red the procession
of the nuptial couch extremely improper. But as the old saying
goes--"A man can see the mote in his neighbour's eye when he cannot
perceive the beam in his own;" and it struck me that the manner in
which marriages are managed among the Europeans who are settled
here, is much more unbecoming. It is a rule with the English, that
on the day appointed for the marriage, which takes place towards
evening, the bridegroom shall not see his bride before he meets her
at the altar. An infringement of this regulation would be shocking.
In case the two who are about to marry should have anything to say
to each other, they are obliged to do so in writing. Scarcely,
however, has the clergyman pronounced the benediction, ere the new
married couple are packed off together in a carriage, and sent to
spend a week in some hotel in the vicinity of the town. 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.

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 duri