akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LVII

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LVII
 
India the Most Extraordinary Country on Earth—Nothing Forgotten—The Land of Wonders—Annual Statistics Everywhere about Violence—Tiger vs. Man—A Handsome Fight—Annual Man Killing and Tiger Killing—Other Animals—Snakes—Insurance and Snake Tables—The Cobra Bite—Muzaffurpore—Dinapore—A Train that Stopped for Gossip—Six Hours for Thirty-five Miles—A Rupee to the Engineer—Ninety Miles an Hour—Again to Benares, the Piety Hive—To Lucknow

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LVI

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LVI
 
On the Road Again—The Hand-Car—A Thirty-five-mile Slide—The Banyan Tree—A Dramatic Performance—The Railroad Loop—The Half-way House—The Brain Fever Bird—The Coppersmith Bird—Nightingales and Cue Owls

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LV

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LV
 
On the Road Again—Flannels in Order—Across Country—From Greenland's Icy Mountain—Swapping Civilization—No Field women in India—How it is in Other Countries—Canvas-covered Cars—The Tiger Country—My First Hunt—Some Wild Elephants Get Away—The Plains of India—The Ghurkas—Women for Pack-Horses—A Substitute for a Cab—Darjeeling—The Hotel—The Highest Thing in the Himalayas—The Club—Kinchinjunga and Mt. Everest—Thibetans—The Prayer Wheel—People Going to the Bazar

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LIV

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LIV
 
Rail to Calcutta—Population—The "City of Palaces"—A Fluted Candle-stick—Ochterlony—Newspaper Correspondence—Average Knowledge of Countries—A Wrong Idea of Chicago—Calcutta and the Black Hole—Description of the Horrors—Those Who Lived—The Botanical Gardens—The Afternoon Turnout—Grand Review—Military Tournament—Excursion on the Hoogly—The Museum—What Winter Means in Calcutta

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LIII

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LIII
 
Still in Benares—Another Living God—Why Things are Wonderful—Sri 108 Utterly Perfect—How He Came so—Our Visit to Sri—A Friendly Deity Exchanging Autographs and Books—Sri's Pupil—An Interesting Man—Reverence and Irreverence—Dancing in a Sepulcher

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LII

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LII
 
A Curious Way to Secure Salvation—The Banks of the Ganges—Architecture Represents Piety—A Trip on the River—Bathers and their Costumes—Drinking the Water—A Scientific Test of the Nasty Purifier—Hindoo Faith in the Ganges—A Cremation—Remembrances of the Suttee—All Life Sacred Except Human Life—The Goddess Bhowanee, and the Sacrificers—Sacred Monkeys—Ugly Idols Everywhere—Two White Minarets—A Great View with a Monkey in it—A Picture on the Water

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter LI

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter LI
 
Benares a Religious Temple—A Guide for Pilgrims to Save Time in Securing Salvation

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter L

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter L
 
On the Road to Benares—Dust and Waiting—The Bejeweled Crowd—A Native Prince and his Guard—Zenana Lady—The Extremes of Fashion—The Hotel at Benares—An Annex a Mile Away—Doors in India—The Peepul Tree—Warning against Cold Baths—A Strange Fruit—Description of Benares—The Beginning of Creation—Pilgrims to Benares—A Priest with a Good Business Stand—Protestant Missionary—The Trinity Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu—Religion the Business at Benares

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter XLIX

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter XLIX
 
Pyjamas—Day Scene in India—Clothed in a Turban and a Pocket Handkerchief—Land Parceled Out—Established Village Servants—Witches in Families—Hereditary Midwifery—Destruction of Girl Babies—Wedding Display—Tiger-Persuader—Hailstorm Discouragers—The Tyranny of the Sweeper—Elephant Driver—Water Carrier—Curious Rivers—Arrival at Allahabad—English Quarter—Lecture Hall Like a Snowstorm—Private Carriages—A Milliner—Early Morning—The Squatting Servant—A Religious Fair

Mark Twain - Following the Equator - Chapter XLVIII

Mark Twain
Following the Equator - Chapter XLVIII
 
Starting for Allahabad—Lower Berths in Sleepers—Elderly Ladies have Preference of Berths—An American Lady Takes One Anyhow—How Smythe Lost his Berth—How He Got Even—The Suttee