Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 3.: The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth Century — John Shaqi
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 3.: The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth CenturyVerne, Jules
History
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 3.: The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth Century
Verne, Jules
Discoveries in geography; Explorers; Voyages and travels
The expedition visited the temple at Badrinath, which is far-famed for
its sanctity. Neither its internal nor external structure or appearance
give any idea of the immense sums which are expended upon it. It is one
of the oldest and most venerated sanctuaries of India. Ablutions are
performed there in reservoirs fed with very warm sulphureous water.
"There are," says the narrative, "a great number of hot springs, each
having their special name and virtue, and from all of them doubtless
the Brahmins derive profit. For this reason, the poor pilgrim, as he
gets through the requisite ablutions, finds his purse diminish with the
number of his sins, and the many tolls exacted from him upon the road
to paradise might induce him to consider the narrow way by no means the
least expensive one. This temple possesses seven hundred villages,
which have either been ceded to it by government, given as security for
loans, or bought by private individuals and given as offerings."
The expedition reached Djosimah on the 1st of June. There the Brahmin
who acted as guide received orders from the government of Nepaul, to
conduct the travellers back immediately to the territories of the
Company. The government had discovered, a little late it must be
admitted, that the English explorations had a political as well as a
geographical significance. A month afterwards, Webb and his companions
entered Delhi, having definitely settled the course of the Ganges, and
ascertained the sources of the Baghirati and Aluknanda; in fact, having
attained the object which the Company had had in view.
In 1808, the English government decided upon sending a new mission to
the Punjab, then under the dominion of Runjeet Sing. The anonymous
narrative of this expedition published in the "Annales des Voyages"
offers some particulars of interest, from which we will extract a few.
Upon the 6th of April, 1808, an English officer, in charge of the
expedition, reached Herdonai, which he represents as the rendezvous of
a million individuals at the time of the yearly fair. At Boria, which
is situated between the Jumna and the Sutlej, the traveller was an
object of much curiosity to the women, who begged permission to come
and see him.
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