For this
purpose, either the hotel at Barrackpore or one of two or three
houses at Gardenrich is selected. In case all the lodgings should
be occupied, a circumstance of by no means rare occurrence, since
almost all 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.
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