Part 2

With all its splendour, I am sure we should not find this a comfortable way of travelling, for as the elephant lumbers along, the howdah pitches first in one direction, then in another. We should feel as though we were at sea; and in the hot sun, without the bracing air we get on the water, it might be an unpleasant motion.

This elephant comes from Khaipur, a state in the western part of India. It is a very hot part of the country, and we should probably not be able to live there more than four months in the year, as the rest of the time it is intensely hot. Many of the Hindu people of Khaipur own large numbers of oxen, camels, sheep and goats; so they do not settle in one place to live, but go about, stopping wherever they find good pasture-lands. The chief man is called the mir; isn’t that a strange name? He has a very large estate, with big parks, and, I suppose, owns several elephants.

[Illustration: _A wealthy Merchant of Khaipur out for an Airing_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

A BULLOCK CART IN AGRA

Here are some more bullocks, drawing quite a different kind of cart from any we have seen before. What fine-looking animals they are, and how patient they seem, in spite of the fact that the rope harness goes right through their nostrils and over their ears, which must be uncomfortable, to say the least.

See what a very elaborate canopy the carriage has, in the shape of a dome; but the wheels, somehow, do not seem to belong to the top, for they are made of wood and are very clumsy. We should know at once that this was in India, the land of sharp contrasts. Travellers in India often say that in that country the most magnificent and the meanest objects are found side by side. A beautiful palace and a miserable little hut are seen together, or a wonderful bit of carving beside cheap red or yellow glass ornaments.

Carts like the one in the picture are very often seen at Agra, the city where so many wonderful buildings are found. There are many interesting things in India that we should like to see; you know it is a very large country, and there are many different kinds of scenery; and in some places it is very beautiful. The different castes or classes of people each have manners and customs of their own, and the dress of the natives tells at once to what caste they belong; but it would be hard for us to remember all the differences.

[Illustration: _A typical Bullock-driver with clumsy wooden-wheeled Car, at Agra, India_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

THE ROYAL CARRIAGE OF REWAH

Surely the owner of this gorgeous turnout must be a very important person in India. See the magnificent trappings of the elephants and the many mahouts, or drivers. To own an elephant is quite a distinction, and only titled or extremely wealthy people have carriages drawn by the huge animals. Would you like to ride after them? It seems to me it would be a very slow way of getting about, but no doubt it would be impressive.

The elephants in the picture belong to a Maharaja or great prince, and they have come from Rewah, a little state somewhat north from the centre of India. You know India is a very large country and it is divided into states, some large, some small, each of which has a native ruler. These rulers live in great splendour and dress in magnificent fashion, with jewels and many coloured garments.

Look at these elephants and see how gay they are. Their trunks are painted, a big medallion hangs between their eyes and a gorgeously embroidered cloth covers their backs and hangs down almost to the ground on both sides of them. In addition to this they have big chains around their necks, which I should think would be in the way when they walked, shouldn’t you? Can you imagine how all this would look in blues and greens and reds, with the glitter of gold and silver sparkling in the bright sunlight?

[Illustration: _Richly adorned Elephants and Carriage of H. H. the Maharaja of Rewah India_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

ON THE ROAD TO JERICHO

Dear me, this donkey seems to have a heavy load on his back, don’t you think so? These women have come from Bethlehem, the place where the baby Jesus was born hundreds of years ago. You know that beautiful story, don’t you?

The road that we see in the picture is the way to Jericho, which was once a very prosperous city, with rich fields all about, and springs of water bubbling up and keeping the fields moist and green. Now all that is left of the old city is a heap of ruins; the springs are there and the fields are green and beautiful, and covered with wild flowers, but there are no gardens. Tribes of people called Bedouins live around there; they do not settle in any one place to live, however, but roam about from one part of the wilderness to another. They sometimes act as guides to show travellers the country. The men on the burros in the picture look like Bedouins.

The hills near Jericho are not very attractive to look at: they are covered with stones, and not many trees or flowers grow on them; but some of the hills in Palestine are beautiful, with large groves of olive trees, and masses of green foliage. Do you know where Palestine is? Look on your map of Asia and you will see it by the Red Sea, and you will find many stories in the Bible about the old cities and places there. It is the land where Jesus lived, and is wonderfully interesting to visit.

[Illustration: _Women of Bethlehem on the Road to Jericho_

_From Stereograph, Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

THE TOMBS OF THE KHALIFS, EGYPT

These camels seem very much dressed up, don’t they, with their richly ornamented coverings; and see, the front one has a net over his head with tassels hanging from it. The carriage, too, is very elaborately carved. See the women in it, with veils over their faces. The Egyptian women of the higher classes always wear veils like these out of doors, so that only their eyes can be seen.

The buildings that these “ships of the desert” (as camels are sometimes called) are passing are the tombs of the Khalifs, just outside of Cairo, Egypt. They were built centuries ago, for you know Egyptian history goes back farther than that of almost any other country in the world, and many interesting old buildings still remain. In the tombs shown in the picture are buried some of the Khalifs, or rulers, of Egypt, who lived thousands of years ago. The tomb of Keit Bey, which we see in the middle of the picture, has a beautiful minaret or tower with three balconies. Can you count them? The top of the tower is shaped something like a pear, with a straight spire at the top. Most of the other domes have a half-moon at the top. Do you see them, and do you notice the lace-like patterns carved on the domes? In olden times the Egyptian people did much carving, and painted a great deal too, so their houses and buildings were all beautifully decorated and coloured. You have probably seen Egyptian designs many times in the museums near your home, or in books, haven’t you?

[Illustration: _A Ship of the Desert, passing the Tombs of the Khalifs, Cairo, Egypt_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

THE PYRAMIDS AND THE SPHINX, IN EGYPT

Here are more camels, which have brought these men to the pyramids and the great Sphinx of Egypt. Have you ever heard of them? That enormous head that you see in the picture belongs to the Sphinx; isn’t it strange-looking? It is of stone and has stood there so many ages that no one knows when it was carved. The Sphinx has a body like a lion’s, which could be seen a long time ago, but now the sand has covered up most of it.

See the big pyramids in the picture. They are wonderful to look at; it seems as though they must always have been there, like the big rocks and hills; but men built them many, many years ago--long before the invention of any of the machinery that people use now to lift stones. The biggest pyramid of all was built for the tomb of a king. Travellers often climb this large pyramid, but it is not very easy, as one has to step from one big stone to another. If you go to Cairo, in Egypt, some day, you will go out and see these wonderful things.

There are many other strange sights in Cairo. The life there is quite different from that of any other country, and the people have customs which have come down through thousands of years. In the museum there we should see an interesting collection of old toys and paintings, and so many other things that it would be hard to name them all.

[Illustration: _Tourists on Egyptian Transports passing the Great Sphinx and Pyramids, Egypt_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

ON THE DESERT OF SAHARA

Now we are on the great Desert of Sahara, in Egypt. Isn’t this a queer way of riding? That looks like a little house on the camel’s back; but it does not look as though it would be very comfortable to ride in. This camel is dressed up too, with a net and saddle-cloth. Do you suppose he likes all this covering?

The desert is a strange place. For miles and miles there is no water, nothing but great stretches of sand with queer plants growing in it, and pebbles all about, blue, pink, green, and other colours. Some people think that long ago there was a sea where the desert is now, and often travellers find shells, which make it seem as though water must have been there once. The Arabs, the people who live on the desert, are shepherds with big flocks of sheep and goats, and many camels and horses. They have no homes to live in always, but have to move about from place to place, wherever they can find water. Of course, living in this way, they can have no houses, but have to live in tents, which can be easily carried whenever they move.

Sometimes a terrible storm comes up on the desert; the wind blows, and drives great clouds of sand before it, making it almost impossible for a person to see. In a storm like this the people have to keep moving and to try to get out of the storm, for if they stayed in one place the sand would soon cover them.

[Illustration: _The Arab’s Shibriyeh,--a Home on the Great Sahara Desert_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

BEFORE THE PETROFSKI PALACE IN A TROIKA

We do not often see carriages in America with three horses, do we? In Russia, however, they are used a great deal, and go very rapidly indeed, the middle horse trotting while the others gallop. This gives a peculiar motion to the carriage, as you might suppose. The Russian people are fond of driving extremely fast, and urge their horses on to the greatest speed. See the arch over the middle horse; it is very much ornamented, and the harness is quite gay with all its tassels and bells.

A carriage like this with three horses is called a troika. This troika has come out from Moscow to the old Petrofski Palace, which was once the residence of the royal family. You know that Moscow was, a long time ago, the capital of Russia, and it is still one of the principal cities in manufactures and commerce.

Going towards it one sees the mass of roofs like a dark green sea; nearer, many spires and domes attract the eye. The spires seem like a network of gold; the domes are in some cases gilded, in others a deep blue, covered with gold stars, and in still others are tiled with green.

In the centre of the city is the Kremlin, a hill where the buildings are particularly beautiful, among the shrubs and trees, with the tower of Ivan the Great rising above them all. At the foot of this tower is the great bell of Moscow, the largest in the world. There are hundreds and hundreds of bells in Moscow of all sizes and kinds.

[Illustration: _A Russian Troika (three-horse Carriage) before the old Petrofski Palace in a northwest Suburb of Moscow. The Palace is not now occupied as a royal Residence. The middle Horse in a Troika trots while the others gallop_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

NEAR VILLEFRANCHE

Here is the grandpa of some little French children, out for a drive with his fine pair of dogs. See how patiently they stand and wait until their master is ready to start. Then they will trot along very soberly, making the queer little cart jolt over the roads about Villefranche.

For many, many years this little town has nestled down in its valley among the hills of southern France, and of course one sees there some fine old houses, built centuries ago. Besides these old houses there are a big Gothic cathedral and an old monastery which is now used as a hospital or asylum. Both these buildings are interesting to see.

I wonder if you know what kinds of things grow in southern France. They have a great deal of warm weather there. Grapes, did you say? Yes, grapes grow there in profusion, and olives and mulberries. It is on mulberry leaves that the silk-worm feeds, and ever so much silk is made in France and sent all over the world. Then there are numberless little farms or gardens where vegetables and fruits of various kinds are raised.

Market-day is a great event; everyone must go, and of course all the people in the country places try to grow the choicest vegetables and fruits, and raise the very best fowls. The flowers, too, offered for sale, are beautiful and very fragrant; we should like to see them, and to bring some home with us.

[Illustration: _The Grandpa of Villefranche, South France, out for a drive_

_From a Stereograph, copyright, 1904, by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

IN SEVILLE

There has been a wedding in Seville, and now the bride and bridegroom are going off with all the good wishes of their friends. The beautiful horse seems to know that he is taking part in an important event, and he stands very still while the good-byes are being said.

Seville is a very attractive and important city in Spain, on a river with such a long, hard name to say--Guadalquiver. Some parts of the city are below high-water level, so that often the river overflows and causes much suffering. Seville has many interesting old Moorish houses, because long, long ago the Moors came over the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco to Spain and settled there, building houses in their own style.

Some of these houses and palaces are beautiful, with double arches and carved patterns like lacework. The Alcazar was the palace of the Moorish kings and is wonderful to see, although not so marvellous as the Alhambra, at Granada, which the Moors also built. Some day you will read what Washington Irving wrote about it.

The Moors were driven out of Spain about the time of Columbus, when Ferdinand and Isabella came to the throne. Most of the houses in Seville are built in the Moorish style, around a court which often has a marble fountain in the centre, with beautiful shrubs and orange trees here and there. The streets are very narrow; in some places so narrow that two little burros could not pass if their panniers were full.

[Illustration: _The Departure of the Bride and Bridegroom, Seville, Spain_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

RETURN FROM GRAPE-PICKING, MALAGA

What quantities of grapes we see here! Baskets, barrels and the panniers on the little burro are filled. These people have just come from the vineyards about Malaga, in Spain.

Malaga is at the foot of a large range of mountains the sides of which are covered with vineyards. You know that those delicious white grapes that we get in the markets come from Malaga. Do you know how they grow? The vineyards on the sides of hills or mountains are planted row after row, only a few feet apart, and each row a little higher than the one before it. Every vine is like a little tree by itself, with a trench dug around it to catch the water when it rains. The soil of the vineyards is red. After the grapes are picked, they are packed in cork dust and sent to other parts of Europe and to America.

Raisins and wine also come from Malaga in large quantities. They are both made from grapes--raisins by drying the grapes in the sun, and wine from the juice of grapes; so you see how many must be picked every year. Figs and almonds grow in Malaga, and olives. All these things, you know, grow only where it is very warm and sunny. If we went to Spain we should see many olive trees. They look something like plum trees, but are knotty and gnarled and the leaves are a darker green. When the olives are ripe they are a dark glossy purple.

[Illustration: _Return from the Grape-picking, Malaga, Spain_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

DRIVING A DOG-TEAM IN HOLLAND

See these good old dogs harnessed like horses, drawing the strange-looking cart! Do you think your dog would run quietly along the street if you harnessed him this way? I do not believe he would, but these dogs are used to being driven, so they do not mind it at all; in fact they expect to draw a cart, as the dogs in Holland often do.

To-day is market-day, and the Dutch peasant woman is just coming from town where she has sold all her vegetables and flowers. See the garden just beyond the fence in the picture. What do you think these flowers are? A great many tulips, hyacinths and crocuses are grown in Holland. It is a great gardening country; every bit of ground is cultivated, and the kingdom is like one big garden crossed by many canals like silver threads.

There is a high tower in Utrecht, one of the cities, from which one can see almost the whole country spread out like a map, and it is such a pretty view. The meadows are bright green, and along the canals willow trees, elms and poplars are seen. Dotted here and there are pretty little villages with houses painted in bright colours, and everywhere are windmills with huge sails. They are used to grind corn and to pump the water from the canals, and in addition to being so useful are very picturesque.

The people of Holland are very neat; every day their houses, sidewalks, and streets are cleaned, and everything put in its best condition.

[Illustration: _Dignity of a Dutch Matron with her Dog Team. Outskirts of Eukhuysen, Holland_

_From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

CARRIAGE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, SWEDEN

This quaint little carriage was owned by a rich man in Sweden, three or four hundred years ago. Do you see what a peculiar harness the horse has on? That queer arrangement on his back I should think would be very uncomfortable, shouldn’t you? The man’s clothing, too, looks strange. Do you see his big funny-looking hat? If we should take a drive in this old, old carriage, what kind of country do you think we should go through?

Sweden is one of the countries that have many different kinds of climate and scenery, so you can understand that it would take a great many days to see it all. In the northern part we should find the winters very long and cold, and the summers short. We should see high mountains, and rivers on which vessels can sail for two or three hundred miles. Doesn’t that seem a long distance? Then we should see thick woods with very big trees in them which are cut down for timber. There are not many cities in the north, and if we kept going toward the middle of the country we should still see only a few, but we should see many farms where beetroot is grown, from which they make sugar. We should see fields of grain, and cows grazing in the meadows. Often we should pass a beautiful lake, blue as the sky, reflecting the country like a mirror. Here the winters are not so cold or long, and as we approached the coast we should find a much warmer climate. Most of the large cities and towns are along the coast.

[Illustration: _A sixteenth Century Carriage of a rich Norseman, Bergoik, Sweden_

_From Stereograph, copyright 1904, by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

TAKING A RIDE IN THURSO, SCOTLAND

See this dear, shaggy little donkey; doesn’t he look full of mischief? Many a happy drive these children have over the roads about Thurso, in Scotland. They are on their way now to the village store. This looks like a very pleasant road, with its long stretches of field and meadow.

From Thurso are sent out cattle and sheep and grain, so you see it is a farming country around there. Do you know where Thurso is? Look on your map of Scotland and you will find it, away up in the very northern part on the sea-coast. Like many places near the water it is very rocky, and many paving stones come from there.

Scotland is an interesting place; the scenery is beautiful, and there are many wonderful old castles famous in history. Perhaps you have read the stories written by Sir Walter Scott about some of them. His home was in Scotland, and Robert Burns lived there, too. Have you read any of Burns’s poems?

In olden times the northern part of Scotland was owned by the Highlanders, who lived by raising sheep and cattle, and by hunting. They were divided into clans, or large families of relatives, and were very loyal to one another. Many stirring tales are told of these old times; probably you will read them some time. Now most of the large estates in the Highlands are owned by English or American people, who spend a short time there every year in shooting and fishing.

[Illustration: _Young Citizens of Thurso, Scotland, on the Way to the Village Store_

_From Stereograph, Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_]

OFF FOR A HOLIDAY IN A JAUNTING-CAR

Here is a happy family, off for a long holiday. Grandfather usually has to take passengers about in his jaunting-car; but to-day is a holiday for him too, and he is going to take the family all off for a long drive. Have you ever seen a jaunting-car? They are used a great deal in Ireland, and sometimes we see them in America--at Newport or other summer resorts. Before one gets accustomed to riding in them he has to hold on tightly when going around corners; but after a while he gets used to the jolting motion and is not afraid of being tipped out.