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the most remarkable of all the temples in southern India, and is in a good state of preservation. In the outer enclosure is the wonderful shrine of Kartikkeya, the son of Shiva. The Palace of the Rajah is a vast edifice of no great architectural merit, but within it there is a priceless collection of Sanscrit manuscripts. In Schwartz's Church is a fine group of marble figures by Flaxman, representing the death of the aged missionary.

21st day. Kumbakonam (one hour by rail from Tanjore) is celebrated among the Hindus for its learning, and has been termed the Cambridge of India. There is a very beautiful Gopura, and the Tank is one of the handsomest in India, its banks being studded with small but picturesque temples and pagodas.

22d day. Chidambaram (two hours by rail from Kumbakonam), once the capital of the Chola kingdom. Has a magnificent group of temples (within an enclosure covering 32 acres) which belong to a peculiar sect of Brahmans, numbering some 250 families, who marry only among themselves. The Hall of a Thousand Pillars looks like a forest of granite columns, all monoliths twenty-five feet high. The Pillyar Temple contains the largest belly-god in India. The sanctuary is an ugly copper-roofed enclosure, with an image of Shiva, dancing, in the interior. The Shivagange, or Golden Tank, 150 feet square, is particularly handsome, each of its sides consisting of a spacious flight of steps.

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23d day. Madura (twelve hours by rail from Chidam24th baram). The great Pagoda, or Temple of Shiva, is a superbly decorated structure of fabulous cost. The old Palace of Tirumala Nayak, used as public offices, is one of the finest public build

ings in southern India.

The popular drive is

around the Teppa Kulam, or Tank, which has

a temple in the center.

25th day. Tuticorin, five hours by rail from Madura.

26th day. Colombo (Ceylon), twelve hours by steamer from Tuticorin.

Kashmir Valley.

Who has not heard of the Vale of Cashmere?
With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave;
Its temples, and grottoes, and fountains as clear

As the love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave.
- Lalla Rookh.

The Vale of Kashmir was the popular summer resort of the Mogul emperors, and here Jehangir used to celebrate the Feast of Roses with his beautiful Nourmahal, the light of his harem; and the visitor of to-day can see the remains of the beautiful garden terraces designed by that clever woman.

But the valley possesses other attractions than those mentioned by the poet Moore. The mountain scenery is superb, and the entire district, as a whole, is probably unequaled for scenic beauty in the world and with all that, it is quite accessible. About 52 hours by rail from Bombay, 48 hours from Calcutta or 7 hours from Lahore will bring the traveler to Rawal-Pindi, on the Northwestern Trunk Line to Peshawer, where tonga is taken over a good road, 162 miles, to Baramula on the River Jhelum, where the traveler has the option of finishing the remaining 35 miles to Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, by tonga or by boat. The latter takes a much longer time. The tonga journey from Rawal-Pindi to Baramula can be made in three days, with stops at Murree and Gurhi. There is also a narrow-gauge railway under construction from Jammu over the Bannihal Pass.

The months of May, June, September and October are

the pleasantest in the valley, and although much enjoyment can be had within a few days, with Srinagar as headquarters, a longer time is necessary if the traveler wishes to become better acquainted with the grandest scenery of the valley. The popular way is to hire a house-boat, and a camping outfit is necessary if one wishes to enjoy some ibex and markhor shooting. Srinagar, the Venice of the East, extends several miles along both banks of the winding Jhelum River, has a population of 125,000 and is the capital of Kashmir. A good view of the city and its surroundings can be had from the top of the Takht-i-Suleiman, 987 feet above the city, and a delightful excursion can be made to Dal Lake, one of the most beautiful in the world, where are the famous floating gardens.

A longer excursion is to the ruins of Martand, Varnag (a favorite resort of Nourmahal), and the incomparable Liddar Valley, which has been called the "Garden of Paradise." Another delightful excursion is up the Sindh Valley to Sonamarg and the foot of the Zojila Pass, or to Gulmarg, the hill station of Kashmir, from which a fine view of snow-covered Nanga Parbat (26,620 feet) is obtained.

Visitors should bear in mind that Kashmir is a semiindependent state, a feudatory of British India. The present maharajah extends to strangers every courtesy. The country is as safe to travel in as any in the world, and, like all countries where British authority obtains, has excellent postal and telegraph service.

Gilgit, on the border of Afghanistan, is the highest military post in British India.

SIAM.

Singapore to Bangkok and Return.

Bangkok, the capital of Siam, is reached in about five days by steamer from Singapore, in the Straits Settlements. It is located about twenty miles up the Menam River, and presents the interesting combination of a thriving European community and an oriental court, still keeping up the oriental formalities of bygone centuries. The city lies very low, but is quite picturesque, a sort of tropical Venice. More than half of the population live in floating houses, or houses raised upon poles, on or along the banks of the numerous canals and short arms of the river. This is a precaution against inundations, which are of common occurrence here, owing to the low surface of the region. Many of the waterways referred to are overarched by trees, with old temples and palaces peeping out here and there.

Besides the Royal Palace, the most interesting objects in Bangkok are the wats or temples, and these are numerous and gorgeous. Among them are the temple at the mouth of the Menam, Wat Sahket, or Golden Mount, Wat Nun and Wat Sutat.

Apart from Bangkok, there is little to detain the traveler in Siam. It is possible to make one's way up the Menam and Meiping Rivers to Chiengmai, the second city in the country, and the center of the great teak-wood industry; but this journey occupies several weeks, and there is little or no game, and not much else of special interest to be seen en route.

Strange to say, the inhabitants of Siam are very fond of bicycling, and the queen of Siam is frequently seen riding, accompanied by her maids of honor.

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An Itinerary of a Six Weeks' Tour,

- INCLUDING BATAVIA, BUITENZORG, SOEKABOEMI, SINDANGLAJA, BANDOENG, GAROET, DJOKJOKARTA, PRAMBANAN, BORO-BOEDOER, SOERAKARTA, SOURABAYA, TOSARI, BROMO, CHERIBON, KRAKATAU, PADANG AND PADANG-PANDJANG.

It is strange that while the winter months are best for visiting India, May and June are the best for touring through the Dutch Archipelago, as by that time it has ceased raining," except for an occasional shower.

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In the following itinerary the dates of the steamer departures are of course tentative.

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Ist day. Batavia. Java is reached in about thirty-six 2d hours from Singapore. The port of landing is an interesting city, although the lower town with its native and Chinese population is not overclean; but Weltevredon, the European suburb, is charming, with its shady streets, spacious squares and pretty villas. Early morning band concerts (5.30 to 6.30) are given in the Zoological Gardens and Waterlooplein.

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3d day. Leave Batavia by train for Buitenzorg, the 4th seat of the governor-general, whose palace is in 5th "the magnificent Government Botanical Gardens, 6th "which are perhaps the finest in the world, and

were established in 1817. Leave Buitenzorg by train across the saddle between Mounts Salak and Gedeh to Soekaboemi, a beautiful sanitarium with a lovely climate of an average temperature of 75° Fahr. A beautiful drive can be made to Wijnkoopsbaai, one of the few attainable points on the south shore of the island.

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