THE NARBADA VALLEY. 41 



on the colonies at the Marble Eocks, from a safe position on the 

 opposite bank, sending several large comb-fulls to a watery 

 grave in the depths below. 



The presence of these inhospitable bees renders it a matter 

 for congratulation that the finest impression of the Marble 

 Eocks is to be got " by the pale moonlight." The bees are 

 then quite harmless ; and, if the scenery has then lost some- 

 thing in brilliancy of contrast in its lights and shades, it has 

 gained perhaps more in the mysteriousness and solemnity that 

 well befit a spot seemingly created by Deity for an everlast- 

 ing temple to himself. I am sorry to say that, in the old 

 Jubbulpur days, we not unfrequently used to desecrate the 

 sanctuary by unholy moonlight pic-nics, in which plenty of 

 champagne, brass bands, and songs that were sometimes very 

 much the reverse of hymns, bore the most prominent part. 

 It was very jolly, though, like most things that are wrong. 



A spot so naturally remarkable as the Marble Eocks could 

 not escape sanctification at the hands of the Brahmans. 

 Nothing more completely refutes the accusation of want of 

 taste for natural beauty, so often made against the Hindus, 

 than their almost invariable selection of the most picturesque 

 sites for their religious buildings. Many of the commonest 

 legends of Hindu mythology have, as usual, been transplanted 

 by the local priests to this neighbourhood. The monkey 

 legions of Hanuman here leapt across the chasm on their 

 way to Ceylon; and the celestial elephant of Indra left a 

 mighty footprint in the white rock which is still exhibited to 

 the devout pilgrim. Several picturesque temples dedicated 

 to Siva" crown the cliff on the right bank ; and by the river's 

 edge is a favourite ghdt for the launching of the bodies of 

 devout Hindus into the waters of Mother Narbada\ A 

 pleasure party to the rocks is apt to be not a little marred by 



