Leaving this antique specimen of a nobleman's town house, we passed
through a maze of narrow streets; and bobbing under low archways at the
imminent peril of fracturing our skulls, we arrived at the Bisheshwan
Temple, which was crowded with Hindoos worshipping the Lingum,
representations of which met the eye in every direction.

A well in the yard behind the temple was surrounded by worshippers of the
god, who is supposed to have plunged down it and never to have come up
again. If so, he must find the smell of decayed vegetation very
oppressive, as garlands of flowers and handfuls of rice are continually
being offered up, or rather down, to him. From this well we had a good
view of the temple, which was covered with gold by Runjeet Singh, and
presents a gorgeous and dazzling appearance.

In close vicinity to this temple is a mosque built by Arungzebe to annoy
the Hindoos. I ascended the Maido Rai Minar or minaret, and from its
giddy height had a magnificent panorama of the city and its environs,
with the Ganges flowing majestically beneath, its left bank teeming with
life, while the opposite bank seemed desolate.

The observatory, or man mundil, is on the river's bank, and affords a
pretty view from its terraces, which are covered with disks and
semicircles and magical figures cut in stone.

Gopenate Dore Peshad is the great dealer in Benares embroidery, as well
as its manufacturer. We paid him a visit and were delighted with the
rich variety of embroidered goods which were displayed; we saw pieces
valued at from 10,000 rupees downwards: magnificent smoking carpets,
housings and trappings for horses, shawls, caps, kenkabs, and other
articles of eastern attire, were spread out before us in gorgeous