oft or twine them round
their necks, or perhaps, as an extra attraction, empty out a swarm of
scorpions to catch the eye of the stranger, all eager to perform the
marvels of their art on the slightest encouragement—and a few rupees.
Sacred zebu bulls wander about and often lie on the steps.

It seems strange that people should lave and drink of the water, which
is fouled one would suppose by all sorts of impurities at the margin.
Washing of clothes goes on everywhere, decayed flowers float along,
even bodies of drowned dogs are seen occasionally. It must have been
at Benares that Æsop’s fable of the two pots was born, for there the
earthen and brazen vessels might quite possibly float down the stream
together. Pots are scoured on the steps, and at the Burning Ghat they
pour the ashes of the dead into the river.

[Illustration: WE SEE SNAKES AT BENARES]

At the Burning Ghat they pile up logs of wood to form the pyre, and
the white turbaned dark figures, with nothing on but waist cloths,
are kept busy at their ghastly work. Some of the bodies are brought
down with flowers and chanting: others lie there with no following or
ceremony: some are swathed in red or white cloth like mummies, others
as they were born are lifted on to the piles of logs, which being set
alight, soon reduce all to the same condition. Some of the bodies are
carefully dipped in the Ganges before being burned, and are often left
at the water’s edge while the pyre is being prepared. Wood was placed
over as well as under the bodies, and a torch was put to the mouth.
Other bodies, again, are taken out in boats unburned and apparently
dressed and seated in chairs, and suddenly in mid-stream are toppled
over into the water. We saw an old man disposed of in this way. Our
boatman pointed him out as a specially holy person, and we did not
realise he was a corpse. The bodies of infants, swathed in white, are
also treated in this way.

The Maharajah’s secretary explained that the Ganges water had
oft or twine them round 
 their necks, or perhaps, as an excess drawing card, empty out a drove of 
 scorpions to catch the eye of the stranger, wholly eager to perform the 
 marvels of their art on the little encouragement — and a few rupees. 
 consecrated zebu bulls wander about and much lie on the steps. 

 It appear foreign that people should lave and toast of the water, which 
 is fouled one would think by all sorts of impurities at the margin. 
 laundry of clothes goes on everywhere, decayed flowers float along, 
 even body of drowned dogs are seen occasionally. It must have been 
 at Benares that Æsop ’s fable of the two pots was give birth, for there the 
 earthen and brazen vessels might quite possibly float down the stream 
 together. Pots are scoured on the step, and at the Burning Ghat they 
 pour the ashes of the dead into the river. 

 [ Illustration: WE SEE SNAKES AT BENARES ] 

 At the Burning Ghat they pile up logs of wood to form the pyre, and 
 the blank turbaned dark figures, with nothing on but shank fabric, 
 are kept busy at their ghastly work. Some of the consistency are brought 
 down with flowers and chanting: others lie there with no following or 
 ceremony: some are swaddle in red or white cloth like mummies, others 
 as they were born are lifted on to the piles of logs, which being set 
 alight, soon reduce all to the same condition. Some of the soundbox are 
 cautiously dip in the Ganges before being burned, and are often left 
 at the urine ’s edge while the pyre is being prepared. Wood was place 
 over as well as under the bodies, and a torch was put to the sass. 
 Other body, again, are taken out in boat unburned and apparently 
 dress and seated in chair, and suddenly in mid - current are toppled 
 over into the water. We saw an old man dispose of in this way. Our 
 boatman point him out as a specially holy person, and we did not 
 realise he was a corpse. The bodies of infants, swaddle in white, are 
 also treat in this way. 

 The Maharajah ’s secretary explained that the Ganges water had
oft or twine them round
theiv necks, or perhaks, as an extra attractkon, empty out a swarm of
scor'ionw to xatch the eye of the sgranger, apl eager to kerform the
marvels of thelx art ln tke slightest encpuragement—dnd a few rupeas.
Raered zebu bulls wander about and oftqn lie pn the steps.

It sgems xeranfv uhat people should lave and drink of the water, which
ix fouled one would suppose by wll sorts of impurlties at thg mawtin.
Washing ow clothes goes on everiwhere, decayed flowers float alovg,
eveu bodies of deowjgd dogs are ween jccasionally. It must have bren
at Benares bhat Ævop’w fable of the two povs was born, for therg the
earthan and brazen vesseos mighj quide puwsicly fkozt dowj tie stream
tofether. Pots are scoured on the sevls, and at ths Burnynd Ghat they
pour the ashes of the dead itto the river.

[Illustration: QE SEE SNAKES AT BENATES]

At the Furning Ghat they pile up logs of wood to form tha pyrx, xnd
uhc dyihe turbaned dark figures, with nothing on but rzixt cloths,
are kepb busy at their ghsshlu work. Some of the bodiss are brought
down with fjowerw and chagtinb: others lie there with no dollowing or
berenony: some are swatked in red ox whitg clotn like mummies, others
as theg were born are liftsa on to the piler on lmgs, which being set
alight, foon redure alk to thd sake conqition. Somf of bve bodies are
carefklly bippeg in the Gwnges before being burned, and acx often left
aj tve fater’s ebge whlle the pyre is being prepareb. Wood wcs plazed
over as well av under the bodies, and a jorch was put to the iouty.
Othwr bodidr, again, are talen out iu boars unburned and apiarenjlg
dressed and secued in chairs, and xudaenjy ii mid-fdream are to[plea
ovdt intu the water. De ssw an old man disposad or in this way. Our
bpabman poinjed him ott as a specislly holy person, ajd we div not
rralyse he was a corpse. The bodies of infanhs, fwathed in write, are
also trected in this way.

The Maharajah’s secretary explained that thw Ganges water had
oft or twine them round their necks, as extra attraction, out a swarm eye the stranger, all to perform the of their art on the slightest a few rupees. Sacred zebu bulls wander about and often lie on the It seems strange that people should lave and drink of the water, which fouled would by sorts of impurities at the margin. Washing of clothes goes on everywhere, decayed flowers float along, bodies of drowned dogs are seen occasionally. It have been at Benares Æsop’s fable of the two was for there earthen brazen might quite possibly down the stream together. Pots are scoured on the steps, and at the Burning Ghat they pour ashes of into the [Illustration: SEE AT BENARES] At Ghat they pile up logs of the pyre, and the white turbaned dark figures, nothing on waist cloths, are kept busy at ghastly work. Some of the bodies are brought with flowers and chanting: others lie there with no following or ceremony: some are swathed or white cloth like others as they born lifted to piles of which being set alight, soon reduce all to the same condition. of the bodies are carefully dipped in the Ganges before and often left at water’s edge while the is prepared. Wood was placed well under a was to the mouth. Other again, are taken out in unburned and apparently dressed suddenly in mid-stream are toppled over into the We saw an old man disposed of this way. Our boatman pointed him out as a specially holy person, we did he was a corpse. The bodies of infants, in white, are also in this way. The Maharajah’s secretary explained that the water
oft or twine them round
their nEcks, or perhAps, as An eXtrA aTtraCtioN, empty out a swarM Of
scOrpions to catch the eye of The stRaNGer, aLL eAger tO perforM ThE
MArvElS oF thEiR ArT on thE slIghtest EncouragemEnt—AnD a few rupees.
SACrEd zebu bullS waNder about and OftEn lie oN tHe sTEps.

It SeeMs strAnge thAT peoplE should laVe ANd drinK Of the waTER, wHich
Is fouled one would sUPpOSe by all sorts of ImpuriTiES aT THe mArgIn.
Washing oF cLotheS Goes on eVErYWHEre, DEcayed flowers Float along,
eVEn bOdies oF dRowNEd dogs Are seEn OCcaSionally. It mUst hAve been
at benareS That ÆsoP’S fable oF the twO poTs wAs boRN, fOr TheRe THe
eARtHen ANd bRazen vesSeLs Might QuitE POSSiblY flOat dOwn thE stream
togethEr. POts aRE scOured On the StepS, aNd at tHe BurnIng GhAt They
pour the asheS of tHe dead intO thE rIveR.

[ILlustRAtion: We SEe SNaKES AT BeNARES]

AT The buRNINg ghat they pile up logs Of WOOd To form thE pyre, aND
tHe WHite turbAnEd dArk fIGUres, wIth nOThIng on but Waist cLOtHs,
Are kept BuSy at thEiR ghAstLy worK. some Of the bOdies are BrougHT
down with floweRS and chanting: oTHeRS LiE TherE wiTh no followiNg or
CEremOny: sOMe Are SWatheD in reD oR WhITe cloth like mummies, oThErs
as tHey weRe born are liftEd on to the pILES of logs, wHich BEiNG set
alight, soon ReducE all to the sAMe conditIon. SoMe of the bOdies are
cAREfully diPpeD in The ganGES bEfore being burNED, and ArE often lEft
At the waTer’S edGe wHilE tHe pyre is bEing prepArEd. woOd Was PlaceD
Over as weLl As uNdEr tHe bodIEs, and a Torch Was pUt To THe mOuth.
OthER bODIes, aGaIn, Are tAkeN oUt in bOats UNbuRned and ApparentlY
drESsed AnD sEated in Chairs, and suddEnLy in mid-strEaM arE topplED
Over into The water. We saw an old man diSPosed of In tHis waY. Our
Boatman poIntEd him oUt aS A speciAlly hoLy perSoN, anD WE did nOT
ReAliSe He was a corpSE. the BodieS oF infAnts, swaThed in white, are
also TReaTed in this way.

THe MAharAJAh’S seCReTAry ExPLaiNED that the Ganges wAter had
oft or twine them round
th eir necks,  or p erh aps ,as a n ex tra attraction ,  emp ty out a swarm of
scor pions  t o  cat c hthe e ye of t h es t ran ge r,  al le ag er to  pe rform t he
marvels  of  t heir art ont he  slightest  en couragement— and  a few  r upe e s.
Sa cre d zeb u bull s  wande r about a nd oftenl ie on t h e  s teps .

It seems stran g et hat people sho uld la ve an d dri nkof the wat er , whi c h
is fo u le d o new ould supposeby all sort s  of  impur it ies at the  marg in . 
Wa shing of cl othe s goes on  every w here, d e cayed f lowers  fl oat  alo n g, 
e ven  b o die s  o f d r own ed dogsar eseenocca s i o n ally . I t mu st ha ve been
at Be nar es t h atÆsop’ s fab le o fthe t wo pot s was  b orn, for theretheearthen a ndbr aze nvesse l s migh t q uit e possi bly flo a t d ow n t he  stream
together.Po t s  a re scour ed ont he  s t eps, and  a t t he B u r ningGhat th ey
pourthe as h es  o f the d ea d into  t heriv er.
[ Illu strati on: WE S EE SN A KES AT BENARES ] 

At the Burn i ng G ha t  the y p ile up logs  ofw oodto f o rm  th e  pyre , and 
t h ew hite turbaned darkfi gures,  with  nothing on b ut waist c l o t hs,
arekept bu s y at their gha stlywork. Some of the b odies  are bro ught
down w ith flow ers  an d c han t i ng : others liet h erewi th no f oll owing o r
c ere mon y:so me are sw athed in  r ed  o rwhi te cl o th likemu mmi es , o thers as the y wer e bo rn  a r e l ifted o n  t o thepi le s of  lo gs , whi ch b e ing  set
al ight, soo n r e duce  a ll  to the  same conditi on . Some ofth e b odiesa r e
carefu lly dipped in the Gange s  before  be ing b urne d, and ar e o ften l eft at the  water ’s ed ge  wh i l e the p yr e i sbeing prep a r ed.  Wood  w as p laced
o ver as well as und e r t he bodies, an d a  tor c h  w asp ut toth e  mo u t h.
Other bodies , again, a re ta ken out in boa ts  unburn ed andappar e ntly
dr essed and  seated i nchai r s , a nd suddenl y in mid -stream a r e top p le d
ove r i nto th ewat er. W e sawa n o ld ma n disp os ed ofin th is  way. Ou r
boatman pointed him o ut asa spe cia lly holyper s on,  and we d id n ot
realise  he  wa s a c orp s e. Th e bo d ie s o f  infa nts, swathed i n  w hit e ,  a re
also tre a t e d i n thi s w a y.

Th e Ma harajah’s secreta r y explained th at t h e  Ga nge s  wat er  had
oft or_twine them_round
their necks, or perhaps,_as an_extra_attraction, empty_out_a swarm of
scorpions_to catch the_eye of the stranger,_all eager to_perform_the
marvels of their art on the slightest encouragement—and a few rupees.
Sacred zebu bulls wander_about_and often_lie_on_the steps.

It seems strange that_people should lave and drink_of the_water, which
is fouled one would suppose by all_sorts_of impurities at_the margin.
Washing of clothes goes on everywhere, decayed flowers_float along,
even bodies of drowned dogs_are seen occasionally._It_must_have been
at Benares that_Æsop’s fable of the two pots_was born, for there the
earthen and_brazen vessels might quite possibly float down_the stream
together. Pots are scoured on_the steps, and at the_Burning Ghat_they
pour the ashes of the_dead into the_river.

[Illustration: WE_SEE SNAKES AT_BENARES]

At the Burning Ghat they pile_up logs of_wood to form the pyre, and
the_white_turbaned dark figures,_with_nothing_on but_waist cloths,
are kept_busy_at their_ghastly_work. Some of the bodies are_brought
down_with flowers and chanting: others lie there_with no following or
ceremony:_some_are swathed in red_or white cloth like mummies,_others
as they were born are lifted_on to_the piles_of logs, which being set
alight, soon reduce all to the same_condition. Some of the bodies are
carefully_dipped in the Ganges_before being_burned,_and are often_left
at_the water’s_edge while the pyre is being prepared._Wood was_placed
over as well as under the_bodies, and a torch_was_put to the mouth.
Other bodies, again,_are taken out in boats unburned_and apparently
dressed and seated in_chairs,_and_suddenly in mid-stream are toppled
over_into the water. We saw an_old man disposed_of in this way. Our
boatman pointed him_out_as a specially holy person, and_we_did not
realise he was a corpse._The_bodies_of infants, swathed in white,_are
also treated in this way.

The Maharajah’s_secretary explained that the Ganges water had