Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/28

 CHAPTER XXVII.

THE BRAHMANICAL THREAD.

1834, June.

The Janao—The Fakir—The Fair—Pūja of the Cow—Cusa Grass—The Flying Fox—Air Plants—Musk Deer—Nāg-panchamī—The Snake—The Pinnace—City of Allahabad—The Pillar in the Fort—Sealing-wax—Butea Frondosa—The Dewālī—The Bower—Climbers and Creepers—The Humming Birds—The Pellet Bow—White Ants—Chintz—The Horseradish Tree—The Ichneumon—The Garden—The Bouquet—Cold Mornings for Hunting—The Moustache     304

CHAPTER XXVIII.

PILGRIMAGE TO THE TĀJ.

1834, December.

The Seagull—The Patelī—Chapātīs—Sujawan Deota—Burriaree Rocks—Thieves—Parbosa—Temple of Parisnāth—Darogahs—Utility of a Pellet-bow—The Cane River—The Leak—A Storm—Kalpee—Belaspoor—Alligators in their own Wildernesses—River Shells—Passage through the Rocks—A Pilot—Badowra—Fossil-bones—The Chumbal River—Bhurrage—Burning the Dead—A Woman Drowned—Cutting through a Sandbank on a Chain Cable—A Leak—White Ants—Picturesque Scenes—A Tufān—The Mem Sāhiba's Speech—River Dogs—Presents of Sweetmeats     321

CHAPTER XXIX.

PILGRIMAGE TO THE TĀJ.

1835, January.

Etaweh—Moonlight Ride—The Wolves—Bird-catchers—Peacocks—The Bar of Sand—The Good Luck of the Mem Sāhiba—Narangee Ghāt—Betaizor—The Silk-cotton Tree—Fields of the Cotton Plant—The Chakwā Chukwaee—Eloquence of a Dhobee—Aladīnpoor—Noon, or Loon—Modelling in Khuree—Cotton Boats—The Ulāk—Vessels on the River—Plantations of the Castor Oil Plant—Cutting through a Sandbank—First Sight of the Tāj—Porcupines—Bissowna—Quitted the Pinnace—Arrival at Agra     336

CHAPTER XXX.

THE TĀJ MAHUL.

1835, January.

The Tāj Mahul—Arzumund Bānoo—Shāhjahān—The Screen—The Echo of the Dome—Momtâza Zumâni—Her Sons and Daughters—Asaf-jāh—Noormāhul—Ruins of the second Tāj—Offerings at the