Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/205

 ing bridge to Beaumont’s Hotel, within the “civil lines” where the English officials reside.

Alongside the bridge I apticed two els- phants fording tae river and spirting the water about with their trusks in great glee, to the infinite disgust, is scemed, of their black drivers, who, seated just back of their necks, prodded them en with their iron- tupped poles.

Along the banks of the rapid ptream I eounted over thirty flatbasts Isden with cotton, their bows fastened to the bank, a3 ene ssea them in Memphis or Nashyills, Their freight, brought down from the up country, ia here transferred to the railway for Calcutta or Bombay.

The three principal objects of interes’ In Agra are tha Fort, Akbar’a ‘Tomb and the Taj, the last named built by Shah—Jenan, ahont twe hundred years age, a6 the Mauso- loom of big fevorite wifo Noar Jehan, or the “ight of the world,” who iseaid to have bean of surpassing beauty. (Here let m2 say that in Hindoostanee words the letter a always hasthe broad scund, as if followed by r.) Besides these, at Pettehpore, twenty- four miles distant, are the magnificent ruins af a favorite residence of the Emperor Akbar, which he deserted at the instigation of a Musgulman ascetic, who pasaed for a sainé, and who complained that his devo- tions Were interfered with by the bustle of a city and the esiettes of the court, Akbar therefore built the city of Agra upon what wasthen an wupecpled weate. The cours snd townd-pseple removed thither, and Péttehpore, with 4 msezive palace, its nahie residences and jts dexsried streeta, remaing to this day 2 monument of the splendor and wealth of ite folader, ands teatimony to the despotic power which a reputation for sanchty bas in all sgea vonferred, Aa a journey to thie place could only be msdeia a Dak Gharry, and would occupy twa days time, I left it out of my programme.

My frat visit was to the Fort, the wails of which built of huge slocks of red sandstone, are sixty feet in height, with macchiela- ted battlements, anda mile and a half in length. 16 was considered of enormous strength when it was built, three hundred Years ago, and the arrangement of its trav erses, covered passages and inner bastions, every approach being commanded by guns, shows that the engineers of those days were well skilled in the art of fortification, it contains the Arsenal, Akbar’s palace, and