DELHI.
DELHI, January 21, 1890.
Yesterday at noon we left Agra, passing over the river by a fine iron
bridge, from which we had another view of the beautiful Tâj, which was
lovely beyond expression. We had an English compartment car to
ourselves, and were very comfortable. Highly cultivated fields and
frequent great barren plains, with now and then an elephant, were to be
seen, and once a long caravan of camels. Monkeys were in the woods, and
flocks of parrots flying about, and often the beautiful peacocks were
perched on the fences or wandering about the fields.
It will be remembered that the Hindoos consider all animal and bird life
sacred, and never kill them, and consequently we see them everywhere.
We passed on at the rate of about twenty miles an hour, having
forty-three carriages and over a thousand passengers, mostly natives,
and stopped at a station at 1 P.M. for lunch. The stations in India are
all large, this one being more than a thousand feet long, and there were
collected in it more than a thousand pilgrims bound for the sacred
Ganges with their bags and bedding.
I went among them accompanied by the native guide, and saw that many of
them carried painted poles, from the top of each of which was suspended
a bag containing the ashes and bones of some relative, which they had
brought from their far-off homes, and were taking to the Ganges to be
thrown into the (to them) sacred river.
I looked at a group of handsomely dressed women. Among them was a bride,
who had a profusion of silver ornaments in her nose and ears, and on her
arms and toes. My appearance among this party seemed to entertain them
very much, judging by their looks and their chattering.
We passed through great fields of the castor-oil plant, cotton, and
mustard, and at 9 P.M. rolled into the big station here, and were soon
at the hotel enjoying the comforts of a wood fire.
This is the most dreadful climate I know of--eighty degrees to ninety
degrees during the day, and down to sixty degrees at night. The hotels
have rooms only on the ground-floor, which is paved with stone, and any
thing but comfortable.
This city has great historic interest, having been ravaged many times by
conquerors, beginning with Tamerlane, who burned it, and killed a
hundred thousand of its inhabitants, men, women, and children.
Taking a drive, I saw monkeys running along the walls, and was
everywhere beset by a great lot of beggars, dancing girls, and merchants
wanting to sell shawls, jewelry, and many other articles.
We have been here several days, constantly driving about and seeing
magnificent palaces, tombs, and mosques. In one of the great marble
palaces was a large hall in which was erected the famous Peacock Throne
in the year 1638.
The following account of it is given by Tavernier, who, in the
seventeenth century, travelled extensively in the East, and saw all the
wonders that he relates:
"The largest throne, which is set up in the hall of the first court, is
in form like one of our field-beds, six feet long and four broad. The
cushion at the back is round like a bolster; the cushions on the sides
are flat. I counted about a hundred and eight pale rubies in collets
about this throne, the least whereof weighed a hundred carats; but there
are some that weigh two hundred. Emeralds I counted about one hundred
and sixty, that weighed threescore, some thirty, carats. The under part
of the canopy is all embroidered with pearls and diamonds, with a fringe
of pearls round about. Upon the top of the canopy, which is made like an
arch with four panes, stands a peacock with his tail spread, consisting
all of sapphires and other proper colored stones; the body is of beaten
gold enchased with several jewels, and a great ruby upon his breast at
which hangs a pearl that weighs fifty carats. On each side of the
peacock stand two nosegays as high as the bird, consisting of several
sorts of flowers, all of beaten gold enamelled. When the king seats
himself upon the throne there is a transparent jewel with a diamond
appendant, of eighty or ninety carats, encompassed with rubies and
emeralds, so hung that it is always in his eye. The twelve pillars also
that uphold the canopy are set with rows of fair pearl, round and of an
excellent water, that weigh from six to ten carats apiece. At the
distance of four feet, upon each side of the throne, are placed two
parasols or umbrellas, the handles whereof are about eight feet high,
covered with diamonds; the parasols themselves are of crimson velvet,
embroidered and stringed with pearls.
"This is the famous throne which Tamerlane began and Shah Jahan
finished, which is really reported to have cost a hundred and sixty
million five hundred thousand livres of our money [thirty-two million
one hundred thousand dollars]."
The famous and beautiful Cashmere shawls are made in the province north
of here, and are mostly sold in this city, where there are many
storehouses filled with them. It is said that it takes the labor of two
men a year to make one of these shawls of moderate size.
Wishing to purchase, I went to one of the largest establishments
accompanied by three friends. The merchant showed me a book in which
were written recommendations of his goods by Gen. U. S. Grant and Col.
Fred. Grant, and among them was one written in German, which was
translated by my friend from Vienna as follows: "I have bought shawls
of this man, and think I got them cheap, but do not offer him a third of
what he asks." We spent much time looking at a great variety of the
shawls, and finally, aided by the excellent taste of my friends, Mr.
Norris of Baltimore, Mr. Kolish of Vienna, and Mr. Jackson of
Manchester, I selected two, which I thought very beautiful, and asked
the price. The merchant consulted two or three of his sharp, bright-eyed
clerks in their own language and said: "I have not sold a shawl to your
party; I sell you very, very cheap; you may have those beautiful shawls
for 1,400 rupees." Having in mind the German gentleman's remarks, I
said, "No; the price is absurd; let us go," and we started out. Then the
merchant followed saying, "Don't go; make me an offer," and I said, "I
will give you 400 rupees for both shawls." Greatly to my astonishment he
replied, "Take them; I will send to your hotel." Fearing a substitution
or some other trick I said: "No; hand them to me, if you please. Here
are 100 rupees, and you may come to the hotel and get the balance." To
this he agreed and the purchase was made.