with the salient events. The besieged were admirably handled by
competent officers and they beat off repeated attacks by the mutineers
(who outnumbered them more than one hundred to one). Lawrence was
fatally wounded on July the second and died two days later. In September
General Havelock, after desperate fighting, made his way into Lucknow,
but his force was so small that only fifteen hundred men were added to
the garrison. It was not until November the seventeenth that the
garrison was finally relieved by the union of forces under Havelock and
Outram and Sir Colin Campbell. Never in the history of warfare has a
garrison had to endure greater hardships than that of Lucknow. Incessant
attacks by night and day kept the small force worn out by constant guard
duty and, to add to their miseries, intense heat was made more merciless
by swarms of flies. When one bears in mind that the Indian summer brings
heat of from one hundred and ten to one hundred and forty degrees it may
be seen how great was the courage of the garrison that could fight
bravely and cheerfully under such heavy odds. The memorial tablets at
Lucknow, Delhi, Cawnpore and other places bear witness to this heroism
of the British soldier during the mutiny, but you do not fully
appreciate this splendid courage until you see the country and feel the
power of its sun.
Cawnpore, which is only three hours' ride from Lucknow, is another city
of India that recalls the saddest tragedy of the mutiny. Here it was
that bad judgment of the general in charge led to great suffering and
the final butchery of all except a few of the residents. Sir Hugh
Wheeler, a veteran officer, wisely doubted the fidelity of the Sepoys
and decided to establish a place where he could store supplies and
assure a safe asylum for the women and children; but, instead of
selecting the magazine, which was on the river and had strong walls, he
actually went down two miles in a level plain and threw up earth
entrenchments. This he did because he said he feared to excite the
suspicion of the Sepoys and thus incite them to revolt. The result was
disastrous, for the earth walls that he raised furnished poor protection
and the place was raked by the native artillery and small arms from
every point of the compass. A worse place to defend could not have been
chosen, but the twenty officers and two hundred men held it against a
horde of mutinous natives for twenty days of blazing heat. The only
water for the little garrison was obtained under severe fire of the
enemy from a well sixty feet deep.
Finally, when the supply of provisions was nearly exhausted, General
Wheeler agreed to surrender to the Nana Sahib, provided the men were
allowed to carry arms and ammunition and boats were furnished for safe
conduct down the river. Of course, the Nana accepted these terms, but it
seems incredible that a veteran army officer should have trusted the
lives of women and children to Sepoys who were as cruel as our own
Apaches. The little garrison, with the wounded, the women and the
children, was escorted down to the river and placed on barges. But when
the order was given to push off, the treacherous Sepoys grounded the
boats in the mud and the gunners of Nana Sahib opened fire on the
barges. The grape shot set fire to the matting of the barges and many of
the wounded were smothered. One boat escaped down the river, but the
survivors were captured after several days of hardship, the men murdered
and the women and children brought back to Cawnpore. The men in the
other boats who survived were shot, but one hundred and twenty-five
women and children were returned to Cawnpore as prisoners. They spent
seven anxious days and then when Nana Sahib saw he could not hold
Cawnpore any longer he ordered the Sepoys to shoot the English women and
children. To the credit of these mutineers they refused to obey orders
and fired into the ceiling of the wretched rooms where the prisoners
were lodged. Then Nana Sahib sent for five butchers and these men, with
their long knives, murdered the helpless victims of this monster of
cruelty. On the following morning the bodies of dead and dying were cast
into the well at Cawnpore. On the site of this well has been raised a
costly memorial surmounted by a marble angel of the resurrection. The
design is not impressive, but no one can see it without pity for the
unfortunates who were delivered into the hands of the most atrocious
character of modern times. The Memorial Church at Cawnpore, which cost
one hundred thousand dollars, contains a series of tablets to those who
fell in the mutiny.
THE TAJ MAHAL, THE WORLD'S LOVELIEST BUILDING
Agra is chiefly noteworthy for the Taj Mahal, which is acknowledged to
be the most beautiful building in the world; though the city would be
worthy of a visit because of the many splendid mosques and palaces built
by the great Mogul emperors and others. In fact, Agra was the capital of
the Mohammedan empire in north India until Aurungzeb moved it
permanently to Delhi; hence the city is rich in specimens of the best
Moslem work in forts, palaces, mosques and tombs.
Agra has about two hundred thousand population. It is on the Jumna river
and is almost equally distant from Calcutta and Bombay, eight hundred
and forty-two miles from the former and eight hundred and forty-nine
miles from the latter. It will impress any traveler by its cleanliness
when compared with Calcutta, Benares or Lucknow. The land seems to be
more fertile than that around any of these three cities and the standard
of living higher. The shops are clean and bright and a specialty is made
of gold and silver embroidery and imitation of the old Mohammedan inlay
work in marble. Most of the fine Moslem architecture is found inside the
ancient fort, which, with its massive wall, is in a good state of
preservation.
The Taj Mahal may be seen many times without losing any of its charm. It
is reached by a short drive from the city and its beautiful dome and
minarets may be seen from many parts of Agra and its suburbs. This tomb,
built of white marble, was erected by Shah Jehan, the chief builder
among the Mogul Emperors of India, in memory of his favorite wife,
Arjmand Banu. She married Shah Jehan in 1615 and died fourteen years
after, as she was giving birth to her eighth child. Shah Jehan, who had
already built many fine palaces and mosques, determined to perpetuate
her memory for all time by erecting the finest tomb in the world. So he
planned the Taj, which required twenty-two years and twenty million
dollars to build; but so well was the work done that nearly three
hundred years have left little trace on its walls or its splendid
decorations.
This Mogul despot, who knew many women, spent an imperial fortune in
fashioning this noblest memorial to love ever built by the hand of man.
Incidentally he probably sacrificed twenty thousand coolies, for he
built the Taj by forced labor, the same kind that reared the pyramids
and carved the sphinx. All the material was brought from great
distances. The white marble came from Jeypore and was hauled in bullock
carts or carried by elephants; the jasper came from the Punjab, the jade
from China and the precious stones from many parts of Central Asia, from
Thibet to Arabia.
The Emperor summoned the best architects and workers in precious stones
of his time and asked them for designs. It is evident that many hands
united in the plans of the building, but history gives the credit for
the main design to a Persian. An Italian architect lent aid in the
ornamentation and three inlaid flowers are shown to-day as specimens of
his work. The building itself is only a shadow of its former
magnificence--for the many alien conquerors of India have despoiled in
it in succession, taking away the solid silver gates, the diamonds,
rubies, sapphires and other precious stones from the flower decorations,
and even the gold and silver from the mosaic work. All the precious
stones looted by vandal hands have been restored by imitations, which
closely resemble the priceless originals. Restorations have also been
made where the marble has been defaced or broken.
The Taj stands in the midst of a great garden, laid out with so much
skill that from any part of its many beautiful walks fine views may be
had of the dome and the minarets. This garden is planted to many
tropical trees and flowering shrubs whose foliage brings out in high
relief the beauty of the flawless marble tomb. The main gateway of the
garden, built of red sandstone, would be regarded as a splendid work of
art were it not for the superior beauty of the tomb itself. The gate is
inlaid in white marble with inscriptions from the Koran, and it is
surmounted by twenty little marble cupolas.
Once inside the gate the beauty and the majesty of the Taj strike one
like a physical blow. Simple as is the design, so perfectly has it been
wrought out that the building gives the impression of the last word in
delicate and unique ornamentation. The white marble base on which the
building rests is three hundred and thirteen feet square and rises
eighteen feet from the ground. The tomb itself is one hundred and
eighty-six feet square, with a dome that rises two hundred and twenty
feet above the base. At each corner of the base is a graceful minaret of
white marble one hundred and thirty-seven feet high. Although no color
is used on the exterior, the decoration is so rich as to prevent all
monotony.
[Illustration:
Front View of the Taj
Mahal, Agra. This
Unusual View
Was Taken by Mr.
Isaac O. Upham From
the Level of the Main
Approach. It Throws
Into Strong Relief
the Two Lines of
Cypresses and Gives
a Perfect Reproduction
of the Taj in the
Winter]
In every detail the Taj satisfies the eye, with the single exception of
the work on the minarets. The squares of marble that cover these
minarets are laid in dark-colored mortar which brings out strongly each
stone. It would have lent more softness to these minarets had the
individual stones not been revealed, an effect that could have been
secured by using white mortar. When the shades of evening fall these
minarets are far more beautiful than by day, as they are softened by the
wiping out of the lines about the stones. Under the strong light of the
noonday sun the marble that covers the dome shows various shades ranging
from light gray to pearly white, but by the soft evening light all these
colors are merged and the dome looks like a huge soap bubble resting
light as foam on the body of the tomb.
A front photograph of the Taj gives a good idea of its effect. Standing
at the portal of the main entrance one gets the superb effect of the
marble pathway that borders the two canals in which the building is
mirrored. Midway across this pathway is a broad, raised marble platform,
with a central fountain, from which the best view of the building may be
secured. The path on each side from this platform to the main stairway
is bordered by a row of cypress and back of these are great mango trees
at least twenty feet high. These should be removed and smaller trees
substituted, as they interfere seriously with a perfect view of the
tomb.
From this platform the eye rests on the Taj with a sense of perfect
satisfaction that is given by no other building I have ever seen. The
very simplicity of the design aids in this effect. It seems well nigh
impossible that a mere tomb of white marble should convey so vivid an
impression of completeness and majesty, yet at the same time that every
detail should suggest lightness and delicacy. The little cupolas below
the dome as well as the pinnacles of the minarets add to this effect of
airy grace.
When one ascends the steps to the main door he begins to perceive the
secret of this effect on the senses. Everything is planned for harmony
and proportion. The pointed arch, of which all Moslem architects were
enamored, is shown in the main doorway and in the principal windows of
the front. This doorway rises almost to the full height of the tomb and
on each side are recessed windows, with beautifully pointed tops.
All the angles and spandrels of the building are inlaid with precious
stones as well as with texts from the Koran. In the center of the
building is an octagonal chamber, twenty-four feet on each side, with
various rooms around it devoted to the imperial tombs. A dome,
fifty-eight feet in diameter, rises to a height of eighty feet, beneath
which, inclosed by a trellis-work screen of white marble, are the tombs
of the Favorite of the Palace and of the great Emperor. The Emperor,
with a touch of the Oriental despot, has made his tomb a little larger
than that of the woman whom he honored in this unique fashion. The
delicate tracery in marble, so characteristic of Mogul work of the
sixteenth century, is seen here at its best, as well as the inlays of
the lotus and other flowers in sapphire, turquoise and other stones. The
effect is highly decorative and at the same time chaste and subdued. A
feature which impresses every visitor is the remarkable trellis work in
marble. A solid slab of marble, about six feet by four and about two
inches in thickness, is used as a panel. This is cut out into many
designs that remind one of fine old lace. These panels abound in every
important room of the Taj.
The Taj has suffered little serious damage from the conquerors who
successively despoiled it of its wealth of precious stones. The places
of these jewels have been supplied with imitations which are almost as
effective as the originals. In a few instances the marble has been
chipped or broken, but, through the generosity of Lord Curzon, these
blemishes have been removed, and the whole structure exists to-day
almost as it did three hundred years ago when Akbar's grandson completed
it and found it good.
The Taj should be seen by day and again at nightfall. In the full glare
of the brilliant Indian sun the dome and the minarets stand out with
extraordinary clearness, yet the lightness and buoyancy of the dome is
not injured by the fierce light. Seen at sundown the Taj is at its best.
All the lines are softened; the minarets and the perfect dome give an
appearance of lightness and grace not of this world; they suggest the
cloud-capped towers and gorgeous palaces of the poet's vision. As the
afterglow fades, the Taj takes on an air of mystery and aloofness; the
perfect lines melt into one another and the whole structure is blurred
as though it were seen in a dream. Then one bids adieu to the world's
perfect building, thankful that he has been given the opportunity to
enjoy the greatest marvel of architecture, which leaves on the mind the
same impression left by splendid music or the notes of a great singer.
Words are poor to describe things like the Taj, which become our
cherished possessions and may be recalled to cheer hours of despondency
or grief.
DELHI AND ITS ANCIENT MOHAMMEDAN RUINS
Delhi, the ancient Mogul capital of India, is an interesting city, not
only because of its present-day life but because it contains so many
memorials of the Mohammedan conquest of the country. The ancient Moslem
emperors were men who did things. Above all else they were builders, who
constructed tombs, palaces and mosques that have survived for nearly
four hundred years. They builded for all time, rearing massive walls of
masonry that the most powerful British guns during the mutiny were
unable to batter down. They built their own tombs in such enduring
fashion that we may look upon them to-day as they were when these
despots completed them. Akbar, Shah Jehan, Humayan and Aurungzeb each
erected scores of buildings that have survived the ravages of time and
the more destructive work of greedy mercenaries in time of war. In and
around Delhi are scores of these tombs in various stages of decay. Those
which have been cared for are splendid specimens of the best
architecture of the sixteenth century.
Indian brick is the cheapest building material in the world. The Indian
brick of to-day looks very much like the cheapest brick used in American
cities to fill in the inside of walls; but the brick made in the time of
Shah Jehan and Humayan and used by them was a flat tile brick, hard as
stone, set in mortar that has resisted the elements for over three
hundred years. When the roofs of these Moslem tombs and palaces fell in,
then the work of disintegration followed rapidly. The plaster scaled off
the front and sides, and the rows on rows of brick were exposed; but it
is astonishing that these massive walls have not crumbled to dust in all
these years. In most cases the imposing arched doorways of red sandstone
have survived. These doorways, beautifully arched, may be seen on both
sides of the road leading out of Delhi to the old city, eleven miles
distant, which was the capital of the Mogul emperors until Aurungzeb
moved it to Delhi. In a radius of fifteen miles from Delhi tombs and
palaces that cost hundreds of millions of rupees were built by these
Moslem despots and their viceroys. Most of them are now in ruins, but
from the top of the Kutab Minar one may count a score of tombs with
their domes and cupolas still intact. Into these tombs was poured much
of the treasure wrung from the poverty-stricken Hindoo tillers of the
soil.
Few sights in this world are more impressive than this birdseye view of
the remains of the Mogul emperors who ruled northern India for over
three centuries. In one of the poorest and the most densely populated
countries of the world these despots reared marvels of architecture
which have amazed modern experts. They accomplished these wonders in
stone mainly because, with power of life and death, they were able to
impress thousands of coolies and force them to rear the walls of their
palaces and tombs. Building materials were very cheap, so that most of
the treasure expended by these rulers went into the elaborate
ornamentation of walls and ceilings with precious stones and carved
ivory and marble. No description that I have ever read gives any
adequate idea of the number and the massiveness of these remains of
bygone imperial splendor, and this magnificence is made more impressive
by contrast with the squalid poverty of the common people--the tillers of
the soil, the drawers of water, who live in wretched huts, with earthen
floors, no windows and no comforts. These dwellings are crowded together
in small villages; the family cow or goat occupies a part of the
dwelling, a small fire gives warmth only to one standing directly over
it, and the smoke pours out the open door or filters through holes in
the thatched roof.
As the native lived three hundred years ago so does he live to-day. He
uses kerosene instead of the old nut or fish oil, but that is almost the
only change. In the cultivation of the soil and in all kinds of
manufacture the same methods are in use now as when Akbar wrested North
India from its Hindoo rulers. The same crude bullock carts carry produce
to Delhi, with wheels that have felloes a foot thick and only four
spokes. Many of these wheels have no tires. In some cases camels supply
the place of bullocks as beasts of burden, especially in the dry country
north of Delhi. The coolie draws water from the wells for irrigation
just as his ancestors did three centuries ago. He uses bullocks on an
arastra that turns over a big wheel with a chain of buckets. On small
farms this work is done by men. All the processes of irrigation are
ancient and cumbersome and would not be tolerated for a day in any land
where labor is valuable.
Delhi is very rich in memorials of the Mogul conquerors. Near the Lahore
gate is the palace, one of the noblest remains of the Mohammedan period.
A vaulted arcade leads to the outer court, at one end of which is a
splendid band gallery, with a dado of red sandstone, finely carved. On
the farther side is the Dwan-i-'Am or Hall of Public Audience, with
noble arches and columns, at the back of which, in a raised recess, the
emperor sat on his peacock throne, formed of two peacocks, with bodies
and wings of solid gold inlaid with rubies, diamonds and emeralds. Over
it was a canopy of gold supported by twelve pillars, all richly
ornamented. This magnificent work was taken away by Nadir Pasha. The
palace contains many other beautiful rooms, among which may be mentioned
the royal apartments, with a marble channel in the floor, through which
rosewater flowed to the queen's dressing-room and bath.
The most notable mosque in Delhi is the Jama Mashid, built of red
sandstone and white marble. It has a noble entrance and a great
quadrangle, three hundred and twenty-five feet square, with a fountain
in the center. In a pavilion in one corner are relics of Mohammed, shown
with great apparent reverence to the skeptical tourist. Near by is the
Kalar Masjid or Black Mosque, built in the style of the early Arabian
architecture.
Eleven miles from Delhi are many tombs of the Mogul emperors, including
the Kutab Minar or great column of red sandstone, with a fine mosque
near at hand. Kutab was a viceroy when he began this splendid column,
two hundred and thirty-eight feet high, with a base diameter of
forty-seven feet three inches. The first three stories are of red
sandstone and the two upper stories are faced with white marble. The
summit, which is reached by three hundred and seventy-nine steps, gives
a superb view of the surrounding country, with its many fine Moslem
tombs.
On the way to the Kutab Minar a number of fine Mohammedan tombs are
passed, chief of which is the tomb of Emperor Humayan, one of the
greatest of the Moslem builders. Of all the buildings that I saw in
India this approaches most closely in beauty the incomparable Taj Mahal.
Of red sandstone, with white marble in relief, its windows are recessed
and the lower doors filled in with stone and marble lattice work of
great beauty. The tomb is an octagon and in the central chamber is the
great emperor's cenotaph of plain white marble. Not far away are the
shrines and tombs of many Mohammedan emperors and saints.
Delhi saw some of the fiercest fighting during the mutiny. The
rebellious natives drove the Europeans out of the city, slaughtering
those who were unable to escape. Thousands of mutineers also flocked to
Delhi from Lucknow, Cawnpore and other places. General Bernard, in
command of the English troops that came from Simla, attacked the
mutineers on June sixth and gained an important victory, as it gave the
British possession of "The Ridge," a lofty outcropping of ancient rock,
which was admirably designed for defense and for operations against the
city. Troops were posted all along the Ridge and in Hindoo Rao's house,
a massive building belonging to a loyal native. This building was the
center of many fierce engagements, but it was not until September that
enough troops were collected to make it safe to assault Delhi.
Brigadier-General John Nicholson had arrived from the Punjab and urged
immediate attack on the city. Nicholson was the greatest man the mutiny
produced. Tall, magnetic, dominating, he enforced his will upon every
one. Even Lord Roberts, who was then a young subaltern and not easily
impressed by rank or achievement, records that he never spoke to
Nicholson without feeling the man's enormous will power and energy.
Finally, on September thirteenth, the British guns having made breaches
in the city walls, two forces (one under Nicholson, the other under
Colonel Herbert) stormed the place. The Kabul gate was soon taken, but
the defense of the Lahore gate proved more stubborn. The soldiers
wavered under the deadly fire, when Nicholson rushed forward to lead
them. His great height made him a target and he fell, shot through the
body. A whole week of severe fighting followed before every portion of
Delhi was captured. Nicholson died three days after the British secured
complete control of the city. His death was mourned as greatly as the
death of Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow.
The Kashmir, Kabul and Lahore gates at Delhi are interesting because
they were the scenes of many acts of heroism during the mutiny. On the
Ridge a massive but ugly stone memorial has been erected to those who
fell in the mutiny. The position is fine but the monument, like all the
other memorials of the mutiny, is not impressive because of its poor
design. Other interesting objects which recall incidents in this great
struggle against the Sepoys are suitably inscribed.
SCENES IN BOMBAY WHEN THE KING ARRIVED
The ancient city of Bombay, the gateway of India and the largest
commercial metropolis of the empire, was in festival garb because of the
visit of the King and Queen of England. Fully four hundred thousand
people came in from the surrounding country to see their rulers from
over the sea and to enjoy the novel spectacle of illuminated buildings,
decorative arches, military processions and fireworks. Hence Bombay was
seen at its best in its strange mixture of races and costumes. In this
respect it is more Oriental and more picturesque than Singapore.