o lose them without the painful formality of saying
good-by. But all in vain. We tried to give them away and finally
succeeded in persuading one woman from up Uganda way that they would be
useful to her.

She was considering the matter when we, feeling like heartless
criminals, stole away from the room, leaving it locked, and leaving two
trustful and trusting little dogs incarcerated within. We told the
proprietor of our dastardly conduct, but cautioned him not to liberate
the captives until the steamer was hull down on the horizon. So by this
time I suppose there are two little white dogs searching Mombasa for two
missing Americans and wondering at the duplicity of human nature.

We imagined that the ship from Mombasa to Bombay would be nearly
uninhabited by passengers. Few people are supposed to cross that part of
the Indian Ocean. But when we embarked on the _Umzumbi_ on February
first we found the ship full. There were British army officers bound for
India, rich Parsees bound from Zanzibar to Bombay, two elderly American
churchmen bound from the missionary fields of Rhodesia to inspect the
missionary fields of India; two or three traveling men, a South African
legislator bound for India on recreation bent, and a few others.

After leaving Mombasa our travels were upon crowded ships, on crowded
trains, and from one crowded hotel to another crowded hotel. It seemed
as if the whole world had suddenly decided to see the rest of the world.

Bombay was crowded and we barely succeeded in getting rooms at the Taj
Mahal. There were swarms of Americans outward bound and inward bound.
You couldn't go down a street without encountering scores of new sun
hats and red-bound "Murrays." The taxicabs were full of eager faces
peering out inquiringly at the monuments and points of interest that
flashed past.

The train to Agra was crowded and we succeeded in getting reservations
only by the skin of our teeth. Also the hotels at Agra were jammed and
many people were being turned away, while the procession of carriages
jogging out toward the Taj Mahal was like an endless chain. Upon all
sides as you paused in spellbound rapture before the most beautiful
building in the world, you heard the voice of the tourist explaining the
beauties of the structure.

[Drawing: _During the Tourist Rush_]

The Taj Mahal is justly called the most beautiful edifice in the world.
It is so exquisite in its architecture and its ornamentation that one