Captain Ringgold had no friends, and received no invitations, though the entire company of tourists were included in those of both the general and the distinguished gentlemen who had insisted upon being the hosts of the party. But the commander was a wealthy man himself, and a very independent one. To throw a company of a dozen and a half upon the generous hospitality of private individuals, or even public officials, seemed like an imposition to him.
The viscount and his Hindu companion were equally sensitive on this point; and it was proposed by Sir Modava to divide the guests among those who had not only given the invitations but had pressed them upon the travellers. The others did not like this plan; and, after some consideration, it was decided3 to go to a hotel; at least it was suggested as the remedy by the commander, who again insisted upon paying the bill. But there was no suitable hotel in the place. The dak-bungalow4 was the only resort, though a hotel was soon to be opened. Those who were consulted in the party were all for the bungalow, and the problem was finally settled in this manner.
A couple of small omnibuses were taken, and the party proceeded to the dak-bungalow, which was in the centre of the city. Their apartments were not elegant, but they were comfortable; and no one found any fault at the absence of the splendors5 with which they had been surrounded in the palace of the Guicowar, or even those of Bombay. A good breakfast was obtained, and the forenoon was given up to rest; but after a couple of hours in their chambers6 the company were assembled in the coffee-room.
"Delhi is a city which figures largely in the history of India," said Lord Tremlyn, seated very informally in an arm-chair. "It existed fifteen or twenty centuries before the time of Christ, and was the capital of the great Aryan empire. It was founded by the invaders7 of India. The chronology of India is not reliable, but it is claimed that this event dates back to 3101 B.C. Its name was Indrapechta, which it holds to the present time among the learned Hindus, so that the city appears to have existed while Egypt was still in its infancy8.
"It became the great Mussulman capital; but one and another of its princes changed its location, till its ancient sites extend for thirty miles along the river, and its ruins, more extensive than even those of Rome, cover this range of territory. But I shall not go into the details of those migratory9 periods, but speak only of the city as we find it.
"Delhi is on the Jumna River, which you saw in the early morning. This stream has its entire course in Hindustan, and is the principal tributary10 of the Ganges. Both of these rivers are sacred with the natives. The Jumna rises in the Himalayas, at a height of nearly eleven thousand feet, and of course it is a mountain torrent11 at its upper waters. After a run of eight hundred and sixty miles, it falls into the Ganges about three miles below Allahabad. On each side of it is an important canal, both built before railways were in use here.
"Delhi is nine hundred and fifty-four miles northwest of Calcutta. It stands on high ground, is walled on three sides, and has ten gates. A series of buildings formerly12 composing the grand palace of Shah Jehan have become the fort, overlooking the river, with a fine view of the surrounding country, covered with woods and agricultural grounds. You will see the palaces, mosques13, and temples, and I will not describe them. Delhi is the seventh city in population, which is a hundred and ninety-three thousand."
After luncheon15 half a dozen landaus were at the door of the bungalow, in which the party seated themselves according to their own choice; and the first stop was made at the Jummah Musjid Mosque14, which the Mussulmans of India venerate16 and admire more than any other. It is built on an immense esplanade, which is mounted by three flights of stairs, each in the form of the three sides of a pyramid, and each leading to an immense pointed17 arch, the entrances to the buildings.
Before the party entered a carriage arrived, from which General Noury and another person alighted. The Moroccan had accepted the invitation of a Delhi Mussulman to be his guest, and this gentleman had begun to show him the sights of the city. The general presented him to the members of the party as Abbas-Meerza. Evidently in honor of his host the Moroccan had put on his Oriental dress, which was certainly a very picturesque18 costume, though it called up unpleasant memories in the minds of the commander and the Woolridges.
Abbas-Meerza was evidently a Persian, or the son of one; for he was clothed in the full costume of that country. He wore a rich robe, reaching to his ankles, with a broad silk belt around his waist. His cap, of equally costly19 material, was a tall cylinder20, with the top slanting21 down to the left side, as though it had been cut off. He spoke22 English as fluently as the general. He invited the party to step to a certain point, and view the mosque as a whole.
The wall of the esplanade was a continued series of pointed arches, with a handsome frieze23 above it. On the elevated platform was a colonnade24 of the same arches on each side, with a pillared tower at each corner, interrupted only at the grand entrances. It looked as though one might walk entirely25 around the vast structure in the shade of this colonnade.
Within the enclosure could be seen three domes27, the one in the centre overtopping the other two, two lofty minarets28, with small domes at the summit, supported by several columns, and an immense pointed arch leading into the great mosque. The whole edifice29 is built of red sandstone. The visitors mounted one of the staircases, and entered a court paved with marble tiles. They walked around the esplanade under the arches of the colonnade, or cloisters30 as some call them, and finally entered the mosque itself. The interior was very simple in its style, but very beautiful. The roof, pavement, pillars, and walls were of white marble, ornamented31 with carvings32 in the stone. Slabs33 of black marble presented sentences to the praise of God, and in memory of Shah Jehan, who was the founder34 of the mosque.
"Formerly no person not a Mussulman was permitted to enter this mosque," said Sir Modava, while the general and his host were engaged in their devotions; "but for more than thirty years it has been open to all. From the top of one of the minarets a very fine view of the surrounding country can be obtained; but the ascent36 is by a very narrow flight of circular stairs, two hundred in number. He advised Dr. Hawkes and Uncle Moses not to attempt it."
A venerable mollah was found, who put half a dozen of the party in the way of going up; and they reported the view as worth the labor37 and fatigue38. The aged35 priest then proposed to show them the relics39 of the mosque; and a fee was paid to him, and to the man who unlocked a door for their admission. The mollah produced a small golden box, from which he took a silver case. Muttering the name of Allah very solemnly all the time, he unscrewed the top of the receptacle, and took from it a single hair, about six inches long, red and stiff, and fixed40 in a silver tube.
"The beard of the holy Prophet!" he announced, with a reverent41 inclination42 of his head; and the two Mussulmans of the party followed his example.
"According to the tradition, this hair really came from the beard of Mohammed," said Sir Modava. "I believe it, because I have inquired into its history. It is the glory of this mosque and of Delhi, for only three others exist in the world. You need not believe it is genuine if you prefer not to do so."
They were also permitted to gaze at one of Mohammed's old shoes, a belt, and some of the clothing of the Prophet. A number of dusty ancient manuscripts were exhibited, copies of the Koran, one in fine characters, said to have been dictated43 by Mohammed himself. The party returned to the carriages, filled with admiration44 of the magnificent structure they had visited, and were driven to the palace of the emperors, now turned into the fort.
They left the landaus at a point selected by Abbas-Meerza, from which an excellent view of the ancient structures could be obtained. It was a magnificent building, whose dimensions the Americans could hardly take in. The most prominent features from the point of observation were a couple of octagonal towers, very richly ornamented, with several small domes at the summit, supported on handsome columns.
The party entered at the principal gate, and came to the guard-house, which was filled with British soldiers wearing straw helmets and short white coats. A soldier offered his services as a guide, and they were accepted. He gave the Hindu names of the apartments. The Dewani-Am was the hall of audiences, from which they passed to the Dewani-Khas, the throne-room, both of which recalled the Alhambra, which they had visited a few months before. The pillars, arches, and ornaments45 were similar, though not the same.
The tourists wandered through the pavilion, the emperor's rooms in the palace, the bath, and numerous apartments. But in transforming this magnificent palace of the emperors into barracks, much of the original beauty had been spoiled; the lapse46 of years had made great rents in the walls, and the visitor was compelled to exercise his imagination to some extent in filling up what it had been centuries before.
Abbas-Meerza was a very companionable person, and made the acquaintance of every one in the company. He then invited them all to dine with him that day, as he had evidently intended to do in the morning, for the dinner was all ready when they arrived at his palace. He was a magnate of the first order, and his apartments were quite as sumptuous47 as those of the Guicowar of Baroda. The dinner was somewhat Oriental, but it was as elegant as it was substantial.
The noble host apparently48 wished to show the Americans what the Mussulmans of India could do, and he crowned his magnificent hospitality by inviting49 the entire company to install themselves in his mansion50, which was large enough for a palace; but for the reasons already set forth51, the invitation was gratefully declined. The next morning the travellers visited the Mosque of Pearls, where the ancient emperors came to perform their devotions. The interior is of carved ivory.
From this little gem52 of a church the company were driven to the Chandi Chowk, which is a boulevard, planted with trees and lined with elegant buildings. The stores of the principal merchants of Delhi were here, and most of them were on the plan of an Oriental bazaar53. The little square shops challenged the attention of the party, and most of them alighted to examine the rich goods displayed.
In the course of the ride they passed the Black Mosque, the only building in the city dating farther back than the reign54 of Shah Jehan. They found the bungalow surrounded and partly filled, on their return, by venders of relics, curiosities, and other wares55, anxious to find customers for their goods. But they were not very fortunate in the enterprise, and finally they were all driven away by an officer.
In the afternoon they drove out on the plains of Delhi, among the ruins of palaces, tombs, and temples. They stopped at another black mosque, near which was a handsome pavilion, which had been the library of the emperors.
"One of these emperors was Houmayoun, who recovered the throne after a long banishment56. He lost his life in consequence of a fall from the top of a ladder he had mounted to obtain a book," said Sir Modava. "He was the real founder of the Great Mogul dynasty. His mausoleum, to which we will go next, is one of the noblest monuments on this plain;" and the carriages proceeded to it.
It is a mass of white marble and red sandstone. It has a fine dome26, around which cluster several smaller structures, such as we should call cupolas in America or England. Under the great dome in the building is a plain tombstone, beneath which are the remains57 of the first of the Mogul emperors. The mausoleum is placed on an esplanade, like the great mosque in the city. The sides present a vast display of pointed arches, and its shape on the ground is quite irregular. The party were driven to the tower of Koutub, a Mussulman conqueror58, who commemorated59 his victory by building this triumphal column, which is two hundred and twenty-seven feet high. It consists of five stories, becoming smaller as they ascend60. The remains of his mosque were visited, the columns of which look like enlarged jewellery, elaborately worked into fantastic forms. By its side is an iron column with contradictory61 stories about its origin. The tourists visited other mosques and tombs, which reminded them of the tombs of the Mamelukes.
For two days longer they looked about Delhi; and Lord Tremlyn pointed out to them the scenes of the massacre62, which he had described on board of the Guardian-Mother. On the train by which they had come they proceeded to Agra.
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1
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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4
bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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splendors
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| n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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7
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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8
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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migratory
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| n.候鸟，迁移 | |
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10
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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11
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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12
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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13
mosques
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| 清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 ) | |
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14
mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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15
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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16
venerate
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| v.尊敬，崇敬，崇拜 | |
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17
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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18
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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19
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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22
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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23
frieze
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| n.(墙上的)横饰带，雕带 | |
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colonnade
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| n.柱廊 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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28
minarets
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| n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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29
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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31
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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34
Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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38
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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39
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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40
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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41
reverent
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| adj.恭敬的，虔诚的 | |
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42
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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43
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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44
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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45
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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47
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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48
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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49
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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50
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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51
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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52
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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53
bazaar
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| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
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54
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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55
wares
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| n. 货物, 商品 | |
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56
banishment
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| n.放逐，驱逐 | |
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57
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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58
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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59
commemorated
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| v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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61
contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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62
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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