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