ally, the trees and shrubs representing peacocks and
animals of different kinds. The palace was spacious but tawdrily
furnished; it is noteworthy as being the home to which the Maharaja and
his family repair whenever they feel the approach of death; there is a
superstition among the Hindus that death must occur on the north bank of
the sacred river Ganges, in order to become a monkey after death
(monkeys are considered sacred); for if the demise occurs on the
opposite side of the Ganges, one would surely become a donkey.

We next turned toward the celebrated Monkey Temple, a pretentious but
inartistic structure of red sandstone, presided over by the monster wife
of Siva, the Goddess Kali, who is seated on an interior shrine and
almost terrifies the beholder by her demoniacal smile, her neck being
wreathed with skulls. The Goddess of Blood demands a daily sacrifice,
usually a goat and sometimes even a buffalo. At least twenty
terrible-looking priests were in attendance upon her when we arrived and
were ready to slay the inoffensive goat if money was forthcoming. We,
however, declined to witness such a spectacle. Monkeys, disgustingly old
and fat, were everywhere, and filled large trees surrounding the temple,
two hundred at least being visible. Beggars, mendicants, and priests
were abundantly in evidence.

In an attempt to throw some small coins to some children, I was nearly
crushed, the crowd closing around me and separating me from my party,
until a tall Brahman priest with a huge stick checked the mob and I
escaped, to be admonished by the Director of the party, who declared
that I must never repeat the experiment, however much my sympathies
might be drawn upon by the scenes that impressed me.

[Illustration: _Bathing ghat, Benares_]

[Illustration: _Burning ghat, Benares, where cremations occur_]

The following morning we proceeded at 7 A.M. to the scene of all others
in Benares, the bathing ghats. These are steps leading down from the
plateau to the river on the banks of the Ganges and extending a distance
of nearly three miles. Seated in a native small boat, we sailed
leisurely up and down for hours, watching the unusual spectacle. The
Brahman priests were everywhere (there being thirty thousand in Benares
who live on the offerings of the pilgrims), some seated under
umbrella-like canopies, some under tents, others bathing, and others
performing certain sacred offices for the devotees who had come hither
in s