ightly is kept behind, out of view.
Facing it, along its eastern marge, stand the noble pillared palaces of
Chowringhee. At one end stands the handsome new Court House; also the
Town Hall, and other buildings of less pretence; and, further on, the
noble pile of Government House, with four handsome entrance gates, and
surrounded by shrubberies and gardens. In front spread the Eden Gardens,
a delightful addition to the beauties both of Government House and the
Esplanade. From this point the business part of Calcutta extends in a
northerly direction, including Dalhousie Square, with its many buildings,
among which conspicuous stands the domed Post Office--the vista closing
gracefully with the shapely spire of St. Andrew's Church. At the further
extremity, nearly two miles across the verdant expanse, are seen the
Cathedral, with its noble spire, the General Hospital, and the Jail; and
still further, the richly-wooded suburbs of Kidderpore and Alipore. Fort
William fronts toward the river, and with its ramparts and buildings
forms a striking object; while the whole is bordered and "beautified" by
the broad river, with its crowd of masts and flags, its almost
innumerable boats, its landing-ghats, and all its life and motion.

* * * * *

[Benares: page99.jpg]

From Calcutta, Madame Pfeiffer proceeded to the city of temples, the
sacred city of Hinduism--Benares. She visited several temples, but found
them all agreeing in their leading details. That of Vishnu has two
towers connected by colonnades, the summits of which are covered with
gold plates. Inside are several images of Vishnu and Siva, wreathed with
flowers, and strewn over with grains of rice and wheat. Images in metal
or stone of the sacred bull are plentiful everywhere; and living bulls
wander about freely, the object of special care and adoration. They are
free to stray where they will, not in the temple precincts only, but also
in the streets.

Among the other buildings, the one most worthy of notice is the Mosque of
Aurengzebe, famous on account of its two minarets, which are 150 feet in
height, and reported to be the slenderest in the world. They resemble a
couple of needles, and certainly better deserve the name than that of
Cleopatra at Alexandria. Narrow winding staircases in the interior lead
to the summit, on which a small platform, with a balustrade about a foot
high, is erected. From this vantage-point a noble view of the city, it
is said,