nd evil vibrations of its own vitality. Thus the
vista of the Sadhu is always introspective, even to a vesting of the
natural vital functions of the body with spiritual significations,
which require the most laborious practisings and purifications to
make them all subserve his great ideal of absolute subjection of
the body to the spirit. The vista of the Christian missionary and
philanthropist is extraspective, seeking to make his own life a means
for elevating spiritually and materially the lives of those around him,
and disciplining his own body and soul rather, that he may thereby
more effectually further this end. "For their sakes I sanctify myself,
that they also may be sanctified."

A constant stream of pilgrims is ever passing through the bazaar of
Hardwar to and from that particular part of the river, the water of
which is supposed to possess a superlative sanctity. Here they bring
the calcined bones and ashes of their dead relations, and there is ever
a stream of pious Hindus bringing these doleful relics for consignment
to the sacred stream. As I looked down into the crystal waters I could
see the fragments of white bones lying about on the pebbles beneath,
with the fish playing in and out among them. Strange commingling of
life and death! And this has been going on at this spot for three
thousand years, for woe to the Hindu who has no son to perform his
funeral rites, no relative to bring his ashes to the cleansing waters
of the mighty Ganges! His soul will wander about restlessly, and the
sequence of its reincarnations leading to its ultimate absorption in
the Eternal Spirit, will be hampered and retarded! There they fill the
glass bottles of all sizes, which they have brought for the purpose,
and then place them in wicker baskets on the two ends of a bamboo pole,
which is balanced over the shoulder, and with which they will often
travel hundreds of miles on foot till they reach their destination. If
the Hindu for whom the water is being obtained is well-to-do, he
will have the water fetched with great pomp and ceremony, ringing
of bells, playing of instruments, and chanting of mantras, while the
baskets containing the water are gorgeously decorated, and a servant
is deputed to fan the aqueous god as he is borne along. Probably the
Hindu would grudge a tenth part of the cost to purify or amplify the
water-supply of his own village!

Naturally the town drives a thriving trade in the bamboo rods, baskets,
bo