Delhi, India

Tuesday, May 7, 1929

Shade temp 108°.

We induced the American proprietress to have pancakes and syrup for us. Gosh, they were good, though there were but a half-dozen apiece. Still, with porridge, pigeon, and eggs, we got filled. They had such a pleasant effect on us that we didn’t get out, but stayed in and wrote letters till almost three. Then a miracle happened. It actually rained—not much, but just in three or four Florida-like showers.

Rented bicycles and rode all through the native bazaars. Later in the afternoon we rode south through the Delhi Gate to the Kotila of Firoz Shah, which formed the citadel of the city of Firozabad, founded by that emperor. It is well restored and a pretty park now with all of these ruins of the old city about.

Two miles to the south, on the site of old Indrapat, rise the lofty walls of the Purana Kila, with their graceful high gates, built by Sher Shah, or by him and Humayun. The old mud huts have been cleared out and grass planted. The Mosque of Sher Shah is one of the handsomest and most picturesque structures at Delhi. To the south is a little red octagonal building called the Sher Mandal, on the steps of which, in 1556, the Emperor Humayun slipped in rising from evening prayer and received injuries of which he died three days alter.

Feels good to be on a bicycle again, except that the seat soon got pretty hard.

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