3i8 A Joicrney from Bombay to Jeypore. [Sess. 



us, filled with rich tropical vegetation. In strange contrast 

 to the vegetation were the sandy plains stretching to the 

 distant horizon. Some miles after descending from this ridge, 

 on its north side, we struck the main carriage-road for Mount 

 Abu. It is a splendid road, and its construction along the 

 side of tremendous precipices is a great work of engineering. 

 It reminded me of the railway through Glen Ogle, only there 

 can be no real comparison, as the valley leading to Mount 

 Abu is much larger in every way, with dense forest, great 

 bare rocks, burnt-brown vegetation, and little of the verdure 

 of our Highland hills. Having reached this good road, we 

 soon got over the few miles to the hill-station or sanitarium, 

 and arrived at the Mount Abu Hotel, a clean but poor house, 

 at 12.45 P.M. While we were resting, and tiffin being pre- 

 pared, I sent our native servant with my card to the Com- 

 missioner, whose residence was near, requesting to be obliged 

 with a permit for myself and party to visit the Jain temples 

 at Delwada. He very kindly granted my request, and by the 

 time our servant returned we were enjoying our tiffin. Our 

 repast over, we remounted our ponies, as we had still to go 

 \\ mile. The bridle-path went along a small valley near the 

 centre of the cluster of peaks forming Moimt Abu. On the 

 rising ground at the end of this valley we saw the four Jain 

 temples ; and farther down the hill, and just outside their 

 enclosing wall, a village of miserable huts, in strange contrast 

 to the magnificence of the temples, which are among the most 

 exquisite buildings in the world. It is said that it cost 56 

 lakhs of rupees, or £560,000, to level the site, and 18 crores 

 of rupees, or £18,000,000, to build these temples. We were 

 told they were constructed in the form of a cross, but owing 

 to the high enclosing walls we could not make that out. 

 Arrived at the entrance, we found a large crowd of pilgrims, 

 men, women, and children, who seemed quiet-looking people. 

 In answer to our inquiries, each group told us from where 

 they came, and we found most of them had travelled on foot 

 several hundred miles, and some far greater distances. I am 

 afraid few of us would care to go to church so far, but these 

 people have faith, and faith abundantly. Having presented 

 our permit, we were admitted to the temples, which, by the 

 way, are only open to visitors between noon and 6 p.m. We 



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