake-charmers would come, and, squatting in the blazing sun, beg usto give heed to their tricks. They are singularly clever, these Indianmountebanks, especially in sleight of hand tricks. The serpents whichthey handle with such freedom are of the deadly cobra species, fatallypoisonous when their fangs penetrate the flesh, though doubtless whenexhibited in this manner they have been deprived of their natural meansof defense. True to their native instinct, however, these cobras weremore than once seen to strike at the bare arms and legs of theperformers. Rooks, of which there were thousands about the house, flewin and out at the open doors and windows, after their own free will, lighting confidently on the back of one's chair and trying the textureof his coat with their sharp bills. No one molests them here or makesthem afraid. They are far tamer than are domestic fowls in America, forthey are never killed and eaten like hens and chickens. A Singhalese'sreligion will not permit him to kill anything, except wild beasts inself-defense. The vegetation is what might be expected within so fewmiles of the equator: beautiful and prolific in the extreme. Thecinnamon fields are so thrifty as to form a wilderness of green, thoughgrowing but four or five feet in height, and a drive through them waslike a poetical inspiration. 

The cinnamon bush is a species of laurel, and bears a white, scentlessflower, which is succeeded by a small, oblong berry, scarcely as largeas a pea. The spice of commerce is the inner bark of the shrub, thebranches of which are cut and peeled twice in the course of theyear, --say about Christmas and midsummer. The plantations resemble athick, tangled copse, without any regularity, and require nocultivation, after being once set out; though by close trimming thestrength is thrown downward, and the shrub is thought to render a bettercrop. The raising of the spice was once a government monopoly, but allrestrictions are now removed, and the plantations near to Colombo areprivate property. In driving through them--for they are miles in extent, and are poetically called cinnamon gardens--we tried in vain to detectthe perfume derived from cinnamon; far too decided and pungent to bemistaken for aught else. It is not the bloom nor the berry which throwsoff this scent, but the wounded bark in process of being gathered at thesemi-annual harvest. These cinnamon fields were very sweet and fragrant;there was the perfume of flowers in the air, but not even poeticallicense could attribute it to the cinnamon. 

The wide-spread coffee plantations were much more attractive to the eye, the cultivation of which forms one of the principal industries of theisland, supplemented by the raising and exporting of rice, tea, cocoanuts, pine-apples, plumbago, and precious stones. Ceylon, at onetime, almost rivaled Java in the production of coffee; statisticsshowing that her export of the berry reached the large amount of amillion hundred-weight per annum, before it was suddenly checked by theleaf disease, which has impoverished so many of the local planters. Among its wild animals are elephants, deer, monkeys, bears, andpanthers, --fine specimens of which are preserved in the excellent museumnear Colombo. Pearl oysters abound on the coast, and some superbspecimens of this beautiful jewel have been found here, while no shoreis richer in the variety and quality of its finny tribe. Game birds, especially of aquatic sorts, prevail. 

Specimens of the ebony, satin-wood, and celamendar-trees were met with, the latter the most highly prized of all cabinet woods, growing in wildluxuriance, surrounded by palms, bamboos, fragrant balsams, tall ferns, and the india-rubber-tree, large and lofty, with a majority of itsanaconda-like roots lying above the surface of the ground. Here andthere we came upon dark, shady pools, covered with the blooming lotus, like our pond-lilies, except that they are much larger. The floraldisplay was fascinating. Nature seemed to revel in blossoms of various, and, to us, unknown species. While some large and brilliant flowersbloomed on trees, others, very lovely and sweet, caught the eye amongthe prolific undergrowth. Vivid colors flashed before the observer, caused by the blue and scarlet plumage of the feathered tribe among thebranches of the trees, some with pleasant trilling voices, and othersuttering harsh, shrill, unfamiliar cries. The variety of birds was avery marked feature of this tropical region. The keen voice of theCeylon thrush rang in our ears like the scream of a young child. Manyother smaller birds were seen in rainbow feathers; and a sparrow, likehis English brother, except that the Ceylon species wear a white shirtbosom. 

The difference between a tropical forest and that of our temperate zone, which at once challenges the notice of the traveler, is that trees ofthe same families do not characterize any particular spot. We have pineforests, oak forests, cedar, birch, and maple woods, and the like; but atropical forest contains specimens of the most widely different classes, with every possible variety of family; and the same may be said of thecountless climbing plants which cling to the vertical trunks. Thevarious kinds of the palm are sure to assert their predominanceeverywhere in the wooded districts and jungles of the tropics, yieldingan abundance of their valuable fruits. But at the north, to see a peachor apple-tree bearing fruit in a pine grove, or fruitful cherry andpear-trees among a forest of oaks, would cause surprise. It is, afterall, only a peculiarity born of the wonderful vegetable productivenessof the equatorial region, which gives birth to fruits and flowerswherever there is space to nourish their roots, and where moisture andheat have no other outlet whereon to expend their fructifying powers. The bread-fruit-tree is especially interesting, with its deeplyserrated, feathery leaves, and its melon-shaped fruit, weighing fromthree to four pounds. This the natives prepare for eating in many ways, and as the tree bears fruit continually for nine months of the year, itforms a most important food supply. Two or three trees will support ahearty man, and half a dozen, well cared for, will sustain a smallfamily, a portion of the fruit being dried and kept for thenon-producing months. The tree grows to nearly fifty feet in height, andonly requires a little attention, --no more than that marvel ofproductiveness, the banana. 

Here we saw, for the first time, the cardamom and pepper bushes full offruit, and the kitool-palm yielding its harvest of sugar, toddy, andsago. The usual pests of the tropics were not wanting to balance allthese pleasant sights. Beetles, dragon-flies, cock-chafers, locusts, wasps, and vicious spiders, were visible everywhere; while theomnipresent mosquito was ever looking out for a victim. The curious nestof the tailor-bird, which sews leaves together and builds a dainty nestinside of them, was pointed out to us, and specimens of the weaverbird's nest, with entrance tubes over two feet in length. There werealso pendent nests built by a species of wasp in the trees, whichindicated a nefarious design to infringe upon bird architecture. Thepeacock is found wild here in all its wealth of mottled, featherysplendor. Storks, ibises, and herons flew up from the lagoons, and thecooing of the gentle wood-pigeon reached the ear during the quietermoments. The woods, and indeed all out-doors at Ceylon, seemed like aconservatory of exotic birds and flowers. 

There is a well-equipped railroad extending from Colombo northward tothe small but ancient city of Kandy, running thus about seventy-fivemiles into the very heart of the ancient native kingdom, and giving thetraveler an excellent opportunity to view the inland scenery, which, atmany points, is grand and imposing. Kandy is perched in a basin of themountains, two thousand feet above the level of the sea, surrounded bythickly wooded hills; beyond which are broad plains and thick jungles, which are very rarely penetrated, and which have not been explored, probably, for centuries. Here wild elephants are to be met with inherds. It will be remembered, that they are indigenous to Ceylon, andfrom here Hindostan was supplied in the centuries that are gone, whenthe huge animal was employed in such large numbers during the Mogulreign. In those days there were elephant fights, when these animals, like gladiators at Rome, were trained to single combats, or duels, furthe pleasure of cruel masters; and such was their spirit that one orboth were always sacrificed on such occasions. We afterwards saw, inIndia, the arenas where these gladiatorial contests took place, one ofwhich was located in the fort at Agra. A well-known peculiarity of thisanimal is the fact that it is almost impossible to breed from them in adomestic condition, thus rendering it necessary to replenish the ranksfrom the jungle. In their wild state elephants are a prolific animal;otherwise Ceylon would long since have been cleared of them, sincethousands have been imported from here into India within the last fiftyyears. The Ceylon elephants prefer the low lying forests, but do notconfine themselves to them, ranging the hills to a height of six orseven thousand feet, where the nights must be frosty and rather severe. Their principal food is the leafage and young shoots of various trees, the wild fig being a favorite. There are other trees of which they eatthe bark, and the young roots of the bamboo form a large source of theirfood supply. Rice is, however, their favorite article of food, and theyoften devastate whole plantations in a single night. It is fortunatethat the slightest fence will keep them away from any spot so protected:a single blow of their trunks would destroy a bamboo fence, but theynever attempt it. Some idea, of which we can know nothing, possessesthem as it regards these frail fences. The male elephant in Ceylon getsits full size at about twenty-two years, and is then about twelve feetin height. We were told that they averaged about a hundred years oflife, but in India a much longer period is given them by generalcalculation. 

It has been found necessary to protect them by special law in Ceylon, asEuropean sportsmen came hither in such numbers after the large game, that they threatened their extinction. There is now, therefore, a fineof five hundred pounds imposed by government, as a penalty for killingan elephant; but some rich English sportsmen kill their elephant and paythe fine. It will be remembered that the Duke of Edinburgh visited theisland a few years since to participate in an elephant hunt, when greatpreparations were made for him, and good success, from a sportsman'spoint of view, was achieved. This style of hunting involves considerablerisk, and native beaters are liable to lose their lives in the business. The animals found on the island seem to be quite a distinctive breedfrom any other known race, and are noted for their intelligence, as wellas for their docility, after proper domestication. They are not so largeas those of Africa, but seem to be more highly prized in India. Theexportation, as we learned, still goes on in behalf of the Englishgovernment, sixteen hundred animals having thus been disposed of in thefive years ending in 1862, and about the same number in the interveningtime up to January, 1883, all of which went to India. 

The principal object of interest at Kandy is the renowned and ancienttemple of Maligawa, where the sacred tooth of Buddha has been preservedfor more than fifteen hundred years. It is an indescribable old shrineof irregular, low architecture, black and grimy with "the sacred rust oftwice ten hundred years, " surrounded by a walled court and small stoneapartments. It is surmounted by a tower, manifestly European in design, and which tells its own story as a modern addition. It is massive anduncouth, so as hardly to admit of classification; though it must oncehave been the central object of worship to a very large population, andis held so sacred that the king and priests of Burmah and Siam stillsend valuable presents to it annually. A sacred bo-tree was pointed outto us in the grounds near the temple, believed to be the oldesthistorical tree in the world. It is nearly allied to the banyan species, and its record has been carefully kept since three hundred yearsprevious to the Christian era. The temple, though wearing a mostdeserted and neglected aspect, is still in charge of a few yellow-robedpriests, who keep up an appearance daily of regular services, such asthey are, and more heathenish ones were never witnessed. The ceremoniesduring our brief visit consisted of grotesque dancing, beating of drums, and blowing upon a shrill fife before a rude altar, upon which incensewas burning. There was also marching, by these musicians, around thealtar, led by a dirty, blear-eyed priest. The scene was stronglysuggestive of a powwow as performed by the Digger Indians of California. So great was the din, we were quite willing to take for granted thepresence, in another part of the temple, of the tooth of Buddha, withoutpersonal inspection, and hastened to get away from the annoyance as soonas possible. As we came out of the reeking, stuffy, infected building, we expanded our lungs and umbrellas at one and the same time, for it was"raining cats and dogs" just at that time, and when it rains near theequator it does so in earnest; umbrellas become a fallacy: nothing lessthan an india-rubber coat is of any avail. What an exhibition of mummeryit was in that time-begrimed temple! Ceylon is the classic ground ofBuddhism, as its ruined temples and monuments prove, --a faith whichstill prevails so generally throughout Burmah, China, and Japan. 

The house at which we stopped in Kandy, the only one designed for theaccommodation of travelers, is called the Queen's Hotel, quitepretentious, quite expensive, and very poor, especially as it regardsthe table. One would think a plenty of fruit, at least, might beafforded where it only costs the time and trouble of gathering, but wewere obliged to seek such cheap luxuries of the itinerant outsiders. There was a liberal abundance, however, in the insectivorous department. Centipides and other noxious creatures abounded in the sleeping-rooms. Fire-flies floated about them in such force at night as to contest theilluminating power with the primitive light supplied to guests, by meansof a small cork with a bit of cotton wicking floating upon a shallowdish of cocoanut oil. We will not dilate upon the still more offensiveinsects which disputed our sleeping accommodations with us, but didprotest when the rain came pouring through the roof and ceiling upon usin bed. A large tub was brought in, the bed removed to another corner;and we fell asleep, lulled by the dull sound of dropping water, to awakenext morning and find the tub overflowing. 

We drove through the very extensive and well-arranged Botanical Gardenof Kandy, designed as a sort of experimental nursery for theintroduction of such plants as are not indigenous to the island, butwhich might prove to be of value to the planters could they beacclimated. The selection of various trees and plants is very extensive, and mingled with those of native origin, together forming a collectionof remarkable interest. We were told that the garden had been organizedfor some sixty years, and it is, undoubtedly, the finest in the East, next to that of Calcutta. It covers a hundred and fifty acres of welleconomized land. There was one fine group, we had almost said grove, ofbamboos to be seen here, the stems being considerably over a hundredfeet high, and from eight to ten inches in diameter, --a native of thespot. The rapidity of growth which characterizes these grasses--for thatis their family--is almost incredible. The large cluster here spoken ofwas less than ninety days old, and, the superintendent told us, increased twelve inches a day by actual measurement! We had read ofplants growing at such speed in the tropics as to be visible to thewatcher, and this group of bamboos was increasing at the rate of half aninch each hour. It being observed that the atmosphere was impregnatedwith a delicate flavor of vanilla, inquiry was made for the cause, andthe plant was pointed out to us growing in thrifty abundance close athand. Nowhere had we previously seen such extraordinary exuberance andvariety of tropical vegetation combined. 

Some of the palms were of stupendous size and height, while thereappeared to be a spirit of emulation between talipots, palmyras, date-palms and fan-palms, as to which should develop into the finestspecimen of its class. There were plenty of flying foxes in thesegrounds, and some remarkable specimens of the jungle-rope creepers, orelephant-creepers, as they are more generally called here, which claspthe trees to which they attach themselves as if with the purpose oftheir destruction, which they often succeed in producing by theiranaconda-like-hug. The flying foxes, as was explained to us, are a greatannoyance, and destructive to fruit and blossoms, always attacking thechoicest specimens. They move in flocks or herds of hundreds from oneplace to another, as the most desirable food tempts them. The nativesnever touch them, but hunters from Europe have cooked and eaten them, pronouncing the flesh almost the same as that of the hare, with similargame-like flavor. It is not safe to walk much in the more moist portionsof the garden as there is an abundance of snakes, and especially of onepoisonous kind which is the terror of the natives. 

On the passage from and back to Colombo, the scenery was grand, and asource of great pleasure, for our appreciation in this line was becomingsomewhat trained. So abrupt was the rising grade of the road on theportion approaching Kandy, that even our small train of two passengercars required two engines to enable it to surmount the hills. The roadwound about the mountain in rather startling proximity to the deepgorges and precipitous cliffs; but, as remarked above, giving usglimpses of scenery worthy of the Yosemite in the opposite hemisphere. At the several small stations where we made a brief halt, girls and boysbrought to the windows of the cars yellow bunches of freshly picked, ripe bananas, very choice and appetizing, the price of which was sixpennies for a bunch of twelve or fifteen, and so we partook of the fatof the land. New England fruits, as a rule, are more satisfactory to usthan those of any other country, delicious as we sometimes find them inthe tropics; but an exception may be safely made in favor of freshlypicked, ripe, luscious bananas and pine-apples. Green cocoanuts, whichthe natives much affect, were offered to us, but having a decidedpreference for ripe fruit, these were respectfully but firmly declined. 

The common people along the route live in the very simplest andfrailest of huts, made of bamboo frames with walls of mud, the roofsconsisting of a thatching of large palm leaves ingeniously combined, onelayer upon another, so as to effectually exclude even equatorial rains. The overlapping eaves come within a couple of feet of the ground, thehuts being one story high. They have no chimneys nor windows. The door, always open, admits all the required light, and there is no cold to befeared in Ceylon. Whatever of cooking the people do, and it is verylittle, is accomplished out of doors. Many of the small hamlets throughwhich we passed were embedded in low-lying, thickly-shaded woods, showing the salubrity of the climate, since in some countries such alocation would prove to be the very hot-bed of jungle fever. Here thenatives work in the rice-fields and the swamps at all seasons of theyear, and seem to be perfectly healthy; but we were told that whenEuropeans attempt it they die off by scores. Quite a large number ofSinghalese are employed by dealers at Colombo to hunt the beds of smallstreams, and to dig in the mountains in search of gems, such assapphires, cat's-eyes, moon-stones, topazes, and rubies, which, afterbeing cut, are sold to European and American travelers, and alsoexported to the Paris and London jewelers. A large proportion of thefinest precious stones in the market come from this island. 

The pools in the low grounds here and there were rendered beautiful andfragrant by the lotus in full bloom, bearing flowers eight inches indiameter, rivaling the magnolias, which were plenty enough, but whichseemed by no means superior to our northern specimens. Does this proudrepresentative of Flora's kingdom, like humanity, require a northernand invigorating atmosphere to inspire its greatest fragrance and bestqualities? Coffee plantations are most numerous inland, though they havelately developed a serious blight which has reduced the production atleast fifty per cent. , causing many to abandon the cultivation of theberry. It is not, like the cinnamon, indigenous to Ceylon, but wasintroduced here from the main-land. Unless this serious scourge can beovercome, coffee, as an export from the island, will very soon cease. The kind best known and mostly grown here is the "Arab, " which thrivesat an elevation of three or four thousand feet. It is bush-like in form, and trimmed to within three feet of the ground, both for the purpose ofthrowing down the strength of the growth into the berry, and for theconvenience of picking. There are other sorts of coffee raised, but thishas formed the staple of the island. Experiments are being tried withseveral other kinds just now, cuttings growing with good promise innurseries, which were brought from the West Indies and South America. Curious facts suggest themselves in this connection. The grape-vines ofFrance, which have developed blight, transferred to California, take onfresh life and flourish. Those of the latter State, which show symptomsof exhausted life, renew their productiveness when in the soil ofEurope. The same result relating to coffee is hoped for in Ceylon: withan exchange of seed, plentiful crops are confidently anticipated, amatter in which commerce is much interested. 

Realizing that the coffee crop is still in an experimental condition, some of the planters are giving their attention to the cinchona, whichthrives greatly at Ceylon, even flourishing at elevations where coffeenaturally dies out. The seeds of the cinchona are planted in nurseries, and when six months old are transplanted into prepared fields, wherethey make rapid growth. They do not begin to yield until the tree iseight years old. The earnestness with which the planters have generallyadopted this idea must, if successful, as it seems sure to be, lead tovery decided results when the crop becomes available for the markets ofthe world. 

Banana groves and orchards bending under the weight of the richnutritious fruit, tall cocoanut-trees with half a ton of ripening nutsin every tuft top, ant-hills nearly as high as native houses, ripplingcascades, small rivers winding through the green valleys, tallflamingoes presiding over tiny lakes, and flowers of every hue andshape, together with birds such as one gazes at with curiosity innorthern museums, all crowded upon our vision on this trip inland. Noone should fail to visit Kandy who lands at Colombo, there is so much tosee and to marvel at. Ceylon is a very Gan-Eden, the fairest knownexample of tropical luxuriance in all its natural features, itsvegetable and animal kingdoms, its fruits, flowers, and scenery. Inpoint of location the island is also greatly favored. It is fortunatelysituated outside the region of the cyclones, so frequent at certainseasons in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, as well as being freefrom the hurricanes of the Mauritius Sea, and the volcanic disturbancesof the Eastern Archipelago. Snow is absolutely unknown. The exhibitionof zodiacal light is not uncommon, and mirage in its many singular andinteresting aspects is frequent; while the effulgence of the moon andstars of this latitude, --a constantly recurring hymn written inlight, --will render the most prosy individual enthusiastic, keeping theheart constantly awake to love and beauty. 

Ceylon is also much richer than is generally realized in its prehistoricmonuments, --ancient Hindoo and Buddhist temples, and ruins of loftypagodas from three to four hundred feet in height, dating many centuriesprevious to the appearance of Christ upon earth. What an unexploredfield remains for the antiquarian, not quite untrodden, but stillundeveloped! There is every evidence to show that there once existedupon this island a great and powerful empire; the gigantic remains ofpalaces and temples at once suggest the fact. There are also ruins to beseen of a most elaborate system of irrigation, which must have coveredthe country from Adam's Peak to Galle, like a net-work, with mostperfect means to this end, so excellent as to be the marvel of modernengineers. Their completeness, intelligent purpose, and extent aremarvelous. But no one can say, or reasonably surmise, what caused theruin and decadence of the ancient capitals, which, like those aboutDelhi, have crumbled away, leaving only a blank memorial of theirexistence. What could have swept from the globe a population ofmillions, and left us no clearer record of their once highly civilizedoccupancy? The carved pillars, ornamental fragments of temples, andstone slabs skillfully wrought, which are scattered through the jungle, and in some instances overgrown by dense forests, attest both materialgreatness and far-reaching antiquity. It would seem as though nature hadtried to cover up the many wrinkles of age with blooming vegetation. There are no legends even extant relating to the earliest of theseremains. Pæstum, Memphis, and Cumæ reach far back into the dim past, though here the antiquarian is able to light us with the lamp of hisknowledge; but as to the forest-covered remains of Ceylon, all is ablank, skeletons of the dead and buried past, mementos of a race whotrod this beautiful island perhaps before the Pyramids or the Sphinxexisted. 

At Singapore, Penang, and Colombo it was observed that the commonclasses were incessantly chewing the betel-nut, which gives to theirteeth and lips a color as if bathed in fresh blood. It is a well-knownand long-established practice. The men carry the means about them at alltimes, and taking a piece of the nut, enclose it in a leaf of the sametree, adding a small quantity of quicklime; folding these together theychow them vigorously, one quid lasting for twenty-five minutes or halfan hour, being at times permitted to rest between the gum and the cheek, as seamen masticate a quid of tobacco. The nut is known to be a powerfultonic, but only a small portion of the juice is swallowed. The habit isuniversal among the lower classes of Asiatics. In the southern districtsof India, pepper and cardamom seeds are added to the quid, and it isthen considered to be a partial preventive against malarial influences. Unless it produced some agreeable stimulating effect its use would notbe so common. Wherever we go, among civilized or savage races, uponislands or upon continents, in the chilly North, or the languid, meltingSouth, we find man resorting to some stimulant other than natural foodand drink. It seems to be an instinctive craving exhibited and satisfiedas surely in the wilds of Africa, or the South Sea Islands, as by theopium-consuming Chinese, or the brandy-drinking Anglo-Saxons. 

CHAPTER VI. 

 Arrival in India. --Tuticorin. --Madura. --Bungalows. --Reptiles and Insects. --Wonderful Pagoda. --Sacred Elephants. --Trichinopoly and its Temples. --Bishop Heber. --Native Silversmiths. --Tanjore. --The Rajah's Palace. --Pagoda and an Immense Stone Idol. --Southern India. --City of Madras. --Want of a Harbor. --In and about the Capital. --Voyage through the Bay of Bengal. --The Hoogly River. --Political Capital of India. --A Crazy King. --The Himalayas. --Sunset and Sunrise at Darjeeling. 

We took passage in the British mail steamship Kebela from Colombo toTuticorin, the extreme point of southern India, once famous for itspearl fisheries; but now as forsaken and sleepy a spot as can be foundon any sea-coast. The distance from Colombo is less than two hundredmiles through the Straits of Manar, and we landed on the following day, after a stormy passage, during which the rain came down with tropicalprofuseness. Ceylon, at harvest time on the plantations, importslaborers from the southern provinces of India, who are very glad thus toearn a small sum of money, a commodity of which they see little enoughat home. Seven or eight hundred of these laborers, having fulfilledtheir object at the island, were returning to the main-land, andliterally crowded the lower deck of the Kebela fore and aft. They formedrather picturesque groups as they reclined or stood in their rags, nakedness, and high colors combined. 

When we got up the anchor in the harbor of Colombo, it seemed to bepleasant enough, but scarcely were we outside of the breakwater beforethe steamer began to roll and pitch like an awkward mule under thetickling application of the spur. Too much accustomed to the roughnessof the sea to heed this, we were nevertheless very sorry for theseexposed deck-passengers, few of whom escaped seasickness. Crowdedtogether as they were during the copious rainfall, their sufferings thatafternoon and night were pitiable. There were some families with womenand children, and such shelter as a canvas awning could afford waskindly arranged for them. When we anchored in shoal water off the coastnext morning, and the big flat-boats came to take them ashore, they hadhardly strength and spirit sufficient to tumble into these craft, nodoubt promising themselves, as usual, never, never again to quit the dryland. The water being very shallow, the Kebela anchored five miles fromshore, making it necessary for us to take a small steam-launch to landat the little toy pier built on the beach. Our miniature vessel wastossed about like a bit of cork on the waves, but we had long since cometo regard a wetting by salt-water as a trifling matter. 

Tuticorin is a quaint old place of very little importance, dingy anddilapidated. It is represented to have twenty thousand inhabitants, butone would not have set the figure at more than half that number. Thereis still something done here in the pearl fisheries, though the mostactive stations are situated some thirty miles up the coast. We here gotour first view of a new race of people, the East Indian proper, in hisnative land. It was easy to detect special differences in the race fromthe people left but a short day's sail behind us. They were tall anderect in figure, square shouldered, and broad chested. Theircomplexions were lighter, features clearer cut, and they were a moreactive race. They had not full lips or flat noses like the Singhaleseand Malays; so that although there was a similarity between them, yetthere was a strong difference when one came to sum up thecharacteristics of each. 

The architecture of the town is peculiar, and the few old publicbuildings odd in the extreme. Tuticorin sends some cotton, rice, andcocoanuts to market, but its business must be very limited. An hour'swalk took us all over the town without discovering any object of specialinterest. Being connected by rail with northern India, if there weredepth of water sufficient for steamers to make a landing here, withoutlying five miles off shore, Tuticorin would certainly become animportant Indian port. It was New Year's Day when we landed, and wasapparently being celebrated in an humble way by the few people whom wesaw. The children were displaying toys, playing games, and some boreflowers aloft arranged upon poles as wreaths and hoops. Itinerantpeddlers were disposing of sweetmeats to eager boys and girls. Both thearticles sold and the money which was paid for them looked new andstrange. Some young maidens, in half-civilized attire, displayedhigh-colored garments and small scarlet kerchiefs on their heads. Thepassion for, and habit of wearing cheap jewelry, had been imported evenhere, and some of the extravagances of Colombo were copied by the womenin ornamentation of ears, nose, and lips. Little babies were thusbedecked, and the tender ears of some consequently hung distorted andstretched three inches downward, both the upper rim and the lobe of theinfant's ear being perforated with rings. Brass bangles on arms, wrists, and ankles were the rule, some of the men also wearing them. Here, onthe main-land, the tattooing of the body seemed to have ceased, and theshining, naked skin of the men and women looked clean and healthy. 

In the afternoon of the day on which we landed, the cars of the SouthIndian Railway were taken to Madura, one hundred miles northward, wherewe arrived late in the evening, and took lodging in a governmentbungalow, unfurnished, except by a few temporary articles improvised forthe occasion, our meals being served at the railroad station not faraway. The bungalow was in the midst of a grove of cocoanut palms whichloomed high above our heads, laden with masses of the large brown fruit. It was dark and shady even at noonday. Close by was an ancient stonewell, baths, and irrigating means, showing that where the jungle now ishad formerly been a cultivated field with crops of grain. Nativeshanties were located all about the neighborhood, the people livingmostly out of doors, gypsy fashion. It would be too hot to cook or toeat within these low-roofed mud walls. We found that flies, mosquitoes, and scorpions were inclined to dispute the possession of the bungalowwith us; and ugly looking snakes were seen in such proximity to the lowpiazza as to suggest their uninvited entrance by doors or windows. Indiaswarms with vermin, especially in the jungle. We did not fail to examineour shoes before putting them on in the morning, lest the scorpionsshould have established a squatter's right therein. Flying foxes wereseen upon the trees, sometimes hanging motionless by the feet, at othersswinging to and fro with a steady sweep. Ants were now and thenobserved moving over the ground in columns a foot wide and three or fouryards long, evidently with a well defined purpose. In the morning light, after the sun had risen, clouds of butterflies, many-colored, sunshine-loving creatures, large and small, in infinite variety, flittedabout the bungalow, some with such gaudy spread of wing as to temptpursuit--but without a proper net they are difficult to secure. Largebrown, bronze, and yellow beetles walked through the short grass withthe coolness and gait of young poultry. Occasionally a chameleon turnedup its singularly bright eye, as though to take cognizance of ourpresence. The redundancy of insect and reptile life is wonderful insouthern India. The railroad stations and the road itself, admirablyconstructed and very fairly equipped, are the only evidences of Europeanpossession to be seen between Tuticorin and Tanjore, a distance of fourhundred and fifty miles. The road passes through a generally wellcultivated region where thrifty fields of wheat, barley, and sugar-canewere to be seen, with here and there broad fields of intensely yellowmustard, but the appearance of the people and their mud huts indicatedabject poverty. 

The principal attraction to the traveler in Madura, which contains somefifty thousand inhabitants, is a remarkable and ancient pagoda, supported by two thousand stone columns. It was dedicated to Parvati, wife of Shiva, and is one of the largest and finest monuments of Hindooart in existence, covering in all its divisions, courts, shrines, colonnades, and tanks twenty acres of ground. It has nine loftytower-like gates of entrance and exit, each one of which has the effectof forming an individual pagoda. In the central area of the temple iswhat is known as the Tank of the Golden Lotus, being a large body ofwater covering a couple of acres of ground, leading into which are broadstone steps on all sides, where the people of both sexes were bathingfor religious purification; an idea not hardly compatible with thefilthy condition of the water itself, which was nearly covered with agreen slime. The temple contains many living sacred elephants, deifiedbulls and cows, enshrined idols, and, to us, meaningless ornamentations, too varied and numerous for description. Our local guide stated theprobable cost at a figure so high we refrain from recording it. Theelephants rivaled the beggars in their importunities, being accustomedto receive unlimited delicacies from visitors, such as sweetmeats, cakes, candies, and the like, of which these creatures are immoderatelyfond. One peculiarity of this temple was that it seemed to serve adouble purpose, being dedicated to trade and religion. Within its wallswe found established a large number of trading booths, forming a sort ofbazar or fair, where were exhibited dry goods, toys, domestic utensils, jewelry; in short, all sorts of fancy articles. Madura is famous forproducing high-colored napkins, small shawls and table-cloths, all onfire with color, and here they were displayed in strong kaleidoscopiceffect. We thought it must be the occasion of some special charitablefair, after the practice of religious societies in more moderncountries; but were informed that these merchants were engaged in theirregular vocation, and were permanent fixtures in the temple. The nativescrowded about these small bazars, and seemed to freely invest the fewcoppers they had. We were followed about the courts, chapels, anddepartments of the immense structure by a motley and curious crowd, thegirls and women satisfied to watch and stare at us; but the boys hadimported a London and Dublin idea: turning cart-wheels, somersaults, andwalking all about us on their hands, with feet in the air, to attractattention and elicit pennies. One little fellow gyrated about in a mostmarvelous style, keeping so persistently topsy-turvy as to grow black inthe face, and we finally paid him to keep right side uppermost. Beggingis reduced to a science in India, and our little party were beset, as byan army with banners. 

Half a mile from this grand pagoda is situated Timal Naik's Tank, sonamed after the munificent rajah who built it. He reigned at Madura from1621 to 1657, building palaces and temples by the score. The so-calledtank is an artificial lake extending over six or eight acres, with atemple in its centre, very picturesque in effect, and approached only byboats. Timal Naik's palace was also visited, built some three hundredyears ago, of granite, and a very remarkable piece of solid architectureit is for India to have produced, in that section, and at that epoch. The principal hall of this royal residence has over a hundred stonepillars supporting it. We were shown a grand Saracenic hall, with anoble dome nearly a hundred feet across, called the Hall of Justice. Thewhole of this grand palace is now being thoroughly restored, afterhaving been permitted for half a century and more to fall into partialdecay. We must not forget to mention the banqueting hall of the palace;nothing finer of this character exists in modern architecture. The wholewas a surprise and delight, as we had not even read or heard of thisIndian palace. 

Another hundred miles northward by rail brought us to the city ofTrichinopoly, where we were quartered at a government bungalow, as atMadura, taking our meals at the dining-room of the railroad station, andwere most agreeably disappointed with both the service and theprovisions. Surely some professional cook had dropped out of the skiesand settled here. The food was prepared and served as delicately as at aParisian café. The variety of fruit and pastry was a temptation to themost satiated appetite. Everything was neat and clean, the linenfaultless, and the glass and china were of the choicest. We oftenrecalled, when putting up with indifferent service and deprivationselsewhere, the admirable entertainment which we experienced sounexpectedly at this point. Here the famous Rock of Trichinopoly, fromfive to six hundred feet high, crested with the Temple of Ganesa, wasascended, and a group of pagodas visited of the most lofty and strikingcharacter, similar in extent and general design to those already spokenof. It is not long since, at the assembling of a thousand and morepilgrims upon this lofty and exposed Rock of Trichinopoly, a panicensued from some unknown cause, when fully half of these pilgrims losttheir lives by being crowded off and falling over the rocky precipice, adistance of five hundred feet. There is no protection to the narrow, winding path by which the apex is reached, and some nerve is required toaccomplish the ascent. 

The view from this eminence is exceptionally fine. The native town farbelow us looked as though it had been shaken up and dropped there inconfusion by some convulsion of nature. There is no regularity in thelaying out of the place; it is a confused mass of buildings, narrowpaths, crooked roads, and low-built mud cabins. We visited what iscalled the silversmith's quarter, but it was utterly unlike what such alocality would be elsewhere, composed of one-story mud cabins, in narrowfilthy lanes full of chickens, mangy dogs, cats, and quarrelsomechildren. No one but a native would suspect these hovels to containchoice and finely wrought silver ornaments, and that the entiremanufacture was performed upon the spot. These workmen, nevertheless, have a reputation for the excellence and originality of their product, which extends beyond the borders of India. Boxes were produced from oddcorners, which were full of exquisite silver work, forming such articlesas bracelets, necklaces, rings, pins, belts, etc. , from which our partymade selections. Trichinopoly is also famous for the manufacture ofcigars, called cheroots, exported to all parts of India and the East, and which keep employed the busy fingers of a large number of the menand women of the town. In passing the open doors of the dwellings, cabins, or huts, young girls and boys were seen rolling up the cheroots, sitting cross-legged beside low benches. The manufacture of cutlery isalso a specialty here, and the place has some sixty thousand population. It will be remembered that the remains of Bishop Heber were buried atTrichinopoly, where he was drowned while bathing, in the year 1826. Herealso occurred some fierce struggles between the French and English forthe sovereignty of southern India. 

Two hundred miles of night travel by rail brought us to Tanjore, a largefortified city, where we were again quartered in a government bungalow, there being no hotel designed to accommodate travelers. The palace ofthe late Rajah, an ancient building with lofty towers, and stilloccupied by the ex-queen, was quite interesting. We were permitted toexamine its internal economy, and found by the library that her husbandwas a man of cultivation and taste, especially well read in theclassics, and a good linguist. His bookcases showed several thousands ofgood and well-thumbed books in English, French, Latin, and Greek. 

Here we saw a large gilded car of Juggernaut, the Indian idol, whichmakes its annual passage to and from the temple when the idol takes itsyearly airing, and is drawn by thousands of worshipers, who have comefrom afar to assist at the strange and senseless festival. Pilgrims, delirious with fanaticism, do sometimes throw themselves under theponderous wheels and perish there, but the stories current among writersupon the subject as to the large number of these victims are muchexaggerated. This self-immolation, like that of the burning of widowsupon their husband's funeral pyres, has latterly been suppressed. Between 1815 and 1826, fifteen thousand widows thus perished in India!We were told that in some native provinces the practice was even nowsecretly followed to some extent, but this is doubtful. 

The grand pagoda of Tanjore has been rendered familiar to us byengravings and is truly remarkable, being esteemed the finest specimenin India of pagoda construction. It is fourteen stories high, and in theabsence of figures we should say was over two hundred feet from the baseto the top, and about eighty feet square at the ground. Among its otherstrange idols and emblems it contains, in the area before the maintemple, in a demi-pagoda, the gigantic figure of a reclining bull, hewnfrom a single mammoth block of black granite, and supposed to be ofgreat antiquity. It stands within an open space, raised some twelve feetabove the surrounding court, upon a granite plinth of the same color, but how it could have been raised there intact is a marvel. 

All of these structures are kindred in design, reproducing here atTanjore the spirit and many of the same figures which were seen atMadura and Trichinopoly. As they are the temples of the same idolatrousrace this is natural. All are many centuries in age, and arecharacterized by grotesqueness, lasciviousness, caricature, and infinitedetail of finish. Though they are outrageously gaudy in colors, yet arethey on so grand and costly a scale as to create amazement rather thandisgust. It would seem that a people equal to such efforts must havebeen capable of something far better. In all grosser forms ofsuperstition and idolatry, carnal and material elements seem to beessential to bind and attract the ignorant; and this was undoubtedly thegoverning policy of a religion embodying emblems so outrageous toChristian sensibility. This grand pagoda at Tanjore, taken as a whole, was the most remarkable religious monument we saw in India. The cityhas, as prominent local industries, the manufacture of silk, cotton, andmuslins. It is also surrounded by vast rice-fields the product of whichit largely exports to the north. Another day upon the cars traveling duenorth brought us to Madras, where we found a good hotel and excellentaccommodations, to which we were in a frame of body and mind to do amplejustice. 

In traveling through southern India to this point, we observedfrequently on the route of the railroad strange monuments and many ruinsof temples, pagodas, and odd structures of stone, manifestly serving inby-gone ages some religious purpose. Now and again in open fields, ormore generally by small groves of trees, there were mammoth stoneelephants, horses, bulls and cows, more or less crumbled and decayed bythe wear of centuries, but evidently objects of worship by the peoplewho constructed them, being still held too sacred to be meddled with bythe ignorant and superstitious natives, whose mud hovels cluster aboutthem. At several points, away from any present villages or hamlets, large irregular circles of heavy, unwrought stones were observed in openfields, or near to some mounds of grass grown earth, perhaps coveringthe remains of former shrines. These seemed of the same character andcalled to mind the ancient débris which still exists at Stonehenge, andundoubtedly marked the spot of ancient sacrifice. Large flocks of goatstended by herdsmen were distributed over the plains, and so level is thecountry that the eye could make out these groups for miles away oneither side of the track. Well cultivated plantations of sugar-cane, plantains, rice, wheat, and orchards of fruit were constantly cominginto view from the cars. The olden style of irrigation was going on bymeans of the shaduf, worked by hand, the same as was done in the Eastfour thousand years ago; while the very plow, rude and inefficient, which is used upon these plains to-day, is after the fashion belongingto the same period. Indeed, except that the railroad runs throughsouthern India, there seems to have been no progress there for thousandsof years. A lethargy of the most hopeless character appears to possessthe people. Their mud cabins are not suitable covering for human beings, and are distanced in neatness by the colossal ant-hills of woodeddistricts. Such a degraded state of humanity can hardly be foundelsewhere among semi-civilized races. The women seemed to be worn downby hardships, and were pitiable to look upon; but the men were of darkhue, straight in figure, always thin in flesh, and remarkably like ourAmerican Indians. Nudity is the rule among them, clothing the exception. It seems like a strange assertion, but it is a fact, two thirds of thehuman family go naked in the nineteenth century. 

Madras is situated on the open Bay of Bengal, without even the pretenseof a harbor, though a grand stone breakwater, like that at Ceylon, is incourse of construction. It is after the plan which was adopted by DeLesseps at Port Said, forming the Mediterranean entrance of the SuezCanal. The material which is being employed for the purpose is also thesame, and is composed of a conglomerate of small stones and cement inthe form of large cubes. The Prince of Wales, when on his visit to Indiasome five or six years since, laid the foundation stone of thisstructure, but though it is so much needed it seemed to us to grow veryslowly. No more unprotected spot could be found on the surf-beaten shoreof the Coromandel coast, so completely is it exposed to the fury of thenortheast monsoons. It is singular that it was ever selected for acommercial port, being inaccessible to sailing vessels from October toJanuary, and yet it was the first capital of the British possessions inIndia. Such a surf is nearly always to be found on the shore thatnothing but the peculiar boats of the natives can pass it, and in foulweather it is in vain for even them to attempt it. Nevertheless alongthis inhospitable shore, for a distance of several miles, there extendsa thriving, finely laid out city, with a population of nearly half amillion. 

Madras is spread out over a very large territory, with broad open fieldsand squares, some designed for drill grounds, some for games of ball, some purely as ornamental, with choice trees and shrubs. An abundant andhandsome growth of trees all about the city, lining the thoroughfaresand beautifying the open squares, testifies to the judicious attentiongiven by the authorities to this species of ornamental and gratefulshade, necessary in so warm a climate. We remember especially a fine andquite remarkable avenue of banyan-trees on what is called the MowbrayAvenue. The wide streets are admirably kept, being carefullymacadamized, over which carriage wheels glide with noiseless motion. This description applies, however, only to the European portion of thetown, with its fine public buildings, consisting of many literary andscientific institutions, as well as educational and charitable ones. Thenative portion of Madras is contracted, mean, and dirty in the extreme, the common people showing a degree of indigence and indifference todecency which is absolutely appalling to witness in so large acommunity, but it was quite in accordance with what we had observedfarther south. The elaborate English fort is one of the strongest andbest constructed fortifications in the East, forming a most prominentfeature of the city, and crowning a moderate rise of ground contiguousto the shore with its attractive surroundings, white walls, gracefulthough warlike buildings, flower plats, and green, sloping banks. FortGeorge was the original name of Madras. The noble light-house is withinthe grounds, --a lofty structure considerably over a hundred feet inheight, and visible nearly twenty miles at sea. Near this spot, alongthe coast to the northward, are the rock-cut temples of Mahabalihuram, rendered familiar by Southey's charming poetry. 

At night we were lulled to sleep by the hoarse, sullen roar of therestless waters. By day it was curious to watch the long surf-washedbeach, directly in front of our hotel, and to see the fishermen strugglewith the waves in their frail, but well adapted native boats, calledcatamarans. These are constructed of three pieces of timber, ten ortwelve feet long, tied securely together with cocoanut fibre; the middleone being longer than the others, and curved upwards at each end. Twomen generally go together, and force them through the water with shortpaddles used alternately on either side. We saw them repeatedly washedoff by the surf; but as they are naked and good swimmers, they eitherreach the boat again, or, if driven away from it by the sea andundertow, regain the shore. Sometimes only one is washed off, but notunfrequently both are compelled to swim back to the shore where thefrail boat itself is soon after thrown high upon the beach by the powerof the waves. We were told that it was a very rare circumstance for oneof these Madras boatmen to lose his life by drowning, as they becomesuch expert swimmers. 

A peculiar boat is also used between the wharves and the shipping, whichcome to anchor some distance off shore, landing passengers or takingthem from the shore to the ship. Even where these boats are used, partially protected by the half-completed breakwater, no common boatwould answer the purpose, or would stand the strain. The surf runs higheven here, though not so fiercely as on the open beach. The Madras boatis large and light, constructed of thin planks sewed together with hidethongs, and caulked with cocoanut fibre. No nails enter into itsconstruction, nor would answer the purpose, which the yielding thongsonly are fitted for. Each of these boats is propelled by at least eightrowers, who use an oar shaped like a spoon, being a strong elastic polewith a flat, rounded end, securely lashed to it by hide thongs. The menpull regularly until they get into the surf, and then they work likemad, and the light boat is landed high and dry on the shelving sands. 

Along the shore of the business section, the broad street is lined withlofty commercial warehouses, custom house, hongs and godowns, and weobserved considerable building in progress just at this point. Thesubmerged breakwater should be brought up to its proper height beforeanything else is attempted in or near the bay. Anchorage is veryprecarious, large steamers being compelled to keep up steam to ease anystrain which may come upon their land tackle. One large iron vessel laya wreck upon the beach, and was sold at auction, to be broken up, whilewe were there. She was loaded with coal for the depot of the P. And O. Line. 

In driving and strolling about the city we noted many local pictures. Groups of professional dancing girls are to be seen in all of the citiesof India, generally attached to some temple, as no religious ceremonyor gala day is considered complete without them; and indeed the same maybe said of any large private entertainment, as guests never dance in theEast, preferring to hire such work done for them. These dancers areaccompanied by a musical instrument very much like a guitar, andsometimes by tambourines and fifes. Many of the girls are delicate andgraceful both in form and manner. Those who adopt the calling consecratethemselves to it by some religious ceremony, and ever after areconnected with the temples. They preserve decency and propriety in theirpublic performances, which is curious to witness; their ankles beingcovered with silver bells and their wrists and arms similarly decked. Their effort appears to be that the bells should be so agitated as toring in harmony with the instruments; but the fact is there is noharmony about either. These girls depend more in their performance uponpantomime, expression of features, pose of body, and gracefulposturings, than upon any great exertion of muscle. 

In their peculiar performance there is no exposure of the person, as inthe Parisian style of dancing, only half clad as they are. These Indiangirls endeavor to tell a story by their dance: to express love, hope, tenderness, jealousy, and other passions, all of which are so wellportrayed, as a rule, that one can easily follow their pantomime. Whenidle, they sometimes perform as itinerants in the streets and squares, as was the case when we chanced to see a small group at Madras. Positiveinformation regarding them is not to be obtained, but enough was heardto satisfy us that they constitute a priestly harem. 

After passing a very pleasant week in Madras, we sailed at daylight, onthe 11th of January, in the P. And O. Steamship Teheran, for Calcutta, through the Bay of Bengal, a five days' voyage. Soon after leaving theroadstead of Madras there was pointed out to us on the port bow the lowlying coast of Orissa, India, where the famine of 1866 carried off onemillion of souls. As we drew northward a decided difference in thetemperature was realized, and was most agreeable; the thermometershowing 70° at Calcutta, in place of 90° at Madras, so that portions ofclothing, discarded when we landed at Ceylon, were now resumed. Sinceentering these southern waters we had remarked the entire absence ofsea-gulls, so ever-present on the Atlantic and North Pacific; but theabundance of Mother Carey's Chickens, as the little petrel is called, made up for the absence of the larger birds. It is swallow-like in bothits appearance and manner of flight, and though web-footed is rarelyseen to light on the water. It flies very close to the surface of thesea, frequently dipping for food; but never quite losing its power ofwing, or at least so it appeared to us. Sailors, who are a proverbiallysuperstitious race, seriously object to passengers at sea who attempt tocatch the petrel with hooks baited with food and floated on the water, or by any other means, contending that ill-luck will follow theircapture. 

The ocean currents along the coast of Coromandel are marked and curious, requiring special care in navigation. Unless observations can be had byaid of the sun at noon-day, no ship is sure of her position; deadreckoning will not answer here. We were reminded in these waters ofother currents: the Gulf Stream, for instance, on our own shore, findsits rise in the tropics, say in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, moves northeast along the American coast, gets a cant on the banks ofNewfoundland, and after crossing the Atlantic, spends its force on theshores of Western Europe. The Japan Current, as it is called by seamen, originates in the Indian Ocean, moves northward along the eastern shoreof Asia, and is divided by the Aleutian Islands and the AlaskaPeninsula, one branch going to the Arctic Ocean, and the other along thewest coast of America into the South Pacific. These details become veryinteresting to the traveler when passing long weeks upon the ocean, observing how the vessel in which he sails is either favored or retardedby these known forces. 

Our course was due north until we anchored at the mouth of the HooglyRiver to await a favorable tide, finally arriving at Calcutta on theevening of the 15th of January. The intricate navigation of the Hoogly, with its treacherous sands and ever-shifting shoals, is conducted by apilot system especially organized by government, and is composedexclusively of Englishmen. No vessel can hope to ascend the river safelywithout being in charge of one of these pilots. We saw a large ironsteamship, which was a quarter of a mile ahead of the Teheran, in herattempt to make the mouth of the Hoogly, caught by an adverse current, through what seemed to be a very trifling miscalculation, and she wascast aground as quickly as though blown on a lee shore by a tornado. Wepassed her as we went in, with both her anchors out, adopting variousnautical expedients to get afloat. As the accident occurred on a risingtide, we have no doubt that she finally got free from her dangerousposition. 

Calcutta is the political capital of India, but since the opening ofthe Suez Canal, Bombay rivals it in all commercial respects. It wasrather surprising to find so poor a hotel as the "Great Eastern" provedto be. It is calculated to receive within its walls at least one hundredto one hundred and fifty guests, and yet does not present the ordinarydomestic comforts to be found in an American country tavern. A goodhotel is a prime necessity to any city, and is of more importance to theinterests of the inhabitants at large, and to its trades-peopleespecially, than is generally realized. We were told by our banker andothers that the complaint in this matter was so general that a companywas forming to give to the city a first-class hotel on the Americansystem, a consummation devoutly to be wished. At present touristsvisiting Calcutta would be prompted, as we were, to abbreviate theirstay in the city, solely for want of a good temporary home. 

Calcutta is a very interesting city, very Indian, notwithstanding somany Europeans live here and it has so long been under English rule; butit is by no means entitled to the name so often given to it, the "Cityof Palaces. " It is quite modern, having no remains of antiquity in orabout it, and in 1686 was but a mud village. As seen from the Hooglywhen one first lands, it has a strong array of fine public buildings;but a passage of a few rods, diverging from the main thoroughfare, brings the visitor upon the dirty streets, the mean and narrow houses, and general filth of the native population. The city is stronglyindividualized, and it may be remarked that of all the capitals thus farvisited no two are alike, or strongly resemble each other. All differradically in manners and customs, modes of conveyance, dress, architecture, and local color. We visited some of the palaces of thenative princes, which show in what extravagant style they formerlylived, until compelled to come under English control. Many of thesestructures were partially denuded, and none pretended to be kept up totheir former standard. 

The National Museum is an institution of great importance, rich in itsvarious specimens of Hindoo curiosities, and also in the possession ofan extensive zoölogical and mineralogical collection, the wholecontained in a noble building of modern construction. The city has alsoa number of literary, scientific, and charitable institutions, libraries, social and political clubs, hospitals, and the like. TheGovernment House is a fine specimen of architecture, and is built aroundan open square ornamented like a garden, but really little less than acitadel if necessity should require it to assume that form. Owing to thenature of England's possession here, Government House is undersemi-military organization, always ready to meet a popular uprising, andcontaining powerful means of defense. The zoölogical garden is almost arival to that of London, and in some respects is superior to it. Thebotanical garden, located about three miles from the city proper, isequally remarkable for its size and comprehensive character. The goodtaste and appreciation which has gathered here so large and complete apublic garden is worthy of all praise. 

In this garden there is an enormous banyan-tree, one of the largest inthe world, and the original of the picture of the school-books. Theleaves are very similar to those of the poplar, and are four or fiveinches long. Its age is incalculable, being a tree of very slow growth, and continually multiplying itself, so that it may be said to liveforever. There is one remarkable avenue of Palmyra palms in thesegrounds, which we have never seen excelled in beauty of effect even inthe plantation avenues of Cuba, where the family of the palm form thepride of the coffee planters. Here was also to be seen specimens of thesacred bo-tree and the camphor-tree of great size; one largeconservatory was devoted solely to the cultivation of ferns, which thegardener said contained twenty thousand varieties, from the size of aninfant's hand to tall trees. 

The various shades of green in this conservatory were no less remarkablethan the wonderful variety of form, all being arranged in the mosteffective manner. The tall tree ferns seemed ready to burst through theglass roof, and were ornamented with little hanging baskets on theirbranches, containing choice and delicate specimens, while at their basewas a rockery over which played a tiny fountain, causing the exquisitelypinnated feathery fronds of the ferns to tremble incessantly. In anotherpart was a little patch of mossy meadow, and again there were decayinglogs out of which sprang various ferns in wild luxuriance, as one hasseen them in deeply-shaded, low-lying woods. The maiden-hair fern washere seen ranging from leaves as large as one's thumb-nail to a specieswith leaves the size of pin-heads. There was a charming harmony in thewhole arrangement; nothing seemed abrupt, each effect blended gracefullywith those surrounding it, like well-balanced colors in an oil painting. 

The King of Oude's palace, on the opposite side of the river, will wellpay the traveler for a visit. The old king has a reputation of being alittle out of his head, or, as the Scotch say, has a bee in his bonnet;at any rate, he is very queer, very fat, and very independent, with hisallowance of half a million dollars per annum from the Englishgovernment who dethroned him, at which time he was King of Oude, one ofthe richest provinces of India, Lucknow being the capital. He is said tobe still a rebel at heart, and was a strong supporter of the mutiny. Heis really a sort of state's prisoner in his own palace at Garden Reach, as the place is called, where he has a whole menagerie of animals, andis especially fond of tigers, of which he keeps over twenty in stoutcages. He has also a large and remarkable collection of snakes, allIndian, and "millions" of pigeons. He pays fabulous prices for any birdor animal to which he takes a fancy, and is, of course, duly victimizedby cunning dealers. He is a fanatic in religious observances, andconfines himself within the palace walls, from one year's end toanother, with his tigers, snakes, pigeons, priests, and women. Hepermits tourists to visit his grounds, but will himself see no one. Itwould not seem that he owes any affection to the English, who, undersome specious pretense, seized his private property, including hisvaluable jewels, and sold them for the benefit of Queen Victoria'streasury. As was said by the British press at the time, the English hadno more right to those precious stones and private property than theyhad to the crown diamonds of Russia. 

The government fortifications here will interest travelers, as they areremarkable for completeness, and presenting the advanced ideas in theline which they represent. But we were most entertained and longestoccupied in Calcutta by the native bazars, which, as usual, gave one aspecial insight into the character of the people, their tastes andoccupations. An hour was passed of quite an impressive character at alarge building inclosing a high-walled area on the banks of the river, known as the Burning Ghat, where the ceremony of cremating the dead isgoing on at all hours of the day and night. Seven corpses were broughtin and placed upon the pyres, built up of unsawed cord wood in cobstyle, raised to the height of four feet, the fire being applied to asmall handful of specially combustible material at the bottom. The wholewas so prepared as to ignite rapidly, and in a very few moments afterthe torch was applied to it, the pile was wreathed in the devouringelement. The atmosphere was impregnated with offensive odors, and onewas fain to get on the windward side of the smoking mass. The Ghat wasopen to the sky, so that the ventilation was all that could be obtained. The bodies thus treated are entirely consumed in about three hours, during which the wood requires partial renewal, and all palpable signshaving disappeared the ashes are solemnly cast into the sacred riverclose at hand, the Hoogly being one of the outlets of the Ganges. Whenfirst brought to the Ghat, a very simple and brief ceremony is held overeach body, and then a member of the family of mourners which attend theburning applies the torch to the pyre. The custom is that this serviceshould be performed by the oldest son of the deceased, if there be sucha representative. The first time we witnessed such a scene was at theCalcutta Ghat, but our after experience, as to the disposal of thedead, was still more strange, as we shall have occasion to record inthese notes. Close by this Burning Ghat, along the river front, thereare a number of sheds, with only partial shelter from the street, wherepoor dying Hindoos are brought to breathe their last, believing that ifthey pass away close to the sacred water, their spirits will beinstantly wafted to regions of bliss. Here they are attended by personswho make a business of it; and it was intimated to us that they oftenhasten the demise of the sufferers by convenient means. Human life isheld of very little account among these people, whose blind faithbridges the gulf of death, and who were at one time so prone to suicide, by drowning in the Ganges, as to require strict police surveillance onthe part of the English to prevent it. 

At the close of each day, about an hour before sunset, all fashionableCalcutta turns out in state for a drive on the Maidan, --the Hindoostaniname for esplanade, --a broad and finely macadamized roadway, extendingalong the river's bank, by the fort, the open cricket grounds, theparade, and the gardens, arranged as a circular course of a mile or morein extent, which would be perfection had it only a proper complement ofshade trees. It is really a most delightful resort after the trying heatof the day, when the cooling influence of the twilight commences; inshort it is the Indian Hyde Park, or Bengal Champs Elysées. The variety, elegance, and costliness of the equipages in grand livery that crowd theMaidan during the fashionable hour was a surprise, the whole sceneenlivened by the brilliant dresses of the ladies, the dashing costumes, and gold lace of the nabobs, the quaint Oriental dress of theirbarefooted attendants, and the spirited music of the military band. Thevariety of nationality present was infinite; the participants in varieddress were Parsees, Hindoos, Mussulmans, English, Egyptians, with asprinkling of French and Italians. The twilight hour is brief; the crowddashed round the long course in the liveliest manner, until the ambershades deepened, and then a hundred electric lights of great power, shielded by ground-glass globes, flashed upon the scene, rivaling ineffect the broadest daylight. Then the occupants of the open vehiclesand the equestrians gathered about the Eden Gardens, where themusic-stand is placed, and in ranks eight or ten lines deep, listened tothe popular airs so finely rendered, or chatted gayly with each otherduring the intervals of the music. These Eden Gardens, always open tothe public, with their tropical vegetation, picturesque temples, summer-houses, and refreshing ornamental waters, are a delightful resortin the after-part of the day, when their inviting shade can be bestappreciated. The Cascine at Florence, the Pincio at Rome, the Chiaja ofNaples, the Prado of Madrid, none of these can compare in point ofgayety, variety, and attractiveness with the Maidan of this Indiancapital. 

It would seem that Calcutta ought to be a healthy city, but, as itregards English residents, it cannot be said to be so. A peculiarity inthis connection was explained to us by an officer of the civil service, long resident in the East. Both himself and wife were our companions onboard the Kashgar, on the voyage from Bombay to Suez, the gentlemanbeing on leave of absence for a brief month's stay in England, wheremother and father were going to meet their three children. It seems thatpure blooded European children, even if born in India, are unable tostruggle successfully against the enervating effects of its climate, andthis applies not alone to Calcutta, but to all parts of the country. Until their sixth year, children apparently retain their health and theruddy color of the race, but, soon after that age, they grow pale andwan, the listlessness of a premature decay setting in, or somemysterious blight steals over them. Thus, without the symptoms of anyfixed disease, they droop and pine, like exotic plants. Nothing but areturn to England, the home of their race, will restore them. The utmostcare is of no avail. Even removing them to higher table-lands in thehill country has no saving effect. An English gentleman and his wife, who had long resided at Lahore, told us the same; they being alsoseparated from their children, who had been born in India, butnecessarily sent home to England to restore their fading health. Thissingular peculiarity is so well known, that its fatal results are nowpromptly guarded against by the one and only resort, --of parents andchildren submitting to separation. 

The city is said to contain a million of inhabitants, but this seemed anexcessive computation. The frail character of the native houses, in thesection of Calcutta occupied by Indians, may be judged of by the factthat the cyclone, which visited the place the year after that of thefamine at Orissa, destroyed over thirty thousand of their houses; and, three years later, in 1870, another cyclone was equally destructiveamong these dwellings. The Hoogly River is visited, during the monsoons, about the last of April, by a tidal wave, which dashes up from the seaat a speed of twenty miles an hour, causing much destruction. Shipslying off the city often part their cables, and are driven on shore;while many small craft, along the eighty miles of river course, are notunfrequently destroyed altogether. 

Taking the cars of the Eastern Bengal Railway, we started forDarjeeling, in the extreme north of India, a distance of about fourhundred miles from Calcutta. At Damookdea the Ganges was crossed, andthe journey resumed by the North Bengal State Railway. At Siliguri theNarrow Gauge Himalayan Railway was taken, by which to ascend themountains, and a wonderful piece of engineering it was found to be, doubling upon itself frequently in a distance of two hundred feet; inone place the train passing over a bridge which it had passed under afew minutes before. The railroad running up Mount Washington, in NewHampshire, though more precipitous, is less remarkable. The wild, extensive scenery on the route was a constant reminder of the SierraNevada mountains, through which we had passed by moonlight, in far-offAmerica. As we progressed upwards, flocks of Tibet goats began toappear, and a hardier race of men and women than those we had left belowon the plains of Hindostan. The road was being much improved, andlaborers were busy all day along the route, consisting of men and womenand young girls, all performing the same style of labor, with shovel andpick, each carrying a small basket of earth and stone on his or herback. 

Among these laborers three distinct nationalities were observable, marked by dress, physiognomy, and figure. They were people from Tibet, Nepal, and Cashmere, which border on this part of northern India, andare separated from it by the Himalayan Range. These mingled racesformed picturesque groups, the men armed with long, sword-like knivesand other weapons, after the fashion of their native lands. Some of theyoung women were quite pretty, though a little masculine and sturdy infigure, appearing very much like their sisters of Alpine Switzerland. Atthe noon hour, they gathered in groups near the doors of their shantieson the abrupt hill-sides; where, throwing themselves on the ground, theypartook of their coarse, midday meal, quite in gypsy style, about asmoking iron pot, suspended over a fire by a tripod. They watched uscuriously, for the passing cars formed the one daily event, connectingthem with the far-away populous cities of the plains, places of whichthey only knew by report. Our train consisted of two cars only, a firstand a second class; but the engine, built especially for this service, puffed and snorted like mad, with the wildest vigor, in its struggle tosurmount the steep grade, seeming to be vastly refreshed by a fewmoments' rest at the frequent watering-places. These consisted of awooden trough running out of the hill-side, and supplied by one of thethousand tiny brooks that burst out everywhere. At these the thirstylittle engine drank copiously, and often; until finally, after manyhours, we rounded a high projecting cliff, and in a moment after reachedthe little station of Darjeeling, which signifies "Up in the Clouds. "

We arrived early in the afternoon, and fortunately on a clear day, so weanticipated having the rare pleasure of witnessing the sunset upon theloftiest range of snow-clad mountains on the globe. As we rounded thebluff already spoken of, there burst upon our sight, for a few moments, a complete view of the range, lying under a clear sky and warm glow ofsunlight, so entrancing as almost to take away one's breath. Theimagination had never before depicted anything so grand and inspiring. Our little party could only point at it, and look into each other'seyes. Words would have jarred like a discord upon the ear. What theBernese Oberland range is to the Alps, this Kinchinjunga group is to thesky-reaching Himalayas. The former, however, are but pygmies comparedwith these giants at Darjeeling. One gazes in amazement at the peaks, and almost doubts that they belong to the earth upon which he stands. Visitors from a distance are often compelled to depart in disappointmentafter waiting for days to obtain a fair view of the range. We had reasonfor gratitude in having reached this elevated spot at so propitious aseason. 

We ascended the nearest hill soon after arriving at the hotel, and, looking across the intervening valley, could count twelve peaks, thelowest of which was over twenty thousand feet in height, and the highestover twenty-eight thousand, upon which rested eleven thousand feet ofperpetual snow, --the snow line being distinctly marked from east towest, as far as the eye could reach. There can be no animal life in thatArctic region, no pulsations of vitality. Only the snow and ice restthere in endless sleep, cold, pitiless, and solemn. The sun was slowlydeclining in the west, faintly burnishing a few silvery, transparentclouds, while it touched the pearl-white tops of the Himalayas with rubytints, and cast a glow of mingled gold and purple down the sides mostexposed to its rays. Every hue of the rainbow seemed to hang over therange, through which gleamed the snowy robe in which the peaks andsides were clad. The top of Kinchinjunga, the loftiest of them all, towering three thousand feet above its fellows, as it radiated the gloryof the sunset, made one hesitate whether it was indeed a mountain top ora fleecy cloud far up in the sky. As we watched with quickened pulse, the sunset glow, like a lingering kiss, hung over the grand, white-turbaned peaks for a moment, as though unwilling to say goodnight, and then it suddenly vanished. The cool, dewy shadows gathered onthe brow of Kinchinjunga like parting tears, and night closed swiftlyover the deep intervening valley, shutting out the loveliness of thevision, but leaving its impress glowingly fixed upon the memory forever. 

The Himalayas--meaning in Sanskrit the Halls of Snow--form the northernboundary of India, and shut out the country from the rest of Asia. Tibet, which lies just over the range from whence we viewed it and thewild region between, is virtually impassable for travel; and yet boldparties of traders from time to time, wrapped in sheep-skins, forcetheir way over the passes at an elevation of eighteen thousand feet. Itis a hazardous thing to do, and the bones of worn-out mules mark thefrozen way, telling of suffering and abandonment. The little Yak cow, whose bushy tail is manufactured into lace, has been found to be thebest and most enduring animal to depend upon when such journey's aremade. She will patiently toil up the steep gorges with a heavy load onher back, and will drop in her very tracks before she shows anystubbornness or want of courage. Sheep are also used at times to carrybags of borax to market near the plains, where they are shorn of theirfleece, and return to the mountains laden with salt. The culminatingpoint of the range, and the highest peak in the world, is Mount Everest, a little more than twenty-nine thousand feet above the level of the sea;but it is rarely visible from Darjeeling. In an unsuccessful attempt toascend Kinchinjunga not long since, an English physician very nearlylost his life, and was obliged to submit to the partial amputation ofhis feet. He still resides in the neighborhood in government employment. 

The sunset view, already spoken of, had fully repaid us for the fourhundred miles journey due north. On the following morning we rosebetimes to see the meeting between the god of day and those white-robedsentinels of time. We hardly dared to hope for a clear atmosphere. Onlythe stars, perhaps a little weary with night-watching, were visible now. A fine sunrise to follow so beautiful a sunset would be almost too goodfortune. The air was sharp and frosty, but we cared naught for the cold, now at freezing-point, as we were between seven and eight thousand feetabove the level of the plains. Our anticipations were sufficientlyexhilarating to keep us warm. First came a delicate gray tinge in theleaden sky as the morning seemed to partially awake from its slumber, and gradually a fitful light beamed out of the east, as the stars grewpaler and paler. Objects about us became more distinct, until presentlythe white peaks came into view one after another. Then the veil of nightwas slowly removed, as Aurora extinguished the last of those flickeringlamps, and the soft amber light touched the brow of each peak, causingit to blush like a beautiful maiden aroused from sleep, at sight of onebeloved. After the first salutation the rays became bolder, more ardent, and poured their depth of saffron hues all over the range, which nowblushed and glowed like mountains of opals, flashing and burning in theglad, glorious sunlight. Dazzling to look upon, it grew yet strongerevery moment, until the mountains and valleys were flooded in anatmosphere of azure and gold, and every outline was filled in by theclear, fresh light of the dawn, completing for us an experience never tobe forgotten, the loveliness of which neither tongue nor pen canadequately express. 

It was not without an effort that one could descend from such elevatingand inspiring delights to more material things, but over the coffeelocal matters of interest were discussed with our host. It appears thatDarjeeling is becoming the centre of a great tea-producing district, andthat India bids fair to rival China in a product which has seemed, fromtime immemorial, to belong to the latter country exclusively. Englishcapitalists are buying up the land wholesale; and their agents, employing skilled labor, have already extensive tea plantations in fullprocess of profitable yielding, and sending tea annually to market. Atfirst it seemed strange to us to see the tea-plant flourishing at suchaltitudes, covering large reaches of the mountain sides; but the factcame to mind that the latitude of Darjeeling is about that of Floridaand the West Indies, which solved the apparent incongruity. As to theproduct of these tea-fields, one could realize no difference in itsflavor from that of the Chinese leaf. We were told that it brought ahigher price in the European markets, being known as Assam tea. Cinchonawas also being raised in the district to a considerable extent, and itwas believed was specially adapted to the locality. 

We ascended a high hill overlooking the valley and town of Darjeeling, and found upon its crest a sacred stone, where Buddhists had latelysacrificed some object which left the stains of blood, and where incensehad recently been burned. It was in a primitive temple constructed ofstones and stunted trees, surrounded by growing bushes. The neighboringbranches of the trees were decked here and there with bits of red andblue cloth, which the guide explained as being Buddhist prayers. On somebits of paper adhering to the stones there were written characters whichwe could not understand, but which doubtless were invocations addressedto a superior power. From this elevation we enjoyed extensive and stilldifferent views of the Himalayas, and their diadems of frosted silverflaked with gold, while close at hand were seen the hundreds of thriftytea plantations decking the sloping hill-sides. There are no roads atthese extreme heights; it is all climbing to reach them, and the path sonarrow that visitors advance only in single file. 

Darjeeling is what is called in India a sanitarium; that is, a resortfor Europeans from the plains during that portion of the year when it istoo hot to reside in the cities. There is a fixed population of overthree thousand. The viceroy's summer quarters are elegant and spacious, and there are churches, schools, and a club-room, with hospitals andbarracks for army invalids. We saw groups of natives from theneighboring countries, lingering about the depot, quite willing totrade, and offering us their praying machines for filthy lucre. Some ofthese machines were of finely wrought silver and were expensive. In thecentre of the town there is an open space devoted daily to an out-doorbazar, where the itinerant traders spread a mat upon the ground andcover it with the articles which they wish to dispose of, seatingthemselves cross-legged on the ground by the side of their wares. Herewe saw displayed copper coins from the neighboring countries, sweetmeats, fruit, beans, rice, betel-nuts, candles, baskets, and toys, besides heaps of various grains. Near the hotel there was aninsignificant temple, at the entrance of which a hideous old woman wasturning a big cylinder with a crank; a church praying machine. Sheseemed to have taken a contract to pray for the whole district, sheworked so vigorously. 

Some of the people in and about the neighborhood are of singularinterest. One tribe was pointed out as belonging to the Sikkim race, known as Lepchas, who believe in spirits good and bad, but celebrate noreligious rites. There were specimens of the Limboos, who are Buddhists, and whose out-door temple on the hill-top we had chanced upon. Againthere were people known as Moormis, of large stature and originally fromTibet. The Nepal and Cashmere people were, small in size, compared toEuropeans, but of hardy frames and stout limbs. These latter are veryindustrious and thrifty. There was some building of stone houses goingon at Darjeeling, and some road making in the town; and it was observedthat all carrying of stone, mortar, or other material, was performed byCashmere or Nepal girls and women, who carry baskets of stone on theirbacks heavy enough to stagger an average American laborer. But thesewomen, under such harsh usage, must become prematurely old. 

After considerable hill climbing and exploration of the vicinity westarted on our return to Calcutta, and having become acquainted with thegrandeur of the scenery as a whole, were better prepared for closerobservation in detail. It was all the way down hill now, and ourspirited little engine, like a horse under similar circumstances, hadmore use for the breeching than the traces. However, the speed was avery lively one, and to the uninitiated appeared almost reckless. Thepure white magnolia was found to be abundant on the mountain, bloomingprofusely at over seven thousand feet above the plains. Amid many otherflowering trees, unknown to us, the magnolia was most prominent. Thewild and abundant growth of the rhododendrons, which here become aforest tree, mingled with a handsome species of cedar, which rose indark and stately groups, was a marked feature of the woods. The generalluxuriance of the vegetation was conspicuous, thickly clothing thebranches of the trees with mosses, ferns, and flowering creepers ororchids. Here we saw for the first time the cotton-tree, with redblossom, and which yields a coarse material for native use. A species oflotus was seen, called here "The Queen of the Forest. " It belongs to themagnolia family, and the leaves are used by the common people in placeof tea. Many bright and exquisitely delicate ferns sprang up among theundergrowth and about the watering stations. Brilliant littlebutterflies floated in the sunshine everywhere, and contrasted with therepulsive whip-snakes hanging here and there from the branches of thetrees. Vegetable and animal life seemed singularly abundant in thesehills, so far above the plains of Hindostan towards which we werehastening. 

The language of the masses is rather mixed, being composed of Bengali, Hindi, and Nepalese, though English is almost universally understood, even by the humbler classes. We found a very comfortable hotel atDarjeeling, but discovered that the Hindoo milkman knows the trick ofjudiciously watering his merchandise. The fruits upon the table werebananas, pine-apples, guavas, and oranges. Wild animals are abundant inthe hills, including the much-dreaded tiger, which does not confine hisoperations to the plains. At one of the stations on the mountainrailroad, where we stopped for refreshments, a story of the most tragiccharacter was told us of two children carried off and eaten by tigersthe previous night. The demoralized condition of one of the poorfamilies bore witness to the truth of the report. We listened to thevery harrowing detail of the event, but will not weary the reader withit. The half-howl, half-bark of the jackals at night frequently awokeus. They carry off young kids in these regions, and do not hesitate toattack small dogs, but keep a wholesome distance from human beings. 

One day and night upon the route--there are no sleeping-cars, so we didwithout them--brought us back to Calcutta, extremely gratified with ourexcursion to the Himalayas, and more than ever impressed with thedistinctive character of each new locality. There are no two riversalike, no two mountain ranges precisely similar, no two races of peoplethat quite resemble each other. There is always some marked distinctionto fix the new experience on the mind. Were this not the case, confusionwould be the natural result of ten months of such varied travel as thesenotes are designed to record. 

CHAPTER VII. 

 From Calcutta to Benares. --Miles of Poppy Fields. --Ruined Temples. --The Mecca of Hindostan. --Banks of the Sacred Ganges. --Idolatry at its Height. --Monkey Temple. --The Famous River Front of the Holy City. --Fanaticism. --Cremating the Dead. --A Pestilential City. --Visit to a Native Palace. --From Benares to Cawnpore. --A Beautiful Statue. --English Rule in India. --Delhi. --The Mogul Dynasty. --Lahore. --Umritsar. --Agra. --The Taj Mahal. --Royal Palace and Fort. --The Famous Pearl Mosque. 

Calcutta is not a city calculated to detain the traveler more than fourdays, so we promptly got our baggage together to start for the nextobjective point, which was Benares, the holy city of the Hindoos, toreach which five hundred miles of central India must be traversed byrail. The route, however, lay through an extremely interesting region ofcountry, where, notwithstanding it was still January, everything wasgreen, and both planting and harvesting were in progress. The peopleappeared to be wretchedly poor, living in the most primitive mud cabinsthatched with straw. Such squalor and poverty could be found nowhereelse outside of Ireland, and yet we were passing through a famousagricultural district, which ought to support thrifty farm-houses andsmiling villages. It abounded in rice, wheat, sugar-cane, and vast poppyfields, --treacherously beautiful, --from which the opium of commerce isderived. The presence of such abundance made the contrast in thecondition of the peasantry all the more puzzling. 

This part of India has ever been noted for the excellence and prolificyield of its sugar crops. From here, also, indigo and saltpetre areexported in large quantities. No tea-gardens were seen, --these were leftbehind in the hills, --nor had we met with coffee plantations sinceleaving Ceylon. All along the route we saw fruit trees in considerablevariety, of such as are indigenous to central India; among these wererecognized the lofty and handsome tamarinds, almonds, mangoes, oranges, and limes, interspersed with which was the graceful palm, laden withcocoanuts, and other products of the palm family. Temples centuries inage and in utter ruin came into view now and again, as they had done inthe south, between Tuticorin and Madras, and here, as there, they werefrequently adjacent to a cluster of low mud hovels. From the branches ofthe trees flitted birds of such fantastic shapes and plumage as to causeexclamations of surprise. Occasional specimens of the bird of paradisewere seen, with its long and graceful tail-feathers glistening in thesun, presenting an array of bright colors never seen in confinement. Thetall flamingos, in their bridal plumage, just touched with scarlet oneither wing, like soldiers' epaulets, floated along the shores of thenumerous ponds, scarcely clearing the ground, or they stood lazily bythe bank upon one awkward leg. Parrots glanced across the vision in thebright noontide, in carnival costume; and buff-colored doves, with whiterings about their necks, coquetted lovingly in couples. Of song birdsthere were but few, though the clear notes of the little Indian thrushnow and then fell pleasantly on the ear. 

As we progressed on our way, we picked up here and there, at variousstations, third class passengers in considerable numbers, consistingoftentimes of whole families, in singular variety of dress, "undress, "and rags, bound for Benares. They were packed in the rude cars devotedto that class, like cattle, and there they slept and ate upon the roughpine boarding. The roads of India carry these devout people at a mosttrifling charge, aggregating but about a half penny per mile. And yet wewere told that it paid the companies very well, besides making goodfriends of the natives, who were originally opposed to the laying ofrailroad tracks; indeed, so bitter and superstitious were they, that fora long time it was necessary to guard the track by a military force, especially in these very districts of central India. It was amusing towatch the expression upon the countenances of some of these pilgrims, who stood on the platform of the depot, watching the hissing steam as itcame from the engine. In their intense ignorance and superstition theybelieve that it contains a "fire-devil, " and that it is bribed to do therequired work of transportation by frequent drinks of water at thevarious stations! It was difficult for the more intelligent to suppresstheir prejudices against the introduction of the railroad into Indiawhen it was first begun; but the ignorant, superstitious masses arestill believers in the supernatural character of the iron horse. Noamount of explanation can disabuse their minds of the impression; theyonly shake their heads; but getting into the third class compartmentsavail themselves of the facilities all the same, even when bent, as theyall are who travel, upon some devout pilgrimage. 

Benares, the first large city on the united Ganges and Jumna, may becalled the citadel of Hindooism, containing about one hundred and fiftythousand fixed inhabitants, and nearly as many more of floatingpopulation, composed of pilgrims, constantly coming and going. WhatJerusalem is to the Jew, Rome to the Latin, Mecca to the Mohammedan, Benares is to the Hindoo. It is supposed by many to be the oldest knownhabitation of man in the world. Twenty-five centuries ago when Rome wasunknown and Athens was in its youth, Benares was already famous. It issupported by the influx of rich and poor pilgrims from all parts of thecountry, whose presence gives its local trade an impetus, at certainseasons of great amount, and more or less at all times. The city issituated on the left bank of the sacred Ganges, to bathe in whichinsures to the devout Hindoo forgiveness of all sins, and an easypassport to the regions of the blessed. In entering the ancient capitalwe crossed the Ganges on a bridge of boats very similar to that atCologne on the Rhine. As we drove through the streets troops ofpilgrims, pitiable to behold, foot-sore and weary, were met coming fromthe Punjab a thousand miles away, simply to bow down before the localidols and to dip their bodies in the holy river. Faith must be veryvigorous in these uneducated creatures to induce such sacrifice tofulfill its requirements; like superstition elsewhere, it is everstrongest in the ignorant. 

These pilgrims are not all beggars or in rags. Now and then a gaudilydressed rajah may be seen, with a long line of attendants, wending hissteps towards the river's front. Infirm old men and little children, crazy looking fakirs and comely youths, boys and girls, people of allages and both sexes, were represented in the motley groups who went formoral purification to these muddy waters. There is a singular minglingof races also, for these people do not by any means speak one tongue. They are from the extreme north and the extreme south of India, whilethe half-starved vagrants of central India could not make themselvesunderstood by either. A common purpose moves them, but they cannotexpress themselves in a common language. Pilgrims are here from Tibetand Cashmere, the far-off Himalayan country as well as from Tuticorin onthe Indian Ocean. Numberless idols and symbols of the most vulgar andloathsome character abound all over the town, and along the river'sfront, before which men and women bow down in silent devotion. Idolatryis but the synonym of impurity, and is here seen in its most repulsiveform. The delusion, however, is perfect, and these poor creatures are, beyond a doubt, terribly in earnest. 

The people grovel in this idolatrous spirit, animals forming theprincipal subjects of worship, --such as bulls, snakes, monkeys, andpigeons. One of the peculiar temples of the city is devoted solely tothe worship of monkeys, where hundreds of these mischievous animals finda luxurious home, no one ever interfering with their whims, except tofeed and to pet them. This temple contains a singular altar, beforewhich devotional rites are performed by believing visitors, who alsobring food offerings for the monkeys. One of the animals during ourvisit was misbehaving himself, considering that he was a veritable god:rolling, tossing about, and holding on to his stomach with both paws, while he cast his eyes in an agonized manner upwards, and howleddolefully. In plain English his godship had eaten too many bon-bons andsweetmeats, and was paying the penalty from which even sacred monkeysare not exempt. Another, evidently the mother of twins, ran about withone under each arm, now and then stopping at convenient places to nursethem after a fashion ludicrously human. Adjoining the temple is a largewater tank in which the monkeys are fond of bathing, their pranks in thewater affording much amusement. 

It is difficult to realize the mental degradation of a people controlledby a frame of mind leading them to worship these creatures; and it isequally ludicrous to recall the fact, in this connection, that theJapanese eat them. The hollow trunk of a venerable tamarind-tree wasshown where all the baby monkeys are born. About the doors of thistemple sat women with baskets of yellow marigold blossoms, to sell tonative visitors for decorating purposes at the altar. Great use is madeof this flower, which seems to be raised in large quantities for thisobject. Once or twice we saw these women sell a handful for a halfpenny;but it must be a sorry trade whereby to earn a living. Pigeons swarm inand about Benares enjoying a superstitious veneration and protection;while sacred bulls obstruct the passages, and the narrow, nauseous, over-crowded streets, rendering them too filthy for foot passage. Everything appears to be in a state of chronic decay; and as the cityflourished twelve hundred years before Christ, --indeed may be said tohave been at the zenith of its glory at that period, --it is notsurprising that it should be in a tumble-down condition in our day. Thisvery dilapidation, however, renders the river front one of the mostpicturesque sights imaginable. Being a British possession, there is aEuropean quarter of the town, quite modern in aspect, ornamented withlarge and fine public structures, churches, post-office, and governmentbuildings, besides some charming private residences or bungalows. Butthe native portion, always crowded with sacred animals, beggars, curs, and filth of every sort, seemed a very hot-bed for pestilence. In mostof the native huts the light of the sun can never penetrate, andcompared to them underground dungeons would be desirable residences. Ourlocal guide told us there were over two thousand public temples andshrines in Benares, and he might have added in every stage of dirt, decomposition, and ruin. The sights to be witnessed in them were mostrepulsive, and yet there were some sincere votaries there. There wererogues also, a fact proven by the circumstance that the guide, nativeand resident here, had his pocket picked before the altar whileexplaining matters to our party. 

As a fine characteristic view of the city is to be obtained from theriver front, a boat was taken, with half a dozen oarsmen, to pull alongthe ghats, or flights of broad stone steps, descending to the river fromthe shattered old palaces, prostrate temples, and half-sunken quays, which extend in a continuous line for more than two miles along theGanges. Here hundreds, nay thousands of people of both sexes and of allconditions, are to be seen at any hour of the day dipping and washing inthe sacred waters; which ceremony to them is tangible prayer. Here was asmall group gathered about a delicate invalid, who lay upon a litter, brought to the spot that she might be bathed in these waters, which itwas hoped would make her whole. Here still another collection surroundedthe fading and flickering lamp of life that burned dimly in the breastof age, come to die by the healing river. And close at hand, beneaththat sheet, was the cold clay of one already departed, now to beconsumed upon the funeral pyre and his ashes cast into the Ganges. Whata picture of life and death, what a practical comment upon poorhumanity! On these ghats the Hindoos pass their happiest hours, notwithstanding these sad episodes; coming from the confined, dirty, unwholesome streets in which they sleep and eat, to pray and bathe, aswell as to breathe the fresh air and to bask in the sun. The hideousfakirs make their fixed lodging-places here, living entirely in the openair, in all their revolting personal deformity, diseased and filthy. Their distorted limbs fixed in every conceivable attitude of penance, their faces besmeared with white clay, and their long hair matted andclotted with dirt. There are pious fools enough to kneel before them, and to give them food and money, by which they are supported in theircrazy self-immolation. 

It was observed that some of the women took into the river with themshort garlands of yellow and white flowers, which they seemed to countover like a Roman Catholic kneeling with her beads, and finally to breakthem in pieces and cast them upon the surface of the river, watchingthem borne away upon the tide. Each one was provided also with a smallbrass jar in which to carry away a portion of the sacred water, afterhaving completed their baths, and washed their clothes therein. Thepeople have no hesitation in drinking this water in which so many havebathed, nor in carrying it home for cooking purposes. Yet they musthave, like ourselves, seen the ashes of the cremated corpses cast intoit, and have observed the frequent dead bodies floating therein. Onewould think a single glance at the yellow, filthy hue of the water wouldbe sufficient to debar its use; but the very name of the Gangessanctifies everything with these mentally blind creatures. Sometimes, though this is not a frequent occurrence, a crocodile takes away abather; but such persons are rather envied than regretted, since to diein those waters is in their estimation simply to be at once wafted tothe elysian fields of paradise. 

All this fanaticism, mad zeal, and credulous idolatry could not alonesustain and support a city like Benares, though it attracts millions ofpilgrims annually. There must be some reasonable nucleus to form about, some occupation and industry with the semblance of common sense, something besides priestly art and cunning. Therefore, looking about uswe find in her bazars the skilled product of real artisans, in the formof brass ware of such admirable finish as to monopolize the markets ofthe world in this line. And again, there is produced in her dark alleysand dirty lanes an article of silver gilt embroidery of unequaledexcellence. Specimens of these remarkable local products are sure to bebrought away by appreciative travelers, while the local demand from richnatives is very large in the aggregate. So there are many homes in thisstrange, idolatrous, dirty, Indian Mecca, which are supported, afterall, by legitimate industry. 

A bird's-eye view of the city and its environs was enjoyed by ascendingto the top of the lofty minaret crowning the great Mosque of Aurungzebe, so high, that not a street or roadway could be detected by the eye inall the densely populated city. The town below appeared like one densemass of houses, recalling the view of Milan from the pinnacle of itsfamous cathedral; but the streets of Benares are so narrow that it ishardly surprising to find them undistinguishable from so great a height. The palace of the Maharajah of Vizianagram was also visited, awell-appointed and elegant residence, where were to be seen some fineengravings upon the walls, representing American historical scenes, andespecially an admirable portrait of Washington. An ancient observatorywas of more than ordinary interest to us, erected by a famous Hindoopatron of science, Rajah Manu. Though now quite neglected and in partialruins, a sun-dial, a zodiac, meridian line, and astronomical appliancesare still distinctly traced upon heavy stones, arranged for celestialobservations. This proves that astronomy was well advanced at Benareshundreds of years before Galileo was born, and it will be rememberedthat the astronomers of India first settled the fact of the rotation ofthe earth. The Man-Mundil, as this observatory is called, forms a mostimportant historic link between the days of the Pharaohs and thenineteenth century. 

Here, as in many other Eastern cities, we found men, women, and childrenlying down and sleeping in the streets and on the roadways, whereverfatigue overcame them, --all places were the same to them, vast numbersknowing no other home than the ground upon which they stood. And here, as in Calcutta, we saw the bodies of the dead being cremated in public, in the open air, along the river's bank, the pyres being prepared asalready described. On one of the bodies brought to the funereal pile, covered with a plain sheet, it was observed that flowers had beenstrewn, and pale, white rose-buds were in the folded hands. It was thebody of a young girl, thus decked by loving hands for her bridal ofdeath, a token of affection and tenderness no one could fail to respect. Five or six women followed, with downcast eyes, the four men who borethe body upon a stretcher, the sad and simple cortége of one who haddoubtless been well beloved, "too early fitted for a better state. "Something held us riveted to the spot, though we knew very well whatmust follow. After a few moments the red, scorching flames woundthemselves gluttonously about that youthful figure, as though revelingin their victim, and quickly all was blackness and smouldering ashes. 

To such extremes do the pilgrims who visit Benares often carry theirreligious fanaticism, that it has been found necessary by the Englishgovernment to organize a police system to prevent their deliberatelydrowning themselves in the sacred waters, actuated by a firm belief thattheir souls will be at once wafted to paradise. Women are especiallyprone to the crime of infanticide, imagining that they can do nothingbetter for their female children than to intrust them to the bosom ofthe Ganges, which will bear them safely to the ocean of eternity. Poorcreatures! From their stand-point of poverty, with its endlessdeprivations and hardships, and the hopeless condition of their sex inthe East, who can be surprised at the conclusion they adopt?

Jackals are the night scavengers of Indian cities, and no sooner havethe inhabitants retired to rest than their hideous half-bark, half-wailing notes jar upon the ear. Even in Calcutta, a large andpopulous city, one is not exempt from their howlings, but in Benaresthey are a recognized institution, and are molested by no one. Thesecreatures voraciously gobble up everything that is left exposed, good orbad, --vermin, decayed food, offal, every refuse, --thus rendering acertain necessary service in a climate so hot as that of India. Thenatives are not permitted to keep any sort of firearms, so they couldnot shoot the jackals if they desired to do so; but animal life is heldsacred by them, and no native will spill blood except in self-defense. They seem to have no craving for animal food, supporting their bodiesalmost entirely upon rice. It may also be that a fellow feeling makesthem kind, for they live, eat, and sleep more like wild animals thanlike human beings, unhoused and unclothed. The degraded condition ofeight tenths of the population of India is almost incredible. Slaves toignorance, slaves to idolatry, they are also political slaves; nor isthere, so far as we can see, any better prospect for them in the nearfuture. 

Cawnpore is situated on the Ganges, about two hundred and twenty mileswest of Benares, and was reached by cars over the Oude and RohilkundRailway, the characteristics of the route being very similar to thatfrom Calcutta to Benares. Almost the sole interest of this locality tothe tourist is created by its connection with the mutiny of 1857, andthe several fine monuments which commemorate the prominent features ofthat event. It is true that the interest in scenes where great crimeshave been perpetrated is, more or less, of a morbid character. Mr. Lee, who was a subordinate officer in the English army at that memorableperiod, now owns and keeps, with his family, the principal hotel, actingalso as an efficient guide to visiting parties. He points out thevarious places of special interest, giving vivid and eloquentdescriptions of the sad events, in which he was himself an actor. Thereis something very impressive in Marochetti's noble monument over thespot which was, at the time of the mutiny, a capacious well, and intowhich the women and children of the English prisoners, living and dead, were cast, by order of that inhuman wretch, Nana Sahib. It forms abeautiful white marble figure of an angel, with folded wings andpalm-laden hands, the eyes cast downward upon the now covered well. Theground surrounding the spot is inclosed by an iron rail, and beautifiedwith lovely flowers, carefully tended. Already familiar with the detailof the tragic deeds enacted in this place, the locality was necessarilyimpressive, and notably that of the Suttee-chowra Ghat, where the finalscene of the Cawnpore massacre took place. 

It was a sombre, cloudy day, and some rain fell while we were drivingabout the extensive grounds of the English cantonment. The influence ofthe sad story which these monuments commemorate, the funereal aspect ofthe spot, the gloomy, leaden, weeping sky above us, all served toheighten the effect of the dark story of crime and blood which our guiderehearsed to us. In its palmy days, before the mutiny, two cavalryregiments and three of infantry were stationed here. To use the words ofMr. Lee: "The place was full of officers' wives, children, and prettywomen. Private theatricals were given twice weekly, balls as often, andpicnics and dinners constantly. " It must have been a round of holidayswhich the English residents enjoyed, while they vied with each other intheir mutual hospitalities. Alas! what a volcano they were sleepingupon; and when it burst and the hidden fire poured forth, what rivers ofblood were shed from the veins of the innocent and helpless victims!

We refer to events only too well known to the world, and which do notrequire any rehearsal in these pages. A very complete system of barracksis established here by the English government, and the three arms of theservice are fully represented by well organized European troops. Thecantonment extends some five or six miles along the river, the whole aslevel as a billiard-table. The present masters of the country learnedtoo bitter a lesson from the natives to ever again trust them with anymilitary power. Formerly the English army in India was composed of asmany, or more, native troops than of those purely English, and they weredrilled and taught in the use of all arms. Now the native regimentswhich are organized are scattered about the country and placed onoutpost duty, or colonial service elsewhere, but only as infantry; theywill not again be intrusted with artillery. They are looked upon asperforming the police duty of the army rather than as constituting aregular portion of its active force. Without actual figures to dependupon, we should say that the English troops in India to-day mustaggregate between forty and fifty thousand of all arms. When we realizethe awful cruelty and blood-thirstiness of the natives in the rebellionof 1857, their diabolical and deliberate murder of innocent women andchildren, under the most revolting circumstances, we cannot look uponthem as a people striking for liberty, or worthy of it, but as a base, degraded, ignorant, and fanatical race, utterly unfit forself-government. In this light English rule in India is according tothe eternal fitness of things. 

One day was sufficient for us to see and understand the subjects ofinterest at Cawnpore, and we took passage by the East Indian Railway forDelhi, a distance of less than three hundred miles, over a very leveland rather monotonous stretch of country. This city, which is located onthe Jumna, also played a most important part in the great mutiny, theevents of which are too fresh in the memory of the world to requirespecial mention; but aside from those associations it has many and grandmonuments to engage the attention of the traveler, connecting the agesfar back of the Christian era with to-day, it having been for centuriesthe proudest capital of the Mogul Empire. Within a circle of twentymiles about the present city, one dynasty after another has establishedits capital, ruled in splendor, and passed away. Instead of occupyingthe same site, each has founded a new city, leaving the old to crumbleinto dust, scattering their débris over the plain, and telling of themutability of human temples. All this ground is now abandoned to an armyof foxes, jackals, and owls. Could this archæological soil be plowed up, and its ancient monuments, palaces, tombs, and mosques exhumed, like thedwellings of Pompeii, what might not be revealed of the hidden past?

One monument which was visited in the environs has thus far defied thedestructive fingers of time: the Katub Minar stood alone in the midst ofruins, the loftiest single column in the world, but of which there is nosatisfactory record. It is not inappropriately considered one of thewonders of India, and whoever erected it achieved an architecturaltriumph of gracefulness and strength. It is built of red stone, elaborately finished in the form of a minaret, measuring about fiftyfeet in diameter at the base, and ten at the top, and is divided intofive distinct parts or stories, one above another, each fitted with anouter gallery and adorned with colossal inscriptions in bold relief. Thewhole exterior is fluted from the bottom to the top, narrowing graduallyas it ascends, and affording a good view of the present Delhi, twelvemiles away, while it overlooks that broad region of dead and buriedcities. Though the Katub Minar has stood for so many centuries, not theleast crack in the masonry can be discovered, either inside or out. Thissingular tower, the original purpose of which can only be conjectured, stands near two courts of an ancient Hindoo temple, which are surroundedby ruins of cloisters. In the middle of the area, between the two linesof cloisters, stands a tall iron pillar with a Sanskrit inscriptionsignifying so long as it remains the power of the Hindoos has notdeparted. 

There is a legend which our local guide related to us, that theMohammedans tried to destroy this column by digging it up, but wereunable to find the bottom of it after working many days. They finallygave up the attempt in superstitious dread, for the Hindoos declare thatit extends down to the earth's centre. We visited other temples andtombs, but the Katub Minar rivaled them all in interest. Among thebranches of the trees, as we drove back to Delhi, we observed both wildmonkeys and apes, the latter species being the first we had seen inIndia. Many birds were noticed, and whole flocks of pea-green paroquets, tiny things with mottled plumage, circled about the trees and chirpedincessantly. On inquiry it was learned that nowhere in all India existsso much bitterness towards the English rule as is secretly indulged inhere. That the populace should not be well-disposed towards theirpresent masters is not to be wondered at; and if this community were notcompletely disarmed, and watchfully kept so, there would likely occuroutbreaks among them of a serious character. As none but Europeans arepermitted to own firearms, the game hereabouts has greatly multiplied, and some of the best bird-shooting in India goes begging on the plainsabout Delhi. Standing at the door of our bungalow in the early morning, it was really wonderful to see the number of crows that flew up fromtheir roosting-places in the neighboring wood, and passed overheaddispersing in various directions; but they, as well as the jackals, arethe permitted scavengers of the land, and no one thinks of molestingthem. 

The present city, now in its turn declining, has been a most gorgeouscapital, and has twelve fortified gates in good preservation. Itsprincipal streets are broad and full of busy life, exhibitingrepresentatives of all the various Asiatic races. Members of our partywished to purchase a memento of Delhi, and what was there better suitedto the purpose than those fine hand-woven Cashmere shawls of many firmbut delicate colors, so exquisitely finished? You do not find thesehundred-guinea articles displayed in open bazars, but must follow yourguide under a broad archway, up steep, narrow, winding steps into thedealer's private house and shop combined. A chair is placed for eachvisitor, while the proprietor sits down upon a bit of Turkish carpet, cross-legged. A few formal words of welcome pass, then at a sign anattendant brings out from some mysterious corner a few shawls. Thecunning Hindoo is studying you with his deep-set lustrous eyes. Not anexpression of your face escapes him. He observes what pleases you best, and whether you can appreciate quality as well as looks. More shawls areordered out from their cases, perhaps of a better grade, while yourcustom is all the while being quietly but shrewdly angled for, as adisciple of Izaak Walton would play with his game. You are gradually ledfrom one piece of goods to another; your gauge as to price is adroitlydiscovered; and finally, with consummate judgment, a certain article, characterized by fineness, beauty, and quality, is placed before you. The moment your eyes rest upon it you are charmed. The shrewd oldmerchant has mentally taken your measure for this myriad-threadedbeauty, and you are captivated. The price is named. "Too much, " say you. But you are told that this establishment is conducted on the fixed-priceprinciple; if cheaper goods are desired, there are those first shown toyou. Why struggle? You are literally caught, and may as well surrender. So this exquisite article from far-off Cashmere is folded up andintrusted to the guide. The gold is counted, and you receive a salaam, as you depart, which might have been accorded to the Queen of Sheba. 

In the broad main thoroughfare of Delhi, --the Chandni Chowk, --oneconstantly meets ponderous elephants, solemn and awkward camels, fineArabian horses, and the diminutive toy-like pony of Cashmere. Dailymarriage processions of the most fantastic description crowd thepassage-way, with the animals just named, caparisoned in the most gaudyand harlequin style, accompanied by unskilled musicians, whosequalifications evidently consist in being able to make the greatestamount of noise upon a drum, fife, or horn, which are the threeinstruments that are employed on these occasions. Some of the whitehorses in these processions are partially painted sky-blue, somesaffron-yellow. In the ranks are covered bullock carts with peep-holes, in which ride the women of the harem. Mingled with these are men bearingbanners with Hindoo mottoes and ludicrous characters, half human andhalf animal, painted thereon. This was called a marriage procession, butupon inquiry it was found to be only a betrothal of children too youngto marry. The boy, bridegroom in embryo, appeared upon an elephant, andwas dressed like a circus-rider; but the future bride, probably a littlegirl of six or eight years, did not appear. She remained at home, to becalled upon by this motley crowd, when a brief ceremony would takeplace, presents be exchanged, and the farce would then be ended. 

A visit to the palace of the late King of Delhi was full of interest, exhibiting evidences of elegance and splendor almost beyond belief. Hereare still to be seen the remains of that famous Peacock Throne, themarvel of the world when the Mogul dynasty was at its zenith, --a throneof solid gold, six feet long and four feet broad, surmounted by a goldcanopy supported by twelve pillars composed of the same precious metal. The back of the throne was so made as to represent a peacock withexpanded tail, the natural colors of which were exactly imitated withrubies, sapphires, diamonds, and other precious stones, the aggregatedvalue of the whole being over thirty millions of dollars. And this wasnot an isolated case, an exception, but only an example of the lavishexpenditures of the Mogul emperors. They used choice stones, gems, gold, and silver, with precious marbles, in mosaic work, as freely as modernrulers employ bricks and mortar. Their revenues were practicallyunlimited, and their expenditures were of the same character. Thecountry was one of the richest in the world, but the wealth was in thehands of the few, and the poor were all the poorer in proportion, beingtaxed to the extremest possible point, and compelled to give free laborto all such enterprises, as the ruling power might dictate. 

The Grand Mosque at Delhi is one of the best preserved and mostremarkable of her monuments. It has three domes of noble proportions, ahundred and fifty feet in height, surrounded by minarets, the wholestructure standing upon an elevated platform accessible by broad marblesteps. It is known as the Jumna Musjid, and is conceded to be the finestof which Islamism can boast, owing its construction to that grandbuilder of tombs, palaces, and mosques, Shah-Jehan, --the creator of theTaj, that poem in marble at Agra, the glory and pride of India. TheJumna Musjid is built principally of red stone, but is freely inlaidwith white marble, and as a whole is very impressive and Oriental infeeling. 

The Hindoos claim for their country even a greater antiquity than do theChinese, but there is probably nothing authentic relating to the earlyhistory of this people prior to the time of Alexander the Great, sayfour hundred years before Christ. Of one thing we are positive, that thereign of the Mogul emperors exceeded in splendor all that the world hasever seen outside of Hindostan. Indeed, it was their great wealth, solavishly displayed, which first challenged European cupidity. We havesaid the Delhi of to-day is in its turn declining. It has neverrecovered from the blow it received a century since, inflicted by NadirShah, who pillaged the city and carried away, in gold and preciousstones, treasures estimated at over a hundred million sterling! Amonghis prizes on that occasion was the famous Koh-i-noor diamond, since"appropriated" by the English; and which to-day forms a part of QueenVictoria's crown jewels. It will not do to analyze too closely by whatmeans this was brought about. What a romantic history would the truestory of that "Mountain of Light" prove, could it be honestly written. 

Nature does not exhibit the usual dividing lines in this region asregards the seasons of the years. Flowers are always in bloom in theopen fields and gardens, trees ever putting forth their leaves, andperpetual youth is evinced by the entire vegetable kingdom. No winter, spring, or autumn is known to the Indian calendar, the year beingdivided only into hot, rainy, and temperate seasons. Though it was thelast of January while we were in Delhi, only summer clothing was worn;outside garments were not thought of, the thermometer ranging about 68°. Such temperature admits of a series of crops tri-annually, if thehusbandman chooses thus to time his planting and harvesting, --whichprocesses indeed appear to be going on all the year round. The womenwere seemingly of rather a coarser type than those we had lately met, and were found working much in the fields, as well as performing a largeshare of the out-door labor. There is a new canal, with locks, etc. , now in course of construction in the environs of Delhi, where men, women, and boys were seen employed in about equal numbers, aggregatingsome hundreds, carrying dirt and bricks in baskets upon their backs, aswell as digging, shoveling, and performing similar work. The guideinformed us that the men received as wages twelve cents, the women ten, and the boys eight cents per day of ten hours. We must, however, againrefer to the fact that the purchasing power of these sums is muchgreater than with us, say at least treble; still they are terribly lowwages. Perhaps there is no better criterion of judgment as to the truedomestic condition of any people, than the current value at which aman's labor is estimated. As to the common class of women in India, keptas all are in the most absolute subjection and ignorance, a morehopeless state than theirs cannot be conceived of. They are divided intotwo classes, the favored and the humble. The former are treated as toys, the latter as slaves. 

The last journey from Cawnpore to Delhi was made by night, so again wewere obliged to take the cars on the Scinde, Punjab, and Delhi road forLahore at nine o'clock P. M. , crossing the Jumna almost immediatelyafter starting. The distance from Delhi to Lahore is about three hundredand fifty miles. Traveling, even by rail, in India is still accomplishedon primitive principles, and, mostly in the hours of the night. Suchbedding as one indulges in must be taken along with the other personalbaggage. A pillow and blanket are absolute necessities, and anythingbeyond these two domestic articles is considered a luxury. With eventhese slight accompaniments and plenty of fatigue, one is apt to fallasleep and make the best of it, whether upon the stone floor of abungalow or in an upright position in the oscillating cars. Lahore isthe capital of the Punjab, being one of the most ancient and famouscities of the country, and was flourishing and populous at the time ofAlexander's invasion. Here are the headquarters of a large division ofBritish troops, the red coats besprinkling every street and roadway. Itshistory is interwoven with every Mohammedan dynasty of northern India, having been founded almost two thousand years ago. 

There is a museum of special local interest where are gathered and wellclassified specimens of the natural products, industries, native gems, minerals, animals, and birds throughout the Punjab, well worth a fewhours of examination and study. Opposite the museum building there wasobserved, in the centre of an open plot of ground, a large, long cannonmounted, and of Indian manufacture, over a century in age. It was usedby Ahmed Shah in the battle of Paniput and is famous among the populaceby the name of "Zamazamah. " There are also mosques, mausoleums, andforts to be visited, all attractive, with some curious ruins of oldpalaces and Hindoo temples, to all of which we paid due attention, but adetailed account of which would hardly interest the general reader. Inthe better part of the town the streets are broad and lined by two-storyhouses--a style not very common in India. From the ornamental balconies, and projecting windows framed in lattice-work, the women of the haremslooked out upon us, with their faces partially covered, but yet takingcare to exhibit a profusion of jewelry, having three or four large loopsof gold in each ear, as well as nose-rings, outdoing in glitter theirsisters of Penang. 

The few women to be met with in the streets had their bare feet thrustinto the tiniest of pink kid slippers, far too small for them, theirankles covered with broad gold rings, five or six deep, coming up to thecalf. Their bare arms showed the wrists covered with bracelets of goldand silver alternately, nearly to the elbow; and above the elbow was abroad gold band. Some of them were so covered with rings, bracelets, bangles, and necklaces as to amount to itinerant jewelry bazars. Theetiquette of these women, some of whom were scarcely out of their teens, appeared to be, in the first place, to cover the face above the chin, except the eyes, and then to expose as much of their bodies as couldeffectively bear jewelry, including necklaces of either imitation orreal stones hanging down over the bosom. Add to the whole a recklessdisregard for natural delicacy, and you have a Lahore belle of to-day asshe appears on the street. We saw nowhere else in India such freedom andpublicity permitted to inmates of the harem. Girls are frequentlymarried here at twelve years, and the number of wives a man may possess, in any part of India, is only limited by his purse. 

Elephants of greater size than the famous Jumbo, and also camels, enterinto common, every-day use here as do donkeys and horses in Europeancities; but such horses as one sees at Lahore are generally very finecreatures, of the true Arab breed, with faces almost human inintelligence. These animals are at the same time high-spirited andgentle, with forms that are the very ideal of equine grace and beauty. Round bodies, arching necks, small heads and limbs, large eyes andnostrils, with full mane and tail. Lahore is a place of more than usualinterest to the traveler, as exhibiting much of the peculiar and innerlife of India. We were particularly attracted by public and, privateflower-gardens, fruit orchards, and ornamental trees, disposed in suchan excellent manner as to give the general effect of a finely andnaturally-wooded country; and yet we were told that before the Englishtook possession and built up the European quarter, Lahore was only acity surrounded by sterile fields, and absolutely without a tree, ornamental or otherwise, within its extended borders. The orchards andgardens referred to are those of European residents. Among the exoticswe observed the Australian gum-tree and the Chinese tallow-tree, largeand thrifty in both instances. Lahore was also the only place in Indiawhere we saw mulberry-tree orchards. Like Delhi, the city presents manyevidences of its former splendor, with ruins still architecturally grandand beautiful, though rapidly mouldering to dust. 

We heard of excellent educational results growing out of missionaryefforts at Lahore, and it is really in this direction that the most goodwill be accomplished. As regards religious converts, they are few andfar between, and of very little account when apparently made; but incultivating the intelligence of the people, a great and good work isbeing performed, one which must eventually shake the fabric of heathenmythology to its very centre. An idolatrous people must come from theranks of ignorance, --from a priest-ridden race. When the Hindoo iscapable of thinking and reasoning for himself, he no longer believes inthe idol-gods of his fathers. The preaching of this or that specialfaith is of little avail, and to us seems to be the least of allmissionary work. The true object is comprised in the single effort ofenlightenment. Education is the great Christianizer for India. People ofculture will not bow down before graven images, nor worship bulls andmonkeys. 

Umritsar, the sacred city of the Sikhs, our next stopping-place, is lessthan forty miles from Lahore, and is a walled city of nearly two hundredthousand inhabitants, composed mostly of Sikhs, Hindoos, Mohammedans, and Cashmiris. The principal attraction of the city to strangers is thefamous Golden Temple, so called because the cupola is covered with athin layer of the precious metal, having the same effect as that of thedome of the Invalides at Paris, or that of the Boston State House. Fivehundred priests are attached to this temple, and are constantlyperforming ceremonies, which, to an uninitiated person, seem like utternonsense, and want of purpose. By the side of the temple is a very largetank covering three acres or more of ground, supplied by neighboringsprings; and though it is constantly bathed in by thousands of pilgrims, and has no visible outlet, was still clear and sweet, which fact thenatives attribute to some miraculous intervention. This lake is calledAmrita Saras, or the Fountain of Immortality, hence the name of thecity. There are other mosques and public gardens of interest, and thetraveler should not forget to visit one or more of the shawlmanufactories, where the famous Indian article is woven by hand in amost primitive loom worked by two persons. Another specialty is themanufacture of perforated ivory goods, which are brought to greatperfection and are in quick demand for foreign markets. 

As we passed through an open square near the Golden Temple a dry goodsauction was in progress, for the disposal of under-clothing, whichseemed like sending warming-pans to the West Indies, since no nativewears such articles. A Jew was the auctioneer, and was evidently sellingat very low prices to get rid of the goods, for the poor peoplepurchased and handed them about as curiosities. The scene occurred onthe high stone steps leading up to a temple, and among the crowd alittle girl of four or five years was thrown down the steps, cutting asevere gash on her forehead. With the usual dullness of ignorance, acrowd gathered about the now insensible child, frightened at the sightof blood, while the mother stood inert, where the child lay upon theground, her own agonized features and clasped hands forming a picture ofdespair. No experienced traveler will be without sticking-plaster, andfor us to pick up the child, wash out the wound, draw the lips carefullytogether and secure them, binding up the bruised head in a handkerchief, was the work of only a few moments. We were simply compensated by thereviving smile of the little sufferer; but it was impossible to preventthe grateful mother from lying prone upon the ground and kissing ourfeet. 

From Umritsar to Agra is four hundred and fifty miles. One night and dayof uninterrupted travel brought us to its interesting borders, where wefound a large and well-conducted hotel--one of the best we had chancedupon in the country. This journey was through the plains of middleIndia, and afforded some attractive and quite varied scenery, includinglarge sugar plantations in full stalk, thrifty mango groves, tallpalm-trees, orange-trees with their golden fruit, and far-reaching, graceful fields of waving grain, mingled with thrifty patches of thecastor bean. These objects were interspersed with groups of cattle andgoats tended by herdsmen, who often stood leaning on long poles inpicturesque attitudes, wrapped about in flowing, sheet-like robes ofwhite cotton, relieved by a scarlet belt and yellow turban. These menand their surroundings formed just such figures as a painter woulddelight to throw into a picture, with the animals feeding in thebackground. Now and again a group of minarets, with a central dome, would come into view on the horizon, breaking the deep blue of the skywith their dark shadows; or a ruined temple was seen close at hand, charred and crumbled by the wear of the elements for centuries. 

India abounds in these forsaken and half-decayed shrines, once, nodoubt, centres of busy life and religious ceremonials. Tall cranes, pelicans, ibises, and other large water-birds rose occasionally from theponds, and fanned themselves slowly away. On portions of the road thetelegraph wires, running parallel with the track, were covered with tinybirds of indigo-blue, decked with long slim tail-feathers. As we passed, they would rise in clouds, circle about for a moment, and again settleupon the wires where they had been roosting. Little clusters ofrice-birds, scarcely larger than butterflies, floated like colored vaporover the fields, glistening in the warm sunlight. Wild peacocks wereseen feeding near the rails, but not in populous districts. In the earlygray of the morning, more than once on the lonely plains, a tall, gauntwolf was observed coolly watching the passing train, or loping swiftlyaway. Camels were seen in long strings, with their loads protruding oneither side, slowly moving over the country roads; while an occasionalelephant, with half a dozen people upon its capacious back, served tovary the ever-changing panorama. 

Our course was nearly due south, so that we felt an increased rise inthe temperature from hour to hour. As before remarked, it was a surpriseto see how many of the poor people availed themselves of the railroad. The third class cars were thronged with them going to Benares, or someother holy place, on religious pilgrimages; which, indeed, appears to bethe one absorbing idea of their lives. It was not unusual to see twohundred of these pilgrims, composed of both sexes and of all ages, enterthe cars from some small station. Though these people wear the scantiestof clothing, yet they affect strong contrasts in colors, which will givepicturesqueness even to rags. The third class cars of an Indian railroadare little better than our cattle cars in America; and these nativeswere hustled into them and locked up, much after the style of loadinglive stock in Illinois. 

Agra, which, like Delhi, stands not on the Ganges, but on its greattributary, the Jumna, is an important city, fully as populous as Lahore;and though its history is rather vague, still there are tangibleevidences carrying it back more than a thousand years, while someauthorities claim for it a much greater antiquity. Its modern history isinterwoven with the great mutiny, and our local guide wearied us byexpatiating volubly upon the subject. To all who come hither, the firstgreat object of interest will be the Taj Mahal, or tomb of the wife ofEmperor Shah-Jehan, the most interesting building in India, and perhapsthe most beautiful in the world. A tomb in this country means amagnificent structure of marble, with domes and minarets, the wallsinlaid with precious stones, and the whole surrounded by gardens, fountains, and artificial lakes, covering from ten to twenty acres. Cheap as labor is in India, the Taj must have cost some fifteen millionsof dollars, and was seventeen years in building. The Mogul Emperorresolved to erect the most superb monument ever reared to commemorate awoman's name, and he certainly succeeded, for in his effort Mohammedanarchitecture reached its acme. The mausoleum is situated in a spaciousgarden, the equal of which can hardly be found elsewhere, beautiful tothe eye, and delightful to the senses with fragrant flowers, exotic andindigenous, of every hue, and in endless variety, embracing acres ofroses, "each cup a pulpit, every leaf a book. " These are softly shadedby trees scarcely less beautiful than themselves. The whole scene isreflected in lakes of clearest water, from which scores of fountainsthrow up pearly jets in the dazzling sunshine the livelong day andthrough the still watches of the night. This grand structure, with theripeness of centuries upon it, is no ruin; there is no neglect in orabout the Taj and its gardens. All is fresh, fragrant, and perfect as atthe hour when it was completed. 

The edifice, which is of white marble, a material retaining itssnow-like purity for centuries in this climate, is embellished withdomes, colonnades, towers, and all the pomp, finish, and lavishness ofEastern architecture. It stands upon a stone platform of the samematerial, from three to four hundred feet square, to reach the surfaceof which one ascends about twenty steps. On the back of this platformruns a marble balustrade overlooking the Jumna. On each corner of theterrace is a marble minaret about a hundred and forty feet in height, offine proportions, like four sentinels placed there to guard themausoleum, which forms the centre of the platform. Two mosques, built ofred sandstone, stand between these minarets, one on the east and one onthe west side. The height of the Taj from the base to the top of thedome must be very nearly or quite three hundred feet. The principal domein itself is eighty feet high, and of such exquisite form and harmony isthe whole, that it seems almost to float in the atmosphere. Agate, sapphire, jasper, and other precious stones are wrought into flowers, and inlaid upon the polished marble, the work having employed the bestartists for years. In the centre of the edifice, beneath the gloriousdome, are two sarcophagi covering the resting-place of the emperor andhis wife, whose bodies are in the vault below. How appropriate theinscription at the threshold: "To the Memory of an Undying Love. " On thesurrounding grounds are the fragrant blossoms of nature; within areflower-wreaths of mosaic blooming in jasper, carnelian, andlapis-lazuli, fresh and bright as when they came from the artist's handcenturies ago. As we stood beneath the arched roof of the cupola, besidethe pure white tombs of glistening marble, a verse from Longfellow's"Psalm of Life" was repeated in a low tone of voice. Instantly thererolled through the dimly-lighted vault above a soft and solemnrepetition, which sounded as though voices were repeating the psalm inthe skies, with such music and pathos as to dim our eyes with tears. Thedelicate echo beneath the dome of the Taj, just above where sleep theroyal ashes, is one of its most remarkable and thrilling mysteries. 

This superb exposition of architectural perfection was visited first inthe glow of sunrise, again in the golden haze of sunset, and once underthe fiery blaze of midday. It is only beneath an intensely blue sky thatone can realize the full and exquisite effect of pure white marble. Nothing finer or more lovely in architecture exists than this faultlessmonument, this ideal of Saracenic art, in all its rich harmony, erectedby an Indian emperor to the memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, which signifies the "Chosen of the Palace. " The Taj leaves an undyingimpression of beauty on all beholders, and certainly in this instancebeauty outvalues utility. Shakespeare might well have written of sermonsin stones had he seen the Taj. The marble and red sandstone came fromRajpootana, the diamonds and jaspers from the Punjab, the carnelians andagates from Tibet, the corals from Arabia, the sapphires and otherprecious stones from Ceylon, and the genius that combined them all camefrom Heaven. Madame de Staël never saw this gem of India, and yet shesaid that architecture was frozen music. Emerson would have called it ablossoming in stone. 

The Palace of Akbar is within the famous fort of Agra, a couple of milesfrom the Taj, the other side of the Jumna, a structure of such magnitudeas to form almost a city within itself, measuring two miles around itswalls. Those walls, over fifty feet in height, are of red sandstone, with towers at intervals, and a deep moat. It is situated on the banksof the river, with which its vaults have an underground communication. We were shown one dark and gloomy cellar far below the level of thefort, known as the execution room, where the criminals, condemned inthe Judgment Hall above, received their punishment. The headsman's blockwas still there, and certain dark stains were pointed out to us by meansof the candle carried by the guide, which told their own story. In thecentre of this dreary vault was a well whose water was level with theriver, into which it opened some twenty feet from the surface, and intowhich the decapitated bodies of the criminals were cast and left tofloat away with the ebb and flow of the Jumna's tide. The bed of theriver showed that at certain seasons it must be at least half a mile inwidth, but it was a meagre stream when we crossed it that bright andsunny February day. 

The royal apartments within the palace are being restored at present, and many skilled workmen were busy upon the frescoes, inlaid stone work, and delicate marble ornamentations, while we were there. The Grotto ofGlass, as the principal bath-room designed for the use of the harem iscalled, was a curious and luxurious marble room, with inviting purewhite marble tanks large enough to swim in, and surrounded by tiny glassmirrors let into the walls at such angles as to reflect a figure myriadsof times, quite distracting to look upon. All departments of thisremarkable royal residence are exquisitely finished, showing no less ofrefined, artistic taste, than of lavish expenditure. The courts, chambers, boudoirs, fountains, pavilions, reception halls, throne room, all are of marble and mosaic, with beautiful inlaid work everywhere. Many of the floors represented delicate vines and blooming flowers inprecious stones, like the modern Florentine mosaic work one sees in suchperfection wrought upon tallies at the shops that line the Arno inFlorence. The Jewel Chamber, and the suite of apartments formerlydevoted to the use of the harem, were curiously screened by a latticework of white marble, lace-like in effect, and a curiosity in itself. Delicate carving could hardly be carried to more minute finish inalabaster. The marble inches and pockets, for holding the jewelry of thefair occupants, were so arranged that none but a delicate arm couldreach the treasures; a man's hand and wrist would be too large; whilethe stone pockets, being curved at the bottom, required the longsensitive fingers of the owner's hand to extract what they contained. 

These apartments all overlooked, by means of exquisite little marblebalconies, the grand valley of the Jumna, through which the river may betraced for miles; while on the opposite shore there lies the gloriousTaj, with its snow-white domes and minarets looming above the lovelysetting of cypresses, and the luxurious vegetation of its surroundinggardens. Within the fort is also the Pearl Mosque, the rival of thelittle royal temple of similar character which we had seen at Delhi. Thefront of this Moli Musjed is supported by marble pillars, and issurmounted by three beautiful marble domes, of such perfection andloveliness of outline as to be the puzzle of modern architects, just asour best sculptors are nonplused before the Venus of Milo, and someother examples of Greek art; they may imitate, but they cannot hope toequal them. "Indeed, " said a well-known artist to us in the gallery ofthe Louvre, in presence of this marvelous creation, "the sculptorhimself, were he living, could not repeat his work. It was a ray ofinspiration caught from Heaven. " So we thought of the Moli Musjed. 

The Tomb of Akbar at Secundra was visited, a few miles from Agra. It issituated, like most other Mogul buildings of the same period, in a largeinclosure laid out as a beautiful garden, with fountains, lakes, statuary, tamarind-trees, oranges, lemons, among the most fragrantflowers. It was a glorious day on which we drove out to Secundra, theair was musical with the merry notes of the minos, in their dusky redplumage, the little chirping bee-eaters, hoopoes, and blue-jays. Somelittle girls freely plucked the abundant rose-buds, pinks, lemonverbenas, and geraniums, bringing them to us for pennies, instigated bythe gardeners, who looked on approvingly. This magnificent tomb would bea seven days' wonder in itself, were it not so near that greater charmand marvel of loveliness, the Taj. It was from this grand architecturalstructure that the Koh-i-noor was taken. The spacious grounds form oneof the finest parks in India, art having seconded the kindly purpose ofnature in a favored spot where vegetation is as various as it isluxuriant and beautiful. 

Our hotel at Agra was one of the most comfortable and American-likewhich can be found in India. The scene on the broad piazza, all daylong, was curious and interesting, forming a sort of open bazar, whereevery establishment in the place had a representative and samples of itsgoods. All tourists are presumed to have come to purchase, andimportunity is a part of the natives' business. Photographs, models ofthe Taj, precious stones, sandal-wood boxes, mosaics, and swords, thevariety is infinite, the patience of the dealers equally inexhaustible. Nothing but absolute force could drive them away, and no one uses that. If you utterly decline to purchase anything, they fold their hands andwait. The most curious part of the business, if you purchase at all, isthe elastic character of the prices, since no one pretends to pay thatwhich is first charged, the dealer does not expect it, and the runningfire of barter, chaffing, and cheapening is most laughable. The vendorbegins by asking at least double what he will finally offer his goodsfor, and in the end probably gets twice their intrinsic value. If one ofthe natives were to offer his articles at a fixed and reasonablevaluation, he would be mobbed on the spot by his companions. Dickeringis the poetry of trade to a Hindoo. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

 From Agra to Jeypore. --An Independent Province. --A Unique Indian City. --Wild Animals. --Elephant Traveling. --Trapping Tigers. --A Royal Palace. --The Harem. --Native Rule. --Wild Monkeys and Peacocks. --Long Journey across Country. --Bombay. --The Rival of Calcutta. --The Parsees. --Towers of Silence. --Feeding the Vultures. --A Remarkable Institution. --Island of Elephanta. --Street Jugglers. --Crossing the Sea of Arabia. --The Southern Cross. --Aden. --Passage up the Red Sea. --Landing at Suez. --Traveling in Egypt. 

If the reader will consult the map of India it will be seen that fewregions in the world present such an array of remarkable cities as havesprung up and flourished in the Ganges-Jumna valley, of which we are nowwriting. Here we have Agra, Delhi, Cawnpore, Lucknow, Allahabad, Benares, Mirzapur, Patna, Decca, and Murshedabad. What historicassociations arise at the bare mention of these Indian cities, each oneof which affords a record reaching so far down the corridors of the pastas to fascinate the archaeologist by its very mystery. 

We left Agra regretfully; one would like more time to examine and becomefamiliar with all its monuments, and yet they seem as deeply impressedupon the memory as though we had known them for years, and had livedlong in their midst. The Rajpootana State Railway was taken for Jeypore, situated a hundred and fifty miles from Agra, and justly reputed to bethe finest native city in the country: in many respects it is unique. The route thither lay through a very level country of great fertility, showing line crops of cereals, with frequent and vivid fields of yellowmustard in full bloom. Jeypore is the capital of the territory belongingto the Maharajah Mardozing, whose independent possessions are just aboutthe size of the State of Massachusetts, the British not having "annexed"this special territory. The prince is a middle-aged, affable, andintelligent person, very courteous to strangers, but especially so toAmericans, concerning whose government he is quite inquisitive. He is aman of more than ordinary culture, has traveled much, is exceedinglyprogressive in his ideas, and seems to command the respect of theEnglish, and of all who are brought within his circle. 

Jeypore is well fortified, and the prince keeps up a modest militaryorganization. In driving about the city we observed long rows ofdwelling-houses, rose-tinted, with pretty verandas and latticed windows, besides numerous large and well-arranged public structures devoted toeducational purposes; some for teaching music, others devoted to thefine arts, and some to the primary branches of education, such asarithmetic, geography, etc. We were told that several able foreignteachers were in the Maharajah's employment, the schools all being free. Among the public buildings we noticed the palace, half a mile long, andeight stories high, well divided into courts, gardens, and public halls. In one of the latter was being held an extensive fair of Indian goodsand manufactures, which for variety, comprehensiveness, richness of thearticles, and judicious arrangement, would have done credit to anyEuropean city. We noticed a public mint, an observatory, a hospital, and a large arsenal. All these, as well as a very considerable number ofthe dwelling-houses, bore a certain conspicuous mark, showing them tobelong to the Maharajah. He is much more western than eastern in hisideas; more ready to expend his large revenue for the public good thanto build Peacock Thrones, which at the same time excite the marvel andcupidity of the world; and so this very presentable city, in the heartof India, is a mixture of Orientalism and European innovation, thestreets even being lighted by gas. Though, to speak honestly, this lastfact seemed a trifle out of place; wild monkeys and crocodiles in theenvirons, and gaslights in the streets!

Jeypore is a beautiful little city, and ancient withal, though there areno ruins here; everything gives evidence of present prosperity, peace, and abundance. The houses are painted in a toy-like manner, but are neatand pretty. Queer little canvas-covered, two-wheeled carts, their topsshaped like half an egg-shell, and drawn by a single bullock, trot aboutthe streets in a very lively fashion, some of them closely curtainedcontaining women of the harem, but one sees few women except of thehumble class; Oriental exclusion is observed here. Under this prince'sseemingly wise rule the population exhibit a marked and favorablecontrast to that of India generally, over which the authority of GreatBritain extends. There are no mud cabins, no visible want. We did notsee a beggar in all Jeypore. The people are decently clothed, andwell-lodged in nice-looking houses, most of which are two stories high. The streets are exceptionally broad and neatly kept, being regularlysprinkled by coolies to lay the dust, though in a primitive manner. These fellows carry goat skins, filled with water, fastened to theirbacks, with the neck coming forward under the right arm, and by swingingthe nozzle from side to side the street gets a uniform wetting. Thissame mode is adopted even in so large a city as Calcutta, where a Yankeewatering-cart would supersede the services of twenty-five coolies whoare thus employed. Many fountains ornament the streets of Jeypore, placed in the centres of open squares. The expression upon the faces ofthe people is that of smiling content; in short, an air of thriftpervades everything. All this was in such decided contrast to thoseportions of the country which we had visited as to make a strongimpression, and lead to some deductions not entirely favorable toEnglish rule in India. 

In speaking of this subject to an intelligent English resident, hereplied that we had seen an exceptional specimen of the native controlin this instance; and that other regions of India, were we to visitthem, would present a very different state of affairs, all of which maybe true. We ventured however, for the sake of argument, to question thejustice of the tenure by which England held possession of India, andwere promptly answered: "We conquered this territory from the Mohammedaninvaders, who were ruling it with a rod of iron. Our coming has been andis a deliverance. We did not even overthrow the Mohammedan Empire. Thatwas done by the Mahrattas, under French officers, from whom, in 1803, werescued the Emperor, whose descendants we have ever since pensioned. None of the princes and sultans whom we have deposed were hereditarysovereigns. They were actually rebellious viceroys and governors whohad assumed their position during the confusion of the times. In short, that our rule is a blessing to India, to-day, does not admit of anargument. " We frankly acknowledged very modified feelings upon thesubject since arriving in the country. 

Wild animals are abundant in the neighborhood, the tiger especiallybeing hunted and feared, and not without abundant reason; for here, asat Singapore, men, women, and children are daily sacrificed to theirrapacious appetites in some part of the district. It is said to be afact that these animals, in their wild state, having once tasted humanflesh, will be satisfied with no other food; but will leave the antelopeand smaller game, known to be comparatively plenty in the neighborhoodof the jungle, and lie in wait for days to capture human prey, evenstealing at night within the precincts of the villages, and among thenative huts. They exhibit great cunning in their attacks, rarely showingthemselves when there is more than one person present, and never doingso where there are numbers, except when driven in the hunt. Instinctteaches them that one individual may be overcome, but that two or threeare capable of victoriously defending themselves. The natives setingenious traps for the tigers, and many are captured, for which theyreceive a bounty. The usual trap is formed by digging a well in theearth, ten feet square and fifteen feet or more in depth, wider at thebottom than the top. This is ingeniously covered with light branches andleaves, and located in the path where a tiger has been tracked. For somereason this animal, having once passed through a jungle, will ever afterfollow as nearly as possible his own foot-prints, and can thus easilybe led into a pitfall of the character we have described. Having oncegot into this well he cannot possibly get out, and here he is permittedto become so nearly starved as to deprive him of all powers ofresistance, in which condition he is secured. A little food and watersoon restores him to his normal condition, when he finds himself aprisoner in a stout cage, behind strong iron bars. For a few days afterhis capture the animal's rage knows no bounds, and his struggles to freehimself are ceaseless, sometimes even ending in self-inflicted death bydashing himself head foremost upon the bars. If not an old animal, he, however, generally subsides into sullen acceptance of the situationafter a day or two. 

We were shown half a dozen lately taken and confined separately instrong cages in one of the open squares of the city. Two of them had avery bad record, and were real man-eaters, having a score or more ofcoolies charged to their account. These were all condemned to be killed, as they proved to be too old to sell for exhibition in the Europeanmarkets, but the young ones are often thus disposed of. A tiger, one oreven two years old, can be tamed and rendered quite docile for menageriepurposes; but when taken wild at an age exceeding these figures they arenever quite safe. Those which we saw in the square at Jeypore weresplendid specimens of their race, full of fire and rage, chafing attheir imprisonment, and springing violently against the iron bars oftheir cages at every one who approached them. They were quite unlike thepoor beasts of the menageries, who have had all their spirit and savageinstincts subdued by confinement. 

Having obtained the necessary permit to visit the royal summer palaceof Ambar, a few miles from the city walls, among the picturesque hills, elephants, belonging to the Maharajah were sent for us, and we mountedthem, the animals kneeling at the word of command for us to do so. Ourparty, six in number, was divided so that four persons, including thedriver, rode on each elephant. They were large and docile creatures, being respectively seventy and ninety years of age. Their shuffling, flat-footed tread is peculiar, but not very unpleasant, except when thedriver hurries the animals; but even then the gait is not nearly sotrying to the rider as is that of the camel, which is only comparable toa Cunarder pitching in a head sea. The elephants seem to be very easilycontrolled by the driver, who, however, is armed with a steel-pointedweapon which he resorts to freely if his directions are not obeyed, andthe animal evidently stands in mortal dread of the instrument. Allclasses of the people ride upon the camel here, from the prince to thepeddler; but the elephant is only in common use among the nabobs andmembers of the royal household, officers of state, and the like. Itcosts as much to keep and support an elephant as it does to maintaineight horses or ten camels, the latter animal thriving on cheap food. 

A visit to the summer palace was very interesting, the local guidepointing out every object of note, and explaining all clearly. That partof the spacious buildings reserved for the harem was simply perfection, in point of luxury, as conceived from an Oriental stand-point. Theaudience rooms, the throne room, the domestic living rooms, and thevarious offices of the palace, were large and admirably arranged, furnished in the Eastern fashion. The white marble work was everywhereexquisite in its finish, and, wherever it was possible, superseded theuse of wood. The windows, opening from all the general apartments, afforded views across the hills, valleys, and lakes of the city ofJeypore, two or three leagues away. The group of the harem apartments, as usual, all opened inward, upon an area where grew orange, lemon, andfig-trees, full of fruit, also pomegranates and trailing vines, gracefully arranged. There were many varieties of flowers in bloombesides roses, which we strongly suspected came from afar. They were toofamiliar, those tea, damask, Jaqueminot, Marshal Niel, and moss roses. The indigenous ones were not nearly so full in leaf or pure in color, nor so fragrant or beautiful. The spacious marble bath was also in anopen area, or court, shut in from all eyes save those of the denizensthemselves, and of such depth and size as to admit of swimming. Thistiny lake was bordered by thick growing myrtles, and a shrub with adagger-like leaf, bearing a trumpet-shaped flower, snow white, butunknown to us, seemingly of the convolvulus genus. The dark windinglabyrinths and passages from one part of the Ambar Palace to anotherwere utterly confusing, and of a nature designed to mystify any one butan habitué. When the palace has its summer complement of residents, servants and all, it must contain some three hundred souls, besides thesoldiery, who occupy the barracks outside to guard the entrances. It isa fort as well as a palace, and so arranged as to form a citadel capableof sustaining a siege, if necessary; while its lofty and commandingsituation is such, that it could not be taken by an attacking forcewithout great loss of life on their part. We were shown in the basementa singular shrine or temple, before which was a large, flat stone, wheredaily sacrifices of a sheep or goat is made by the priests. In the oldentime human sacrifices took place on the stone, according to the guide. Fresh signs showed that the ceremony of blood spilling had lately takenplace, and, on inquiry, we were told that the carcass was given as foodto the poor, which was certainly one feature of the practice quitecommendable. 

When at last we mounted the elephants to again return to the city, itwas past meridian, but so powerful was the heat of the sun that we couldhardly have sustained it without the protection of umbrellas, andthought if this was winter weather in India what must midsummer be?Though so much further north, of the equator than Ceylon, the heatseemed nearly as great, and even more insupportable. There was a certainmoisture and softness about the high temperature at Colombo, which wehad experienced a month before; while here there was a dry, burningdirectness of the sun's power which was absolutely withering. As wepassed over the road, swayed hither and thither upon the backs of thehuge animals, it was amusing to watch the gambols of the wild monkeys inthe trees, and to observe the flocks of wild peacocks in the openfields, both monkeys and peacocks being held sacred. There were tallcranes wading on the edges of the ponds, with other queer-legged, oddwater-fowls strutting through the mud. The crocodiles were seen sunningthemselves on the river's bank, watching for an Indian child or dog todevour. Fancy colored parrots were plenty; and when we got within thecity gates, we met such dense flocks of tame pigeons, of various colors, as could not be equaled elsewhere. They were of several species, well-defined: fan-tailed, bloaters, divers, etc. , some pure white, somemottled, and some as blue as the sky. Like those at Venice, they areprotected by law. Indeed all animal life is spared, from religiousconvictions, except such as is brought to the altar. We finally gotsafely back to our quarters, at the Kaiser-i-Hind Hotel, far too wellpleased with our trip to Ambar to cavil at a most indifferent dinner. 

There are many native princes who govern states in India, as is the caseat Jeypore; but they do so under sufferance, as it were, acknowledgingtheir "subordinate dependence" to the British government. They form abody of feudatory rulers, possessing revenue and armies of their own. There is always a British "Resident" at their courts, who acts as anadviser, as it is termed, but who is, in plain English, a sort ofacknowledged and permitted spy. These princes are not allowed to makewar upon each other, or to form alliances with foreign states; and, uponthe whole, all things considered, it is perhaps the best possiblearrangement for the princes and for their subjects. England does nothesitate to interfere if a prince is guilty of any decidedmismanagement, protecting the weak, and imposing peace. We were informedthat the power of life and death, in single cases, rests with theMaharajah of Jeypore, as well as with the rest of the native rulers. Thus one third of India, embracing a population of between fifty andsixty millions of people, is still under native rule. 

From Jeypore to Bombay is a distance of seven hundred miles, a journeywhich we were three days and nights in performing. Most of the route laythrough a sparsely-populated country, very similar in character to thesections already described, --the greater part of India being an immenseplain. It was curious on this route to observe that all the railroadstation-houses were built with white domes like mosques, a fancy whichwas also carried into practice upon many of the better class of villagehouses; the effect, however, was far from pleasing to the eye. Now andthen a few antelopes were seen; they would gaze fixedly at the train fora moment, then turn and spring away in immense bounds. Now a lynx andnow a fox would put in an appearance in the early morning, in the lonelydistrict through which we passed, generally at a wholesome distance fromthe cars. We were up and watchful; there is not much sleep to beobtained on the cars in India; besides, one does not wish to lose thecrisp freshness of the dawn. Before the sun fairly rises the temperaturewas a little chilly, but directly its power was felt, and it got fairlystarted upon its diurnal path, there was a change of thirty or fortydegrees, and then--it is impossible to describe how the golden sunlightflooded the plains. Small game of various species was frequently seen inthe fields and hedges; kingfishers, kites, and hawks put in anappearance, and a tall bird standing four feet high was pointed out tous, called a sarus, gray in color, and of the stork family. The prettyIndian blue jay seemed omnipresent. 

As we got further southward we came upon the great poppy fields, cultivated for opium, which formed a remarkable feature in thelandscape. They were scarlet in color, mingled occasionally with pink. In other parts of the country we had seen the beautiful, thoughbaleful, fields of poppies, dressed in bridal white. The effect ofeither is very fine when the eye measures the singular display by milesin extent, the rich, glutinous flowers nodding gracefully in the gentlebreeze. We were told that from six to seven hundred thousand acres ofland, mostly in the valley of the Ganges, were devoted to the poppyculture. A large share of these opium farms, as they may be called, belong to the English government, and are cultivated by their agents. Those which are conducted on private account are very heavily taxed, andare carried on in the interest of the Parsee merchants of Bombay, whocontrol a large share of the opium trade, handling not only their ownproduct, but also that of the government. 

Oftentimes, near these gorgeous poppy fields were broad ripening acresof grain, which would have been denuded of their valuable property bythe great flocks of birds floating hither and thither, were it not thatprecautions were taken to drive them away. A tall platform is raisedupon poles in the centre of the field, with a slight straw shelter overit, upon which a young lad or girl is stationed, who thus overlooks thewhole. They have no fire-arms, but are supplied with a simple sling anda few stones; should a bird be seen too close to the precious grain, anunerring stone will find him, and his body becomes a warning for hiscompanions. The monkeys, who abound in southern India, are not so easilygot rid of. Birds will not fly after dark, nor much before the sun risesin the morning; but the monkeys raid the fruit and vegetable fields bynight, and are capable of organizing a descent upon some promising pointwith all the forethought of human thieves. Besides which, birds, as arule, will take only such food as they can eat, but the Indian monkeysappropriate whatever they can lay their paws upon, having a specialregard for light domestic articles, with which they have a fancy fordecking the tops of the highest trees. 

While Calcutta is the governmental or political capital of India, Bombayis its commercial metropolis; and an obvious sense of rivalry existsbetween the two places. The opening of communication with England by theRed Sea route has given the latter city a great business impetus, and itis growing rapidly, possessing more elements of future greatness thanany other city in Asia. It forms the western gateway to India, isentirely modern, and three quarters European. The Parsees, Hindoos, andMussulmans make up the other quarter of the fixed population, while thefloating populace represents nearly every Asiatic people. These twoprincipal cities are located on the opposite sides of the peninsula, Calcutta being on the Bay of Bengal and Bombay on the Sea of Arabia. TheParsees number over a hundred thousand, and represent a large portion ofthe wealth of the city, being also by far the most intelligent andenterprising natives of India. They sympathize entirely with the Englishgovernment, which gives them freedom of opinion and protection for lifeand property, neither of which could be assured under native auspices. They keep entirely aloof, socially, from other races, and strictlypreserve their well-defined individuality. Their dress is peculiar, partly Oriental, partly European, and they are still like their fathers, after thousands of years, the consistent followers of Zoroaster. 

The Parsees settled here more than eight centuries ago, after theirexpulsion from Persia. Their temples contain no images, nothing but thealtar bearing the sacred fire, which their fathers brought with themwhen they landed here so long ago, and which has never for one instantbeen extinguished. They worship the sun as the representative of God, and fire in all its forms, as well as the ocean, which would seem to bean antagonistic agent; but as their religion recognizes one Good and oneEvil Principle, who are ever contending for the mastery of the universe, perhaps these emblems are no paradox. One of the first places we visitedin Bombay was Malabar Hill, a lofty piece of ground just outside of thecity, upon the apex of which are the five famous "Towers of Silence, "constituting the cemetery of the Parsees. Beautiful gardens, kept everin bloom and loveliness by the most assiduous care, surround thesetowers, which are the subjects of such sad associations. The oldest ofthese structures is between two and three centuries in age, and one issolely designed for the bodies of criminals whose bones are notpermitted to mingle with those of the just. When a death occurs amongthe Parsees, the body is brought here to a small temple, containing thesacred fire, within the grounds. Here a certain formula is gone throughwith, and a solemn chant without words is performed by the assembledmourners. Presently the corpse is carried upon a stretcher through adoor of one of the towers, and is placed upon a grating raised a fewfeet from the ground, where it is completely exposed. The bearersinstantly retire, the door is closed and locked. These towers are openat the top, on the cornice of which hundreds of vultures are alwayswaiting in full view of every one, and as soon as the body is left theyswoop down to their awful meal, eagerly tearing and devouring the flesh, absolutely picking it clean from the bones, which fall into a spacebelow in an indiscriminate mass, to be decomposed by time and theelements. The hideous detail of the scene is not visible to thespectators, but the reappearance of these terrible birds of prey uponthe walls, an hour later, in a gorged condition, is only too significantof what has transpired within the silent and gloomy inclosure. 

During a subsequent early-morning walk the writer observed a funeralprocession on its way towards Malabar Hill, and followed it to theTowers. For a moment after arriving there the face of the corpse wasexposed, showing the marble features of a young girl of some fifteenyears, wearing upon her pale face an expression of seraphic loveliness. The body was covered with a snow-white sheet, exhibiting the outline ofa beautiful, budding form suddenly snatched from life. Over and aroundthe body were white buds and half-blown pale flowers, indicative ofyouth, recalling to mind a similar experience on the banks of theGanges. There was no apparent want of sentiment and tenderness here. Assoon as the brief ceremony was over the beautiful remains, lovely evenin death, were deposited in the nearest tower, the door was closed andthe bearers retired. Down swooped the ravenous birds to their terriblebanquet, as we turned away with a shudder. The devouring flames thatwreathed about the child-corpse at Benares did not seem to us soshocking as this. 

Seeing an intelligent Parsee, who had evidently been watching us, weasked: "How can you reconcile to your feelings such disposal as that ofthe remains of a tenderly beloved child?" "What do you do with yourdead?" he asked. "We bury them in the earth. " "Yes, " he continued, "forthe worms to eat. And if there is death at sea you sink the body in theocean to be consumed by the sharks. We prefer to give our dead to thebirds of the air. " We were certainly answered, though not convinced, asto the propriety of the awful scene just enacted. Perhaps, after all, itmakes but little difference what becomes of these tenements of clay. TheParsee feeds the vultures with his dead, the devout Hindoo burns thebody, and the professed Christian gives his to the worms and to thesharks. Still as we came down Malabar Hill that morning, and saw thehideous carrion birds, gorged and sleepy, roosting upon the walls of thecemetery, a sense of nausea came over us quite uncontrollable. 

Bombay is made up of fine public buildings, sumptuous bungalows, and lowhovels, not absolutely combined, each class being found in clustersabout its special locality, but all going to make up the aggregatefigure of the population. That the numbers should reach the round totalof a million of people was a surprise. In the European cities we see thepalace and the hovel, wealth and poverty, everywhere jostling eachother. In Florence, Rome, or Naples a half-starved cobbler's stall maynestle beneath a palace, or a vendor of roast chestnuts may haveestablished himself there. In Bombay a sense of propriety and fitnesshas assorted and adjusted these matters. Still poverty and riches arenever far apart in the world, even as joy and grief are inevitableneighbors. There cannot be strong light without shade near at hand. Excellent order and neatness are maintained, and well-disciplinedpolicemen are seen at every corner. The municipality is partly electiveand partly nominative, the majority of the officials being of nativebirth, and so far as a casual visitor may judge, affairs are managedeconomically and judiciously. In the neighborhood of Elphinstone Circleand the Esplanade, the city will compare favorably with any modernEuropean capital, both in the size and style of the public and privatebuildings, as well as in the broad, liberal squares and thoroughfares, ornamented with statuary and fountains. 

A drive in the environs of Bombay, around the base of Malabar Hill andalong the picturesque shore of the Arabian Sea, is an experience neverto be forgotten by one who has enjoyed its pleasure. It will be sure torecall to the traveler the almost unrivaled environs of Genoa, withthose winding, rock-cut roads overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Herethe roads are admirable, cool, and half-embowered in foliage, amid whichthe crimson sagittaria, flaunting its fiery leaves and ponderousblossoms everywhere, meets the eye. About the fine villas, which are setback a short distance from the road, delightful gardens were to be seenof choice flowers, tastefully arranged, comprising an abundance oftropical plants, tall palms lining the drive-way up to the houses wherethe merchant princes dwell. The broad public roads were lined witholeanders, magnolias, laburnums, jasmines, orange and lemon-trees; andthere were honeysuckles, white, scarlet, yellow; and tiger-lilies ofmarvelous size, each leaf looking as if it were a butterfly, and thewhole flower forming a group of them lit upon a stem. Urns, from whichdrooped variegated flowers, relieved by wreathing smilax, ornamentedthe posts of gates, and lined the smooth, white graveled paths about theverandas of these suburban palaces in miniature. The flora of our bestkept green-houses here bloomed out of doors in wild luxuriance, but nota familiar tree was to be seen. In place of elms, maples, pines, andoaks, there were tall, slender palms, fig-trees, mangoes, and wholegroves of bananas bending under the weight of the long, finger-likefruit. Verily, these Parsees, in spite of their bigotry and theiradherence to ancient superstitions, know how to make their homesbeautiful. 

There was one institution visited in Bombay which is, so far as we know, unique, commending itself however, to every philanthropist, namely, AnAsylum for Aged and Decrepit Animals. Here were found birds and beastssuffering under various afflictions, carefully tended and nursed ashuman beings are in a well-regulated hospital. The origin of theestablishment was due to a philanthropic native who some years ago lefta large sum of money, on his decease, for this purpose, so thoroughly inaccordance with his religious convictions. Within the last ten yearsseveral liberal endowments have been added, all by natives, until theinstitution is now self-supporting. We were told of a new bequest, justadded, which would enable the trustees to enlarge certain premises. Liberal visitors are also frequently inclined to leave a few dollars toencourage so worthy an institution. Bullocks, cows, dogs, and cats, otherwise homeless, here find good care, food, and shelter. The yard andbuildings cover about two acres of ground, where the animals are only sofar confined as to insure their own comfort and safety. None of them areever killed, but are well cared for until Nature herself closes thescene for them. One horse, which we noticed, was swung by belly strapsso that his hind feet were quite off the floor; a case, as wasexplained, where one of his hind legs had been broken, but which had nowso nearly healed that the animal would be able to stand once more uponhis feet--not to work, but to live out his allotted days in peace. InAmerica, or indeed nearly anywhere else, a horse with a broken leg is atonce deprived of life. All through the East, but especially in India, there is, as a rule, a kind consideration for animals that is in markedcontrast to the treatment they so often receive in what we term morecivilized countries. Under the plea of humanity we take the life of mostailing animals in the Western world, but not so in Bombay. Horses, donkeys, cows, cats, dogs, and monkeys, sick or injured by accident, will be at once taken into this establishment, on application, andkindly cared for, free of all expense, until natural death ensues. 

A visit to the Island of Elephanta, in the outer harbor of Bombay, situated about ten miles from the city, will afford all strangers muchgratification. A small excursion steamer, tug-boat size, was charteredfor our purpose, and with a favoring current took us down to the islandin an hour, but was twice as long in working her way back against thetide. It was quite a picnic affair, our refreshments being taken with usfrom the hotel, and a nice table spread on board the little boat, wherewe lunched with that best of sauce, a good appetite. This famous islandis about six miles in circumference, covered with a thick undergrowth ofbushes and some fine specimens of tropical trees. It derives its namefrom a colossal stone elephant which once stood near the presentlanding, and formed a conspicuous object visible far away. This monumentwas thrown down many years ago by some convulsion of nature, and nowlies overgrown by vines and bushes, hidden beneath tamarind andbanana-trees. As the shore is shelving, the depth of water will notpermit boats to approach very near; so that the landing is made over aseries of large, deep-sunken stepping-stones, rather slippery anddangerous for one without a cool head. After having landed there isstill nearly a thousand irregular steps to ascend before reaching theplateau, where the mouth of the famous temple is entered. 

We found this cave temple with its front half hidden by a wild growth ofluxuriant vines and foliage. The cavity is hewn out of the solid rock, extending nearly two hundred feet directly into the hill-side. It wasstrange and incongruous in aspect, --a sort of conglomeration ofsensualism, religious ideas, and Buddhist idols. Most of the schoolgeographies of our childhood depict this entrance of the Cave ofElephanta, supported by carved pillars, hewn out of the rock just wherethey stand, part and parcel of it. The roof is supported by many carvedpillars, also similarly hewn out of the native stone. Some of them havebeen willfully broken, others have mouldered away from atmosphericexposure. The Portuguese in their day, as we were told by thecustodian, --a superannuated non-commissioned officer of the Englisharmy, --planted cannon before the cave and destroyed many of the pillars, as well as the heathen emblems, by round shot. One sees here thesingular phenomenon of hanging pillars, the capitals only extant; but asthe whole is carved out of the same huge rock all parts are equallyself-supporting. There are many well-executed figures in bas-relief, more or less decayed and broken, which is not surprising when weremember that the antiquarians trace them back with certainty for somefifteen centuries, and some give their origin to a period nearly tencenturies earlier. 

Though embodying so much that is curious and suggestive as theserock-cave temples do, presenting such an aggregate of patient labor, theworld will probably remain ever ignorant of their true history. AnAmerican traveler, whom we met in Bombay, had made these Buddhisttemples a special study, and had just returned from a visit to thoseinteresting antiquities, the Caves of Ellora, some two hundred milesfrom Bombay, consisting of several lofty apartments ornamented in asimilar manner to those at Elephanta: in bas-relief. He also mentionedanother excavated temple of the same character at Carlee, between Bombayand Puna, which in many respects resembled a Gothic church, having avaulted roof and colonnades running on either side, like aisles. He wasdisposed to give the origin of them, as well as of those in the harborof Bombay, to a period prior to the Christian era. However strange andhistorically interesting these excavated temples may be to the observanttraveler, he will look in vain among the carvings and basso-relievi forany just proportions of form or expression of features. There is a lackof anything like artistic genius evinced, no correctness of anatomicalproportions even attempted. The figures doubtless were sufficientlytypical to answer their original purpose, but are as crude as Chineseidols. When the Prince of Wales was in Bombay he visited the spot and asort of barbecue was given to him within the cave, upon which the stonyeyes of the idols must have looked down in amazement. 

Elephanta is also unique in the production of a species of beetleremarkable for variety of colors and ornamentation of body. We had seennumerous specimens of this insect in southern India and at Singapore, some of which were an inch long, but these of Elephanta were notremarkable for size. They were hardly larger than one's little fingernail, but of such brilliancy of color, red, blue, yellow, and pink, asto cause them to resemble precious stones rather than insects. Some werea complete representative of the opal, with all its radiating fire. Somewere spotted like butterflies, others like the expanded tail of thepeacock, and again some had half circles of alternate colors like theeyes in a pearl oyster. We were told that only upon this island weresuch specimens to be found. Children gathered them, and filled littlewooden boxes with various specimens, which they sold for a trifle. Theharbor of Bombay is a spacious and excellent one. The old fortificationshave gone mostly to decay, but two floating monitors, the Abyssinia andthe Magdala, now form the principal defense of the port. The city, unlike most commercial ports, is not situated on a river, but is one ofa cluster of islands connected with the main-land by causeways andrailroad viaducts, turning it into a peninsula. 

The fish-market is remarkable here for the variety and excellence of thefinny tribe offered for sale. The fish-market of Havana has ever beenfamous for the size, color, and shapes of the specimens it shows uponits broad marble tables, but Bombay rivals the Cuban capital in thisrespect. Fish forms a large portion of the substantial sustenance ofthe common people. The fish-women, those who sell the article in themarket, are curious, swarthy creatures, covered with bangles on wrists, ankles, arms, ears, and noses. An East Indian woman seems to find vastsatisfaction in this style of disfigurement. To see and to eat prawns intheir perfection, three or four inches long, one must visit Bombay, where they create handsome bits of scarlet color piled up amid thesilver and gold scaled fishes upon the white marble. The fruit-market isequally remarkable for variety and lusciousness. Mandarins, oranges, lemons, mangoes, grapes, bananas, cocoanuts, rose-apples, and vegetablestoo numerous to mention, load the tempting counters. One of the dealers, a young woman who would have been pretty if not so bedecked, hadperforated each side of her nostrils and wore in the holes small giltbuttons, --this in addition to bangles innumerable, and ornamentsdragging her ears quite out of shape. Her swarthy brown limbs werecovered to above the calf with rings of silver and gilt, and her armswere similarly decked. Part of her bosom was tattooed with blue and redink. This woman pressed a mango upon us at a trifling cost, but nothaving been educated up to liking this fruit, it was bestowed upon thefirst child we met. The Indian mango tastes like turpentine and muskmixed, only more so. 

The last scene witnessed at Bombay, as we were waiting on the pier forthe steam-launch which was to take us on board the P. And O. SteamshipKashgar, was the performance of some street jugglers. We had seen manysuch exhibitions at Delhi, Agra, Madras, and Benares, but these fellowsseemed to be more expert in their tricks, and yet not superior or evenequal to many prestidigitateurs whom we have seen in America. The doingsof these Indian jugglers are more curious in the stories of travelersthan when witnessed upon the spot. The so-often-described trick ofmaking a dwarf mango-tree grow up from the seed before one's eyes to acondition of fruit-bearing, in an incredibly short period of time, isvery common with them, but is really the merest sleight-of-hand affair, by no means the best of their performances. A Signor Blitz or Hermannwould put the most expert of these Indian jugglers to shame in his ownart. The performers on this occasion were particularly expert inswallowing knife blades, and thrusting swords down their throats; but itwas difficult to get up much enthusiasm among the idle crowd thatgathered upon the pier to watch them, and the few pennies which theperformers realized could hardly be remunerative. 

We prepared for our departure from India with feelings of regret at notbeing able longer to study its visible history, and to travel longerwithin its borders. Nearly a month and a half had passed since we landedin the country of the Hindoo and the Mohammedan, the land of palms andpalaces, of pagodas and temples. Its remarkable scenes and monumentswill never be forgotten, and with Japan will ever share our warmestinterest. There are some memories which, like wine, grow mellow andsweet by time, no distance being able to obliterate them, nor anyafter-experience to lessen their charm. India has a record running backthrough thousands of years and remotest dynasties, captivating the fancywith numberless ruins, which, while at attesting the splendor of theirprime, form also the only record of their history. The mosaic characterof its population, the peculiarities of its animal kingdom, theluxuriance of its vegetation, the dazzling beauty of its birds andflowers, all crowd upon the memory in charming kaleidoscopiccombinations. There can be no doubt of the early grandeur and highcivilization of India. To the intellectual eminence of her people we owethe germs of science, philosophy, law, and astronomy. Her most perfectof all tongues, the Sanskrit, has been the parent of nearly all others;and now that her lustre has faded away, and her children fallen into acondition of sloth and superstition, still let us do her historicjustice; nor should we neglect to heed the lesson she so clearlypresents, namely, that nations, like human beings, are subject to theunvarying laws of mutability. 

We embarked from Bombay, February 9th, on board the P. And O. SteamshipKashgar for Suez, a voyage of three thousand miles across the Sea ofArabia and the Indian Ocean, through the Straits of Babelmandeb and theentire length of the Red Sea. The most southerly point of the voyagetook us within fourteen degrees of the equator, and consequently into anextremely warm temperature. As the ship's cabin proved to be almostinsupportable on account of the heat, we passed a large portion of thenights, as well as the days, upon deck, making acquaintance with thestars, looking down from their serene and silent spaces, the new moon, and the Southern Cross, all of which were wonderfully bright in theclear, dry atmosphere. As we approach the equatorial region one cannotbut admire the increasing and wondrous beauty of the southern skies, where new and striking constellations greet the observer. The SouthernCross, above all other groupings, interests the beholder, and he ceasesto wonder at the reverence with which the inhabitants of the lowlatitudes regard it. As an accurate measurer of time, it is also valuedby the mariner in the southern hemisphere, who is nightly called towatch on deck, and who thus becomes familiar with the glowing orbsrevealed by the surrounding darkness. As a Christian emblem all southernnations bow before this constellation which is denied to northern eyes. 

Bishop F----, of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Massachusetts, was apassenger on board the Kashgar, bound to Egypt, and on Sunday, February11th, after the captain had read the usual services, he was invited toaddress the passengers; this he did in an eloquent and impressivediscourse. It was a calm, beautiful Sabbath, a sweet tranquillityenshrouding everything. The ship glided over the gently throbbing breastof the Arabian Sea with scarcely perceptible motion; and when nightcame, the stillness yet unbroken, save by the pulsation of the greatmotive power hidden in the dark hull of the Kashgar, the bishopdelivered a lecture on astronomy. He stood on the quarter-deck, bare-headed, his snow-white hair crowning a brow radiant with intellect, while the attentive passengers were seated around, and over his headglowed the wondrous orbs of which he discoursed. Naturally eloquent, thespeaker seemed inspired by the peculiar surroundings, as he pointed outand dilated upon the glorious constellations and planets blazing in theblue vault above us. He explained the immensity of these individualworlds, the harmonious system which science shows to exist in theirseveral spheres, the almost incalculable distance between them, asrelated to each other and as it regarded this earth. The sun, the moon, and the rotation of the globe, all were learnedly expatiated upon, andyet in language so eloquent and simple as to inform the leastintelligent of his listeners. Finally, in his peroration, in touchinglybeautiful language, he ascribed the power, the glory, and the harmony ofall to that Almighty Being who is the Parent of our race. 

The good ship held steadily on her southwest course, day after day, lightly fanned by the northeast monsoon towards the mouth of the RedSea. Our time was passed in reading aloud to each other, and inrehearsing the experience of the last six months. We were very dreamy, very idle, but it was sacred idleness, full of pleasant thoughts, andhalf-waking visions induced by tropical languor, full of gratitude forlife and being amid such tranquillity, and beneath skies so glowing withbeauty and loveliness. At the end of the sixth day we cast anchor at theisland, or rather peninsula, of Aden, a rocky, isolated spot held byEnglish troops, to command the entrance to the Red Sea, --very properlycalled the Gibraltar of the Indian Ocean. Like that famous promontory itwas originally little more than a barren rock, --pumice-stone andlava, --which has been improved into a picturesque and habitable place, bristling with one hundred British cannon of heavy calibre. It is a spotmuch dreaded by sailors, the straits being half closed by sunken rocks, besides which the shore is considered the most unhealthy yet selected bycivilized man as a residence. 

The town of Aden lies some distance from the shore where the landing ismade, in the very centre of an extinct volcano, the sides of which havefallen in and form its foundation, affording, as may reasonably besupposed, an opportunity for yet another calamity like that which solately visited Ischia, and which swallowed up Casamicciola. As we passedin from the open sea to the harbor of Aden, the tall masts of asteamship, wrecked here very lately, were still visible above the long, heavy swell of the ocean. The name of these straits, Babelmandeb, givento them by the Arabs, signifies the "Gate of Tears, " because of thenumber of vessels which have been wrecked in an attempt to pass throughthem; and the title is no less applicable to our time than when theywere first named. There is a saying among seamen, that for six months ofthe year no vessel under canvas can enter the Red Sea, and, for theother six months, no sailing vessel can get out. This refers to theregularity with which the winds blow here, for six months together. Adenlies within the rainless zone, so that its inhabitants see no rain-fallsometimes for two or three years together, depending for their water onwells, tanks, and condensers. The remains of an ancient and magnificentsystem of reservoirs, antedating the Christian era, and hewn out of thesolid rock, have been discovered, whereby the early inhabitants wereaccustomed to lay in a supply of the aqueous fluid when it did rain, which would last them for a long period of months. Following out theoriginal idea, these stone reservoirs have been thoroughly repaired, andthe present inhabitants now lay up water in large quantities when thewelcome rain visits them. 

As we lay at anchor just off the shore at Aden, the ship was surroundedby a score of small boats, dugout canoes, in which were boys as black asNubians, with shining white teeth and curly heads, watching us withbright, expressive eyes. Such heads of hair we never chanced to meetwith before. Evidently dyed red by some means, the hair is twisted intovertical curls of oddest appearance. The little fellows, each in his owncanoe, varied in age from ten to fifteen years. By eloquent gestures andthe use of a few English words, they begged the passengers on board theKashgar to throw small coin into the sea, for which they would dive inwater that was at least seven fathoms deep, that is, say forty feet. Theinstant a piece of money was thrown, every canoe was emptied, and twentyhuman beings disappeared from sight like a flash. Down, down go thedivers to the very bottom, and there struggle together for the trifle, some one of the throng being sure to rise to the surface with the coindisplayed between his teeth. They struggle, wrestle, and fight beneaththe surface, and when the water is clear can be seen, like theamphibious creatures which these shore-born tribes really are; nothingbut otters and seals could be keener sighted or more expert in thewater. 

Quite a number of natives came on board the ship with curiosities tosell, such as choice shells, toys, leopard skins, and ostrich feathers. There are plenty of these birds running wild but a little way inland, and some are kept in domestic confinement on account of the featherswhich they yield; but the tame birds do not develop such fine plumage asdo the wild ones. The ladies purchased choice specimens of these elegantornaments at prices ridiculously low compared with the charge for suchin Europe or America. The men who sold these feathers differed from theother natives, and were evidently Syrian Jews, queer looking fellows, small in stature, dark as Arabs, and with their hair dressed incork-screw curls. These small traders commenced by demanding guineas fortheir feathers, and ended by taking shillings. Notwithstanding thebarren aspect of the surrounding country, Aden manages to do somethingin the way of exports. Coffee is produced, not far inland, as well ashoney, wax, and gums, with some spices, which are shipped to Europe. 

It was just about twilight when we got up the anchor, and steamed awayfrom Aden; and as the evening set in a bevy of birds were singularlyattracted to the Kashgar. They were quite as much land as water-birds, and were fully twice as large as robins, of a mingled white and slatecolor. So persistent were these birds, and being perhaps a littleconfused by the surrounding darkness, together with the blinding lightsof the ship, that they permitted themselves to be caught and handled. When thrown into the air they immediately returned, to light on thebulwarks, shrouds, deck, or awnings, in fact, anywhere affordingfoothold. Scores of them roosted all night on the Kashgar; but with thefirst break of morning light they shook their feathers briskly for amoment, uttered a few harsh, croaking notes, as a sort of rough thanksfor their night's lodging, and sailed away to the Abyssinian shore. 

The general appearance of Aden from the sea, though picturesque, is notinviting, giving one an idea of great barrenness. The mountains androcks have a peaked aspect, like a spear pointed at one, as much as tosay "Better keep off. " People who land for the first time, however, areagreeably disappointed by finding that every opportunity forencouraging vegetation and imparting its cheerful effect to the rockysoil has been duly improved. When we bid Aden good-by in the after-glowof sunset, the sea on the harbor side was of a deep azure, while in thedirection of the ocean it stretched away to the horizon in a soft, palegreen. This effect, added to the lingering orange hue in the west, andthe sober gray of the rocky promontory itself, made up a pleasingvariety of color. 

Our course was now nearly north, leaving behind us the island of Prim aswell as Aden, the former being also a British stronghold at the mouth ofthis inland sea, close to the Arabian coast, and less than ten milesfrom the African shore, which facts will show the reader how narrow isthe southern entrance of the Red Sea. The bold headlands of Abyssiniawere long visible on our port side, while on the starboard we had adistant view of Arabia with the Libyan range of mountains in thebackground, forming the boundary of the desert of the same name. Jeddah, the sea-port of Mecca, the resort of all pious Mohammedans, and Mocha, with its bright sunlit minarets, the place so suggestive of good coffee, were to be seen in the distance. In coasting along the shores of Nubia, the dense air from off the land was like a sirocco, suffocatingly hot, the effect being more enervating than that of any previous experience ofthe journey. Here the water was observed to be much saltier to the tastethan that of the open sea, a fact easily accounted for, as it is subjectto the fierce tropical sun, and the consequent rapid evaporation leavesthe saline property in aggregated proportions at the surface. This is aphenomenon generally observable in land-locked arms of the oceansimilarly situated: the Persian Gulf being another instance. The freecirculation of ocean-currents, as well as the heavy rain-falls of othertropical regions, renders the conditions more uniform. As we sailedthrough the Gulf of Suez we had the shores of Egypt on both sides of us. The last day on board the Kashgar was characterized by one of thoseblazing sunsets that set everything aglow, making it appear as thoughthe world had taken fire at the horizon and was actually burning up. 

Before arriving at Aden it was discovered that one of the foremast handsof the ship was quite ill with small-pox, a very annoying thing tohappen under the circumstances. There were some thirty or forty cabinpassengers on board, and of course serious fears as to contagion wereentertained. Our small party, having already run the gauntlet of bothcholera and small-pox, took the matter very quietly, though we hadbefore us a five or six days' voyage to consummate before we could hopeto land. The sick man was placed in one of the large life-boats on theport bow, which had a broad canvas nicely rigged over it, and in thissmall, improvised hospital was personally attended by the ship's doctoralone, who in turn isolated himself from the passengers. It was fearedthat we might be quarantined upon arriving at Suez: but either bymanagement or accident, we arrived late at night and got moored at thedock before any questions were asked. Selfishness and gravitation areboth immutable. We are quite satisfied to look out for the interests ofnumber one, and must confess that we know not to this day whether thepoor fellow, who lay so sick in the port boat, lived or died. 

A modest effort to ascertain why this great arm of the Indian Ocean iscalled the Red Sea was not crowned with success. The Black Sea is notblack, the Blue Danube is not blue, the Red Sea is not red. It extendsbetween Africa and Arabia nearly fifteen hundred miles, and in thebroadest part is not over two hundred miles across, graduallycontracting at each end. Portions of it are a thousand fathoms deep, butthe shores on either side are lined with a net-work of coral reefs andsunken rocks extending well out from the coast. It was observed that theKashgar for the most part kept nearly in the middle of the sea. SmallArabian vessels hug the shore, as their captains are familiar with thesoundings and can safely do so, and yet they never navigate by night norgo out of port when the weather is in the least threatening. They makeno attempt to cross the sea except in settled weather, and are what weshould call fresh-water sailors, only venturing out when a naked candlewill burn on the forecastle. European sailing vessels rarely attempt tonavigate the Red Sea; it is too intricate, and the chances too hazardousfor anything but steam power to encounter. The color of the sea, so farfrom being red, is deeply blue, and where it becomes shoal changes to apale green; but the color of all large expanses of water is constantlychanging from various causes. The reflection of the clouds will turn itsblue to a dark indigo tint, and even to inky blackness. Experiencedseamen, foremast hands, who have no access to the charts, will tell bythe color of the water, after a long voyage, that the land is near athand; the clear transparent blue becomes an olive green, and as thewater grows more shallow it grows also lighter. 

Landing at Suez early in the morning we strolled about the town, whichpresented hardly a feature of local interest, except that it was Suezand unlike any other place one had ever seen. The landscape, if worthyof the name, consisted of far-reaching sand and water; not a single treeor sign of vegetation was visible. All was waste and barrenness. The hotsun permeating the atmosphere caused a shimmering in the air, thetremulous effect of which was trying to the eyes, and deceptive almostlike a mirage. It was a relief even when a tall awkward necked camelcame between one and the line of vision. A characteristic sceneemphasized the surrounding desolation, on a neighboring sand-hill, wherea flock of vultures were feeding upon the carcass of a mule. Disturbedfor a moment they rose lazily, and circling about the spot settled againto their carrion feast. Though there has been a settlement here for fivecenturies, the place has only sprung into commercial importance sincethe completion of M. De Lesseps' great enterprise of wedding theMediterranean and Red Seas. There was a noticeable mingling ofnationalities as forming the rather incongruous community. We countedhalf a dozen insignificant mosques, and visited the Arabian bazars, butsaw nothing of interest save a few corals and some handsome shells fromthe neighboring sea. The people themselves were more attractive andcurious than the goods they displayed. Sailors were lounging about thebar-rooms in large numbers, and the sale of cheap liquors appeared to bethe one prevailing business of Suez. The floating population wascomposed of Arabs, Maltese, Greeks, and Italians. Some of thefirst-named race were noticeable as nervous, sinewy, broad-chestedfellows, with narrow thighs and well-shaped limbs, like a MohawkIndian. Everything appeared poverty-stricken, and it was a relief whenthe time came for us to take our seats in the dilapidated cars and leavethe place. 

Zagazig was reached the same afternoon, and though not so populous aplace as Suez was much more alive and thrifty. This settlement is alsoan outgrowth of M. De Lesseps' enterprise, but it does not present anyaspect of its mushroom growth, giving one the impression of a place wellselected as a settlement, and which had increased slowly andpermanently. We were now bound directly to Cairo, which is situatednearly two hundred miles from Suez. The first twenty or thirty miles ofthe route was through a level desert of sand, scorched, silent, anddeserted, devoid of even a spear of grass or a single tree, the yellowsoil quivering in the heated air. Mile after mile was passed withoutmeeting one redeeming feature. It was desolation personified. At last wecame gradually upon a gently undulating and beautiful district ofcountry, enriched by the annual deposits of the Nile, where careful, intelligent cultivation produced its natural results. Here we began tosee small herds of brown buffaloes, and peasants plying the irrigatingbuckets of the shadoof. Everything seemed verdant and thriving. Perhapsthe great contrast between the sterile desert so lately crossed and theaspect which now greeted us made this really fertile region appeardoubly so. Not since the plains of middle India had we seen anythingforming so fine a rural picture as this. Though it was only the last ofFebruary the clover fields were being mowed, and a second crop wouldfollow; the barley and wheat were nearly ready for the sickle, whilethe peas and beans, both in full blossom, were picturesque and fragrant. As we progressed through this attractive region the pastures becamealive with sheep, goats, many camels, and some dromedaries. 

On our way we made a brief stop at the late sanguine field ofTell-el-Keber, where the English and Turks fought the closing battle ofthe late campaign in Egypt. The sandy plain was still strewn with thedébris of hastily deserted camps, and not far away was that significantspot which war leaves always in its track, --an humble cemetery, markedby many small white stones, showing the last resting-places of menunknown to fame, but to whom life was undoubtedly as sweet as it is tothose whose graves the world honors with monumental shafts. 

While we were approaching Cairo, and were yet two or three leagues away, the dim outline of the everlasting pyramids could be seen, through theshimmering haze, softly limned against the evening sky, firing theimagination, and causing an involuntary and quicker pulsation of theheart. It was impossible not to recall the glowing words of the Humpbackin the Thousand and One Nights, as we saw the pyramids and glisteningminarets coming into view: "He who hath not seen Cairo hath not seen theworld: its soil is gold; its Nile is a wonder; its women are like theblack-eyed virgins of Paradise; its houses are palaces, and its air issoft, --its odor surpassing that of aloes-wood and cheering the heart;and how can Cairo be otherwise when it is the Mother of the World?"

CHAPTER IX. 

 Cairo and the Arabian Nights. --Street Scenes and Cries. --Camels and Donkeys. --Turkish Bazars in Old Cairo. --Water Carriers. --The Pyramids of Gizeh. --The Sphinx. --Interesting Visit to a Native House. --Mosque of Mehemet Ali. --The Rotten Row of Cairo. --The Khedive's Palace. --Egyptian Museum. --Mosque of Amer. --Whirling and Howling Dervishes. --Suez Canal. --Ismailia and Port Said. --Island of Malta. --City of Valetta. --Palace of the Knights. --Bird's-eye View. 

Cairo is nearly the size of Boston, having a population of about fourhundred thousand. It forms a strange medley of human life, --a many-huedcrowd constantly pouring through its thoroughfares, dirty lanes, andnarrow streets, in picturesque confusion. On one side the observer isjostled by a liveried servant all silver braid and bright buttons, andon the other by an Arab in loose white robe and scarlet turban; now by awoman with her face half-concealed beneath her yasmak, and now by onescarce clothed at all; by jaunty Greeks in theatrical costume, andcunning Jews with keen, searching eyes; by tempting flower-girls, and byshriveled old crones who importune for alms; by Franks, Turks, andLevantines; by loaded donkeys and lazy, mournful-looking camels--amotley group. The water-carrier, with his goatskin filled and swungacross his back, divides the way with the itinerant cook and hisportable kitchen. In short, it is the ideal city of the Arabian Nights. The Esbekyeh is the Broadway of Cairo, and its contrast to the mass ofnarrow lanes and passages where the native bazars are located, as wellas the dingy houses of the populace, only adds to its brilliancy. 

Like Paris, it is a city of cafés. During the evening and far into thenight, crowds of individuals of every nationality are seen seated ingroups before them in the open air, drinking every sort of known liquid, but coffee taking precedence of all others. In picturesqueness ofcostume, the Turk leads the world. There is none of the buttoned-upaspect of Europeans about him. His graceful turban and flowing robes areworthy of the classic antique, while the rich contrast of colors whichhe always wears adds finish to the general effect. As he sitscross-legged before his open bazar, smoking his long pipe, he looks verywise, learned, and sedate, though in point of fact, as has been shrewdlysaid, there are doubtless more brains under the straw hat of a Yankeepeddler than under three average turbans. The dark, narrow lanes andendless zigzag alleys had an indescribable interest, with theiraccumulated dirt of neglect and dust of a land where rain is so seldomknown. One looks up in passing at those overhanging balconies, imaginingthe fate of the harem-secluded women behind them, occasionally catchingstolen glances from curious eyes peering between the lattices. What alife is theirs! Education is unknown among the Egyptian women. They haveno mental resort. Life, intellectually, is to them a blank. There was amingled atmospheric flavor impregnating everything with an incense-likeodor, thoroughly Oriental. One half expected to meet Ali Baba and theForty Thieves, as we still look for Antonio and the Jew on the Rialto atVenice. The whole city, with myriads of drawbacks, was yet very sunny, very interesting, very attractive. The dreams of childhood, with thoseveracious Arabian stories and pictures, were constantly before themind's eye, in all their extravagant absurdities, stimulating theimagination to leap from fancy to fancy as it achieved grotesqueimpossibilities, and peopled the present scene as in the days of HarounAlraschid. 

Camels and donkeys were in endless numbers; the latter, small creaturescarrying enormous loads, and often having big, lazy men on theirbacks, --so immeasurably disproportioned to the animals as to seem liableto break their tiny limbs like pipe stems. Of course the fable, whereinthe old man was told it was more fitting that he should carry his assthan that his ass should carry him, occurred to us. Scores of Egyptianporters, bent half double, carried on their backs loads that wouldstagger a brewer's horse. Women who rode their ponies and donkeysastride, man-fashion, were yet very careful to cover their faces fromview, their eyes gleaming out of peep-holes like those of a cat in thedark. Others, again, jostled you in the street with little nakedchildren straddling one shoulder, and holding on by both hands to themother's head. People riding upon donkeys--used in place of cabshere--require a boy to follow behind them with a stick to belabor thepoor creatures; otherwise, being so trained, they will not move a stepforward. Those who drive through the streets in carriages have a runnerto precede them, gorgeously dressed, and carrying a long white wand inhis hand, who is constantly crying to clear the way. These runners go asfast as a horse ordinarily trots, and seem never to tire. The commonpeople lie down on the sidewalk, beside the road, in nooks and corners, anywhere in the open air, to sleep off their fatigue like a dog. Speaking of dogs: here, as in Constantinople, their name is legion, andthey appear to have no special masters, shrinking away into holes orbehind bales of goods during the day, and coming forth by night to seekfor food from the débris of the streets, like jackals in India or crowsin Ceylon. Every public square has its fountain, and there are twohundred in Cairo, where the domestic portion of the households come toobtain water. The young girls carry water gracefully poised in jars upontheir heads, displaying forms and gait of faultless beauty. Some ofthese girls scrupulously screen their faces from the public eye; othersroguishly remove the yasmak when a European smiles at them, and tinkletheir silver bracelets as full of roguery as a Viennese. 

What a motley aspect these Cairo bazars present! This old Turk, withflowing caftan and white turban, from his dingy quarters dispensesdelicious odors, curious pastes and essences, with kohl for the eyes andhenna for the fingers. Another has piles of sandal-wood fans, beads, andcheap jewelry of silver and gilt; now we come upon a low platform spreadwith Syrian crapes of all colors, hues, and patterns, to satisfy thegaudy taste of the slaves of the harem and the negresses of the Soudan;here are sweetmeats, dates stuffed with almonds and honey and sugar, combined in a tempting mixture, with added coloring matter; again wehave pipes of all shapes and sizes, with delicate stems of nicelywrought amber, and stores of trinkets from Stamboul; here are red andyellow slippers of kid and satin, some elaborately wrought in silver andgilt, and all turned up at the toes. The narrow way is crowded withwhite and red turbans, women with fruit in baskets upon their heads, strong and wiry Bedouins leading their horses and taking count ofeverything with their sharp black eyes. They are the veritable sons ofthe desert. Nile boatmen, Abyssinian slaves, and lazy Egyptians, withGreeks, Italians, and Maltese, make up the jostling crowd of the bazars;and amid all this one feels inquisitive as to where Aladdin's uncle maybe just now, with his new lamps to exchange for old ones. 

Your local guide will suggest a short excursion to the Island of Roda, and it is best to go there: if you do not, some one will tell you thatit was a great omission; that you will never know what you have missed, and so forth! It is reached by a ferry-boat at a fee of a few pennies. Here the gardener points out the identical spot where Moses was rescuedby the king's daughter! Here is to be seen the Nilometer, a square wellconnected with the Nile, having in its centre an octagonal column onwhich is inscribed Arabian measures. The flora of the island wasinteresting, showing a large array of palms, oranges, lemons, bananas, date, and fig-trees. Here also was pointed out to us the henna plant, which we had not before seen, and from whence comes the dye with whichthe Eastern women tint their fingers, nails, and the palms of theirhands. The plant is seen here in the form of a well-trimmed dwarf bush, but it grows more like a tree in its natural state. 

The street cries of Cairo are unique. At the early break of the day, orrather at the moment of sunrise, the muezzin is heard: "To prayers, toprayers, O ye believers!" Mustapha translated for us. Here was a sellerof peas, crying: "O parched peas. Nuts of love!" He was a rough fellowbut had a mellow voice. All those itinerants qualify, or recommendtheir goods by added words; thus a girl, with cut up sugar-cane in abasket upon her head, cried: "Sugar-canes; white sugar-canes, " thoughthe article was black and blue. The water-carrier, with a full skinslung over his shoulder, shouted: "God's gift, limpid water!" A longbearded Copt cried: "O figs; O believers, figs!" and so on. When thecrowd is dense in the narrow streets lined by the bazars, the donkey-boyshouts: "O woman, to the left!" or if some peddler of goods be in theway, he or she is designated by the article on sale, as: "O oranges, tothe right!" or "O eggs, out of the way!" This, which sounds so odd, ismeant in good faith, and answers the desired purpose. No one calls outin Arabic, addressing another, without prefixing some expletive. Thusthe dealer of sweetmeats drawls out: "In the name of the Prophet, comfits. " Even the beggar says: "O Christian, backsheesh!" as he leansupon a crutch and extends his trembling hand. If you respond, all iswell; if not, your ears will be assailed by a jumble of Arabic, which, if your guide faithfully translates to you, will probably be found tosignify a hearty wish that Allah may roast your grandfather. 

The pyramids of Gizeh are situated about ten miles from Cairo, and aftercrossing the Nile by a remarkable iron bridge, guarded at either end bytwo bronze lions, are reached by a straight level road lined withwell-trimmed trees. This road terminates at a rocky plateau which servesto give these wonderful structures an elevated site, as well as to forma natural foundation for the enormous weight of solid stone to besupported. There is always an importuning group of Arabs here, who liveupon the gratuities obtained from visitors, and they are so persistentus to lead many people to employ them solely for the purpose of endingtheir annoyance. These hangers-on assist people to ascend and descendthe pyramids for a fixed sum, or for a few shillings will run up anddown them like monkeys. On the way between Cairo and the pyramids, through the long alley of acacias, we passed hundreds of camels bound tothe city, laden with green fodder, and newly cut clover, for stable usein town. They do not employ carts; the backs of camels and donkeyssupersede the use of wheels. 

Nothing new can be written about these monuments. Famous and hoary, doting with age, the pyramids were disappointing to us, --not as to size, for they are immense. Every one is familiar with the marvelousstatistics relating to them. But what do they really amount to? Theysimply show, standing there upon the border of the desert, a vastaggregate of labor performed by compulsion, and only exhibit the supremefolly of the monarchs who thus vainly strove to erect monuments whichshould defy all time and perpetuate their fame. Symbols of ancienttyranny and injustice, tears, and death. To-day not even the names oftheir founders are known. There are plausible suppositions enough aboutthem, each investigator and writer upon the subject having plenty ofargument to support his special convictions and theory; but so far asthe simple truth is concerned the history of Cheops is much betterstanding as a blank than resting amid a confusion of very thinspeculations. There is no genius evinced in the design or execution ofthe pyramids. Neither art, taste, nor religion are in any way subservedby these unequaled follies. Nothing could be ruder: there is noarchitectural excellence exhibited in them; they are merely enormouspiles of stone; that is absolutely all. Some pronounce them marvelousevidences of ancient greatness and power. True; but if it weredesirable, we could build loftier and larger ones in our day. As theyare surely over four thousand yours old we admit that they arevenerable, and they enjoy a certain consideration on that account. Inthe religious instinct which led the Buddhists to build, at suchenormous expense of time and money, those cave temples of Elephanta, Ellora, and Carlee; in the idolatrous Hindoo temples of Madura, Tanjore, and Trichinopoly, the shrines of Ceylon, the pagodas of China, and therich temples of Nikko, one detects an underlying and elevatingsentiment, a grand and reverential idea, in which there may be more oftruth and acceptable veneration than we can appreciate; but in thepyramids we have no expression of devotion; only an embodiment ofpersonal vanity, which hesitated at nothing for its gratification, andwhich has only proved a total failure. 

The immensity of the desert landscape, and the absence of any object forcomparison, make these three pyramids seem smaller than they are, butthe actual height of the largest, that of Cheops, is nearly five hundredfeet, and it looks to be of that height when one is far away from itsbase. The fixed object of the pyramids is still a subject of learneddiscussion, as well as by whom they were built. The theory that they areroyal tombs is generally accepted; and yet have not the mummies of bullsand other animals been found in them? All record relating to Cheops isat least very questionable; thus history fades into fable, and isclouded with doubt. Bunsen claims for Egypt nearly seven thousand yearsof civilization and prosperity before the building of these monstrousmonuments. We do not often pause to consider how little real historythere is. Conjecture is not history. If contemporary record so oftenbelies itself, what ought we to consider of that which comes through theshadowy distance of ages? It will be remembered that a mummy of a humanbeing, taken from the smallest of the three pyramids, that of Myceninus, is to be seen in the British Museum. The familiar story of the beautifulEgyptian princess, who is said to have erected this pyramid with thefortunes of her many lovers, will occur to the reader. A volume oflegendary matter could be filled relative to these structures, which arecalled pyramids of Gizeh, after the crumbled city which once stood sonear to them. 

Not many hundred feet from the pyramids, on a somewhat lower plain, stands that colossal mystery, the Sphinx. The Arabs call it "The Fatherof Terror, " and it certainly has a most weird, unworldly look. Its body, and most of the head, is hewn out of the solid rock where it stands, theupper portion forming the head and bust of a human being, to which isadded the paws and body of an animal. The great size of the figure willbe realized when we recall the fact that the face is thirty feet longand half as wide. The body is in a reclining, or rather a sittingposture, with the paws extended forward some fifty feet or more. Thisstrange figure is believed to be of much greater antiquity than thepyramids, but no one knows how old it is. Notwithstanding its mutilatedcondition, showing the furrows of time, the features have still a sad, tranquil expression, the whole reminding us, in its apparent purpose, ofthe great bronze image Dai-Butsu at Kamakura, though it is some fivethousand years older, at least, than the Japanese figure. There is alsothe foundation of an ancient temple near at hand, the upper portion ofthe structure having long since crumbled to dust. This is supposed tohave been in some way connected with the great statue, half animal andhalf human in form. Ages ago, from a sanctuary between the lion-likepaws of the sphinx, sacrifices were undoubtedly offered, asarchæologists believe, of human beings, to the divinity it was designedto represent. Here, for five or six thousand years, more or less, thisstrange figure has remained unchanged in the midst of change, throughancient Ethiopian dynasties, mediæval battles, and pestilences; even toour day, calm, unalterable, crumbling in parts, but still bodily extant, and doubtless the oldest known object erected by the hand of man. 

In a visit to the house of our guide in Cairo, an intelligent Turk, whowore the full traditional costume of his people, and was a person ofsome note, though not above receiving eight francs per day for hisservices, it was interesting to observe the domestic arrangements, whichhe assured us were similar to those of most of his neighbors. The roomswere of various heights, and irregular in formation, requiring one toconstantly ascend or descend a couple of steps in passing from one roomto another, no two being of the same height, --a most incongruousarrangement, the object of which was not apparent. The placing of thewindows in the dwelling also struck us as being very odd, until theexplanation that the design was to prevent being overlooked by one'sneighbors. The guide touched a secret spring and showed a door, where weshould not have supposed one to exist, leading into a dark, descendingpassage to the rear and outside of the house. This, he explained, wasdesigned to afford an escape in case of emergency, and was only known tothe builder and himself. "All houses in Cairo have some such passages, "he remarked. A few minutes later, in a dark corner, a secret door wascaused to open, half the size of the first, and to which he pointedmysteriously. "And what is this for?" we asked. "It is to hide treasuresin, and to secrete one's self in haste, when desirable, " he replied. Onewould suppose that the universality of these architectural secrets wouldrob them of all security or usefulness. There was one portion of thehouse not open to us, which was, as may be supposed, the apartmentsoccupied by Mustapha's wives, of whom he acknowledged to have fourbehind the latticed blinds of the overhanging balcony. 

Although there are plenty of schools in Cairo, such as they are, onlyboys are taught to read and write in them. Girls, even among the wealthyclasses, are not taught, as a rule, the simplest rudiments of education. They, however, acquire some accomplishments of a domesticcharacter, --such as sewing, embroidery, --and often play upon some simplemusical instrument of a string character. We saw in Mustapha's house amandolin which was evidently used by the women of the harem. 

The Mosque of Mehemet Ali, with its tapering minarets overlooking allCairo, was found to be quite a modern edifice, scarcely more than half acentury in age, but it is a very remarkable and beautiful structure, and of great cost. The spacious building is lined throughout withOriental alabaster, and the exterior is of the same costly finish. Thereis the sarcophagus of Mehemet Ali, the most enlightened of modernEgyptian rulers, before which lamps are burning perpetually. Theinterior of this mosque in its combined effect seemed to be the mosteffective, architecturally, of any temple of the sort which we hadvisited. There is a height, breadth, and solemn dignity in its aspect, which earnestly impresses one. The exterior is much less striking, butyet admirably balanced and harmonized. The lofty situation of the mosquecommands one of the most interesting views that can well be conceivedof. The city, with its countless minarets and domed mosques, its publicbuildings and tree-adorned squares, its section of mud-colored housesand terraced roofs, lies in the form of a crescent at the visitor'sfeet, while the plains of Lower Egypt stretch far away in alldirections. The tombs of the Memlooks lie close at hand, full ofsuggestiveness, as also does the lonely column of Heliopolis, fourthousand years old, marking the site of the famous "City of the Sun. "Beyond and towards the sea is the land of Goshen, where the sons ofJacob fed their flocks. A little more westerly in the mysterious Nile isseen the well-wooded island of Roda, quietly nestling in the broad bosomof the river. The grand Aqueduct, with its high arches reaching formiles, reminds one of the Campagna at Rome; while beyond loom up thetime-defying pyramids, the horizon ending at the borders of the greatLibyan Desert. Far away to the southwest a forest of palms dimly marksthe site of dead and buried Memphis, where Joseph interpreted amonarch's dream. Twilight was approaching when we were there Thehalf-suppressed hum of a dense Eastern population came up from the busy, low-lying city, and a strange, sensuous flavor of sandal-wood, musk, andattar of roses floated upon the golden haze of the sunset, indeliblyfixing the Oriental scene on the memory. 

A visit to the Shoobra Palace, in the environs of Cairo, took us over afine road and through a shady avenue of sycamores and lebbec-trees, thelatter remarkable for its umbrageous character. This is the favoritedrive of the citizens at twilight, where every known modern style ofcarriage may be met, from the Khedive's equipages, four-in-hand, andthose of the ladies of his harem, to the single English gig or dog-cart. There are also the light American trotting wagons, elegant Europeanbarouches, mingled with equestrians upon spirited Arab horses; alsopeople mounted upon nice donkeys, --for some of these animals are highlybred. Again, richly caparisoned camels from the Khedive's stablesoccasionally heighten the Eastern aspect of the scene, which recalledthe Maidan of Calcutta most vividly. The roadway is not devoid ofpedestrians, who come to see and to be seen. In short, the Shoobra Roadis the Rotten Row of Cairo. Even here fashion steps in after herarbitrary manner, and establishes Friday and Sunday afternoons as the"swell" days for riding or driving on the avenue. But we started for theKhedive's Palace, and have stopped to gossip by the way. 

The Summer Palace at Shoobra is surrounded by beautiful gardens, tovisit which a permit is required from city officials; but not being thusprepared, a little silver was found to be equally effective with theobliging custodian. The apartments of the palace are numerous andelegantly furnished, in a mixed Turkish and European style, with divans, lounges, chairs, tables of inlaid marble, and massive curtains mingledwith silk and satin hangings. The grand drawing-room was furnished ingold and white satin; the ladies' parlor in green satin and silver; eachanteroom in different colors; all gorgeous, and a little fantastic. Thegreat number of mirrors was almost confusing; and French clocks, two insome rooms, stared at one from all directions. The mirrors produced aserious danger by their reflected perspective, and one was liable towalk boldly into them. In the centre of the palace was an area open tothe sky, upon which doors and windows faced, after the Moorish style, asat Cordova and Toledo, in the centre of which was an artificial lakeformed by a huge marble basin, the whole surrounded by corridors ofwhite marble. Here were placed divans, lounges, and luxurious chairs, besides many choice plants in richly ornamented porcelain vases, evidently forming the domestic lounging place of the family. We observedan American piano in a cozy little room opening upon this corridor, anda billiard-table in another. In the extensive grounds surrounding thepalace, landscape-gardening and modern floral effects have been finelycarried out by a skilled foreigner, who had been imported for thisspecial purpose from Versailles. The variety of fruit was reallyremarkable, embracing orange, lemon, banana, fig, peach, and pear-trees, and a great variety of choice flowers were in their glory. Thepeach-trees, --it was late in February, --well-divided about the long, broad paths, were in full splendor of blossom, dotting the whole viewwith huge clusters of pink flowers delightful to the eye. The walks wereclean, nicely cared for, and the shrubbery admirably trimmed, thoughthere was no attempt at Chinese grotesqueness in shape and figures. Nature was permitted to follow her own sweet will as to form andluxuriousness of growth, filling the air with a mingled perfume ofroses, heliotrope, and lemon-verbena. As we left the grounds each waspresented with a bouquet by the disinterested (?) gardener. 

The exhibition of Egyptian antiquities in the Cairo Museum is the mostextensive and complete collection in existence, affording historic dataof priceless value to the antiquarian. Here we have tangible historytaking us back four thousand five hundred years before the coming ofChrist, representing not only the art and culture, but also the religionof those remote periods, even to the days of Menes, the first recordedking. A wooden statue over four thousand years old, recovered fromMemphis, launches one's imagination upon a busy train of thought. Herewere curious tables, papyrus, bronze images, mummies, sculptures fromstone, objects relating to domestic life, arms, rings, combs, vases, andmany other articles which were in use four thousand years ago. By theBoulak Museum it is easily proved that the glory of Egyptian artbelonged to the age of Cheops, its decadence to that of Rameses II. Thecollection, as we have intimated, throws a light upon Egyptian life andhistory for nearly five thousand years before the Christian era, but itis only a dim light. There can be but little consecutive reading ofthese isolated mementos. They afford us information as to generalitiesonly, yet add link after link to a chain connecting those long pastcenturies with the present time. 

The Mosque of Amer, some twelve centuries in age, though little morethan a ruin, is still of considerable interest to the traveler. Oneenters the walls of an oblong court, the east end being formed of agallery with columns inclosing the sanctuary. The north and south sidesare inclosed by piazzas with many noble columns. There are two hundredand fifty of these, formed of single stones of granite and porphyry, which are known to have come from Memphis and Heliopolis. The wholedeserted temple constitutes the most important monument of Arabianarchitecture in Cairo. Seen as it was in the dull gray of early morning, before the sun had fairly lighted the well-preserved minarets, itpresented a solemn picture of faded glory. It is quite as much in theirsuggestiveness as in what they exhibit to the eye, that these decayingmonuments interest and instruct us. The mosque was erected by thegeneral whose name it bears, and was one of the few that escaped, fivecenturies later, the fire by which the Saracens burned Cairo to preventits falling into the hands of the invading Christians. 

Let us not forget to mention a brief visit to those strange fanatics, the whirling dervishes, in witnessing whose singular movements one is ata loss whether to sigh or to laugh. To the young the performancesuggests that of the circus, and until wearied of the monotony of it, isperhaps as amusing; but to this more thoughtful observer it ismelancholy to see men so debase themselves. The ring in which thesepeople whirl about was full of deluded men, on the day of our visit, self-proclaimed disciples. About twenty of them commenced at a signal toturn rapidly about on their heels and toes, without a moment's pause, for a period of some thirty or forty minutes, to the monotonous notes ofa fife and a sort of Chinese tom-tom, until finally their brains becameaddled, and they fell to the ground in a species of trance, their activedevotion being supposed to have thus successfully terminated. Thehowling dervishes, seen in another temple, form a different branch of asimilar style of worship or fanaticism; if possible, still moresenseless than that already described. The bodily motion of the howlersis different, and is accompanied by a hoarse, disagreeable howling, likethat of a pack of half-starved wolves, except that it is done to acertain musical accompaniment, enabling the participants to keep time, both as to the motion of the body and the hideous noise which they make. The motion is that of throwing the head and upper portion of the bodyforward, and bringing it back with a sudden jerk, which would, underordinary circumstances, break a man's neck, but these creatures are usedto it. The dervishes wear their hair long, which adds to their crazyappearance, by covering their faces with it during the jerking process, the hair flying back and forth with each movement. What the ecstaticpoint is in this ridiculous performance was not apparent, and they didnot tumble down overcome by unconsciousness. It is supposed that alltravelers visit them, but we came away more punished than entertained orinterested in the senseless exhibition. 

A week was all too brief a period to pass in the Queen City of the East, but at its close we started by rail for Ismailia, the little town whichis located exactly midway on the great canal between the two seas, atthe Bitter Lakes, through which the canal runs. It is a pretty andattractive place of four or five thousand inhabitants, and is a creationof the last sixteen years. Here we observed gardens filled with flowersand fruit trees; vegetation being in its most verdant dress, promoted byirrigation from the neighboring fresh-water canal. The place has broadmacadamized streets, and a capacious central square ornamented withlarge and thrifty trees. It was here that the representatives of allnations met on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony on thecompletion of De Lesseps' grand canal. We took a small mail steamer atIsmailia through the western half of the canal to Port Said, which isthe Mediterranean terminus of the great artificial river. It was a nighttrip, but had it been by daylight would have afforded us no views. Wepassed onward between two lofty hills of sand, the sky only visibleoverhead, and no vegetation whatever in sight; no birds, no animals, nothing to vary the monotony, but an occasional dredging machine, whenwe stopped at what are called watering-stations. The reader needs hardlyto be told that this successful enterprise of cutting a canal across theIsthmus of Suez has proved a vast and increasing advantage to thecommerce of the world. Large as it is, and under the best of management, it has already proved insufficient for the business which it hascreated, rendering a second parallel water-way imperatively necessary, plans for which are now under consideration. At present, so large is thedemand upon its facilities that "blocks" and serious delays are of dailyoccurrence. That there will be ample and remunerative business for twocanals is easily demonstrable by the statistics of the original company, which show a most remarkable annual increase. It is a singular factworthy of mention, that, with all our modern improvements andprogressive ideas, the Egyptians were centuries before us in this planof shortening the path of commerce between the East and the West, or, inother words, of connecting the Red Sea with that of the Mediterraneanacross the Isthmus and through the Gulf of Suez. 

Government engineers determined the difference of level between the twoseas by careful processes, and the investigation showed that there washardly a perceptible variation between the Mediterranean and the arm ofthe Indian Ocean formed by the Red Sea. The same fact has beenscientifically settled regarding the Isthmus of Panama; whilemeasurements along the Pyrenees have established the same level betweenthe waters of the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay. The traveler innavigating these several waters cannot but realize an interest in suchimportant physical facts. 

The only business of Port Said is that connected directly or indirectlywith the transshipment of vessels to and from the Red Sea by way ofSuez. The town contains nothing of interest, and is a mere sandy plain. The languages spoken are French and Arabic. There are, counting thefloating population, some eight thousand people here, not more, composedof every possible nationality; while the social status is at as low anebb as it can possibly be. The region is perfectly barren, --like Egyptnearly everywhere away from the valley of the Nile, which enriches anextent of ten or twelve miles on either side of its course by the annualoverflow, to an amount hardly to be realized without witnessing itseffect. The question often suggested itself as to how camels, donkeys, and goats could pick up sufficient nourishment, outside of this fertilebelt, to sustain life. Through that part of the desert which we passedin coming from Suez one looked in vain for any continuous sign ofvegetation. A peculiarity of the land is the entire absence of woods andforests; hence also the absence of wild beasts, only hyenas, jackals, and wolves being found. Here and there, at long intervals, an oasis wasobserved like a smile breaking over the arid face of nature upon which asettled gloom rested nearly all the while. Once or twice there was seena cluster of solitary palms by a rude stone wall, hedged in by a littlepatch of green earth, about which a few camels and goats were quenchingtheir thirst or cropping the scanty herbage. Some Arabs, in picturesquecostumes, lingered hard by. The tents, pitched in the background, wereof the same low, flat-topped, coarse camel's hair construction as thesedesert tribes have used for thousands of years. Such groups formed trueEgyptian pictures, which are so often seen delineated on canvas. 

Egypt has only her ruins, her antiquity, her Biblical associations togive her interest with the world at large. Japan is infinitely to bepreferred in any light of contemplation; China, even, rivals her in allnatural advantages; and India is much more inviting. In looking at Egyptwe must forget her present and recall her past. The real Egypt is notthe vast territory which we shall find laid down by the geographers, reaching to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and embracing equatorialregions; it is and was, even in the days of the Pharaohs and Ptolomies, the valley of the Nile, from the First Cataract to the MediterraneanSea, hemmed in by the Libyan and Arabian deserts. From hence came tothe rest of the world so much of art, science, and philosophy; and herewere built those time-defying monuments which to-day challenge thewonder of the world. 

The native Egyptian, the fellah, he who tills the soil, who cultivatesby irrigation and gathers the rich crops of the valley, is of a fine andindustrious race, well-built, broad-chested, and always of lithe frame, altogether a fine looking and vigorous figure. He has a manly, ovalface, a broad brow, and a bronzed complexion, with brilliant eyes, fineteeth, and naturally luxuriant beard. He is the same figure hisancestors were six thousand years ago, as represented on the tombs andtemples of Thebes, and on the slabs of Gizeh in the Museum at Cairo. Hestill performs his work in the nineteenth century just as he did beforethe days of Moses, scattering the seed and working the shadoof. He islittle seen in the cities; his place is in the field; there he lives andthrives. Though his native land has found such various masters in Greekand Roman, Arab and Turk, he has never lost his individuality. He hasever been, and is to-day, the same historic Egyptian. If he were a horsein place of a man, we should say of him that he was of a pure, uncontaminated breed. The women when young are very handsome, beautybeing the first present Nature gives them and the first she takes away. They are exquisite in form, and with a most graceful gait, common tonearly all Eastern women, who, from childhood, carry jars of water upontheir heads, thus inducing the perfection of carriage. It made us feelalmost angry to see them tattooed, their nostrils and ears pierced withrings, and awkwardly bedecked with cheap jewelry, like their crudersisters of the Malay Archipelago. These women are frequently mothers atthe age of fourteen, and work as industriously in the field as at thedomestic hearth. The words "domestic hearth" are used in a conventionalmanner, as their houses generally consist of one room, devoid ofwindows, and a door so low as to render it necessary to stoop in orderto enter. This door is the only piece of wood in the structure, which iscomposed of sun-dried clay. These dens, so utterly unfit for humanbeings, are dark and dirty, but the people live and sleep much in theopen air. Such abodes are the natural outgrowth of degradation andignorance. 

We waited four days at Port Said for the arrival of the P. And O. Steamship Rome, as she was detained by one of the numerous "blocks" inthe canal, but finally embarked on her for Malta and Gibraltar. The Romeis a five thousand-ton ship, and the favorite of this company'sextensive fleet. Four days' sail, covering about a thousand miles, overthe erratic waters of the Mediterranean, now calm and now enraged, brought us in sight of Malta. The city of Valetta lies immediately onthe shore; and when we dropped anchor in the snug little harbor, we weresurrounded by lofty forts, frowning batteries, and high stone buildingsof various sorts. There are two harbors, in fact, known as QuarantineHarbor and Great Harbor. The Rome lay in the former. The island is abouttwenty miles long and half as wide, and had a place in historical recordnearly three thousand years ago. We were not prepared, upon landing, tofind so large, and fine a city, numbering, as Valetta does, at least ahundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. The houses are all large stonestructures, many of which are architecturally noticeable; frontingthoroughfares of good width, well-paved, and in fine order, an aspect ofcleanliness and freshness pervading everything. 

Few countries have known so many changes among their rulers as has thisMediterranean island. Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Goths, and Arabs succeeded each other before our era, followed byGerman, French, Spanish, and English rulers. During the sovereignty ofthe Grand Masters it suffered the curse of the Inquisition, until theKnights were deposed by the French, and that hateful and bloody agent ofthe Romish Church was expelled. Not more heterogeneous are thenationalities under which the island has been held than is the characterof its dialects; indeed, we have never seen written Maltese, which, asspoken by the populace, is a mixture of Arabic and Eastern dialects. Italian, French, and English are equally in use, but the latter, beingnow the official tongue, takes precedence among the educated classes. 

The garrison is formed of some three or four thousand British troops. Many of the streets run up the steep hill-side on which the town stands, and are flanked by broad stone steps for foot passengers, the roadwaybeing quite inaccessible for vehicles. The principal thoroughfare is theStrada Reale, nearly a mile long, flanked by fine and attractive stores, shops displaying choice fancy goods, jewelry, silks, and laces; also bydwelling-houses and hotels; in short, forming a busy and handsomeboulevard. All the dwelling-houses over the stores are ornamented bypleasant iron balconies, where the residents can sit and enjoy the coolevening breezes after the hot days that linger about Malta nearly allthe year round. It was observed that the town was lighted by a completegas system. There is a large and imposing stone opera house, of finearchitectural aspect, ornamented with Corinthian columns, a wideportico, and broad steps leading up to the same. A visit to the Churchof St. John was very interesting. It was built a little over threehundred years since by the Knights, who lavished large sums of moneyupon its erection and elaborate ornamentation. Statuary and paintings ofrare merit abound within its walls, and gold and silver ornaments renderthe altar a work of great aggregate value. The entire roof of thechurch, which is divided into zones, is admirably painted by figures ofsuch proportions as to look of life size from the floor, representingprominent Scriptural scenes. The excellence, finish, and naturalness ofthe figures challenged special attention; it was difficult not tobelieve them to be in bas-relief. On inquiring as to their authorship, we were told that they were the work of Mattia Preli, an enthusiasticartist, who spent his life in this adornment, refusing all remunerationfor his labor, content to live frugally that he might thus exemplify hisart and his devotion. He certainly excelled any artist with whom we areacquainted in causing figures painted on a flat surface to appear to thespectator far below them to stand out with statuesque effect. In thisChurch of St. John, the Knights seemed to have vied with each other inadding to its ornaments and its treasures, so that the rich marbles, bas-reliefs, and mosaics are almost confusing in their abundance. Thefloor is closely ornamented with inlaid marble slabs, which cover thetombs of the most distinguished Knights of the order of St. John. 

The famous Dome of Mosta, a hamlet some three or four miles fromValetta, was pointed out to us. It seems curious that this villagechurch should be crowned by a dome larger than that of the Pantheon orSt. Peter's, but such is the fact. It is built of the yellow stone ofwhich the whole island consists. We did not visit Mosta, but were toldthat it was a small and miserable place. The story of the church isthis: An ancient edifice of the same character stood upon the spot, buta new one of larger dimensions was needed to accommodate the people. Itwas essential that it should be on the same site, but the old one couldnot be removed until the new one was ready. To meet this difficulty themodern structure was built over the old one, and so this remarkable domewas erected without scaffolding within. Its proportions did not seemparticularly fine, but the size is most remarkable. It may be mentioned, however, that Malta has some ten or more beautifully-formed domes, looming up into the azure which hangs over the Mediterranean. 

We were told that snow is not known in Malta, but that ice sometimesforms during the coldest nights of winter, though only in thin layers, the climate appearing to be very similar to that of southern Italy. Itwas early in March, but the trees were in full bloom, and a pleasantappreciation has led the citizens to plant and cultivate fruit trees andflowers in abundance. Among the fragrant blossoms, quick to catch theeye, were those of the peach, pear, orange, and apple. Indeed, Valettaseemed to be clothed in blossoms, and in the case of the orange-treesthe ripe fruit was also to be seen in rich yellow plumpness. There mustbe a prevailing refinement of taste in this island city, otherwise theabundance of flowers offered on the Strada Reale would not findpurchasers. Several kiosks were observed erected along the mainthoroughfare, whose occupants were busy making up button-hole bouquets, as well as arranging larger ones in picturesque combinations. There is aplace near the harbor named Casal Attand, that is, the "Village ofRoses. " Casal, in Maltese, signifies village; and there is also CasalLuca, the "Village of Poplars;" and still another, Casal Zebbug, the"Village of Olives. " A simple but very appropriate system ofnomenclature. 

There are three islands in the Malta group: Malta, Gozo, and Comino, thetwo latter being so small as to be of comparatively little importance, and the circumference of the whole, judging by the scale of the maps, must be less than a hundred miles. The trade of the place is small, though it exports some fruits, olives, and laces, the latter aspecialty. Visitors always leave more or less money in exchange forsmall mementos of the island, and thus aid in the support of the variousfancy goods stores, photograph, and jewelry shops on the Strada Reale. The Palace of the Grand Knights of Malta, whose interesting story has solong entered into history and romance, is the most inviting object tothe traveler, --in its associations quite as interesting as any modernpalace. One enters the lofty corridors with a throng of historicalrecollections crowding upon the memory. It is a large stone building, rather imposing in its exterior, and within is divided into roomyvestibules, picture-galleries, banqueting hall, hall of justice, hall ofcouncil, chapel, and several other state apartments. The council chamberis hung in Gobelin tapestry of great original cost and beauty, importedfrom France nearly three centuries ago. These remarkable hangings arecrowded with colossal figures representing scenes in India, Africa, Europe, and America, in the latter of which were some manifestcrudities. The whole is in a singularly good state of preservation, bothas regards color and texture. 

The Armory of the Knights is a large hall in the same building, whereinis preserved the armor and weapons as worn by them in actual service, besides specimens of guns and cannon of very peculiar mechanism. Here, too, is an interesting series of portraits, representing the variousGrand Masters of the order of St. John. Some of the fire-arms challengeattention, from the fact that they so closely resemble designs andsamples to be seen in Venice, showing that the principle of the modernrevolver was born and partially carried out centuries before theingenious American, Colonel Colt, perfected a weapon which has sincebecome universal. The same remark will apply to the principle ofbreech-loading fire-arms, examples of which may here be seen threehundred years old. One very singular cannon was observed, actually madefrom closely woven rope, so strong and compact as to be capable ofbearing a discharge with gunpowder, and which had once seen service inbattle. The rusty old lances, broken spears, and dimmed sword-blades, hanging on the walls, shadowed by the tattered remnants of battle-flagsbearing the bloody marks of contests in which they had taken part, weresilent but suggestive tokens of the Crusades. There are many relicspreserved in this hall besides the weapons and armor, consisting ofwritten documents and illumined books; indeed, the place is a veritablemuseum in itself, though containing nothing except such mementos asrelate to the history of this most ancient and long-sustained order ofKnights of the Church. This hall is sure to remind the visitor of theTower of London. 

We strolled through the elaborate divisions of Fort St. Angelo, whichhas existed as a fortification for a thousand years, and from itsoverhanging battlements obtained a pleasing and comprehensive view ofthe island and its surroundings. Malta, like Gibraltar and Aden, isprincipally important as a fortified station, and from this occupationderives its main support. The system of armament and the garrison heremaintained are complete and effective. The lofty fort upon which westood is very commanding, in a military point of view, as well asaffording a grand prospect. Valetta lay far below us, with its whitebuildings and thrifty, business-like aspect, its many blossoming treesgiving bits of delicate color here and there. Both harbors, with theircrowded shipping and many stately warehouses, were in view. In GreatHarbor there floated three frowning, black-hulled, iron-clad monsters, whose open ports and protruding cannon showed their warlike purpose. Atintervals the strains of a marine band came from on board one of them. 

The blue Mediterranean stretched far away to the horizon, dotted hereand there by the picturesque maritime rig of these waters, its placidsurface, now serene and quiet, radiating the afternoon light like aliquid sapphire. A myriad of row-boats shot hither and thither over thewaters of the inner harbor, painted and emblazoned after the gaudyMaltese fashion. One or two long lines of dark, curling smoke floatingamong the distant clouds, pointed out the course of the continentalsteam-packets bound east or west. The atmosphere was soft andsummer-like. The hum of the busy town, far below us, came up on the airlike the drone of insects, mingled with the soft chimes from the Churchof St. John. It must have been some fête-day in Malta, as other bellsjoined in the chorus, which floated with mellow cadence on theatmosphere. We had observed the Maltese women in church costume, makingthem look like a bevy of nuns, hastening through the streets during theday, and doubtless it was some special occasion which drew them, withtheir prayer-books, to the several altars. Is it not noticeableeverywhere that it is the women who respond to these churchrequirements, while the men coolly smoke their cigars, or gossip aboutbusiness on the Exchange?

From our lofty perch on the battlements of Fort St. Angelo, we saw thesignal for sailing displayed by the Rome, and knew that it was time forus to hasten on board, and so turned our faces towards thelanding-place. For a few shillings, flowers enough to beautify ourcabins were purchased on the way, forming a floral display as pleasingto the eye as it was grateful by its perfume. Flowers, "the air-wovenchildren of light, " are always beautiful, but especially so at sea, --nogreater contrast being possible than that between these winsome blossomsand the cold, fretful element which surrounds the ocean-bound ship. 

CHAPTER X. 

 Voyage through the Mediterranean. --Gibraltar on Sunday. --Beautiful Alameda. --Visit to the Famous Fortress. --Wild Monkeys. --Cannon and Flowers. --Tangier. --Morocco. --Straits of Gibraltar. --A Moorish City of To-day. --Local Scenes. --A Private Museum--The Governor's Palace. --Rusty Keys. --The Typical Moor. --The Slave Market. --Oriental Tableaux. --Visit to Washington Mount. --A Cup of Moorish Coffee. --From Gibraltar to Malaga. --Spain. --The City of Raisins and Sweet Wine. 

The sonorous puff of the steam-winch told us that the anchor had alreadyparted from its hold of the land, the ship glided slowly through thedeep waters like a huge sea-monster, the tremulous vibration of the hullcaused by the regular plunge of the screw was resumed, and we laid ourcourse once more westward. A gale of wind welcomed us back to the sea, and the heavy weather forced the ship on a southerly course. In ourpassage from Malta to Gibraltar, a distance of about a thousand miles, we sighted the shores of Africa, the headlands of Tripoli, and the coastof Morocco, reaching our port of destination at last, prepared totestify to the treacherous and restless nature of this great inland sea. 

We landed at Gibraltar on Sunday, March 11th, and in our walk from theshore to the quaint old tavern known as the King's Arms, --combining muchcomfort with its dinginess, --we found the day was but partially observedas one of rest. The stores were mostly open, and the numerous bar-roomsnoticeably so, after the usual style in Roman Catholic countries. Thefirst impression was, that we were within the precincts of a large fortor military cantonment, every other person being in uniform, whilesentries and cannon were as plenty as at Woolwich or West Point. Englandhere supports a garrison of from four to six thousand men at a vastexpense, but it is undoubtedly quite necessary for her to do so, as itis also important to keep a well-organized garrison at Aden, Prim, Singapore, and Ceylon. The highway to her possessions in India is tooimportant to trust in other hands. Hence her late demonstration inEgypt, and the favor with which government looks upon the proposed newcanal, to be constructed nearly parallel with that now existing, andwhich will be virtually an English enterprise, in spite of M. DeLesseps' ingenious devices and finesse. 

The people of Gibraltar are of a mixed nationality; those of Penang andSingapore are scarcely more so. Here we have English, Portuguese, Moors, Spaniards, Italians, with some Maltese. The occupation of these peopleis almost entirely that of sailors, and after deducting the garrison, they form three fourths of the population. They are of rather aquarrelsome disposition, especially as the large number of bar-rooms isa constant temptation to drink; but the police arrangements areexcellent, and all are kept in due subjection by the ready arm ofdiscipline. The place is virtually under martial law at all times, andin dealing with the class of humanity which naturally congregates here, this system has special advantages. There is no compounding of felony, no compromising with crime. If the laws are outraged, the offender knowshe will be instantly arrested and punished, without any fear of popularsympathy. It is not the severity, so much as the certainty ofpunishment, which causes the reckless and abandoned element of societyto respect good and wholesome laws. Punishment of crime is swift andsure at Gibraltar. 

The military, warlike aspect of everything is partially relieved by avery spacious public garden and promenade combined, located at thatportion of the place known as Europa Point, just outside the gates ofthe city proper on the seaward side. These gardens being upon a slopinghill-side are terraced, or divided into three plains, about which areplanted, with regularity, a variety of fine and thrifty trees, as wellas many beautiful flowers, the whole forming a charming Alameda. Thebroad graveled paths are bordered by sweet-scented geraniums, thescarlet and pink growing wild; verbenas, coronella, and roses of manyspecies, mingle artistically with the statues and fountains interspersedabout the grounds. To all of this, just across a stretch of blue water, Africa forms a background. The military band plays here once or twiceeach week, adding to the natural attractions of the spot; but there issuch an almost entire absence of social life, or refined society at therock, that we imagine few people, except children and nurses, improvethe advantages of the Alameda. A walk through the principal street, known as Waterport Street, lined with low drinking places, taverns, orlodging-houses, junk stores, and cigar shops, would not lead one toexpect the population to be of the sort to appreciate good music, or toenjoy a quiet promenade in well-kept grounds. Of course there areexceptions to this deduction, and there are a few delightful people, appreciative and cultured, at Gibraltar; but it must seem like beingburied alive to make one's residence in such an unattractive place. 

Through the kind assistance of the American Consul we obtained a specialpermit to visit the fortifications, particularly of that portion whichforms the lofty and impregnable citadel. It is difficult to decide inthis most remarkable fortress whether nature or art has done the most torender it what it seems absolutely to be, impregnable, --the strongestcitadel in the world. The improvements in modern gunnery have latelycaused important additions and alterations to be made. A hundred-ton gunwas landed fresh from England while we were at the rock. One naturalcave which was visited, in the system of fortified apartments, withport-holes commanding a broad sweep, was large enough to contain aregiment of soldiers; and the entire rock, fifteen hundred feet high, seems honey-combed with small connected caves, supplied with cannoncommanding all approaches, by land or sea. We asked the officer whoaccompanied us how it would be possible for men to work these heavy gunsin such circumscribed space as characterized many of the galleries. "Why?" he asked in turn. "Because, " we added, "of the concussion, reverberation, and the density of accumulated smoke. " He smiled, andreplied: "There is something in that!" The fact is, the deafeningreëchoing of sound would prove fatal to gunners in a very short time, ifsuffocation itself did not ensue. We were told that all recentlyconstructed batteries at the rock are left open to the sky, which wouldseem to indicate that the government engineers recognize these simplefacts. 

The largest cave, called St. Michael's, is eleven hundred feet abovethe sea level, with lofty halls sixty feet high and two or three hundredfeet long. Here many fossil human remains have been found from time totime. The fortress is constantly so provisioned with stores, and sucharrangements are perfected for a water supply, that with but a fewdays', nay, possibly a few hours' notice, it could be put in a conditionto withstand a year's siege. Donkeys were employed to ascend the steepand winding path which leads to the top of the lookout station, for itis a tedious climb. Wherever soil could get holding place upon the faceof the cliff, wild flowers had burst forth and were thriving after theirown lovely fashion. Here were daturas and daphnes mingled withheliotrope; the latter so overgrown as to be a small tree rather than ashrub. Stooping down to gather some of these, we looked into a cannon'smouth, a screened battery, --screened by heliotrope and blooming heath!Further up we came upon the face of the rock looking towards thesouth-east, where the wild monkeys claim undisputed possession: theirhome for centuries past. They are quite a recognized institution here, though they must be satisfied with very frugal fare, the stuntedvegetation affording but small variety. It may be doubted if they arevery gentle or amiable creatures; for when it was discovered that theywere becoming gradually extinct a few years ago, some were imported fromAfrica to recruit their numbers; but no sooner were the foreigners letloose near the spot, than the Gibraltar monkeys resisted the intrusion, and soon killed every one of the new-comers. 

On the north side of the rock we visited some half-artificial, half-natural galleries, from whence scores of grim muzzled guns ofheavy calibre command the Neutral Ground, which, so far as Englandcontrols it, is also entirely undermined, ready to be sprung upon theapproach of an enemy on the land side. On our winding way to the summit, or signal station, we often found the path lined with asphodel andpalmitos, while at the very top, where the signal sergeant has a smallhouse, was a pretty sheltered garden of pansies, tulips, pinks, androses, daintily arranged by some woman's hand. The remarkable view fromthis elevation was of vast extent, and truly magnificent; especially toseaward, where the straits were plentifully sprinkled with the whitewings of commerce, full-rigged ships assuming the proportions ofsea-gulls, and steamers only visible by the dark line of smoke trailingin their wake. At the foot of the rock, on the Spanish side, lay thetown, a thick mass of yellow, white, and red houses; and nestling nearthe shore was quite a fleet of shipping, looking like maritime toys. Themountain ranges of Ceuta and Andalusia, on opposite continents, weremingled with soft, overshadowing clouds, while over our heads was aglorious dome of turquoise blue such as no temple reared by man couldimitate. 

One of the few fragments of antiquity, which meets the eye of thetourist at Gibraltar, is the remains of the ancient Moorish castlelocated on the west side, about half way up the steep acclivity of thefortifications. A crumbling wall extends, after a crooked fashion, downfrom the main structure towards the shore. Where everything else is sotrim and orderly, this famous remnant of the barbaric ages seemsstrangely out of place; but it would be a positive sacrilege to removeit. It has stood some stout blows and heavy shot in its day, and theyhave left their deep indentures on the moss-grown, crumbling stones. TheMoors held sovereignty over the Rock for more than seven hundred years, and the old tower stands there as a sort of black-letter record of theseages. The merciless finger of Time has been more fatal to it than shotand shell. 

We embarked on the small coasting steamer Leon Belge for a passageacross the Straits of Gibraltar, which separate Europe from Africa, landing at Tangier, Morocco, the distance being some seventy or eightymiles. The sea is always rough between the two continents, quite as muchso as in the channel between France and England. Our little craft wasneither very steady nor very dry under the experience. As we drew awayfrom the Spanish shore, the long range of Andalusian mountains stoodout, compact and clear, with their snow-white summits sparkling in thebright morning sun. On the lowlands, sloping to the water's edge, thefields were robed in a soft green attire, and dotted with herds of goatsand cattle. Old stone watch-towers lined the shore at regular intervals, and coast-guard houses sheltering squads of soldiers, for this region isfamous as the resort of smugglers. On the opposite coast of Africa theCeuta range grew every moment more distinct; the loftiest peaks werealso mantled with snow, like the white flowing drapery of the Bedouins. Still further on, dazzlingly white hamlets enlivened the Morocco shore, with deep green tropical verdure in the background, while Ceutaattracted more than ordinary interest. It is a Spanish penal colony, surrounded by jealous, warlike Moors, slave-traders and smugglers. If weare to believe the stories told by our captain, it must be one of themost dangerous and uncivilized spots on the face of the globe. 

Tangier stands on the western shore of a shallow bay, upon a slopinghill-side, but is not at all impressive as one approaches it. Thewindowless houses rise like cubical blocks of masonry one above anotherdominated by a few square towers which crown the several mosques, whilehere and there a consular flag floats lazily upon the air from a loftypole. The rude zigzag wall which surrounds the city is seen stretchingabout it, and this is pierced by three gates which are carefully closedat night. 

Cairo is Oriental, but Tangier is much more so. Here we seem at one stepto have passed from modern civilization into barbarism. There is noEuropean quarter in Tangier; every evidence of the proximity of theopposite continent disappears; the distance might be immeasurable. It isMoorish from one end to the other; the very atmosphere and prevailingodors announce it. It has little, narrow, dirty, twisted streets, through which no vehicle could pass, and only accessible for donkeys, camels, and foot passengers; there is no such thing as a wheeled vehiclein the place. The women veiled, but scantily clad in some thin whitetexture, move about like uneasy spirits, while one meets constantly anhumbler class, clad in a short blue cotton skirt, with little nakedbrown babies astride of one shoulder. The men, with scarlet turbans andstriped robes, lounge about with their bare heels sticking out of yellowslippers. There is no spirit of hospitality here, no welcome to be readin those frowning bearded faces. Strangers are not liked, and are onlytolerated for the shekels that can be extracted or robbed from them. Now we meet a wild, tawny Arab, a straggling son of the desert, hisstriped abba, or white bournous, hanging in graceful folds about hisstraight figure; and now a Nubian with only a waistcloth. Jews with darkblue caftans and red sashes; and Jewesses in bright purple silk, withuncovered, handsome faces. Here and there is seen a Maltese orPortuguese sailor, hiding on account of some crime by which he hasoutraged the laws on the opposite continent. The Jews, though numerous, are hated and oppressed, being the descendants of those exiled fromEurope in the Middle Ages. The variety of races which one meets in thesecontracted passage-ways is curious, represented by faces yellow, bronze, white, and black. Add to all the crowd of donkey-boys, camels, goats, and street peddlers, crying, bleating, blustering, and braying, and youhave a modern Babel of sights and sounds such as greet the stranger inthe streets of this Moorish capital. 

After strolling for a while through the steep, ill-paved lanes, whichwere a perfect exposition of crookedness, we were brought by our guideto the house of the Belgian Consul, a curious structure in the Moorishstyle, more of a museum than a dwelling-house. Here, the residentofficial, who has long filled the post, has gathered about him acollection of articles, antique and modern; but all representative ofMorocco and its surrounding countries. The collection was of warlikearms of all sorts, domestic implements, armor, dress ornaments of bothsexes, saddlery, pipes, rude native pictures, precious stones, and thelike; the whole forming a special historical record which would behighly valuable in any European centre. It is surprising, when oneindulges in a specialty, what a valuable collection can be gathered, and of what general interest it is sure to prove. From this Orientalmuseum we were taken to the Governor's Palace, where we met hisExcellency, sitting cross-legged on the floor of a small court, at theentrance of the ancient and dilapidated structure. He was surrounded bya dozen most rascally-looking be-turbaned councillors, who, after we hadbeen shown over the palace, were none of them above taking a shillingfee. The building was very queerly cut up, with tiled roofs at all sortsof angles, bay windows, projecting apartments, as though hung in air, and ample space for the harem, with its bathrooms, reception rooms, andmany cozy nooks and corners whose use was quite past finding out. Besides there were ugly dungeons in the basement, entirely underground, like those of the Doge's Palace at Venice; and in strong contrast towhich there were courts of greenery, where the thick, glossy leaves ofthe orange-trees set off the fragrant blossoms in a most artisticmanner, and where the rank, neglected, undergrowth but half hid whatmust in former times have been a beautiful flower garden. There wasstill a heavy myrtle border, and here and there a sweet little flowerstruggling for existence. The denizens of the harem must once havetended and petted these flowers; but the cold, stone-latticed apartmentswere all vacant now, the floors damp and slippery with moss and dirt. Desolation was clearly written upon the walls. 

This Governor's Palace is anything but a palace now. A portion of thebuilding was improved as a dwelling for his Excellency, who sat soberlyand silently discussing his long-stemmed pipe with Orientalindifference, as we came through the outer court on our departure. Invisiting the several divisions of the palace, there had been found onesection where the keys were missing, and this led to some delay whilethe custodian tried to procure them, the door being finally forced openby a slight physical effort. On coming out a number of rusty keys wereobserved upon the wall, causing us to remark that the missing one mightbe among them; whereupon the guide told us that these were of adifferent character, --keys brought from Spain when the Moors wereexpelled thence, and now held sacred as heir-looms. This was only acasual remark, but yet one which came back to us with special emphasis, as will by and by be explained. 

As we were about to mount our donkeys a dignified individual took theguide, with whom he was evidently acquainted, one side for a moment. Hewould have been noticeable anywhere as a man of character, a typicalMoor. Mixed as the population of Tangier is, still one easilyindividualizes the several races, and above all cannot fail to admirethe noble, manly specimens of Moorish blood. They are naturally broad, yet light, with figures faultlessly straight without stiffness; the armsare set well back and are carried with peculiar grace, while a generaldignity of bearing is always observable. The eyes are large andreceding, the nose aquiline, features regular, with a rather large mouthand brilliantly fine teeth. We could not but look critically at the Moorwho was engaged for the moment with our guide, for he was a goodrepresentative of that proud race which in its glory built palaces likethe Alhambra, and such mosques as that at Cordova. 

Our leisure moments here were passed in strolling through the queernative bazars; examining the mosques, from the towers of which at sunsetwe heard the Muezzin call to prayer; and in visiting the slave market, just outside of the city walls, where business is prosecuted though notso extensively as heretofore. These slaves are mostly prisoners of war, sold by native chieftains in Guinea to Morocco merchants, who drivethem, chained together in long strings, from market to market untildisposed of for the harems or as laborers. The sales take place alwayson the Sabbath, regarded as a sort of holiday. The average price of thewomen and girls is from fifty to sixty dollars, according to age andgood looks. The men vary much in price, frequently selling at much lowerfigures, according to the demand for labor. About the large open spacenear the slave mart were congregated groups of camels and their Bedouinowners, who had just arrived from the interior, bringing native goods, with dried fruits, to market, forming an assembly such as can only befound on the borders of the desert, and which, indeed, would be utterlyout of place except beneath the glow and shimmer of an African sun. 

There were men, women, children, and animals, each little group afamily, picturesque in their squalor and their coarseness. Their brown, flat tents were of the same shape and material as those we had seenbetween Suez and Ismailia. Naked children and half-clad mothers peepedat us out of their canvas homes, or raised their heads above the awkwardsaddles and trappings of the kneeling camels, behind which they reposed. The docile, uncouth, buff-colored beasts were soberly chewing theircuds, and resting after their long and weary journey. It was a strikingscene, which an artist would have traveled far to sketch, lying under awarm, hazy, atmospheric covering, so peculiar to Egypt and Africa, withthe rough, red stone walls of the city for a background, and the archedMoorish gateway at the side. Here and there were to be seen dapple-grayhorses of unmistakable Arab breed, animals which any rich European wouldhave been proud to own. In one instance, seeing a fine full-bred mareand her foal lying down amid a family group, the children absolutelybetween the mother's legs, who was untethered, and the colt alsoextended on the ground with them, at our request the guide asked of thesober old Arab, who sat cross-legged, smoking by the entrance of thetent, what he would sell us the horse and colt for. "Tell your chief, "was his answer, "there is not enough money coined to purchase them. "This was a good and independent response. "But, " added the guide, "hewill sell you his wife, or any of the children!" We were contented withpurchasing some fresh dates from an itinerant, who cried them in good, sonorous Arabic, "O dates, in the name of the Prophet!" and got mostiniquitously cheated, both in quality and in price, according to theguide. 

At sunrise, on the morning following our arrival, mules were ready atthe door, and we started off, laughing merrily over the crude saddleryand other untoward fittings of the animals. Ladies' side-saddles are yeta myth in Morocco. We were bound for Washington Mount, a league or twooutside the city walls, where the American Minister, several foreignconsuls, and a few rich merchants of European birth make their homes, inhandsome modern villas, surrounded by perennial gardens and orchards. The vegetation was often so rank as to overhang the narrow and steeproads up which we wended our way. They were so thick with agave andprickly pear, that we could hardly keep upright in the saddle. Thetrefoil, honeysuckle, myrtle, and white convolvulus grew in rankprofusion, with occasional pale pink, single-leaved roses. Over thehedges in the private grounds, though it was early in March, we saw theorange-trees and pomegranates, the former laden with large, yellowfruit, and the latter blushing crimson with flowers among companionpalms, figs, and olives. On the way through the meadow, before coming tothe ascent, the ground was enameled with a pale blue daisy, which theguide told us was perennial here. After an hour's ride, emerging uponthe high, open plateau, there burst upon our eyes a most enchantingview. The far-reaching waters of the Mediterranean seemed to surroundthe land upon which we were. Looking off towards the Spanish coast, afew white sails intervened to give character to the maritime scene;while a large steamship was making the passage of the straits, leavingbehind her a long line of dense smoke. How suggestive was that expanseof waters, the most interesting of all known seas: its shores hallowedby associations connected with the entire progress of civilization; thecradle, as it has been aptly called, of the human race, the battle-fieldof the world, and still the connecting link between Europe, Asia, andAfrica. 

All around us, upon the sloping hill-side, were delightful villas, painted in bright colors, and half buried in thrifty foliage, eachlocated in an atmosphere redolent of fruits and flowers; its front everopen to that glorious sea-view. The broad piazzas of these smiling homeswere hung with hammocks, telling of luxurious out-door life. Familygroups could be seen taking their morning coffee on the verandas; andthe voices of many children rang out clear and bird-like, floating up tothe eyrie where we were perched. Down towards the shore lay brown, dingy, dirty Tangier, with its mud-colored groups of tiled roofs, itsteeming population, its mouldy old walls and arched gates, and itsminarets, square and dominant. On our way back, we again passed throughthe slave market, and saw a freshly arrived caravan pitching their tentsafter a long and weary journey. A snake-charmer was busy amusing an idlegroup of boys and girls in one of the small squares, and a group ofdancing girls, with tambourines and castanets, looked wistfully at us, hoping to get an audience; but our yet unhonored breakfast awaited us, and the mountain excursion had imparted healthful appetites. 

It was quite the thing to patronize one of the little dingy cafés, andso we patiently endured the punishment of drinking an egg-shell cup of amuddy compound called coffee, but nothing short of compulsion would haveinduced a repetition of the same. A dose of senna would have beenambrosia compared to it. In passing through a narrow court we saw agroup of children sitting cross-legged, in a circle, on the floor of anopen house, with books in their hands, presided over by a sage-lookingMoorish party, with long, snow-white beard, and deep-set dark eyes thatseemed to burn like gas jets. The guide explained that it was a nativeschool; and the children, who were all talking aloud at the same time, in a drawling, sing-song tone, swaying back and forth incessantly, werelearning their lessons. When we inquired what special branch was beingtaught them, he answered: "The Koran; they learn it from the beginningto the end. " "And is that all the instruction imparted to them?" weasked. "Of course, " he replied; "what else do they require in Morocco?"

The houses were more like toys than dwelling-places, they were so verysmall, rarely of more than one story, the walls whitewashed to such adegree as to be almost blinding. Now and then the monotony was broken byan arabesque window, but, as a rule, there were none opening outward;like all Moorish houses, they had a small inner court upon which doorsand windows opened, thus avoiding being overlooked, and promoting theseclusion of the harem, which seems to be the first and foremost idea ofthe Eastern people. Nearly the last sound that greeted our ears as wewalked down over the irregular pavements, and through the narrow lanestowards the pier from whence we were to embark, was the rude music ofthe snake-charmer; and the last impressive sight was that of a publicstory-teller, in one of the little squares, in earnest gesticulation, aswith a high-pitched, shrill voice he related to a group of women, whowere squatted in their white haiks, and men of the desert in theirhooded gehabs, what the guide told us was a chapter from the "Thousandand One Nights!" We embarked once more on board the little Leon Belgefor Gibraltar, well pleased with our brief visit to the curious Moorishcapital. 

The Sultan of Morocco is supreme, and holds the lives and fortunes ofhis subjects at his will. He is judge and executor of laws whichemanate solely from himself. Taxation is so heavy as to amount toprohibition in many departments of enterprise. All exportation ishampered, agriculture heavily loaded with taxation, and only so farpursued as to supply the barest necessities of life. Manufacture iswhere it was centuries ago, and is performed with the same primitivetools. The printing-press is unknown. There are no books; the languageitself is such a mixture of tongues and so corrupted as to have hardly adistinctive existence. The power of the sultan sucks the life-blood outof the people, who obey the local sheikhs; above them are the cadis, controlling provinces; and still higher the pashas, who are accountableonly to the sultan. And yet the Berbers, so-called, who form the basisof the native population, outnumbering the Moors, Arabs, Jews, andNegroes, and who live mostly in the nearly inaccessible mountains of theAtlas, are so independent, savage, and turbulent, as to nearly defy theimperial authority, yielding only so far to its control as they deemadvantageous to themselves. The Arabs occupy the plains and are nomadic;the Moors possess the wealth of the land and control most branches oftrade, making their homes in the cities, and are the direct descendantsof the Moors of Spain. Strange there should be such a spirit ofdetestation existing towards every idea associated with civilized andChristian life, but so it is at Tangier. 

From Gibraltar to Malaga by sea is less than a hundred miles eastwardalong the coast. We embarked on board the English steamer Cadiz. Fortunately the trip is a short one, for the boat was filthy, and hadjust been transporting cattle from England to the Rock. The water wasrough enough to make the few passengers, except ourselves, quiteseasick; which, in the contracted accommodations of the Cadiz, madematters far from agreeable. To add to the discomfort there was a steadydownpour of rain during the trip; but we were no strangers to suchcontingencies, and made the best of it. The irregular Spanish coast wasin sight through a veil of mist nearly all the way until we landed, after a slight skirmish with the custom-house officers, at Malaga, March15th. It is commercially one of the most important cities of Spain, andwas once the capital of an independent state, with plenty of ancientlore hanging about it, as it was a large and prosperous Phoeniciancapital centuries before Christ. The older portions of the city have allthe Moorish peculiarities of construction, --narrow streets, narrowpassages, small barred windows, and heavy doors; but the more modernpart of Malaga is characterized by broad, straight thoroughfares, andelegantly built houses. This is especially the case with the Alameda, which has a central walk lined on either side with handsomealmond-trees, edged by plats of flowers, and green shrubs intermingled, besides which there are statues and a fountain of an elaborate characterat the end of the walk. On either side of this promenade is a goodroadway, flanked with houses of pleasing architectural effect, lofty andwell relieved. 

There are several fine open squares in Malaga, some of which containstatues and ornamental trees and flowers. The discovery, not long since, of Roman antiquities in the environs has created a warm interest amongarchæologists. The trade of the city in wine, dried and green fruit, islarge; and we were told that nearly nine tenths of the forty thousandbutts of sweet wine, sold here for foreign use annually, were exportedto the United States. On the whole, we were agreeably disappointed atthe thrifty and business-like aspect of the city. There are nopicture-galleries or art treasures to examine; but the people of newlocalities are always an interesting study, and the shops were decidedlythe best we had seen since we left America. There is a grand cathedral, which is considered almost the only place worth exhibiting to strangers. It is of rather modern date, having been commenced in 1528, and is ofmixed style, its façade constituting almost its only feature ofremarkable beauty. 

The old Moorish castle, crowning the seaward heights, has been convertedinto a modern fortress, and is well worth visiting for the superb viewto be obtained from the battlements. Few people now come to Malagaexcept for a special purpose. In a sanitary point of view, as a resortfor consumptives, it has long enjoyed a reputation which it certainlydoes not merit to-day, whatever it may have done in the past. First, itis much too cold and damp for delicate lungs. Again, it has not onecomfort or social attraction to interest the visitor in search ofhealth. Moreover, its sewerage is shamefully defective. Indeed, in theolder parts of the town, the surface gutters receive and convey all theaccumulated filth, so that the atmosphere is most unfavorablyinfluenced. The published mortuary statistics have been unfairly given, as the mortality is larger in percentage than in any other part ofSpain, which, as a rule, is far from possessing a healthy climate. Wedoubt if physicians any longer advise their patients to resort thither, certainly they would not do so if possessed of personal experience ofthe place. 

The present population is a little over a hundred and twenty thousand, and is made up of a community of more than average respectability, though it would appear that there is an unreasonable percentage ofbeggars to be met with. In and about the cathedral of Santa Barbara thevisitor finds this nuisance extremely annoying. Malaga has one of thelargest bull-rings to be found in Spain. We were shown all over itsvarious offices with evident pride on the part of the custodian. Allcontingencies, are here provided for. One apartment, with the necessaryappliances, is arranged as a surgery, so that if the picadors, chulos, or matadores (bull-fighters) be any of them seriously wounded, thesurgeon, who is always in attendance, can at once proceed to business. Another large apartment is fitted up as a Roman Catholic chapel. If anyof the bull-fighters are fatally injured and about to die, here thepriest, as regular an attendant as the surgeon, can administer the lastrite, shrive the sufferer of all sin, and start him on his triumphantway to other, and, it is to be hoped, happier hunting-grounds. At thebull-ring the populace, to the number of from fourteen to fifteenthousand, assemble nearly every Sabbath during the season, to witnessthis most cruel of all sports. No seat is left unoccupied, and, as wewere informed, the day before the exhibition tickets are nearly alwayssold at a premium. The devotion of the Spaniards to this national sportis universal, from the grandee to the peasant. More than once has theattempt been made by the throne to bring the cruel business intodisrepute, but it has been found unavailing. The taste is too deeplyrooted in the masses of the people. We were told subsequently, atMadrid, that an attempt to suppress the bull-fights in Spain would bemore likely to lead to a revolution than would the most stringentpolitical measure that could be named. The cry of the mob is "Bread andbulls, " which is very significant to those who have studied Spanishcharacter. 

The English cemetery, laid out upon a terraced hill-side just out of thecity borders and overlooking the harbor, is a very interesting resort, admirably kept and appropriately ornamented with choice trees, shrubs, and flowers, tropically luxuriant from its southern exposure. In thesquares, streets, and market places of Malaga, women sat each morningweaving fresh-cut flowers, fragrant clusters of rose-buds, mignonette, pansies, violets, and geraniums, pretty little clusters of which theysold for about one shilling, and found ready purchasers. One may be surethere is always a refined element in the locality, whether otherwisevisible or not, where such an appreciation as this is manifested. Thebull-fight may thrive; the populace may be, as they often are in Malaga, riotous and mischievous; education may be at a very low ebb, art almostentirely neglected; but where a love of nature, as evinced in theappreciation of beautiful flowers, is to be found, there is still extanton the popular heart the half-effaced image of its Maker. 

The Spanish heart is by no means all bad. That the bull-fight fosters aspirit of cruelty among the masses no one can doubt, and that cruelty isa characteristic of the Catalan race is also only too well known. Noother people would tolerate such cruelty; and that it is a disgrace tothe nineteenth century every intelligent person outside of Spain willadmit. 

It is a very interesting fact, but seldom realized, that Spain in thetime of Julius Cæsar contained nearly eighty millions of inhabitants, but to-day it has less than eighteen millions. In glancing at the map itwill be perceived that Spain is a very large country, comprising nearlythe whole of the southern peninsula of Europe (Portugal being confinedto a small space), and extending north and south over six hundred miles. It is about double the size of Great Britain, and is rich in every knownmineral, though she is poor enough in the necessary energy andenterprise requisite to improve her extraordinary possibilities. In manysections of the country great natural fertility is apparent, but naturehas to perform the lion's share of the work. We were told by intelligentresidents that many parts of Andalusia, for instance, could not beexceeded for rural beauty and fertility in any part of Europe, though wesaw no satisfactory evidence of this; indeed, what we did see led to acontrary conclusion. In the environs of Malaga and the southern provincegenerally, there are orange, lemon, and olive groves miles in extent;and the Moors had a poetical saying that this favored region was droppedfrom paradise, but there is more of poetry than truth in the legend. What is required is good cultivation and skilled agriculturalenterprise. These would develop a different condition of affairs, andgive to legitimate enterprise a rich reward. The sugar-cane, thegrape-vine, the fig-tree, and the productive olive, mingling with themyrtle and the laurel, gratify the eye in and about the immediatedistrict of Malaga; but as one advances inland, the products becomenatural or wild, cultivation primitive and only partial; grain fieldsare sparse, and one is often led to draw disparaging contrasts betweenthis country and those of more ambitious and industrious agriculturalnations. 

While the more practical traveler is filled with a sense ofdisappointment at the paucity of thrift and vegetation, the poet and theartist will still find enough to delight the eye and fire theimagination in Spain. The ever transparent atmosphere, and the lovelycloud effects that prevail, are accompaniments which will hallow thedesolate sierras for the artist at all seasons. The poet has only towander among the former haunts of the exiled Moors, and view thecrumbling monuments of his luxurious and artistic taste, to be equallyabsorbed and inspired. 

CHAPTER XI. 

 From Malaga to Granada. --Military Escort. --A Beautiful Valley. --A Dream Realized in the Alhambra. --The Moor in his Glory. --Tangible Poetry. --A Brief Legend. --The Generalife. --The Moor's Seat. --The Home of the Gypsies. --A Gold Bearing River. --A Beautiful Residence. --Early Home of the Ex-Empress Eugénie. --City of Granada. --Spanish Beggars. --The Remarkable Tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella. --French Vandals. --The Cathedral. --Precious Relic. --The Cartuja. --Love of Music. 

The distance from Malaga to Granada is about seventy miles, but inSpanish style it requires eight or nine hours to accomplish it. Needlessdelay is the rule here, and forms a national infirmity; but in thepresent instance we did not feel in special haste, nor regret thesnail's pace at which the cars were run, as the road lay mostly througha very beautiful valley, lined on either side by high hills extendingback until they terminated in lofty, snow-clad ranges. The contrastbetween these ice-crowned elevations not very far away, and the orchardsof oranges and lemons in full bearing so near to us, was certainlystriking. The dull, dusty green of the olive orchards, of which therewere more than of all other trees combined, gave a rather sombreappearance to many miles of the route; but the cheerful light verdure ofthe occasional grain fields and pastures afforded relief to the eye. 

There were but few people to be seen, quite unlike European agriculturaldistricts generally, where human life is ever so conspicuous. Thecultivated spots seemed to be very far away from the hamlets whence theowners must come for field labor. It was obvious that for some strongreason the populace, sparse at best, herd together. There were noisolated farm-houses or huts. The cultivators must ride or walk longdistances to reach the field of labor. Perhaps mutual protection, as inthe olden time, was the inducing cause of the country people thuskeeping together, and the necessity of congregating for mutual supportin an exigency has by no means entirely ceased. Now and then the carswould dart suddenly into a dark tunnel, when we skirted the mountainsides, to emerge again upon a scene of redoubled sunlight, for a momentquite tantalizing to the vision, reminding one forcibly of some Swissand Italian roads where car-lamps are burned all day. As occasionalbands of brigands appear, and, stopping the trains, rob the passengers, government kindly complimented us with an escort of a dozen soldiers, and we were told that these redoubtable warriors now accompany eachtrain, besides which two or three good-looking high privates, in neatuniforms, were observed at each of the stations where we stopped, marching up and down before the train and eying the passengers, asthough they half suspected us of being banditti in disguise. It is clearthat the administration is endeavoring to render traveling safethroughout the country, and if they would only render it comfortable andexpeditious at the same time, the reform would commend itself touniversal approval. Punctuality is not a Spanish word, being neitherpracticed nor understood from Malaga to Burgos. You take your seattrustingly for some objective point, but when you will reach it is aprofound and subtle mystery which time alone can solve. 

Perhaps no one ever read Washington Irving's description of theAlhambra without experiencing an ardent desire to visit Granada. Although that exquisite pen-portrait reads more like romance thanveritable history, yet it is minutely correct and absolutely literal, teeming with local color and atmospheric effect like the canvas of aClaude Lorraine or a Bierstadt. As we approached the ancient city, allearly recollections of the glowing text were revived; nor had months ofconstant travel rendered us so blasé but that an eager anticipationthrilled every nerve. The train crept slowly along in the twilight withprovoking deliberation, until we were finally deposited in the depot ofthe gray old capital, so intimately connected with the most romanticchapters of Spanish history. How vividly the days of Ferdinand andIsabella flashed before the mind's eye, mingled with which was theabortive career of Charles V. Here set the sun of Moorish glory. Thiswas Granada, and here, close at hand, was that embodiment of poetry, theAlhambra. 

The city once contained over half a million of people, but to-day it hasscarcely sixty thousand, --like everything else material in Spain, growing smaller by degrees and beautifully less. After leaving thecentre of the town, we drove some distance until the ground began torise sharply, and we passed through a dense grove of tall elms plantedmany years ago by the Duke of Wellington. These trees have grown in sucha rank, wild fashion, hung with ivy from the highest branches to the lowinterlacing stems, as to recall a Singapore jungle or the densely woodeddistrict near Jeypore, in India. The trees have never been trimmed orthinned out since they were planted, and cannot, therefore, becomeindividually grand, but they appear all the more natural for thisseeming neglect. Presently the hotel, named the Washington Irving, wasreached, an extremely neat and comfortable establishment. It wasnecessary to suppress our ardor and impatience, as night had settleddown over Granada; and there being no moon, nothing could be seen toadvantage outside of the house. We retired early, more fatigued by theslow, dragging railroad journey of seventy miles than afteraccomplishing the same distance over the primitive roads of California, behind four dashing horses in a jolting stage, between Madeira andCoarse Gold Gulch. 

It is not for us to describe in detail so well-known a monument as thisroyal palace of the Moors, those regal sovereigns who had not only alove for the beautiful in art, but also the means of indulging it. Withall preconceived ideas it was still a revelation, and, next to the Tajat Agra, the most poetical embodiment of architecture we had ever seen. Surprises met us at every turn within its enchanting precincts. Thenames of its various halls and courts, the Hall of Justice, Court ofBlessings, Hall of the Abencerrages, Court of the Lions, Hall of the TwoSisters, etc. , were all familiar, but only so in pictured dreams. Herewas the tangible reality; it was no disillusion. As we passed from courtto court, from hall to hall, lingering here and there, how the veryatmosphere teemed with historical reminiscences of that most romanticperiod of history, the mediæval days, when the Moors held regal courtand lorded it in Andalusia. A lurking sympathy stole over us for thatexiled people who could render life such a terrestrial paradise. Surrounded by fruit, flowers, and dark-eyed houris, the Mohammedan buttypified his idea of a higher heaven. In the Alhambra he might haveclosed his eyes to the outer world, and fancied that he was already inthat sensuous and perpetual home which the Arabian poets so glowinglydescribe. It is difficult to realize that the Moors possessed suchadmirable architectural skill, and produced such splendid palaces, centuries upon centuries ago; and quite as remarkable that Time, thegreat iconoclast, should have spared for our admiration such delicate, lace-like carvings and such brilliant mosaics. Magnificence with themwas an art in itself, and, combined with beauty, was one of theirhighest aims. Minuteness of finish and perfection of detail werelavished with Oriental profuseness. If we carefully examine thefret-work upon the walls of the various corridors and apartments, itbecomes evident that it represents flowers and geometrical lines, thoughat a casual glance it has rather a confused appearance. The variousspaces are filled with lines from the Koran; the words "There is noconqueror but God" occurring many hundred times in the various parts ofthe structure, in the delicately lined work over the horse-shoe arches, upon the plainer side walls and over latticed jalousies, and along thearchitraves. 

Out of a gracefully arched window, with stucco work framing it aboutlike curtains of crystallized lace, from whence the beauties of theharem must have often gazed upon the court below, we looked upon asetting of leafy verdure in white marble, surrounded by fountains, likean emerald set in diamonds upon a lady's hand. We looked from theboudoir of the Sultana, the Chosen of the Harem. Here were thrivingorange and fig-trees mingled with glistening, dark-leaved myrtles, which were bordered by an edging of box so high and stout of limb thatthe main stems were more like trees than shrubs. The guide told us theywere centuries old. Here were also clusters of hawthorn in blossom, andlittle patches of blue star-like flowers looking up from the ground likehuman eyes, as though having hardly the courage to assert themselvesamid the more pretentious bloom. The sun lay warm and lovingly in thisfragrant area of the grand old palace, and the air was very soft andsweet. It was the same scene which had gladdened witching eyes centuriesago, when the notes of the lute mingled with the careless, happy voicesof the beauties of the harem. 

The guide had twice to summon us before we left the spot. Then weclimbed up the winding, marble steps, lighted here and there by littleloop-hole windows, to a balcony that commanded a view far and near overthe village-dotted plain of Granada, backed by the snowy summits of theSierra Nevada. The city, in all its brown, turreted, and tiled confusionof buildings, lay in the foreground. The Darro and the Xenil, joinedtogether, were seen winding their silvery way through the verdantfields, where broad patches of yellow grain added a thrifty aspect tothe view. Quaint little hamlets clustered together; mulberry and olivegroves, a tall hay-stack here and there, and groups of domestic cattle, enlivened the whole. It was an exceptional picture for Spain, and wouldconvey the idea of a well-cultivated and thriving agricultural country;but it was natural irrigation, not the hand of industrious labor, whichwas here so agreeably represented. 

One never wearied in wandering about the courts and luxuriousapartments; luxurious, not because of their furniture, for there wasnone; but because of what they suggested, for the possibilities theypresented, and the exquisite architectural workmanship displayed in eachdetail, and everywhere. It was like enchantment verified. Nothing seemedtoo extravagant to the imagination thus stimulated. If we had suddenlycome upon a throng of the dark-eyed favorites of the harem diaphanouslyclad, on their way to the marble baths, with Nubian slaves perfumingtheir way by burning incense, it would not have seemed to us at allstrange. 

Alhambra signifies "Red Castle, " and the vermilion-tinted structure, with its outlying towers, was thus appropriately named. In the days ofits glory it was half palace, half fortress; indeed, a city withinitself, capable of accommodating quite an army, and containing withinits walls an immense cistern as a water supply, armories, store-houses, foundries, and every appliance of a large military cantonment. Aconsiderable portion of the far-reaching walls are still extant, as wellas the outlying towers; and all are remarkable for the excellentengineering skill displayed in their construction. Under goodgeneralship, and properly manned, the place must have been impregnableto attack with such arms as were in use at the period of its completion. For a long time after the expulsion of the Moors, the Castilian monarchsmade it their royal residence, and held high and regal court within itssplendid walls; but they finally deserted it, and left desolate thoseunequaled halls and courts. The place was next infested by a lawlesscommunity of contrabandists and banditti, who made it, for a longperiod, their headquarters, whence to sally forth and lay theneighboring plains under contribution, on the principle that might makesright. Then came the French as conquerors, who expelled the lawlessintruders, perhaps themselves quite as deserving of the title; but theydid a good work by clearing what had become an Augean stable of itsworst filth, and partially restoring the choicest work of the Moorishbuilders. To-day the Spanish government guards with jealous care amonumental treasure which cannot be equaled in historic interestelsewhere in the kingdom. 

Visiting the Court of the Lions on the last day of our stay at Granada, watching its beautiful shadows, columns, and fret-work, with its mammothvase of Oriental alabaster fed by water brought from the mountainsthrough the old Moorish aqueduct, it seemed as if so much of tangiblepoetry could nowhere else be found. Over a hundred light and gracefulcolumns of marble surround this one court, supporting arches of perfectloveliness, and a Moorish arcade of aerial lightness and beauty. Therich stucco and the arabesque decorations of the inner walls andceilings, finished in gold and blue, the original colors still thereafter centuries of exposure, together form perhaps the gem of theAlhambra. Yet one hesitates to pronounce any one hall, chamber, or courtas excelling another where all are so transcendently beautiful. Thecharacteristic embodiment of the architecture seemed to be its perfectharmony throughout. There are no jarring elements, no false notes, inthe marvelous anthem which it articulates. It does not impress one asrepresenting power or grandeur, but rather sensuousness and human love. The inspiration it imparts to the thoughtful beholder is less of awethan of tenderness, and exquisite poetical delight, causing one, as hegazes upon its accumulated loveliness, almost to tremble with excess ofgratification. 

Many of the outlying towers of the main structure, now partly isolatedby the crumbling of the connecting walls and passages, are well worthattention. We visited them with great satisfaction, but they have beentoo often described to require special mention here. The guide related alegend connected with one of them which was new to us. It related tothat known as La Cautiva, the inner walls of which are famous for theirMoorish tracery. Here, it seems, a lovely Christian maiden wasimprisoned, whom Yousuf I. , then reigning monarch, desired to add to hisharem. In vain were her pleadings, and her assurance that she was theaffianced bride of a noble knight. The king still importuned the maiden, though fruitlessly. She would not for one moment listen to his suit. Finally, pressed to the last extreme of resistance, she soughtprotection in death, and threw herself from the lofty battlements of thetower upon the jagged rocks at its base. Here her mangled body was foundby her knightly lover, who had come, but too late, with a band of daringfollowers, to rescue his beloved. His revenge was swift and terrible. Inthe little mosque hard by Yousuf I. Paid the penalty for his persecutionof the gentle maiden, for there he was killed by the disconsolate knightwhile he was kneeling in prayer. 

Crossing the glen beyond the tower of La Cautiva and ascending the hillbeyond we came upon what is called the Generalife, the summer palace ofthe Alhambra, with which, in the olden time, it was connected by anunderground passage, which is still traceable though filled in by decayand débris. This structure has been scarcely less noted than the mainedifice, but one is rather disappointed at its simplicity and want offinish as compared with the Alhambra itself. The view from it is so finethat one feels amply repaid for the visit, though probably but a verysmall portion of the original structure remains, since it is now nothingmore or less than a moderate-sized white villa, located in a wildernessof laurel, myrtle, and cypresses. Through its court-yards and gardensrushes a branch of the gold-bearing river, the Darro, spending itself inscores of fountains, tiny falls, cascades, and lakes. The grounds arefull of venerable cypresses of great age and beauty, the only ones wehad seen in Spain except in the English burial-ground at Malaga. Nor hadwe observed any elms except those of the grove planted by Wellington. 

The gardens of the Generalife form its principal attraction, and thenumber of exotic trees and plants gathered here is remarkable. The placeis now owned and cared for by the Genoese family of Grimaldi, who keep afew people on the premises to protect the property and cultivate thegardens. We were told the owner had never visited Granada. Passingthrough a small rear door of the Generalife, the guide conducted us by asteep path to what is called the Moor's Seat, the apex of theneighboring heights, and between which and the mountain range ofsnow-clad peaks lies the heavily-wooded valley of the Darro on one side, and on the other the wide-spread vega of Granada. The view includes somefifteen villages, dotting plains more fertile than any other we had seenin the country. The atmosphere was clear, rendering the comprehensiveview very fine, taking in as its foreground both the Alhambra and theGeneralife. The visit to the Moor's Seat was not hurried. Time was takento impress the outspread picture it afforded lastingly on the memory, for we could not reasonably expect to ever behold it again. 

After coming down we reviewed the picture gallery of the Generalife, though hardly a "gallery, " made up as it is of a series of daubsrepresenting the kings and queens of Spain, with other members of theroyal family, of some possible historic interest, but otherwise notworth the canvas on which they are painted. The guide was well suppliedwith legends about the Generalife as to the Sultana Zoraya and herguilty Abencerrage lover, and so forth; but we had listened to one aboutthe tower not far away, and had so much occupation for the eyes that theears were permitted to rest. All show places, and especially royalpalaces, have their romantic legends: what would guides and guide-booksotherwise amount to? But without exception let it be understood, thesestories are a tissue of nonsense, founded on a modicum of truth. Take asa fair example the universally accepted Byronic legends of the Bridge ofSighs at Venice, which Mr. Howells so quietly but thoroughly explodes byadducing the simplest historical facts. 

Between the Alhambra and the Generalife, but not in a direct line, werelocated the headquarters of the gypsies of Spain, some four or fivethousand of whom live in the rock caves adjoining the city, where thevalley of the Darro affords a warm, sunny shelter. Holes excavated inthe sloping mountain side form the homes of this singular and stronglyindividualized people, where they have had a recognized habitation forcenturies. They are just the same renegade race that are found in otherparts of Europe and the British Isles: picturesque in their rags, lawless in the extreme, and living almost entirely in the open air. Inthe faces of the men, who are as coarse and uncultured as men canpossibly be, there was expressed much of the same savage instinct thatmarked the features of those captured tigers exhibited at Jeypore. Theyare lazy and reckless, but fiery if roused to anger. Terrible domestictragedies sometimes occur among them, as the guide explained to us. Theyobserve certain principles of what has been termed "wild justice, "having their king or queen as the case may be, and to such self-electedcontrol only do they yield obedience. The men, like the women, affectgaudy colors, and both toss their loose, ragged garments about themafter a graceful style all their own. The bronzed features, profuseblack hair, and very dark eyes of these gypsies, often render themstrikingly handsome; and when this dangerous heritage falls to the shareof the young women, it often leads to experiences too tragic to record. Many of the men wear embroidered velvet jackets, with hanging silverbuttons, like a Basque postilion, and add a scarlet sash about thewaist, the legs being bound up in sheep's skins with fancy-coloredribbons, and the feet covered with crude sandals, --altogether quite atheatrical costume. 

Gypsies worship high colors and cheap jewelry, and would spend theirlast farthing for either, though the question of whence the next mealwas to come from might be an unsolved problem. They roam idly about thegrounds of the Alhambra, but are not permitted to enter its walls, andno exterior picture of the structure would be true which did notintroduce one or more of them in the foreground. Strangers generallyvisit their quarters in the valley, and for their entertainment theydance, tell fortunes, play tricks, and, if possible, steal from them. Indeed it is hardly safe, without an experienced guide, to go amongthem. Their domestic life is represented to be of so objectionable acharacter that it will not bear discussing. Gypsies will not work unlessdriven to do so by absolute want, but necessity sometimes compels them;and so occasionally they may be found manipulating the waters of theswift-running Darro for gold, which is often found in paying quantities. There is a local jeweler within the precincts of the Alhambra who makesthe gold from this stream into mementos, which are a favorite investmentwith visitors, in the form of pins and brooches. The river Darro risesin a rocky gorge of the neighboring mountains, and comes tumbling downthe valley within a stone's-throw of the gypsies' cave-dwellings, thenceflows through the town, and is joined by the Xenil on the plain ofGranada. 

Close by the Alhambra, indeed almost within the walls, we visited thedelightful villa of Madame Calderon de la Barca, who was once a residentof Boston, and who was well known and highly esteemed by our bestpeople. This fine estate was presented to her, for valuable services, bythe Spanish government. It is remarkable for its spacious andbeautifully arranged grounds, combining ornamentation and usefulness ina striking degree, and extending over some twenty acres of ground. Hereare vineyards, fruit orchards, choice flower gardens, trees of varioustropical species, among which we saw dates, cocoanuts, and figs, inthrifty condition, besides orchards of pears, plums, peaches, andapricots. Miniature waterfalls, lakes, and rivers, shaded walks, aviaries, and many other attractions showed a lavish expenditure inbeautifying the place. The villa itself was closed, Madame Calderonbeing absent in England. At the keeper's lodge we found a Spanish familywho carried on a large dairy, the cattle on the estate being of thechoicest breed, and their management a favorite idea with the mistressof the estate. Butter of good quality is scarce in Spain. That which washere produced found a ready market at the Washington Irving Hotel. 

In strolling about the town many spacious squares were seen, oldpalaces, houses in ruins, and deserted convents, all in apparent keepingwith the general aspect of this faded and fading old city. We were takenby our intelligent guide to several notable localities, and among themto the humble dwelling-house where the ex-empress Eugénie was born, andwhere her childhood was passed. A conspicuous tablet set in the façadeof the house makes formal mention of the circumstance, observing whichit was natural to recall, in one comprehensive thought, the strange, romantic, and tragic story of the now childless mother and unhonoredwidow of Chiselhurst. There would have been no Franco-Prussian War butfor her reckless machinations; the Prince Imperial would not, inconsequence of reverses thereby induced, have gone to Zululand to throwaway his life; the map of Europe would not have been changed by thedivision of Alsace-Lorraine; and there would probably have been noRepublic in France to-day. 

There are some very odd and very ancient stone fountains in the city, supported by grotesque animals and impossible fishes, erected far backin the regal days of Ferdinand and Isabella. The sort of fancy whichcould have induced these unartistic designs it is difficult to conceiveof; they only require a dragon's head on a human body to make them quiteChinese. The little, narrow, winding streets recalled the older portionsof Genoa and Marseilles; yet people live in them, do business there, goshopping, and generally transact the usual affairs of town life, thoughthe space between the buildings which line these passages is notsufficient to allow two donkeys to pass each other with loads on theirbacks. Now one comes upon a broken stone bridge spanning the Darro on asingle broad arch of great sweep, under which the noisy river rushestumultuously down hill, and wonders how long the toppling houses, whichoverhang the rapids, will maintain their equilibrium. The ruthlessfinger of Time seems to have touched everything, neglect being only toomanifest everywhere; and yet no façade is so crumbled as not to sustaina flower-bedecked balcony. If the houses are inhabited, they bristle allover their whitewashed fronts with clusters of green and blossomingflowers, strongly relieved by the snowy background. The cloth doors ofthe Catholic churches swing invitingly at the touch, and over the dooryou are informed in good plain Spanish that plenary indulgences areretailed within. Shovel-hatted priests in goodly numbers dodge out andin, but there seem to be few customers from among the people. Persons, whom by their dress and appearance one would suppose to be incomfortable circumstances, come boldly up to tourists and ask for a fewcents, seeming to have no feelings of pride or delicacy. Travelers arelooked upon as fair game in Spain; and still one is rather nonplused tobe importuned for coppers by well-dressed strangers, and is apt toconclude that sturdy beggars can bear stout denials. Now we come uponthe ruins of a square stone tower, which anciently formed a portion ofthe public baths; and here an old Arabian gate, arch and battlementstill standing. Near the Alameda another is seen, and gardens, onceconnected by a subterranean passage with the distant Alhambra, away onthe hill. Here an arch and there a crumbling column, all souvenirs ofthe exiled Moor. 

We visited the Royal Chapel which adjoins the Cathedral, where themagnificent tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella is the chief object ofinterest. The effigies of the two lie side by side, hewn from the marblein life-like proportions, and rest upon a lofty sarcophagus in front ofthe great altar. Close by these is a similar tomb in white marble, representing, in the same position and style, Joanna and her husband, Philip of Burgundy. In the vault below were seen the four coffinscontaining the several bodies of the royal dead, the leaden covering toone of which had been pried off by French bayonets in search oftreasures supposed to have been buried with the body. But thissacrilegious injury to the casket has been carefully repaired. Close athand, in a corner of this vault, was seen the metallic coffin whichcontains the remains of Prince Miguel of Portugal, --the little fellowwho was thrown from his pony while riding in the streets of Granada andkilled. Had this boy lived to grow to man's estate, he would doubtlesshave united and reigned over both Spain and Portugal. The cathedral, which adjoins the chapel, is one of the glories of Spain, so to speak, and is a very grand and noble structure, full of superb workmanship, arttreasures in oil paintings, and sculpture; among which are examples fromAlonzo Cano and Torrigiano. The architectural effect of the interior isharmonious and beautiful, and was the work, or rather design, of Diegode Siloe, whose father was a famous sculptor, and, if we mistake not, was the author of that marvelous alabaster tomb at the convent ofMiraflores, in Burgos. This cathedral was finished three hundred andsixty odd years ago, a year after the death of Ferdinand, who survivedIsabella some twelve years. 

In the sacristy we were shown portraits of Philip and Joanna, and, inone of the chapels, admirable pictures of Ferdinand and Isabella. Therelics in the sacristy are of special interest. Here we saw the goldencrown of Isabella, and, above all in interest, the precious box of puregold from which she sold her jewels, to purchase an outfit to enableColumbus to sail on his first voyage to the new world. The box isexquisitely engraved, and has a few precious stones inlaid upon it: wesee no such engraving nowadays. It was very heavy, as pure ore alwaysis, and was some twelve inches long, half as wide, and about five inchesin depth. It was impossible not to feel a thrill of emotion upon takingin one's hand this sacred relic. We were also shown the state sword ofFerdinand, and the royal sceptre carried by Isabella. Everythingrelating to this "queen of earthly queens" is of vital interest, andespecially so to Americans. It was she whom Bacon described as "anhonor to her sex and the corner-stone of the greatness of Spain. " Wewere reminded, while looking upon these precious objects belonging tothe king and queen, of the Bridge of Pinos, which was pointed out to uson the previous day as the spot from whence Columbus, quite discouragedand brokenhearted, was recalled by Isabella, after having been deniedand dismissed, as both supposed, for the last time. It was at thisbridge that the messenger of the relenting queen overtook the greatPilot, and brought him back to arrange the expedition which resulted inthe discovery of America. We had previously seen in the Alhambra theHall of the Ambassadors, where the queen gave audience to Columbus, andnow the jewel-box served more strongly to emphasize the historicalassociation. 

A visit in the environs of the city to a place bearing the Moorish nameof Hinadamar should not be forgotten, nor should any traveler who findshimself in Granada neglect to go there. Here we were shown through theconvent known as the Cartuja, which has been virtually abandoned sincemonastic rule in Spain was deposed. It is now in charge of civilofficers of the government, and one service is held each week in thechapel. It is really wonderful in the minuteness and splendid finish ofits ornamentation. Here is seen an endless amount of jasper, marble, ivory, ebony, and tortoise-shell, in the form of carved and inlaid work, curious beyond description. Most of theses ornamentations, as well asthe paintings, were the work of brothers of the order, who must havespent half a life-time in their consummation. The cloisters aresurrounded by a wretched series of life-size paintings in fresco of themystic type, also the work of brothers attached to the convent, representing Carthusians tormented by the English in the time of HenryVIII. But here and there was seen the work of an artistic hand shiningout conspicuously above its surroundings. Apparently hanging high up onthe bare wall of the sacristy is a large wooden cross, of suchstatuesque effect, so perfectly foreshortened and shaded, that it wasdifficult to believe it to be a painting, however carefully examinedfrom the floor. The old sacristan told us that it was painted by abrother of the order named Juan Sanchez Cotan, who certainly had apainter's genius and a master's skill with the brush. Alonzo Cano hashere one or two remarkable statuettes in marble, though we think of himrather as a painter than a sculptor. Some of the large pieces ofvariegated marble which form the base work, fonts, and tables of thechapel, are beautiful examples of the natural stone as quarried in theneighboring mountains. Indeed, larger, or finer agates cannot be foundin Europe than those which ornament the Cartuja. In the natural veins ofthe large marbles the guide takes pleasure in suggesting likenesses tovarious objects, which, when once mentioned, easily form themselves tothe imagination, as a wayward fancy sometimes depicts forms in thefleeting clouds at twilight. 

There is a dearth of song-birds in Granada. We heard of, but not from, the nightingales in the sacred precincts of the Alhambra. Perhaps it wasnot the favored season, however, for this purpose. The people themselvesare naturally musical and music-loving. Even the street-cries uttered byyouthful and middle-aged vendors are rendered in such harmonious notesas to strike the ear agreeably. This was noticed in Malaga, and alsoclaimed our attention here. On the road one not infrequently meets someroughly-dressed muleteer at the head of his string of heavily-ladenanimals, caroling forth luscious notes in a fine tenor voice which aBrignoli might envy. A taste for music is born in the people, few ofwhom are too poor to own and play upon a guitar or some musicalinstrument. The only difference between Spain and Italy in this respectis that here one does not recognize the music, while in Italy we usuallyhear the strains of some familiar opera. 

CHAPTER XII. 

 Granada to Cordova. --An Antique City. --The Guadalquivir. --Old Roman Bridge. --The Grand Mosque-Cathedral of Cordova. --Court of Orange-Trees. --Army of Beggars. --From Cordova to Madrid. --Local Characteristics of the Capital. --The Gate of the Sun. --The King and Queen in Public. --The Royal Palace. --Spanish Ladies and Gentlemen. --The Fan. --The Picture-Gallery of Madrid. --National Sport of the Bull-Fight. --Cowardice!--Interesting Visit to the City of Toledo. --The Escurial. 

The journey from Granada to Cordova covers a distance of about a hundredand twenty-five miles, and passes through a comparativelywell-cultivated and interesting country, where the vine, the orange, andthe lemon, together with the universal olive, are abundant and thrifty. The oil extracted from the latter product forms a large source of profitto the southern and middle provinces of Spain. The road, soon afterstarting, lay through a succession of valleys and lofty hills, renderingthe construction of many tunnels and viaducts necessary. Occasionally wecame out of one of these tunnels upon a broad prairie-like plain, whereflocks of goats, sheep, and horned cattle, tended by herdsmen, werestruggling to get a scanty subsistence from very unpromising fields. Notinfrequently there came into view a pretty white hamlet of a score ofdwellings, dominated by a rude castellated structure, and asquare-towered church surmounted by a cross. Here and there werecrumbling strongholds, monuments of the days when the Moors held swayover the land. 

At last we reached Cordova, where it seemed that something untowardmust surely happen, as we were driven through the narrow, deserted, cobble-stoned streets in a hotel omnibus, the hubs of the wheelsscraping the stone buildings on either side alternately. Nobody butMoors would have constructed such lanes and called them streets, thoughdoubtless they aimed to exclude the intense heat of the sun's rays. Theneatly white-washed houses, like those in Havana, have the lower windowsall barred with iron, as if they were so many prisons, and fitted tokeep people in or out, as the occupants might desire. Looking about uscuriously it was natural to recall the slumber of Rip Van Winkle, and towonder seriously if the place was destined ever to wake up. How anyshops afford their proprietors a subsistence here is a marvel. The fewto be seen had but one shutter down, the rest being rusty with disuse. There were a plenty of broad-brimmed hats with priests under them, asure crop in Spain, but scarcely a citizen was to be seen, or aught elseto be noticed, except a few rusty towers and antique fountains. Everything seemed impregnated with decay, more desolate than an actualruin, because of its moth-eaten vitality, which left nothing to hopefor. Plainly the only life in Cordova is that imported by curioustravelers from abroad, who make pilgrimages hither to see its fewhistoric monuments, and to behold a Herculaneum above ground. 

We looked about us for specimens of the famous breed of Cordova horses, of whom poets have sung and kings were covetous. There were a fewanimals to be seen with fine manes and tails, with arching necks andlustrous coats, but their forms would not compare with some neglectedcreatures whose blood showed through dirt and hard usage, at the SlaveMarket in Tangier. There may have been noble ancestors to these Cordovaanimals a thousand years ago, but they must have been crossed withmongrel races too many times to show good traces to-day. 

This is one of the most ancient cities in the country, having been thecapital of Moorish Spain a thousand years ago. The walls which stillsurround it are flanked by octagonal and square towers of Saracenicorigin. From the ninth to the twelfth century it boasted a millioninhabitants, and we read of its public library which contained sixhundred thousand volumes. The present population cannot exceed forty orfifty thousand. Is it possible that this was once the largest city inthe western world, --once the centre of European civilization? So atleast history informs us. Not even one foundation of its three hundredmosques can be found to-day. Seneca and Lucan were born here before thetime of Christ, and the guide rehearsed with voluble facility some otherhigh-sounding names of historic fame who were natives of the place, butwho were quite unfamiliar to us. When we pointed, however, to the broad, pale-yellow river crossed by the old Roman bridge, and asked its name, he replied: "The Guadalquivir, " and the name rang softly on the ear likea strain of half-forgotten music. The old stone bridge, with its broad, irregular arches, was an object of much interest, and is, undoubtedly, with its two flanking towers, the oldest visible object in Cordova, though it was an important city in Cæsar's time. The bridge is about thesixteenth of a mile in length, and after two thousand years of battlingwith the elements is firm and substantial still. Romans, Moors, andSpaniards have fiercely battled at its entrances, the tide of victoryand of defeat sweeping again and again across its roadway, which hasmany times been made slippery with human blood. How often has itwitnessed royal pageants, ecclesiastical parades, murderous personalconflicts, and how often been the rendezvous of lovers and of whisperinggroups of conspirators. Here have been enacted many vivid scenes in thelong line of centuries. What a volume might that old bridge furnish ofhistory and of romance! During our brief stay this spot was a favoriteresort, usually supplementing our visits to the cathedral, which is nearat hand. Leaning over its stone barriers, we watched the rapid streamwhich doubtless flows on just as it has done for twenty centuries. Palaces temples, towers, and shrines crumble, nations rise and fall, butthe Guadalquivir still flows on. Just below the bridge, perhaps fiftyyards away, are the ruins of an ancient Moorish grist-mill of stone, forming a strikingly picturesque object, in its shattered condition, amid the foaming rapids. 

We visited a museum of antiquities, but it was in a dark, inappropriatebuilding, gloomy and cobwebby, smothered in dust and obscurity; so outof the way, indeed, that it was difficult to find, and our guide wasobliged to inquire where the institution was! The traveler mayconscientiously omit a visit to the blind alley which contains theMuseum of Antiquities at Cordova. The guide, by the way, we found muchmore intent upon selling us Spanish lace than anxious to impartdesirable local information. To be a good guide, as Izaak Walton says ofanglers and poets, a man must be born so. 

The one great and nearly unrivaled interest of Cordova is itscathedral, an architectural wonder, erected some sixteen centuriessince, and hallowed by age and historical associations. Beautiful areits still remaining thousand and one interior supporting columns, composed of porphyry, jasper, granite, alabaster, verd-antique, andmarble of various colors. Think of that vandal Charles V. Destroying twohundred of them: he who was capable of tearing down a portion of theAlhambra to make room for his barrack of a palace! Each of the columnsupholds a small pilaster, and between them is a horse-shoe arch, no twocolumns being precisely alike, --as they came from Greece, Rome, Constantinople, Damascus, Africa, and some are said to have come fromthe Temple at Jerusalem, as also from Pæstum and Cumæ. All the thenknown world was put under contribution to furnish this wonderful temple. The great mosque was changed into a cathedral after the expulsion of theArabs; but a large portion of the interior is untouched, and remains asit was when the caliphs worshiped here. We felt oppressed by a sensationof gloom wandering amid the dark forest of pillars. It is, and alwayswill be, a mosque, as characteristic and typical as the most markedshrine in the East. The Holy of Holies, as sacred to the SpanishArabians as Mecca to those of the East, has been preserved intact, andis by far the most interesting portion of the structure. Here all theoriginal lace-like ornamentation is entirely undisturbed, and looks asthough it were a hall taken bodily out of the Alhambra. The Moslempilgrims from far and near came to this spot, and walked seven timesround it, the marble pavement being visibly worn by the bare knees ofdevout Mussulmans. 

Just outside of this large alcove, which is very similar to a sidechapel in a modern cathedral, there was pointed out to us the finestpiece of mosaic in the world. It originally came from Constantinople, and was the gift of the Emperor Romanus II. It contains, in accordancewith the Moslem faith, no representation of any living thing; but isperfection in its graceful vines, leaves, and scroll work. The deepglowing colors, crimson and green dominating, are as bright to-day aswhen it first came, perhaps two thousand years ago, from the artist'shand. It recalled the contemporary productions exhumed at Pompeii, andnow to be seen in the Museum at Naples. These latter however, as weremember them, are neither so large nor so choice as this masterpiece inthe Cordova Mosque. The cathedral, as a whole, has been pronounced byexperienced travelers to be the greatest architectural curiosity inEurope. It is a strange conglomerate and jumble of incongruities, half-Christian, half-Saracenic, reminding one strongly of the Church ofSt. Mark at Venice, --having, like that remarkable structure, borrowedmany of its columns and ornaments from the far East. Inside and out itis gloomy, massive, and frowning, forming the most remarkable linkbetween the remote past and the present existing in Spain. It appears tobe nearly as large upon the ground as St. Peter's at Rome, and containsfifty separate chapels within its capacious walls. It has, in itspassage through the several dynasties of Roman, Moorish, and Spanishrule, received distinctive architectural marks from each. Its large, cool court of orange-trees, centuries old; its battlemented wall andhuge gateway; its famous fountains and its mingled palms and tallcypresses, all combine to perfect a picture suggestive of the dead andburied races connected with its history. 

This famous court-yard is of scarcely less interest than the interior ofthe great Cathedral-Mosque itself. It has at each end a colonnade ofmarble pillars supporting circular arches, and the grounds are broad andspacious. Here a battalion of professional beggars were drawn up inbattle array as we entered, numbering fifty or sixty of both sexes, andof all ages. The poor creatures formed both a pitiable and a picturesquegroup, composed of the lame, the halt, and the blind. On the greenswardjust back of them, under the shade of the dark-leaved orange-trees, played troops of careless children, who had been sent here by theirparents to beg, but had forgotten their vocation. Sitting on the stonebench, which surrounds the outside walls of the mosque, were littlegroups of hale and hearty men, playing cards and smoking; while others, stretched at full length upon the ground, slept just where the dancingsunlight pierced the leaves and branches of the trees and mottled theirfaces with its shimmering rays. Idleness is the general business ofCordova. What a strange, weird aspect the deep shades assumed beneaththe graceful palms and slender cypresses. The Babel of pleading tonguesfrom the beggars, the merry voices of the laughing children, the angrydispute of some card players, and the cool business-like aspect of thepriests shuffling about the corridors, while a little confusing wasstill impressive. 

The best dwelling-houses in Cordova are built upon the Moorish model;that is, they have a central court or garden, visible from the streetentrance, which is adorned with trees, flowers, and fountains, usuallyguarded by an iron gate and an inner glass door. The domestic life ofthe family centres here, where in summer a broad canvas is drawn overthe top, and the meals are taken underneath in the open air. We saw, late in March, orange and lemon-trees blooming in these areas, as wellas Bengal monthly and common white roses, tea-roses, verbenas, tiger-lilies, carnations, and scarlet geraniums. Neither the palm northe orange will grow without shelter in this part of Spain, --the northwinds being too cold and piercing, --except by artificial culture. Spainis almost a treeless country, her immense olive orchards serving butpartially to redeem the barren aspect of the southern and middledistricts. In the orange court of the Grand Mosque, the lofty oldMoorish wall forms a protecting screen. The Alameda of Cordova must bequite denuded of foliage in winter, exposed as it is to the north windsand frosty nights. It is a short but very broad thoroughfare, with atree-lined promenade through its centre, like that at Malaga, but itseemed singularly out of place in a city so utterly void of life andanimation. 

Spain is a country of beggars, but in this ancient town one is actuallybeset by them. Travelers, stopping at the same hotel with us, abbreviated their stay in the city on account of this great annoyance. As far as one can judge, these people have no pressing reason forbegging. It has become a habit, and strangers are importuned as a matterof course. Cannot the priests do something to mitigate this great evil?In Spain evidence is not lacking to show that the Roman Catholic faithinspires deep religious sentiment, but without religious principle. Themore blindly ignorant the masses of the people are, the greater is theinfluence of the priesthood. Not one of the famous Spanish cathedralsbut has within its vaults so-called sacred treasures of great amount, ingold and silver plate and other material, the intrinsic value of whichin each instance large, being aggregated, would furnish a sum nearlylarge enough to liquidate the national debt. At Toledo, for instance, the mantle called the Robe of the Virgin is covered with preciousstones, so large and choice that its value has been estimated at amillion of Spanish dollars; and this is but one item of value stored inthat rich church. So at Malaga, Seville, Cordova, and Burgos, not toname other places of which we can speak with less personal knowledge, each is a small Golconda of riches, yet the common people starve. Ahorde of priests, altogether out of proportion to the necessities of thecase from any point of view, are kept up, the most useless ofnon-producers, and whence comes their support but from this verypoverty-burdened mass of the common people? When Philip II. Was told ofthe destruction of the great Spanish Armada, which had cost a hundredmillion ducats, he only said: "I thank God for having given me the meansof bearing such a loss without embarrassment, and power to fit outanother fleet of equal size!" And yet there were starving millions inSpain at that time as there are to-day. 

From Cordova to Madrid is nearly three hundred miles, the first half ofwhich distance we passed over in the daytime, lightening the journey byenjoyment of the pleasing scenery and local peculiarities. Though itwas quite early in the spring, still the fields were verdant and full ofpromise. More than once a gypsy camp was passed by the side of somecross-road, presenting the usual domestic group, mingled with animals, covered carts, lazy men stretched on the greensward, and busy womencooking the evening meal. Long strings of mules, with wide-spreadpanniers, came winding across the plain, sometimes in charge of a womanclad in gaudy colors, while her lazy husband thrummed a guitar, lyingacross one of the mules. Towards evening groups of peasants, male andfemale, with farming tools in their hands, were seen wending their stepstowards some hamlet after the day's labor. Arched stone bridges, old andmoss-grown, came into view, spanning small water-courses, on their wayfrom the mountains to join more pretentious streams. Elevated spotsoften showed the ruins of the old stone towers, once a part of somefeudal stronghold, but the eye sought in vain for well-wooded slopes orthrifty groves; and yet, strange to say, the song-birds which we hadmissed further south, in Andalusia and at Granada, put in an appearanceas we came north, cheering us with their soft trilling notes in theamber sunshine that radiated about the small railroad stations. Some ofthese depots were rendered attractive and pretty by nicely arrangedflower-beds and a few trees, imparting a home-like appearance. Theever-varying scenery kept mind and eyes busy, until by and by Nightdropped her mantle over the face of nature, and with the darkness came acool and nipping air. Then followed two hundred miles of tedious nighttravel, with no convenience for sleeping, except such as one couldobtain sitting bolt upright, so that when daylight and Madrid arrivedtogether, we were ready to welcome them both. 

Why Charles V. Should have made his capital on the spot now occupied byMadrid it is difficult to understand--though writers suppose a half adozen reasons--except that it is the geographical centre of Spain. Eightor nine hundred years ago it was a fortified outpost of Toledo, "imperial" Toledo. It is hemmed in on all sides by arid plains, and hasan adjacent river, so-called, but which in America would be known as adry gulch. If there is any special benefit to be derived from awaterless river, we have yet to learn its character. Like the Arno atFlorence, it is troubled with a chronic thirst; in short, the Manzanareshas the form of a river without the circulation. In the days of CharlesII. Its dry bed was turned into a sort of race-course and drive-way, butsince the completion of the Prado it has been abandoned for even thispurpose. Though Madrid is situated between two and three thousand feetabove the level of the sea, it does not seem to possess the advantagesusually following such a position, the climate being scorchingly hot insummer and piercingly cold in winter. Thus, in point of climate andlocation, the Spanish capital seems to be a mistake. 

As Madrid was built when the age of cathedrals had passed, it has nonewithin its borders, though there is no lack of modern churches; but itis a large and fine city, with some four hundred thousand inhabitants. It is not noticeable, like Genoa, Rome, and Florence, for palaces andancient monuments; but it is well laid out; the streets are broad andnicely paved; while numerous squares ornament the city, filled withattractive shrubbery, fountains, and statues. Among the latter werecall those of Murillo, Philip III. , Cervantes, Lopez de Vega, PhilipV. , Calderon, and others. The finest statue in the city, to our taste, is that of Philip IV. , representing the monarch as on horseback, theanimal in a prancing position, --a wonderfully life-like bronze, designedby Velasquez and cast by Pietro Tacca at Florence. It forms the centreof the Plaza del Oriente, directly in front of the royal palace, fromwhich it is separated, however, by a broad thoroughfare. According tohistory, Galileo showed how the true balance of the horse could besustained in its remarkable position, the whole weight of rider andanimal resting on the hind legs. On the Prado, the grand public drive ofthe citizens, there are fine marble statues and groups, combined withfountains, representative of Neptune, Apollo, and Cybele. 

The Puerto del Sol is the Place del 'Opera of Madrid, always full ofsparkle, life, and color, radiating from which there are a dozen largestreets with two or three broad boulevards. Here all the lines oftramways meet and diverge, and the congregated fashionable idlers of thetown hold high carnival daily and nightly. Our windows overlooked thePuerto del Sol (the Gate of the Sun), where the whirl of carriages, therush of pedestrians, the passing of military bands with marchingregiments, equestrians; priests decked out in church paraphernalia, preceded by smoking incense, burning candles, etc. , bound to somedeath-bed; itinerant peddlers, and news-vendors, each hastening on someindividual purpose, made the plaza a scene of incessant movement fromearly morning until midnight. Like Paris and Vienna, Madrid does notseem to awake until evening, and the tide of life becomes the mostactive under the glare of gas-lights which are as numerous at midnightas the fireflies that float over a sugar plantation. The fine shopssurrounding this brilliant square, which is the real geographical heartof Madrid, are more Parisian than Spanish. The large plate-glass windowspresent a tempting array of jewelry, laces, silver-ware and rich fancygoods, in a style and of a quality that would do no discredit to the Ruede la Paix or the Boulevard des Italiens. Indeed, it is mostly Frenchpeople who keep these shops, and there is a manifest tendency of theupper classes to adopt French manners, customs, and language. Parisserves as a model to Madrid in all matters relating to fashionable life. There is a large fountain and mammoth basin of water in the centre ofthe square, a stream being forced to a height of fifty or sixty feet, ina graceful column, night and day, the effect of which is heightened bythe brilliant array of gas-lights. The sidewalks are here at least fortyfeet wide, upon which, in business hours, many merchants are accustomedto meet for the discussing of affairs, and to gossip before the severalhotels which front on the plaza. 

Speaking of the fountain in the Puerto del Sol recalls the fact that thecitizens owe it to the energy and skill of foreign engineers that theyenjoy the luxury of an ample supply of good water; and foreign engineersare doing or have done the same thing for other Spanish cities, though, in fact, only restoring the ancient supplies first constructed by thequick-witted Moors, and wantonly permitted to crumble into ruin by theSpaniards. They are not sufficiently enterprising or progressive tooriginate any such scheme for the public good. They even dislike therailroads, though they are compelled to use them; dislike them becausethey force them to observe punctuality, the native instinct being of theChinese school, retrospective and retrograding. Everything is exotic inMadrid; nothing is produced in or near the city which its dailyconsumption demands. Strawberries, butter, cheese, fruits, meats, eachcomes from some special region far away to this human hive located inthe desert. The city adds to its other drawbacks that of being veryunwholesome as a residence, and would die out from natural causes if itspopulation were not constantly renewed from the several provinces. Thereis a native proverb to the effect that so subtle is the air of Madrid, it kills a man but does not put out a candle. Why it is so unhealthy aplace, especially for strangers, it is impossible to say. The sameextreme difference between the sunshine and the shade is here realizedwhich one experiences at Nice, Mentone, and Naples. The air seemed pureand clear enough during our two weeks' stay, but every one admitted itsvery unwholesome character. When the breeze swept down from the snowyGuadarrama, it cut like a knife, but that was a condition of temperaturewhich one could guard against, not an atmospheric impurity. If Madridwere surrounded by and ornamented with trees, like Wiesbaden orBaden-Baden, it might prove a favorable sanitary measure, besides addingso much to its beauty. In Paris, Rome, or Venice, fires are not commonin domestic living rooms, except in extremes of weather; but at Madrid, if the day is cool and damp, the cheerful, warmth-diffusing fire islighted and regarded as a necessity. 

The king and queen of Spain passed through the Puerto del Sol in anopen carriage nearly every afternoon during our stay, attended by half adozen outriders, and drawn by four superb horses; for Alfonso's royalstable, as we can testify, is justly celebrated. The king rides with hishat in his hand in response to the ceaseless recognitions of respect bythe people, who, however, never cheer him, and yet he appears to befairly popular with the masses. He has seemed thus far to follow ratherthan to lead public sentiment, perhaps realizing the precarious natureof his seat upon the throne; remembering that the nation has a rathererratic manner of changing its rulers when displeased with them. He isquite youthful in appearance. The queen, though by no means handsome, has a pleasing face, and is represented to be of a very amiablecharacter. It will be remembered that his first wife, Mercedes, diedwhile yet a bride, at the age of eighteen, much regretted and muchbeloved. Alfonso has, in a few public instances, shown a progressive andenlightened spirit; but were he to permit himself to be demonstrative inthis direction, he would not be supported either by his councillors orthe public, who are imbued with the true Castilian dormancy even in thisnineteenth century. He has undertaken, out of his private purse, torestore many decaying monuments of the country, and is noticeablyspending money freely for this purpose, not only in Cordova, but also atToledo, Madrid, and Burgos. 

On the occasions when the king and queen drove out, the royal carriagewas generally attended by a second, in which was ex-empress Isabella, atthe time on a visit to the royal palace, though she makes her home atpresent in Paris. She is fat, dowdy, and vulgar in appearance, withfeatures indicative of sensuousness and indulgence in coarse appetites. The last time we saw her was in the Puerto del Sol, as she rode in acarriage behind the royal vehicle, with a lady companion by her side, towhom she was talking very earnestly, accompanying her words with themost energetic and emphatic gesticulation of the right forefinger. Themore we heard of this woman, the less we could respect her; and yet wewere told by intelligent natives that she is to-day very popular inMadrid, much more so than in other parts of the country. If this istrue, it is only a reflection upon the moral instincts of the peoplethemselves. The royal palace is located upon a slightly rising site, andis so isolated as to give full effect to its fine architecture andexcellent general design. It is the only building of a remarkablecharacter, architecturally, in the city; which, for a European capital, is in this respect very ordinary and plain. The Madrid palace isundoubtedly the largest and finest in Europe, and belongs to the Tuscanstyle. It cost between five and six millions of dollars a hundred yearsago. The base is granite, but the upper portion is built of a fine whitestone, closely resembling marble. The royal family being at home, aswell as the ex-queen being there, we could not visit the palace, butwere told of its interior magnificence, by those familiar with it. Itcontains a rich chapel, library, and theatre, with a remarkablybeautiful collection of tapestries. The throne room is said to begorgeous and its ornaments of lavish cost. In the absence of the royaloccupants, strangers are admitted under proper auspices. 

The Prado is to Madrid what the Champs Elysées and the Bois de Boulogneare to Paris, --a splendid avenue, through the centre of which runs acontinuous walk and garden, with elaborate stone fountains, somewhatsimilar to the Unter den Linden of Berlin, or Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, save that it is more extensive than either. The Prado nearlyjoins the Public Garden on the borders of the city, in which there arealso fine carriage drives, roadways for equestrians, many delightfulshaded walks, and paths lined with flowers, myrtles, groves, andsweet-leaved hedges, intermingled with fountains, lakes, arbors, refreshment houses, etc. On Sundays and fête days these grounds arethronged with citizens and their families for out-door enjoyment, riding, and driving. Here also several military bands are distributed, adding to the accumulated attractions. There is a certain dignity andappearance of refinement observable among the gentlemen one meets on thePrado and in the streets, but we look in vain for the traditionalsombrero, which has been superseded by the conventional stove-pipe hat;while the graceful Spanish cloak has given way to the stiff Europeanbody overcoat. The Spanish ladies, with their large black eyes and darkolive complexions, are generally quite handsome, but they rouge, andpowder, and paint their faces in a lavish manner. Indeed, they seem togo further in this direction than do the Parisians, obviously pencilingeyes and eyebrows, --an addition which their brunette complexion requiresleast of all. With the public actress this resort is admissible, whereeffects are necessary to be produced for distant spectators in largeaudiences; but in daily life even custom does not rob it of itsinevitable aspect of vulgarity. True, all nations resort to suchartifices, more or less, especially in southern Europe. The Chineseladies carry the practice of painting their faces so far as to amountto caricature; and if the Japanese ladies do not so generally follow theexample, they do blacken their teeth, which one must confess is moreobjectionable still. In these faithful notes it must be admitted thateven the Japanese ladies paint cheeks and lips with such a tinge ofvermilion as is thought to be becoming, and enamel their faces andnecks. This, however, it must be remembered is before marriage. Afterthat relationship has taken place, as has before been intimated, itbecomes the ridiculous practice of every Japanese wife to render herselfas unattractive as possible, forgetting that she is thus liable tobecome as disagreeable in the eyes of her husband as in those of otherpeople. 

The Spanish lady, like her Japanese sister, is a great devotee to thefan, and neither are ever seen abroad in full dress without thisconspicuous accompaniment. The importance of this article of femalerequirement is fully recognized at Madrid, where many stores are devotedsolely to its manufacture and sale; while artists give much time andgenius to their elaborate ornamentation, the prices ranging from a fewshillings to ten doubloons. The indispensable veil, covering more orless head, neck, and face, would prove but a poor substitute for thedainty French bonnet on the Parisian boulevards; but in Castilianatmosphere it is as appropriate and becoming as the florid-coloredplumage of birds in the tropics. There is a certain harmony between thedark, smooth skin, the glossy raven hair, the long, dark lashes, theblue veins of the temples, and the national head-dress of the Spanishladies, which gratifies the artistic eye. Ah! if the mind in thoselovely women were but as noble as their faces! Unfortunately, perhaps, their very beauty makes their defects the more conspicuous. Ermine mustbe spotless. 

In her splendid art collection of the Museo, the city has a treasureonly equaled by the Louvre at Paris and the galleries at Florence. Toartists, it is the one attraction of Madrid, and is principally composedof works by the Spanish masters, though also containing many other gems. Here we find forty-four examples of Murillo, sixty-four from Velasquez, sixty by Rubens, twenty-five from Paul Veronese, thirty-four fromTintoretto, and many from Andrea del Sarto, Titian, Vandyke, Goya, Ribera, and others of similar artistic fame, in such profusion as to bea constant source of surprise to the stranger. Here one is sure to meet, daily, intelligent Americans, French, Italians, and English, but veryrarely Spaniards. It is believed that Murillo appears at his best inthis collection. Being a native of Seville, he is in a measure seen athome; and artists declare that his work shows more of light, power, andexpression here than anywhere outside of the Museo. So we go to Antwerpto appreciate Rubens, though we find him so ably and fully representedelsewhere. Velasquez cannot be fairly judged outside the Madrid gallery. He also was at home here, and his paintings are not only the mostnumerous, but are decidedly his best. The arrangement of the pictures ofthe Museo is severely criticised; some of the best are hung too high, while those one does not care to study, or scarcely to see at all, havebeen accorded the best lines in the gallery. There seems to be no systemobserved; the hangings are frequently altered, and the printed catalogueis thus rendered of very little use. The building itself is a large andadmirable structure, well adapted to the purpose, quite worthy tocontain the choice art treasures beneath its roof. When the French weremasters in Spain they proved to be terrible iconoclasts, leaving marksof their devastation nearly everywhere in one form or another. Notcontent with stealing many unequaled works of art of priceless value, they often wantonly destroyed what it was impossible to carry away. Inthe tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella, at Granada, it will be rememberedthey pried open the royal coffins in search of treasure. At Seville theybroke open the coffin of Murillo, and scattered his ashes to the wind. Marshal Soult treated the ashes of Cervantes in a similar manner. Wardesecrates all things, human and divine; but sometimes becomes aNemesis, dispensing poetical justice, as when Waterloo caused the returnto Spain of a portion of her despoiled art-treasures. 

The bull-fight is very properly called the national sport of Spain, and, we are sorry to add, is typical of the natural cruelty of her people. Itwas the opening exhibition of the season which was advertised to takeplace during the first week of our stay in the city, and it wasannounced for Sunday afternoon, the day usually selected for theseoccasions; but as it proved to be rainy it was postponed to thefollowing Thursday. The bull-ring of the capital is said to containseating capacity for eighteen thousand persons; and yet such was thedemand for tickets of admission, that it was a work of some hours toprocure them at all, and only consummated finally at a considerablepremium. Our seats were near to those of the royal party, consisting ofthe king, queen, and ex-queen Isabella, with a number of ladies andgentlemen of the household. The easy and graceful manners of the queenwere in strong contrast to the arrogant and vulgar style of Isabella, whose character is so dark a stain upon Spanish royalty. Every seat ofthe large circular theatre was occupied. Open to the sky, it was notunlike what the Coliseum of Rome must have been in its glory, and heldan audience, we should judge, of over seventeen thousand. Nearly allclasses were represented, for a Spaniard must be poor indeed who cannotfind a dollar to pay his way into the bull-ring. The better seats wereoccupied by ladies and gentlemen, the lower priced ones by themasses, --both sexes being fully represented in each class of seats. Those located on the east and southerly sides are covered to protect thegrandees, while the masses sitting in the sun hold fans or paper screensbefore their eyes. 

There was a cold, murderous, business-like aspect to all thearrangements, and everything, however repulsive to strangers, was takenby the audience at large quite as a matter of course. The immense crowdwere not very noisy or demonstrative, contenting themselves with smokingand chatting together. It was curious and interesting, while waiting forthe commencement of the performance, to study the features of theaudience, and watch their earnest gesticulations; for the Spaniards, like the Italians, talk with their whole bodies, --hands, arms, head, trunk, and all. The ladies, as usual, were each supplied with that primenecessity, a fan; and it is astonishing what a weapon of coquetry itbecomes in the delicate hands of a Spanish beauty. Its coy archness isbeyond comparison, guided by the pliant wrist of the owner, concealingor revealing her eloquent glances and features. With her veil and herfan, a Spanish woman is armed _cap-â-pie_, and in Cupid's warfarebecomes irresistible. 

The author had seen the cruelty of the bull-ring exhibited years ago inthe Spanish West Indies, yet to visit Madrid, the headquarters of allthings Spanish, and not to witness the national sport, would have been aserious omission; and therefore, suppressing a strong sense of distaste, the exhibition was attended. The hateful cruelty of the bull-ring hasbeen too often and too graphically described to require from us theunwelcome task. Suffice it to say we saw six powerful and courageousbulls killed, who, in their brave self-defense, disemboweled and killedthirteen horses. No man was seriously injured, though several weredismounted, and others run over by the enraged bulls in headlong careeracross the arena. The picadores were mounted on poor hacks, since thefate of the horse that entered the ring was as certain as that of thebull himself. The banderilleros and chulos, who took part in the combaton foot, were fine looking, active young fellows; and the matadores, whoperformed the final act of killing the bull single-handed, were as arule older and more experienced men. It must be a practiced hand thatgives the last thrust to the many-times wounded and nearly exhaustedcreature, who will always fight to the very last gasp. 

The matadore is regarded as quite a hero by the masses of the people, receiving a princely remuneration for his services. He holds his headvery high among his associates. One of these matadores was long thedisgraceful favorite of Queen Isabella. We came away from thisexhibition more than ever convinced of the cowardly character of thegame. The requisite, on the part of the much lauded bull-fighter, is notcourage but cunning. He knows full well when the bull is so nearlyexhausted as to render his final attack upon him quite safe. A dozenagainst one, twelve armed men against one animal, who has the protectiononly of his horns and his stout courage. The death of the bull is surefrom the moment he enters the ring, but the professional fighters arerarely hurt, though often very much frightened. Another most shamefulpart of the game is the introduction of poor, broken-down horses, whohave yet strength and spirit enough to faithfully obey their rider, andso rush forward regardless of the horns of the bull, which will surelydisembowel and lay them dead upon the field. The matadore who finallyfaces the bull single-handed, to give him the _coup-de-grace_ with hisToledo blade, does not do so until the animal has struggled with hisother tormentors nearly to the last gasp, is weak from the loss ofblood, and his strength exhausted by a long and gallant fight, so thathe already staggers and is nearly blind with accumulated torments. Thepoor creature is but a sorry victim for the fresh, well-armed, practicedbutcher, who comes to give him the finishing stroke. We would emphasizethe remark that the whole game of the bull-ring is, on the part of thechulos, picadores, and matadores, a shameful exhibition not only of themost disgraceful cruelty but also of consummate cowardice. 

Black is the almost universal color worn by ladies and gentlemen inpublic. Parisian fashions as to cut and material are very generallyadopted; and, as has been intimated, the French model is paramount inall things. A business resident remarked to us that the French languagewas becoming so universal that it absolutely threatened to supersede thenative tongue. Bonnets are worn in walking and driving; but at thebull-fight, the concert-room, and the theatre the national lacehead-dress is still tenaciously and becomingly adhered to. In mannersthe better class of Spaniards are extremely courteous, and alwaysprofuse in their offers of services, though it is hardly to be expectedthat their generosity will be put to the test. Gentlemen will smoke inthe ladies' faces in the street, the corridors, cafés, cars, anywhere, apparently not being able to comprehend that it may be offensive. Evenin the dining-rooms of the hotels, the cigar or cigarette is freelylighted, and smoked with the coffee while ladies are present. In short, tobacco seems to be a necessity to the average Spaniard, both sleepingand waking, for they smoke in bed also. Perhaps this apparent obtusenesson the part of gentlemen arises from the well-known fact that many ofthe ladies themselves indulge in the cigarette, though rarely in public. The writer has more than once seen the practice as exhibited in popularcafés whither both sexes resorted. At the bull-ring many of the commonclass of women had cigarettes between their lips. 

Sunday is an acknowledged gala-day in Madrid, though the attendance uponearly mass is very general, especially among the women. It is here, asat Paris and other European capitals, the chosen day for militaryparades, horse-races, and the bull-fight. Most of the shops are open andrealize a profitable business, and especially is this the case withthose devoted to the sale of cigars, liquors, fancy goods, and thecafés: with them it is the busiest day of the whole week. The lotteryticket vendor makes a double day's work on this occasion, and theitinerant gamblers, with portable stands, have crowds about their tableswherever they locate. The flower-girls, with dainty little baskets, richin color and captivating in fragrance, press buttonhole bouquets on thepedestrians, and, shall we whisper it? make appointments withsusceptible cavaliers; while men perambulate the streets with bon-bonsdisplayed upon cases hung from their necks; in short, Sunday is made afête day, when grandees and beggars complacently come forth likemarching regiments into the Puerto del Sol. The Prado and public gardensare thronged with gayly-dressed people, children, and nurses, --thecostume of the latter got up in the most theatrical style, with broadred or blue ribbons hanging down behind from their snow-white caps, andsweeping the very ground at their heels. No one stays within doors onSunday in Madrid, and all Europe loves the out-door sunshine. 

We have said that the Spanish capital was deficient in buildings ofarchitectural pretension. This is quite true; but the country is rich inthe character of her monuments, possessing one order of architectureelsewhere little known. Our guide called it very appropriately theMorisco style, which has grown out of the combination of Moorish andChristian art. The former attained, during the Middle Ages, as greatimportance in Spain as in the East. This is, perhaps, more clearlymanifested in Andalusia than elsewhere; here its harmony is presented inmany brilliant examples and combinations. The greatest wealth of thecountry is to be found in its historic monuments, its well-defined Romanperiod being especially rich in architectural remains; and, as tocathedrals, nowhere else are they to be found so richly and superblyendowed. 

The cars took us to Toledo, a distance of about forty miles, in an hourand a half, landing us in a strange, old place, the very embodiment ofantiquity, and the capital of Gothic Spain. Here let us drop a hintgained by experience. If the reader makes the excursion to Toledo fromMadrid, he will most probably start early in the morning and get backlate at night, as one day in the place will afford all the timeabsolutely necessary to visit and enjoy its most notable objects. Aprepared luncheon basket should be taken from Madrid. This will obviatethe necessity of encountering the dirt, unsavory food, and extortion ofthe fifth-rate hotels of Toledo. It has been said that banditti havebeen suppressed in Spain; perhaps so, on the public roads. It may bethey have gone into the hotel business, as a safer and less conspicuousmode of robbing travelers. At Toledo the rule of the Moor is seen infoot-prints no time can obliterate, and to visit which is like therealization of a mediæval dream. The sombre streets are strangelywinding, irregular, and steep; the reason for constructing them thuswas, doubtless, that they might be the more easily defended whenattacked by a foreign enemy. In the days of her prime, Toledo saw manybattles, both inside and outside of her gates. One can touch the housesof these streets on both sides at the same time, by merely extending thearms. 

There are scores of deserted buildings locked up, the heavy gatesstudded with great, protruding, iron-headed nails, while the lowerwindows are closely iron-grated. These houses have paved entrances, leading to open areas, or courts, with galleries around them, upon whichthe various rooms open. The galleries are of carved and latticed wood, generally in good preservation, but the main structure is of stone, mostsubstantially built, everything testifying to their Moorish origin. Someof these houses, once palaces, are now used for storage purposes; somefor business warehouses, manufactories, and carpenters' shops. One wouldsuppose, in such a dull, sleepy, dormant place, that the streets wouldbe grass-grown; but there is no grass. Yet between the loosely-fittingslabs of stone pavement, here and there, little fresh flowers, of someunknown species, struggled up into a pale, fragile existence, with stemswhite in place of green, showing the absence of sunlight, so necessaryto both human and vegetable life. They had no fragrance, these straychildren from Flora's kingdom, but looked very much like forget-me-nots, reminding one of the little flower which sprung up through the hardpavement of Picciola's prison. Dilapidation is written everywhere inthis Oriental atmosphere. The Moors of Morocco still believe that theywill yet be restored to the Spanish home of their ancestors, and thekeys of these Toledo houses have been handed down from generation togeneration as emblems of their rights, tokens which were pointed out tous at Tangier; but not, until we had visited Toledo, was the idea whichthey involved fully appreciated. One cannot but realize a certainrespect for the Moors, while wandering among these scenes of thelong-buried past. Whatever may have been their failings, they must havecontrasted favorably with the present occupants, who seem strangely outof place. In those ancient days the city contained a quarter of amillion of inhabitants; to-day it has barely fifteen thousand. The riverTagus almost surrounds Toledo, and is not, like the Manzanares, merely adry ditch, but a full, rapid, rushing river. 

The cathedral at Toledo is its most prominent object of interest, andhas a deservedly high fame; while clustering about it, in the very heartof the old place, are many churches, convents, and palaces, --though alarge share of them are untenanted, and as silent as the tomb. Butbefore entering the cathedral we visited the Alcazar, formerly a royalpalace of Charles V. , and now the West Point of Spain, where her sonsare educated for the army. Under the Moors, ten centuries ago, it was afortress, then a palace, now an academy, capable of accommodating sixhundred pupils. The view from the Alcazar, which dominates the entirecity, is vast and impressive, the building itself being also the firstobject seen from a distance when one is approaching Toledo. It is upon ableak height. As you come out of the broad portals of the Alcazar(Al-casa-zar, the czar's house), you walk to the edge of the precipitousrock upon which it stands, and contemplate the view across thefar-reaching plain, gloomy and desolate, while at the base of the rockrushes past the rapid Tagus. This whole valley, now so dead and silent, once teemed with a dense population, and sent forth armies, and foughtgreat battles, in the days of the Goths. The cathedral is visited byarchitects from all parts of Europe and America, solely as aprofessional study. It is a remarkably fine sample of the Gothic order, which Coleridge called petrified religion, and exhibits in all its partsthat great achievement of the art, entire harmony of design andexecution; while the richness of its ornamentation and its artisticwealth, not to mention, in detail, its gold and silver plate, make itthe rival of most other cathedrals in the world, with the possibleexception of that at Burgos. Its size is vast, with a tower reachingthree hundred feet heavenward, and the interior having five great naves, divided by over eighty lofty columns. It is said to contain morestained-glass windows than any other cathedral that was ever built. Theeffect of the clear morning light, as imparted to the interior throughthis great surface of delicately-tinted glass, is remarkably beautiful. The high altar, a marvel of splendid workmanship and minute detail, isyet a little confusing, from the myriads of statues, groups, emblems, columns, gilding, and ornaments generally; but it seems to be thepurpose of most of these Roman Catholic churches to turn the altars intoa species of museum. Guides are always plentifully supplied withmarvelous legends for travelers; and ours, on this occasion, simplybristled all over with them as regarded this church. One of these, whichhe persisted in pouring into our unbelieving ears, was to the effectthat, when the cathedral was completed and dedicated, so perfect was itfound to be that the Virgin descended bodily to visit it, and toexpress, by her presence, her entire satisfaction!

Toledo stands there upon the boldest promontory of the Tagus, --a deadand virtually deserted city. Coveted by various conquerors, she has beenbesieged more than twenty times; so that the river beneath the walls hasoften flowed red with human gore, where it is spanned by the gracefulbridge of Alcantara. Phoenicians, Romans, Goths, Moors, and Christians, all have fought for and have possessed, for a greater or less period, the castle-crowned city. Its story is written in letters scarlet withblood and dark with misery; illustrating Irving's idea that history isbut a kind of Newgate calendar, a register of the crimes and miseriesthat man has inflicted on his fellow-man. Only the skeleton of a oncegreat and thriving capital remains. It has no commerce and but oneindustry, --the manufacture of arms and sword-blades, --which givesoccupation to a couple of hundred souls, hardly more. The coming andgoing of visitors from other lands gives it a little flutter of dailylife, like a fitful candle blazing up for a moment and then dying downin the socket, making darkness only the more visible by contrast. Theonce celebrated sword factory was found to be of little interest, thoughwe were told that better blades are manufactured here to-day than inolden time, when it won such repute in this special line. So well arethese blades tempered, that it is possible to bend them like a watchspring without breaking them. In looking at the present condition ofthis once famous seat of industry and power, recalling her arts, manufactures, and commerce, it must be remembered that outside of theimmediate walls, which form the citadel, as it were, of a large andextended population, were over forty thriving towns and villages, located in the valley of the Tagus, under the shadow of her wing. Thesecommunities and their homes have all disappeared, --pastures and fieldsof grain covering their dust from the eyes of the curious traveler. Thenarrow, silent, doleful streets of the old city, with its overhangingroofs and yawning arches, leave a sad memory on the brain, as we turnaway from its crumbling walls and antique Moorish gates. 

An excursion of thirty-five miles, to a station of the same name, tookus from Madrid to the Escurial, which the Spaniards in their egotismcall the eighth wonder of the world. This vast pile of buildings, composed entirely of granite, and as uniform as a military barrack, isnearly a mile in circumference, --tomb, palace, cathedral, monastery, oneand all combined. The wilderness selected as the site of the structureshows about as little reason as does that of the locality of Madrid;utter barrenness and want of human or vegetable life are its mostprominent characteristics. Here, however, are congregated a vast numberof curious and interesting objects, while the place is redolent of vividhistorical associations. One of the first objects shown us here was thetomb of Mercedes, the child-wife of the present king; also, in a deepoctagonal vault, the sepulchres of some thirty royal individuals, kingsand mothers of kings. Among them were Philip II. , Philip V. , FerdinandVI. , Charles V. , etc. The niche occupied by Philip IV. Attracted specialnotice from the fact that the eccentric monarch, during his life-time, often seated himself here to listen to mass, an idea more singular thanreverential. The coffin of Charles V. Was opened so late as 1871, duringthe visit of the Emperor of Brazil, when the face of the corpse wasfound to be entire, --eyebrows, hair, and all, though black andshriveled. The last burial here was that of Ferdinand VII. This octagonvault is called the Pantheon of the Escurial; but it is nothing morethan a theatrical show room: nothing could be more inappropriate. Whilewe were in Madrid, ex-queen Isabella visited the vault, --her own lastresting-place being already designated herein, --and caused mass to beperformed while she kneeled among the coffins, as Philip IV. Wasaccustomed to do. She does this once a year, at the hour of midnight, but why that period is chosen we do not know. 

A room adjoining the church, close beside the altar, is shown to thevisitor, where that prince of bigots, Philip II. , passed the last daysand hours of his life. It is a scantily furnished apartment, with noupholstery, hard chairs, and bare wooden tables; with a globe, scales, compasses, and a few rude domestic articles, writing material, half adozen maps, and three or four small cabinet pictures on the walls, forming the entire inventory. A large chair in which he sat, and thecoarse hard bed on which he slept and died, are also seen in a littleadjoining room scarcely ten feet square. It was here that he receivedwith such apparent indifference the intelligence of the destruction ofthe Spanish Armada, which had cost over a hundred million ducats andtwenty years of useless labor. Everything is left as it was at the timeof his death. A sliding panel was so arranged in the littlesleeping-room that the king could sit or lie there, when too ill to dootherwise, and yet attend upon the performance of public mass. With thisdoor put aside, the king lay here on that September Sabbath day, in theyear of our Lord, 1598, --after having just ordered a white satin liningfor his bronze coffin, --grasping the crucifix which his father, CharlesV. , held when dying, and with eyes fixed upon the high altar, attendedby his confessor and children, the worn-out monarch breathed his last. Little as we sympathized with the character of the royal occupant, therewas yet something touching in the stern simplicity with which hesurrounded his own domestic life. Self-abnegation must have been withhim a ruling principle. The cell of a Franciscan monk could not havebeen more severely simple and plain than that small living and sleepingapartment. 

A few statistics, as rattled off by our guide, will give the reader someidea of the vastness of the Escurial. There are sixteen open courtswithin its outer walls, eighty staircases, twelve thousand doors (?), and some three thousand windows. There are over forty altars. The mainchurch is as large as most European cathedrals, being three hundred feetlong, over two hundred wide, and three hundred and twenty feet high. Weknow of no cathedral in Italy so elaborately and beautifully finished, and yet this was only a part of the princely household of Philip II. TheEscurial is now only a show place, so to speak, of no present use exceptas a historical link and a tomb. There are a few, very few, finepaintings left within its walls, most of those which originally hunghere having been very properly removed to the Museo at Madrid. In therefectory will be noticed a choice painting by Titian, of which we are alittle surprised that no more has been said, for it is a remarkablepainting. On the same wall are two or three canvases by Velasquez, butnone by other artists of repute. On the walls of a large hall, called bythe guide the Hall of Battles, is painted a most crude and inartisticseries of pictures, only worthy of a Chinese artist, representing aseries of battles supposed to depict Spanish conquests. 

We were also shown, preserved here, a large and useless library, kept ina noble hall over two hundred feet long and fifty or sixty wide, thebooks being all arranged with their backs to the wall, so that even thetitles cannot be read, --a plan which one would say must be the device ofsome madman. The bookcases are made of ebony, cedar, orange, and otherchoice woods, and contain some sixty thousand volumes. What possiblehistoric wealth may here lie concealed, --what noble thoughts and mindsembalmed! In the domestic or dwelling portion of the Escurial theapartments are very finely inlaid with various woods on the doors, dado, and on the floors; besides which they contain some delicate antiquefurniture of great beauty, finished mostly in various patterns of inlaidwoods. A few cabinet pictures are seen upon the walls, and one or twolarge hall-like apartments are hung with tapestry, which, althoughcenturies old, is perfect in texture and the freshness of the colors. Itmight have come from the Gobelins' factory during this present year ofour Lord, and it could not be brighter or more perfect. 

The grounds surrounding the structure are laid out, on the south side, in pleasant gardens, where fountains, flowers, and a few inferior marblestatues serve for external finish. On the outside, high up above thedome, is seen the famous plate of gold, an inch thick, containing someten square feet of surface, and forming a monument of the bravado andextravagance of Philip II. , who put it there in reply to the assertionof his enemies that he had financially ruined himself in building socostly a palace. We may expect one of these days to hear of its havingbeen taken down and coined into shining doubloons. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

 From Madrid to Burgos. --Through a Barren Country. --The Cathedral of Burgos. --Monastery of Miraflores. --Local Pictures. --A Spanish Inn. --Convent of Las Huelgas. --From Burgos to San Sebastian. --Northern Spain. --A Spanish Watering Place. --Bayonne. --Lower Pyrenees. --Biarritz. --A Basque Postilion. --A Pleasant Drive. --On Leaving Spain. --Sunday and Balloons at Bordeaux. --On to Paris. --Antwerp and its Art Treasures. --Embarking for America. --End of the Long Journey. 

From Madrid northward to Burgos is a little less than two hundred miles, yet a whole day was consumed in the transit by rail. The general aspectof the country was that of undulating plains, barren and arid, withouttrees, houses, or signs of animal life, sometimes for long and wearydistances. Now and then a small herd of goats, and here and there a hut, or a group of miserable hovels, worthy of India, came into view, followed by a hilly, half-mountainous district, but yet solitary as adesert. Regarding natural beauty of scenery, Spain, as a whole, offersless attraction than any other European country. Its vegetation, exceptin the southern provinces, is of the sterile class; its trees, sparse, of poor development, and circumscribed in variety. Even the grass isstunted and yellow. Such a condition of vegetable life accounts for theabsence of singing-birds, or, indeed, of any birds at all, in wholedistricts of the country. The traveler must be content with historicalmonuments, which are numerous and striking, and with the strange recordsattached to many of them. Antiquity consecrates many things which intheir prime must have been intolerable. The sight of old sleepy cities, ancient churches, cathedrals, and deserted convents, must oftencompensate for an indifferent supper and a hard bed. 

Since the days of Ferdinand and Isabella, Spain has emulated China inher stand-still policy. Perhaps these facts are very generally realized, and hence so few people, comparatively, visit the country, but it is aserious mistake for those who can afford the time and money not to doso. There is quite enough legitimate attraction to repay any intelligentperson for all the annoyances and trouble which are necessarilyencountered. It was past midnight when we arrived at the railroadstation at Burgos, where, having telegraphed from Madrid, a very dirtyomnibus was in waiting to take us to the hotel. How that vehicle didsmell of garlic, stale tobacco, and accumulated filth, to which the odorof an ill-trimmed kerosene lamp added its pungent flavor. But we weresoon set down before the hotel, where there was not a light to be seen, every one, servants and all, being sound asleep. An entrance beingfinally achieved, the baggage was passed in, and rooms assigned to us. As hunger is the best sauce for supper, so fatigue makes evenindifferent lodgings acceptable; and we were soon half-dreaming of thefamiliar legends and history of Burgos, --how centuries ago a knight ofCastile, Diego Porcelos, had a lovely daughter, named Sulla Bella, whomhe gave as a bride to a German cavalier, and together they founded thisplace and fortified it. They called it Burg, a fortified place, henceBurgos. We thought of the Cid and his gallant war-horse, Baveica; ofEdward I. , of the richly endowed cathedral, and the old monastery whererest Juan II. And Isabella of Portugal, in their alabaster tomb. Butgradually these visions faded, growing less and less distinct, untilentire forgetfulness settled over our roving thoughts. 

The first impression of Burgos upon the stranger is that of quaintness. It is a damp, cold, dead-and-alive place, with but three monumentsreally worthy of note; namely, the unrivaled cathedral, its Cartujanmonastery, and its convent of Huelgas; and yet there is a tinge of theGotho-Castilian period about its musty old streets and archways scarcelyequaled elsewhere in Spain, and which one would not like to have missed. The most amusing experience possible, on arriving in such a place, is to start off in the early morning without any fixed purpose asto destination, and wander through unknown streets, lanes, andarchways, coming out upon a broad square--the Plaza Mayor, forinstance--containing a poor bronze statue of Charles III. ; thence toanother with a tall stone fountain in the centre, where a motley groupof women and young girls are filling their jars with water; and againthrough a dull dark lane, coming upon the lofty gate of Santa Maria, erected by Charles V. , and ornamented with statues of the Cid, FernandoGonzales, and the Emperor; thence on once more to some other square, which proves to be full of busy groups of men, women, and donkeys, gathered about piles of produce. Ah! this is the vegetable market, always a favorite morning resort in every new locality. How animated arethe eager sellers and buyers, expending marvelous force overtransactions involving half a dozen onions or a few knock-kneed turnips. What a study do their bright expressive faces afford, how gay thevaried colors of dress and vegetation, how ringing the Babel of tongues, the braying of donkeys, the cackle of ducks and hens in their coops. Allways are new, and many local peculiarities strike the eye, untilpresently, by some instinct, one comes out again at the starting-point. 

Our stopping place at Burgos was the Fonda de Rafaela, a hotel with agood name, but with regard to the food supplied to the guests the lesssaid the better. There was one peculiarity of this Spanish inn which wastoo constantly present not to impress us, namely, the extraordinarycharacter and variety of "smells, " which were quite overpowering. Theprincipal stench arose from bad drainage, besides which there was auniversal mustiness. But one should not be too fastidious. Comfort isbest promoted by avoiding a spirit of captiousness in traveling, notonly in Spain, but upon life's entire journey. Opposite the Fonda deRafaela was a long line of infantry barracks, and, consequently, we hadplenty of the sort of music--fife and drum--which naturally accompaniesmilitary drill and company movements. There seems to be, not only herebut all through the southern cities, an effort made to keep up thediscipline and standard of the army, as well as its numbers; but it wasobservable that most of the private soldiers, especially in Madrid, weremerely boys of sixteen or seventeen years of age. Burgos, like Cordova, is overrun with priests and beggars, who go as naturally together ascause and effect. 

The cathedral, which the Emperor Charles V. Said ought to be placedunder a glass, would alone be sufficient to render the town famous, inspite of its dullness and desolation, being one of the largest, finest, and most richly endowed of all the Spanish churches. Neither that ofToledo or Granada will compare with it in splendor or elaborate finish;and when we remember how much Spain surpasses Italy, as regards hercathedrals, the force of this remark will be realized. The loftystructure, like that at Antwerp, is packed behind a cluster of inferiorbuildings, so as to seriously detract from its external effect; thoughon the opposite side of the river Arlanzon a favorable view is obtainedof its graceful, open-worked spires, so light and symmetrical, "spireswhose silent fingers point to heaven, " and its lofty, corrugated roof. The columns and high arches of the interior are a maze of architecturalbeauty, in pure Gothic. In all these Spanish cathedrals the choircompletely blocks up the centre of the interior, so that nocomprehensive general view can be had; an incongruous architecturalarrangement which is found nowhere else, and which as nearly ruins theeffect of the Toledo, Cordova, and Granada cathedrals as it is possibleto do. Above the space between the altar and the choir rises a cupola, which, in elaborate ornamentation of bas-reliefs, statues, smallcolumns, arches, and sculpture, exceeds anything of the sort we canrecall elsewhere. The hundred and more carved stalls of the choir are inchoice walnut, and are a great curiosity as an example of wood-carving, presenting human figures, vines, fantastic animals, and foliage, exquisitely delineated. The several chapels are as large as ordinarychurches, while in the centre of each lies buried a bishop or a prince. The great number of statues and paintings, scattered through theinterior of the cathedral, are almost as confusing as the pinnacled roofof that at Milan, whose beauty disappears amid accumulation, and one isliable to come away more wearied than satisfied. In the sacristy theattendant showed us many curious relics of great intrinsic value, butwhich were priceless, in his estimation, from their presumedassociations. The well-known carving of Christ on the Cross was shown tous, which devout believers are told was carved by Nicodemus just afterhe had buried the Saviour. The credulous sacristan, unless his facedeceived us, believed that this effigy perspires every Friday; that itactually bleeds at certain times; and that it has performed miracles. The beard and hair are the natural article, and so are the brows andeyelashes, giving a disagreeable effect to the image. 

The monastery of Miraflores, a rich and prosperous establishment beforethe suppression of religious communities in Spain, is now quitedeserted, but of considerable interest as containing the famous tomb ofJuan II. And Isabella of Portugal. The old Gothic chapel has, in thesingularly elaborate and minutely sculptured sarcophagus standing beforethe altar, a grand example of delicate and artistic workmanship inalabaster. The two representative figures are raised about six feetabove the floor of the chapel, on a pedestal of the samesubstance, --pure white alabaster, --the whole being ornamented withfigures of saints, angels, birds, fruits, and graceful vines. Thesupports of the corners of the octagon base are sixteen lions, two ateach angle, all executed with infinite perfection of detail. Theremarkable imitation of embroidered lace upon the reclining figures, with the indented cushions and robes, are admirable. We were glad tolearn the sculptor's name, Gil de Siloe. Sad and solemn was theatmosphere surrounding the old monastery, now in charge of two or threeaged brothers of the Carthusian order, who pointed out, as we passedinto the open air, among the rank weeds, shaded by sombre cypresses, thegraves of some four hundred of their departed brothers, whose bodies laythere without a stone or name to mark their last resting-place. Thusthese men had lived humble and forgotten, and so they sleep, "afterlife's fitful fever, " among the weeds. 

From this interesting spot we drove to the convent known as Las Huelgas, founded by the wife of Alonzo VIII. , daughter of Henry II. , and sisterof Richard Coeur de Lion. This large establishment, situated on theother side of the Arlanzon, and nearer to the city than Miraflores, isreached by a pleasant avenue of trees, and is surrounded by well-laidout gardens. Though it is a nunnery, and has its body of completelyisolated, self-immolated nuns, still there is not the dead and forgottenaspect about it which so characterized the old monastery we had justleft. To gain entrance here, the devotee must bring with her a dowry, and also be born of noble blood. It was within these walls that Eugénie, after losing husband and son, at first contemplated a lasting seclusion;but she was not quite prepared, it seems, to give up the allurements ofthe outside world. The church attached to the convent is of more thanordinary interest, and contains some relics highly prized by the devoutand credulous. The visitor, on being shown about the church, will belikely to observe an image of Christ in a petticoat, which is rather acaricature. The sacristan stopped us before a small grated opening, exhibiting the altar of the nunnery, where one of the devotees, in hernun's dress, was to be seen kneeling before the shrine, apparentlyengaged in prayer. Presently the kneeling figure rose slowly to herfeet, walked across the dimly-lighted chapel, and disappeared. Theexhibition was so timely, and the visitors to the church were brought tothe spot in such a business-like fashion, to say nothing of the pose andmanner of the nun, that one could not but feel that the little tableauwas gotten up for the special effect it might have upon strangers. 

In the small railroad depot of Burgos, while the slow purgatory of beingserved with tickets was endured, a traveler found fault in good SaxonEnglish as to the stupidity of such delay about trifles, and alsocomplained of having been robbed of some small article of luggage. Another Englishman, particularly disposed to palliate matters, saidthere must be some mistake about it; he had been here before, and thepeople of Burgos were proverbially honest. By and by a great excitementwas apparent on the platform, when it came to light that the apologistand indorser of the good people here was declaring that a leather straphad been purloined from his trunk, between the hotel and the depot, andthe contents of his hat-box abstracted. What was to be done? The enginewas screeching forth the starting signal with unwonted vigor, and therewas no time to be lost. He who had spoken so favorably of the localpopulation a few moments before, was now red in the face with anger andimproper language. He had barely time to get into his seat before thetrain moved onward, and doubtless left his trust in humanity behind himwith the stolen property. It was only an instance of misplacedconfidence; and thus we bid farewell to the sleepy but picturesque oldcity. 

From Burgos to San Sebastian, still northward, is a hundred and fiftymiles by rail, but Spanish dispatch requires ten hours for the trip. Itwas a beautiful, soft, sunny day, full of the spirit and promise ofearly spring. The fruit trees were in blossom, the green fields strewnwith wild flowers; flocks of grazing sheep were constantly in sight, andmen and women busy with field labor, the red petticoats and white capsof the latter forming charming bits of color against the greenbackground. Sparkling water-courses, with here and there a fall givingpower to some rickety old stone mill, added variety to the shiftingscenery. On the not far-off hills were veritable castles, borderfortresses in ruins, whose gray, moss-covered towers had borne witnessto the conflicts of armor-clad warriors in the days of Castilianknighthood and glory. What enchantment hangs about these rudebattlements, "rich with the spoils of time!" In looking back upon theancient days it is fortunate that the mellowing influence of time dimsthe vision, and we see down the long vista of years as through asoftening twilight, else we should behold such harshness as would arousemore of ire than of admiration. The olden time, like the landscape, appears best in the purple distance. 

The general aspect of the country, since we left Malaga in the extremesouth, had been rather disappointing, and the rural appearance on thisbeautiful trip from Burgos to San Sebastian was therefore appreciated. It should be called the garden of Spain, the well-watered plains andvalleys being spread with carpets of exquisite verdure. In the fardistance one could detect snow-clad mountains, which, in fact, were notout of sight during the entire trip. Thousands of acres were covered bythe vine, already well advanced, and from the product of which comes thesherry wine of commerce. The vineyards were interspersed with fields ofripening grain. Wheat and wine! Or, as the Spaniards say: "The staff oflife and life itself. " It was impossible not to feel a sense of elationat the delightful scenery and the genial atmosphere on this early Aprilday. Nature seemed to be in her merriest mood, clothing everything inpoetical attire, rendering beautiful the little gray hamlets on thehill-sides, dominated by square bell-towers, about which the red-tiledcottages clustered. Outside of these were family groups sitting in thewarm sunshine, some sewing, some spinning, while children tumbled andplayed in the inviting grass. We had seen nothing like this for many aday--certainly not in Spain. Presently we came up to the loftysnow-capped mountains, which had for a while ranged just ahead of us, when one of them seemed suddenly to open a wide mouth at its base as ifto swallow the train. In it rushed puffing and snorting through a darktunnel nearly a mile long, until at last we emerged on the opposite sideof the mountain into a scene of great beauty, overlooking a valleyworthy of Japan. Far up towards the blue sky was the snow under which wehad been hidden in the darkness of the tunnel, while in this lower rangewe were surrounded with verdure and bloom. Here were graceful trees, smiling bits of landscape, flocks of sheep, tumbling cascades, sogrouped and mingled as to seem like a theatrical effect rather thannature. 

We came into San Sebastian in the early twilight; a somewhat famouswatering-place on the boisterous Bay of Biscay, drawing its patronagelargely from Madrid, though of late both English and Americans haveresorted thither. It is a small city, but the thriftiest and mostbusiness-like to be found in Spain when its size is considered. Theplace was entirely destroyed by fire when captured from the French bythe English, --a piece of sanguinary work which cost the latter fivethousand men. It was on this occasion that Wellington is reported tohave said: "The next dreadful thing to a battle lost is a battle won. "The dwellings are modern and handsome, the streets broad and well paved, the squares ornamented by shrubbery and fountains, and the drives in theenvirons and on the beach are very inviting. In short San Sebastian is amodel watering-place for summer resort with several good hotels. It willbe remembered that Wellington fought some severe battles in thisvicinity in 1813. On the way from Burgos the battle-field of Vittoriawas pointed out, where the French army was thoroughly routed. TheSpanish government has made a miniature Gibraltar of San Sebastian. Overlooking the harbor is a lofty fortification which commands the townand all of its approaches. From the fort, which costs a good climb toreach, a very fine view is obtained of a broad extent of country. Wholeblocks of new buildings were in course of construction, and SanSebastian seemed to be preparing for a large summer business. Seen froma short distance, as one approaches in the cars, the grouping of thetown, with the lofty and frowning fortification, its neat whitedwellings and undulating surface, makes a pleasing picture, standing outin bold relief against the blue sky hanging over the Bay of Biscay. 

Our next stopping-place after leaving San Sebastian was Bayonne, --thatis "The Good Port, "--about forty miles further towards the Frenchfrontier. It is a city of some thirty thousand inhabitants, located atthe junction of the Adour and Nive rivers, in the Lower Pyrenees. Here, again, the cathedral forms nearly the only attraction to strangers;though very plain, and with little architectural pretension, still it isgray, old, and crumbling, plainly telling the story of its age. The cityhas considerable commerce by the river, both in steam and sailingvessels, and exports a very respectable amount of domestic products. Most continental cities have their Jews' quarter, --the Ghetto, as it iscalled; but in Bayonne the race is especially represented by thedescendants of those who escaped death at the hands of the Inquisition, in the time of Philip II. They form fully one third of the population, judging from appearances; and though not characterized by neatness orcleanliness, their quarter is the home of numerous rich men. They haveretained their old Spanish and Portuguese names and fortunes. Many ofthe Jewish capitalists of London, Paris, and Havre, are from Bayonne. There is a decided difference in the manners and the dress of the peoplefrom those of Spain generally, being more like those of the BasqueProvinces, to which it belongs geographically. 

Here one sees the palace where Catherine de Medici and the Duke of Albaplanned the terrible massacre of the Huguenots. In and about the citysome very pleasant drives may be enjoyed. A large, well-shaded publicgarden commences just at the city gates and extends along the left bankof the Adour. It will occur to the reader that the familiar militaryweapon, the bayonet, got its name from Bayonne, having been invented, or rather discovered, here. It seems that a Basque regiment, during anengagement with the Spaniards near this spot, had entirely exhaustedtheir ammunition; but fixing their long knives in the muzzles of theirguns, they thus successfully charged on and defeated the enemy. Thelegend is mentioned, as every one must listen to it from the localguides, though--between ourselves--it is a most gross anachronism. 

We have not yet come to a conclusion as to what language our landlordspoke. He certainly understood French, though he did not attempt toexpress himself in it. It was not Spanish, that we know; therefore itmust have been Basque, the language which Noah received from Adam, if weare to believe the residents of Bayonne. An out-door fair was visited, upon an open square lying between the hotel and the harbor, where thegay colors, shooting-booths, hurdy-gurdies, drums, fifes, flags, andgames, together with a wax exhibition, representing a terrible murderand an assassin committing the deed with a poker painted red hot, allserved to remind us of a similar occasion at Tokio, in far-off Japan. Striking scenic effects came in here and there, the distant summits ofthe Pyrenees being visible beyond the mountains of Navarre. 

A drive of five miles from Bayonne took us to Biarritz, situated alittle southwest of the old city, at the lower part of the Bay ofBiscay, being the Newport of southern France. Our postilion was gottenup after the Basque fashion of his tribe, in a most fantastic shortjacket of scarlet, with little abbreviated tails, silver laced all over, and with a marvelous complement of hanging buttons. He wore astove-pipe hat with a flashing cockade, and flourished a long whip thatwould have answered for a Kaffir cattle-driver. The horses--large finespecimens of the Norman breed--were harnessed three abreast, anddecorated with many bells, while their headstalls were heavy withscarlet woolen tassels, and ornamented with large silver-plated buckles. The vehicle was a roomy, old-fashioned barouche, comfortable, but aboutas ancient as the cathedral. Altogether we looked with such unfeignedamazement at the landlord, when this queer outfit drove to the door, that he, native and to the manner born, could not suppress a broadsmile. It answered our purpose, however, and as the populace wasevidently accustomed to such florid display, we did not anticipate beingmobbed; but during the entire trip that harlequin of a driver, who wasas sober as a mute at a funeral, shared our admiration with the pleasingand varied scenery. He was a thorough native. It would have been of nouse to attempt to talk with him, for the foreigner who can speak theBasque tongue has yet to be discovered. 

Biarritz, which is in the department of the Basses-Pyrénées, yet a longway from the mountain range, was unknown to fame until Eugénie, empressof the French, built a grand villa here, and made it her summer resort;being, however, over five hundred miles from the French capital, itnever became very popular with the Parisians. The emperor and empressresorted thither annually, and, laying aside the dignity of state, wereseen daily indulging in sea-bathing. The building of the Villa Eugéniemade the fortune of Biarritz. The climate is particularly dry and warm, proving, if we may believe common report, excellent for invalids. Thehot days of summer are tempered by a sea-breeze, which blows with greatregularity inland during the day. The town is elevated, being seatedupon a bluff of the coast, and has two small bays strewn with curiouslyhoney-combed rocks, worn into the oddest of shapes by the fierce beatingof the surf for ages. Art has aided nature in the grotesque arrangementof these rocks, so as to form arches and caves of all conceivableshapes. It must present a splendid sight here in a stormy day, when thesurf breaks over the huge rocks and rushes wildly through thesecavernous passages. Such a battle between the sea and the shore would begrand to witness. The beach shelves gently, and is firm and smooth, sothat it is particularly well adapted for bathing. 

Biarritz being in nearly the same latitude as Nice and Mentone, onelooks for similar foliage and vegetation, but there are no palms, aloes, oranges, or trees of that class here. The place lacks the shelter of theMaritime Alps, which the two resorts just mentioned enjoy; but bright, sunny Biarritz will long live in the memory of the little party whom theBasque postilion drove thither and back. The late imperial residence, the Villa Eugénie, is now improved as a fashionable summer hotel. Thedrive from Bayonne to Biarritz can be made by one road, and the returnaccomplished by another. On the way back we passed through two or threemiles of thick, sweet-scented pine forest, still and shady under theafternoon sun, except for the drowsy hum of insects, and the pleasantcarol of birds. Here and there were open glades where the sun lay uponlittle beds of blue flowers of unknown name, but very like the gentian;and there were also the wild daphne and scarlet anemones. The loftytrees located on both sides of the road had been tapped for their sap, and little wooden spouts were conducting the glutinous deposit intosmall earthen jars hung on the perpendicular trunks, --reminding one ofthe mode of "milking" the toddy palms in India and Ceylon, by whichingenious means the natives obtain, a liquor which, when fermented, isas strong as the best Scotch or Irish whiskey. 

Our journey through Spain proved to be one of great and lastinginterest, although it was mingled with a sense of disappointment, not asto its historic interest, nor its unrivaled monuments "mellowed by thestealing hours of time;" but we missed the bright sunny fields ofFrance, we found none of the soft loveliness of the Italian climate orvegetation, and were ever contrasting its treeless surface withwell-wooded Belgium and Switzerland. When gazing upon its stuntedshrubbery and dry yellow grass, it was natural to recall the lovelyvalleys and plains of Japan, and even the closely-cultivated fields ofChina, where every square foot of soil contiguous to populous districtsis made to produce its quota towards the support of man. The pleasantoases to be found here and there, the exceptional bits of verdant fieldsand fertile districts which we have described, only prove what thecountry in the possession of an enterprising race might be made toproduce. Now it is little more than a land of sun and blue skies. TheSpanish people seem to be imbued with all the listlessness of those ofthe tropics, though not by the same enervating influence. Nature iswilling to meet men more than half way, even in Spain, but will not pourout there her products with the lavishness which characterizes her inthe low latitudes. The country is not composed of desolate sierras byany means, but its neglected possibilities are yet in such strongcontrast to the most of continental Europe as to lead the tourist tovery decided conclusions. The beautifully shaded avenue at Burgos alongthe Arlanzon, and the road to Miraflores forming a charming Alameda, show very plainly what can be done by planting a few hundred suitabletrees to beautify the environs of a half-ruined, mouldering, mediævalcity. It is to be hoped that those who planted these luxuriant trees mayhave lived to enjoy their grace and beauty. Under Ferdinand andIsabella, Spain was a great and thriving nation, almost beyondprecedent. Her colonial possessions rivaled those of the entire world;but her glory has vanished, and her decadence has been so rapid as to bephenomenal, until she is now so humbled there are very few to do herhonor. 

The distance from Bayonne to Bordeaux is one hundred and twenty-fivemiles, a dull and uninteresting journey, the route lying through whatseemed an interminable pine forest, so that it was a decided relief whenthe spires of this French capital came into view. Bordeaux was found tobe a much larger and finer city than we had realized. The topographicalformation is that of a crescent along the shore of the Garonne, whichhere forms a broad and navigable harbor, though it is located some sixtymiles from the sea. There were many Roman antiquities and ancientmonuments to be seen, all interesting, venerable with the wear and tearof eighteen centuries. The public buildings, commanding in theirarchitectural character, were found to be adorned with admirablesculpture and some fine paintings. The ancient part of the town hasnarrow and crooked streets, but the modern portion is open, airy, andhas good architectural display. The Grand Theatre is remarkablyeffective with its noble Ionic columns, built a little more than acentury since by Louis XVI. Bordeaux is connected by canal with theMediterranean and has considerable commerce, especially in theimportation of American whiskey, which is sent back to the United Statesand exported elsewhere as good Bordeaux brandy, after being carefullydoctored. The Sabbath was passed here, but its observance ornon-observance is like that common in Continental cities. It is a mereday of recreation, the Roman Catholic element attending mass, anddevoting the balance of the day to amusement. There were performances atall of the theatres, the stores and shops were generally open, and verylarge fine shops they are. In the afternoon two balloons were sent upfrom the Champ de Mars: one a mammoth in size, containing half a dozenpersons; the other smaller, containing but one person to manage it--alady. There were at least fifty thousand people in the great square towitness the ascension, --a very orderly and well-dressed throng. Amilitary band played during the inflating process, and the promenadersand loungers presented a gay concourse. 

There was an unmistakable aspect of business prosperity about thestreets of the city. Everybody seemed active and engaged in somepurpose. There were few loungers, and, we must make a note of it, nobeggars. It was observable that the large Norman horses used in theworking teams were sleek and fat, splendid creatures; such as RosaBonheur represents in her famous picture of the Horse Fair. What acontrast these noble, well-kept animals presented to the poor, half-starved creatures to be met with in the East, and, indeed, in onlytoo many of the European cities, --Rome, Florence, Antwerp, and Madrid. We are now approaching such familiar ground that the reader will hardlyexpect more of us than to specify the closing route of our long journey. 

From Bordeaux to Paris is about four hundred miles. As we left theformer city the road passed through miles upon miles of thrivingvineyards, those nearest to the city producing the brands of claret bestknown in the American market. The route generally all the way to Pariswas through a charming and highly cultivated country, vastly differentfrom northern and central Spain. The well-prepared fields were greenwith the spring grains and varied crops, showing high cultivation. Sheepin large flocks, tended by shepherdesses with tall white Norman caps, and picturesque, high-colored dresses, enlivened the landscape. Theseindustrious women were knitting or spinning in the field. Others weredriving oxen, while men held the plow. Gangs of men and women togetherwere working in long rows, preparing the ground for seed or planting;and all seemed cheerful, decent, and happy. The small railroad stationsrecalled those of India between Tuticorin and Madras, where thesurroundings were beautified by fragrant flower-gardens, --their bland, odorous breath acting like a charm upon the senses, amid the noise andbustle of arrival and departure. Now and again, as we progressed, thepointed architecture of some picturesque château would present itselfamong the clustering trees with its bright, verdant lawns and neatoutlying dependencies; and so we sped on, until, in the early evening, we glided into the station at Paris. 

There was a clear sky, a young moon, and a full display of the starryhosts, on the night of our arrival in this the gayest capital of theworld. Four hundred miles of unbroken travel that day, so far fromsatiating, only served to whet the appetite for observation. Ten yearshad passed since the writer had trod those familiar boulevards; and nowhastening to the Place de la Madeleine we renewed acquaintance with thenoble church which ornaments the square, the purest and grandestspecimen of architecture, of its class, extant. Thence passing a fewsteps onward, the brilliantly-lighted Place de la Concorde was reached, that spot so emblazoned in blood upon the pages of history. How themusic of the fountains mingled with the hum of the noisy throng thatfilled the streets! What associations crowded upon the mind as we stoodthere at the base of the grand old obelisk of Luxor, looming up from thecentre of the grounds. In front was the long, broad, flashing roadway ofthe Champs Elysées, one blaze of light and busy life; for Paris does notawake until after dark. Far away the Arc de Triomphe is just discernedwhere commences the Bois de Boulogne. On the left, across the Seine, isoutlined against the sky the twin towers of St. Clotilde, with theglittering dome of the Invalides; and to the eastward are seen the dualtowers of Notre Dame. The brain is stimulated as by wine, till one growsdizzy. Proceeding through the Rue Rivoli we turn towards our hotel bythe Place Vendôme, looking once more upon that vast and beautifulmonument, the finest modern column in existence, and then to bed--not tosleep, but to revel in the intoxication of that bitter-sweet--memory!

After a few weeks passed in Paris, the journey homeward was renewed byway of Antwerp, a city which owes its attraction almost solely to thefact that here are to be seen so many masterpieces of painting. Thegreat influence of Rubens can hardly be appreciated without a visit tothe Flemish capital, where he lived and died, and where his ashes restin the Church of St. Jacques. This is considered the finest church inAntwerp, remarkable for the number and richness of its private chapels. Here are the burial-places of the noble and wealthy families of thepast, and among them that of the Rubens family, which is situated justback of the high altar. Above the tomb is a large painting by thisfamous master, intended to represent a Holy Family, and the picture isin a degree typical of the idea. But its object is also well understoodas being to perpetuate a series of likenesses of the Rubens family;namely, of himself, his two wives, his daughter, his father, andgrandfather. The painting is incongruous, and in bad taste, being quiteopen also to criticism in its drawing and grouping. The whole productionappears like a forced and uncongenial effort. Vandyke and Teniers werealso natives of this city, where their best works still remain, andwhere the State has erected fitting monuments to their memory. Jordeans, the younger Teniers, and Denis Calvart, the master of Guido Reni, werenatives here. 

The famous cathedral, more picturesque and remarkable for its exteriorthan interior, is of the pointed style, and of about a century in age. Did it not contain Rubens' world-renowned pictures, the Descent fromthe Cross, the Elevation of the Cross, and the Assumption, few peoplewould care to visit it. A gorgeous church ceremony was in progress whenwe first entered the church: some one of the three hundred andsixty-five saints receiving an annual recognition on the occasion of hisbirthday. A score of priests were marching about the body of the churchat the head of a long procession of boys, with silk banners and burningcandles, chanting all the while to an organ accompaniment. On theborders of this procession the people knelt and seemed duly impressed. 

The patter of wooden shoes upon the streets is almost deafening tostrangers, men, women, and children adding to the din. Probably it isfound to be cheaper to take a block of wood and hew out a pair of shoesfrom it, fit to wear, than to adopt a more civilized mode of shoeing thepeople; but these heavy clogs give to the inhabitants an awkward gait. In all of the older portions of the town, the houses have a queer way ofstanding with their gable ends to the street, just as they are addictedto doing at Amsterdam and Hamburg, showing it to be a Dutch proclivity. Dogs are universally used here for light vehicles in place ofdonkeys, --one or more being attached to each vehicle adapted to thetransportation of milk or bread and other light articles. These areattended by boys or women. Beggars there are none, to the credit of thecity be it said; nor is one importuned by hackmen or other publicservants; all are ready to serve you, but none to annoy you. Antwerp hassome fine broad squares, avenues, public gardens, and noble trees. 

Belgium is a nation of blondes, in strong contrast with its nearneighbor, France, where the brunettes reign supreme. It is singular thatthere should be such a marked difference in communities, differences asdefinite as geographical boundaries, and seemingly governed by rulesquite as arbitrary. Why should a people's hair, eyes, and complexion bedark or light, simply because an imaginary line divides themterritorially? No one for a moment mistakes a German for a Frenchman, anAntwerp lady for a Parisian. The very animals seem to partake of theselocal characteristics, while the manners and customs are equallyindividualized. The French women of all classes put on their attire witha dainty grace that contrasts strongly with the careless, though cleanlycostume of their sisters over the border. Æsthetic taste, indeed, wouldseem almost out of place displayed upon the square, solidly-built womenof Flanders. Is it imagination, or can one really trace somewhat of thesame idea in Flora's kingdom? The Dutch roses, tulips, and otherflowers, like the naval architecture of the Low Countries, have acertain breadth of beam and bluntness of prow that makes them differfrom the same fragrant family of France. Has any learned essayist everattempted to draw philosophical deductions from these aspects of thevegetable world, as showing local kinship to humanity?

Embarking from Antwerp, July 14th, on board the Steamship Waesland, ofthe Red Star Line, New York was reached after a voyage of twelve days, July 24th, and Boston by the Shore Line the same evening, coming in atthe opposite side of the city whence we started a little more than tenmonths previous; having thus, in a journey of about forty thousandmiles, completed a circuit of the globe.