Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/182

 fine-looking snd very intelligent young man who was educated at the Queens’ College in thatcity. He wrote his ramein a Sanserit book which he gave me as “Shiva Dotta, Pundit.” He langhed st the enperstition othbiscountrymen and professed to disbe- lieve In Brahmo and in his namesake Shire,, bot Leonid not make out that in objuring Paganism he kad embraced Christianity. Like many Hindous who have been educated above the religion of their ancestara he was skeptical, and had xo religion or theology of any kind to speak of.

This city has been over a century wader therulo of the English, but it haschanged leas than any other large place in India. The most intense bigotry and superstition yules everywhere supreme. The inhabi- tants are almost exclusively Hindoos who support hundred ef temples, while the Mohamedang hays bus one great Mosque whose stately minarets mark the triumpi: of the crescent over the object and super- stitous Dindoos. Ag waredsa throngh the suburbs we passed nundrede of women atep- ping gracefully slong, bearing water jugs en their heads, while many others were ezawded ground the well waiting their torn to dip the bright copper cang holding about 4 quart, which every Hindoo carries, into the water to fill their joge. They kept up 8 coutinusl clatter like s0 many mag- pies, shouting and geshenlating in the most excited manner. A. true Hindoo when not asleep, is always talking or playing on the tom tom.

The grest sight in Benares ia the river front, which is lined with palaces, temples, and ghanie for two miles, and where the Windsa pilgrims coma from s]i over India to wash in the sacred river. Adriveof bal! an hen brought us to the Ganges at the upper end of the city. Oa the way we Blopped 10 sea the famous “Monkey Tem— ple,” where swartas of huge, fat-paunched, yollow-headed holy monkeys fill the en- closure, hang fram roofs, are strung along every beam, and grin ab you from all sides. Before we reached their temple we tet the outposts rnaving slong the walls keeping alongside our gharry, and jumping down tosecure the handfulls of parched peas thrown to them by my guide, Inside the temple aud around the large sacred tank acjaining, sre many thousands of these fat, weil-fed fellows from the venerable pa- iriareh to the “babe in its mother's arms.” They are cunning, mischievous and quite