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phy, in temperature, in iiiliabitants, and in fauna and liora as are 

 the different countries of Europe. It is therefore evident that 

 all I can attempt to-night, is to record a few of the general 

 impressions which were derived from a more or less rapid journey 

 over the peninsula, and the annexed Burmese territory. 



On the 17th November, 3890, after a voyage of twenty-five 

 days on the P. & O. Steamer Sutlej, we were greeted on 

 waking by the fantastic outline of the Ghats against the morn- 

 ing sky. The outline of the hills is most remarkable. So 

 absolutely flat do the summits appear, that the impression is 

 conveyed that each original peak has been levelled by human 

 agency. In a short time Ave had entered the fine natural 

 harbour which well deserves the name of Bom Bahia given to 

 it by the early Portuguese colonists. 



The natives of India are not slow to recognise new arrivals, 

 and we had not been long in the Apollo Hotel before we were 

 besieged by jugglers, snake charmers and the rabble which is 

 always waiting to entice baksheesh from the luckless European. 

 Decidedly bad tempered cobras were produced from baskets, and 

 mongooses issued from bags. For a certain sum the mongooses 

 were allowed to attack the snakes, and a further payment was 

 demanded if the battle was to proceed to a fatal issue. This 

 however, Ave did not feel incline to countenance, and'after watch- 

 ing the tricks of the conjurors, some of which were decidedly 

 clever, seeing that they Avere done on the public pavement with 

 properties of the most limited description, Ave Avere glad to 

 escape to our rooms on the fourth floor, and look down on the 

 city at our feet, Avith its stately University and other buildings, 

 and its picturesque surroundings of sea and mountain. 



That afternoon Ave drove over to Malabar Hill and visited 

 the ToAvers of Silence, in Avhich the Parsees leave their dead, "We 

 looked in at the door of a little temple in Avhich the sacred fire 

 is kept ever burning, but Avere not allowed to enter. "We then 

 came to a large over-groAvn garden in Avhich Avere the famous tOAV- 

 ers. Seated in long solemn rows on the Avails Avere the vultures 

 aAvaiting their gruesome repast. It is forbidden to Europeans 

 to climb the Avails and look at the ghastly remains beloAv, but 

 from a model preserved in the gardens, Ave Avere able to gain 

 some information as to the arrangement of the interior of the 

 toAvers. In each is a platform formed of four slabs sloping doAvn 

 to a central opening from Avhich a vertical channel leads to a 

 chamber beneath. The bodies are placed on the sloping sides of 

 this funnel shaped platform. The vultures descend and remove 

 the flesh of each ncAv victim. Liquids run doAvn to the chamber 

 beneath, Avhile the bones remain on the platform and dry in the 

 sun. They are removed from time to time by the attendants of 



