Marriages are celebrated in the months of November and
December, a boat containing one or two cabins is hired, and the
young people are condemned to pass the next eight days completely
shut up from all their friends, and even the parents themselves are
not allowed access to their children.
I am of opinion that a girl's modesty must suffer much from these
coarse customs. How the poor creature must blush on entering the
place selected for her imprisonment; and how each look, each grin of
the landlord, waiters, or boatmen, must wound her feelings!
The worthy Germans, who think everything excellent that does not
emanate from themselves, copy this custom most conscientiously.
CHAPTER XII. BENARES.
DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA - ENTRANCE INTO THE GANGES - RAJMAHAL - GUR -
JUNGHERA - MONGHYR - PATNA - DEINAPOOR - GESIPOOR - BENARES - RELIGION OF
THE HINDOOS - DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN - PALACES AND TEMPLES - THE HOLY
PLACES - THE HOLY APES - THE RUINS OF SARANTH - AN INDIGO PLANTATION - A
VISIT TO THE RAJAH OF BENARES - MARTYRS AND FAKIRS - THE INDIAN
PEASANT - THE MISSIONARY ESTABLISHMENT.
On the 10th of December, after a stay of more than five weeks, I
left Calcutta for Benares. The journey may be performed either by
land, or else by water, on the Ganges. By land, the distance is 470
miles; by water, 800 miles during the rainy season, and 465 miles
more during the dry months, as the boats are compelled to take very
circuitous routes to pass from the Hoogly, through the Sonderbunds,
into the Ganges.
The land journey is performed in post-palanquins, carried by men,
who, like horses, are changed every four or six miles. The
traveller proceeds by night as well as day, and at each station
finds people ready to receive him, as a circular from the post-
office is always sent a day or two before, to prepare them for his
arrival. At night the train is increased by the addition of a
torch-bearer, to scare off the wild beasts by the glare of his
torch. The travelling expenses for one person are about 200 rupees
(20 pounds), independent of the luggage, which is reckoned
separately.
The journey by water can be accomplished in steamers, one of which
leaves almost every week for Allahabad (135 miles beyond Benares).
The journey occupies from fourteen to twenty days, as, on account of
the numerous sand-banks, it is impossible for the vessel to proceed
on her course except in the day-time, and even then it is by no
means unusual for her to run aground, especially when the water is
low.
The fares to Benares are: first cabin, 257 rupees (25 pounds 14s.);
second cabin, 216 rupees (21 pounds 12s.). Provisions, without wine
or spirits, three rupees (6s.) a day.
As I had heard so much of the magnificent banks of the Ganges, and
of the important towns situated on them, I determined to go by
water.
