Chap. II. 



ROAD TO THE TEMPLE. 



25 



canal, all anxious for hire ; and if the more wealthy- 

 looking did not get conveyances of this kind, it 

 certainly was not the fault of the owners of these 

 vehicles, for they were most importunate in their 

 offers. Indeed so much was this the case, that in 

 many instances under my observation the waver- 

 ing pilgrim was almost lifted into the chair before 

 he was aware of it. These chairs are extremely 

 light and simple in their construction. They are 

 formed of two long bamboo poles, with a small 

 piece of wood slung between them, on which the 

 traveller sits, and another smaller piece slung 

 lower and more forward, on which he rests his 

 feet. Sometimes, when ladies and children were 

 to be carried, and the weight consequently light, I 

 observed two or three of these seats slung between 

 the poles, and this number of persons carried by 

 two stout coolies with the greatest ease. 



After taking my morning cup of tea within 

 sight of numerous plantations of the " herb" itself, 

 which are dotted on the sides of the hills here, I 

 joined the motley crowd, and proceeded with them 

 to Ayuka's temple. When I got outside of the 

 little village at the end of the canal, and on a 

 little eminence beyond it, I obtained a long view of 

 the mountain-road which leads to the temple. And 

 a curious and strange view this was. Whether 

 I looked before or behind me, I beheld crowds of 

 people of both sexes and of all ages, wending their 

 way to worship at the altars of the " unknown 

 Grod." They were generally divided into small 



