s,
the retinue consisting of about two hundred people; and yonder in the
shadeless valley is a camp of a thousand or more Fakirs huddled
together. Many are entirely naked, others are protected by a few yards
of dirty cotton cloth, most of them sprinkled with ashes or dry clay,
their faces streaked in gray, red or yellow colors, and the hair done up
in the shape of a chignon and held together with wet clay; but although
presenting a picture of dire want in their persons they have in the camp
a large herd of costly elephants richly adorned with covers of satin and
velvet embroidered in gold, silver, precious stones and gems, proving
that their begging has not been in vain.

[Illustration: FAKIRS.]

On the river bank is the headquarters of the pilgrims from one of the
Southern provinces, and over yonder that of those from the North or
East. Everywhere is heard the noise of trading and bargaining, of
greeting and ecstacy, of laughter and astonishment, and of the moaning
and cries of the sick and suffering--indeed a regular pandemonium.

The February sun already shone scorchingly hot upon the low, shadeless
valley, the thermometer rising to 90 deg.. In the night, however, it was
unusually cold for that country, and most of the pilgrims being poor and
their clothing and food wretched, dangerous diseases began to break out
among the weak and exhausted. The terrible cholera claimed numerous
victims every day, many died from weakness and negligence, others again
perished through accidents on land and water, for nobody seemed to be
very particular about human life, since death just there was considered
so very desirable. Along the shores of the river flickered hundreds of
fires, at which the remains of the dead are burned to ashes and
scattered into the river by the officiating Brahmins, to the infinite
edification of the relatives of the dead.

The Hindoos are a very peaceful and loyal people, and willingly submit
to order and discipline. Thus designated groups were conducted to the
water at certain times and places, which was highly necessary, as
otherwise the strong would have trampled down and crushed the weak.

The first ceremony consists in shaving the head, or at least the front
part of it; the hair which is cut off ought to be offered to the Ganges,
but the barber smuggles most of it out of the way, to be sold in more
civilized countries. From the barber the pilgrim is turned over to the
care of the Brahmin, who lead