he drive through the native
quarter, called Black Town, presented unusual features. The fort and
parks were visited, as were also some rather attractive bazars. The
museum is interesting from an historical standpoint and has many statues
and bas-reliefs, some relating to Prince Gautama and some to Hindu gods;
there are also relics of saints. It is particularly rich in specimens of
armor and jewelled swords.

[Illustration: _General view of Madras_]

Madras seems quite as unlike the cities of Northern India as does
Rangoon, and comparatively few of the thousands of tourists who frequent
Northern India ever visit Southern India, a great distinction between
the two being made. It is, however, conveniently near the great Seven
Pagodas, which we did not visit, and is the gateway to the famous
Dravidian temples which presented much interest.

We left early in the afternoon in order to visit Tanjore, Trichinopoly,
and Madura, and for two days sleeping-cars were to be our home. There
are no hotels in these cities, the wonderful temples serving as a
substitute, while the English railway restaurant afforded us a certain
amount of sustenance. The ride to Tanjore was through a lovely country
with beautiful palms, groves of vari-hued trees, and occasionally a
tangle of vines.

* * * * *

TANJORE: On our arrival at Tanjore in the afternoon we went directly to
the forts which enclose the temple, palace, and gopuras. The temple is
in the little fort. The gopuras claim first attention. They are really
gateways, a feature peculiar to Southern India. They were intended as a
fortification to protect the temples from foreign invaders, and are
imposing in size and structure--towering up (some nine stories high)
course after course, and literally covered with carvings of animals and
gods, all colored in red and gold. We passed through a gopura ninety
feet high, next through a passage one hundred and seventy feet long,
then through a small gopura, when we arrived at the large outer
enclosure of the temple, four hundred and fifty by eight hundred feet.
This is further surrounded by cloisters and open to outsiders, who are
not, however, permitted to enter the great temple of the adjacent halls.
But even at a distance we could admire their barbaric splendor.

We were also entertained by the gorgeous temple peacock (considered
sacred), of enormous size, which, with outstretched tail, posed for us
with as much