the other towards the S. S. W., which latter|ject is the lofty hill and temple of Bhyroujeo is the highest ground of the fort, and con- or Hursh-nath,-being S. by W. about 5 taining the residence of the killadar; it is miles; its distance from Seekur is 8 or 9 cut off from the lower portion by a wall, so miles. The appellation Hursh-nath is deas to act as a kind of keep, should the re-rived from a small Goojur village called mainder of the place be taken. The same Hurrush, at the northern base of the mounprecaution is observed at Rughoonauthghur. tain, facing Deogarh. Here commences the The former has but 4 bastions; the latter 7, ascent by a well constructed road in the of which 3 are on the S. W. face. The ma- form of zig-zags, composed of large stones, sonry of these works does not appear to be in about a mile it reaches the summit, along very substantial or tenacious; but its defects which a path runs for another mile nearly, are concealed in most places by a coating of in a S. W. direction to the temple. This is plaster; the walls are probably merely rub- situated on the highest part of the summit, ble with a facing of good masonry, and there and is said to be close upon 1,400 feet above are no walls in the place, but the area of the the plains below. The whole mountain is upper fort is almost wholly occupied by sub- overgrown by a jungle of small thorny trees, terranean cisterns, said to be 20 feet deep, bamboos, euphorbia, while the sandy plains supplied, I believe, chiefly by the rain water at its base are covered in many places with which is carefully conducted into them from the acacia, byre, kurreela, artemesia, &c., all parts of the works; these reservoirs are with abundance of antelopes, deer, neelgaes, covered in by an arched roof. The inner or quail and rock pigeon: the hills are infested upper fort may comprise an area of about here, and about Rughoonathgurh with leo100 yards by 30 or 40; but it is so encum-pards and wild boars. The N. W. face of bered with small chambers, magazines and Hurrush mountain for about half its height intricate passages as to render an accurate presents a succession of enormous precipi. estimate of its dimensions difficult. The ex-tous crags of quartz and mica-slate, frontterior work consists of a wall and towers ing the N. W. as at Deogurh; close to the running all round, and including all such brink of this stands the temple, a plain spire spots as might afford a favourable lodgment 70 or 80 feet high, distinctly visible, nearly to to a besieger. These exterior walls are in Sambhur on the south, and to Jhoonjhnoo some places not above 12 feet high. On the on the north. It is sacred to Mahadeva, of whole, I should say, Deogarh was a very whom its small chamber contains the symstrong place, and well worthy of the confi-bol in the from of a marble lingam. A porch, dence which the Seekur chief places in it as a last resource and refuge in time of danger. To a native army it is impregnable, unless reduced by famine. The face of the hill which fronts Seekur is so rocky and precipitous as to be quite inaccessible; on the S. S W. the slope is regular, but very steep; on the S. E. front, in which is the gate, the as-a modern structure, built by Shoe Singh, cent is both steep and very rugged, with the grand-father to Luchmun Singh, the late Raja exception of the zig-zags; and to the N. N. of Seekur. But in the vicinity, in ancient E. the ridge suddenly falls some 40 or 50 feet days, there must have existed a really splenoutside the walls, and is moreover exces- did temple, the ruins of which are strewed sively rugged, and almost as narrow as the all over the summit, displaying far greater bridge Al-Lirat. It would be no easy task to taste and attainments in the arts of sculpestablish a battery on this site, and when ture than are commonly believed to have accomplished, the fort is in a considerable been known to the Hindoos. It was overdegree masked by the shoulder just menti-thrown, as I was informed by a Brahmin on oned, which serves as a natural glacis to the the spot, by the Pathan King of Dehlie, Alworks. The place, indeed, could not long re- lah-Ud-Deen, in one of his expeditions to sist a bombardment; the effect of shells in the Dukhun, because, as my informant added, so confined an area, encumbered by numer- the idea was intolerable to a devout and true ous buildings, and abundance of stones, believer that the kafirs should possess a would be great-though I imagine diminish- temple nearer heaven than any Moselem ed, in some respects, by the deep reservoirs Mosque, and thus enjoy the prerogative of of water, in which many of them must ex-stealing a march on the faithful in their pend their force. There are some rocky prayers and praises! Contrary to the usual eminences outside the fort to the S. S. W. Hindoo custom, the best part of the ruins. but apparently beyond gun-shot range. The have been somewhat rudely and confusedly fort of Deogarh is a romantic object as seen re-edified into two chapels, only remarkable from Rewasa, Seekur, &c.; and commands for the beauty of their materials, one being itself an extensive prospect over the sandy dedicated to Seva, the other to Bhyroo, from downs of Shekawatee. Kho or Rughoo-which latter the mountain is generally denauthgurh is seen to the N. E. Rewasa fort signated in the adjacent districts. In the to the eastward, on a parrallel ridge to Deo-inner chamber of the former is a four-faced gurh, about 500 feet high, and two miles Phalus, the mystery of which is contemplated distant. Luchmungurb, Khuror, &c., are in silent adoration by a great bull (Nundi) also visible; but the most conspicuous ob in white marble, reclining at an awful about 25 feet square and twelve high, supported by a quadruple row of stone pillars, forms the entrance on the east. The whole of this edifice is of stone, quite plain, with the exception of the basement, in which some sculptured pieces from the adjoining ruins have been occasionally introduced. It is but distance outside the sanctum sanctorum; on menced the work accordingly; and, lastly, the walls of which in alto relievo are seven- that when it was finished the temple was teen admirably executed female figures, each endowed with lands and villages "through about three feet in height, of stone, and in divine love to Sree Hurrush"-" the revewanton postures, meant apparently as an nues of which are now enjoyed by THE obeisance to a similar but loftier image in GODS"-a mistake, no doubt, for their mithe corner, perhaps Dabec, the Queen of nisters, the Brahmins, who, close on this ocHeaven. On a slab, now quite misplaced, casion, brought to the notice of the Raja in forming a part of the roof, is represented the fact that such gifts are the common a procession of musicians, buffoons, and causeway of virtue and religion!" The esother regal attendants preceding a person- tablishment, however, is now so scanty, that age on an elephant; the whole of this group it would appear some profane ruler had reis executed with great truth and spirit; the sumed these gifts, even at the risk of incurmusicians, especially, exhibit all the gesticu- ring the many thousand years residence in lations and ruffian aspect which characterize hell, which the shastars denounce, as the certheir descendants at a modern nautch. The tain fate of such spoilers of church property, outer court is supported by many stone pil- and its unalienable rights! lais, most richly and tastefully carved; and in the walls are numerous pieces of sculpture, Siva, and like it contains many columns, most The temple of Blyroo is close to that of representing long and varied processions of elaborately ornamented with carving, but men, women, elephants, horses, very beauti- merely supporting low, mean chambers confully and deeply carved, but on a much smal-taining large graven images of Bhyroo, his ler scale than the figurantes within. On a mother Dabee, and others of the celestial large slab of black stone, about 3 feet crew, all bedaubed with red paint. "Bhysquare, lying on the ground at the entrance, roo-jec-ke-munder" is the common reply in there is a long inscription of which several Shekawatte when one asks whose is the temgentlemen procured fac similes. The characple on this mountain. Several divine statues, ters resembled the Nagree, of which, indeed, of dimensions greater than human, lie about they are but an early form, but sufficiently the temples, many of them much mutilated, removed from the modern type to be illegi and close to the cliff's edge, over which it ble to the pundits of these degenerate days. is probable the zealous Moslems precipitated The whole inscription has since been decymany more. But this was not the first time phered by Dr. Mill of Calcutta, and reveals "the gods descended in the likeness of men" the name, and date, of the founder, and some in the Hindoo and other mythologies! other particulars perhaps not quite so authentic. The work was commenced in Singha Many cornices, friezes, pillars and other Raja's reign, A. D. 961, and finished in 973: architectural remains, very elegantly sculpthis chief was of the Chowhan race, once so tured, lie scattered in every direction; some powerful, and extensively diffused as to af- of the ornamental designs are really beautiful, ford monarchs to Dehlie, Ajmere, &c.; but and betray no traces of that monstrous bad now so reduced that the lineal descendant taste so common in Hindoo sculpture: the from Parthee Raj, King of Dehlie, considers material is a fine-grained sand stone, of a himself fortunate in being aliowed by more pale pink color, resembling that which is seen powerful neighbours to retain possession of the small hill fort and village of Neemraud, a few miles from Shahjehanpoor, between Rewaree and Narnowl. The inscription goes The view obtained from the temple is very on to acquaint us with the amazing fact, that extensive, and embraces the greater part of the eternal Sambhoo, who created, supports, Shekawattee, though from the elevation every preserves, pervades, and will finally burn the object is so much reduced to a general level universe, not only in but by the twinkling of as to render but few towns or villages peran eye, once chose to "sit upon this moun- ceptible in the vast russet colored plain which tain," to receive the homage of Indra and the spreads away to the north and west. The saltcourt of Swerga, (whom the Asoor Irissura lake of Rewasa appears beyond the ridge on had forced to abdicate and pass beyond the which that fort stands to the S. E. and forms seas, like the Steward family before Crom-a fine feature in the landscape. Roopgurh, well and the Asooric Puritans!) on their res-belonging to the Koohr Chief, appears on an toration to their native Heaven" by the isolated hill S. by E., and in the same line victory of the said Sambhoo over that devil nearly, but more distant, the strong hill fort incarnate Irissura! From the harsha, or of Danta, and several minor ones. The joy, so universally diffused by this happy Hursh mountain falls suddenly to a much event, the mountain received the name of lower elevation, a little south of the temple, Hurush; and the God his of Hurush-Deo or and then runs along way south, forming with Nath. Further, that a certain Brahmin “ob- the parallel Rewasa ridge: a narrow extended tained the consent of the deity himself" to the dale, abounding with herds of neelgaes, plan of raising the temple on this New Mo- which are here never injured by the natives, riah, and that the builder "being command-being held in religious veneration from their ed by the eternal Sambhoo, who desired to give an undefiled site, and endued with essential holiness to his own sacred name," com to such advantage in the beautiful Palaces and Mausolia of Deeg, Goverdhun, &c., and perhaps from the same quarries at Roopbas. supposed affinity to the cow. The fortress of Rughoonathgurh or Kho, is 15 miles E. by N. from Seekur; to the Rana of which it belongs in common with Deogarh; but since fallen from the cliffs on each side, affording General Stevenson's raids, both these forts a minimum supply of excellent water, which are garrisoned by our troops, consisting of a the people affirm passes through the solid detachment from the 22d Regiment, at Islam- rocks from Lohagalee, and was obtained as a poor, Deogurh only being honored by the boon on the payment of one lac and a half of commanding presence of a European officer. rupees by the Raja to certain Brahmins, whose From the neighbouring plains Rughoonath-constant clamours, thus stimulated, so stunghur presents the appearance of a large fort, ned the gods, that for the sake of peace and perched on the rounded summits of a lofty quietness as well as on account of the innate hill, very steep, and completely separated virtues of these twice-born men, they caused from the high ranges which rise behind it. this stream to gush from the flinty rock! It Between Seekur and the hills nothing oc- is curious to contrast the simplicity of the curs but the usual monotonous sand-drifts, means resorted to, on a similar occasion, at which will never be forgotten by those who the base of Horeb, by Amram's son, when the have traversed Shekawattee, more particu-stroke of a miraculous wand proved itself. larly that fortunate branch of the Army, fully as efficacious, as the rupees and prayers charged with the task of dragging the bat-in this instance, although, when we learn tering train through them, when with "all incidentally, as we do at Deut. ix. 21., that appliances and means to boot," men, ele- there was a flowing stream already in existphants and bullocks, a mile per hour was at ence at Horeb, the necessity of the miracle times the cheerful progress made, with a ther-is not so illustrious as its facility. mometer far from the freezing point! On From this gully the path ascends a wearapproaching this fort, however, all is changed, isome way by very steep, narrow and rugand instead of the shifting sands there is ged zig-zags, very unlike the excellent paved nothing but rock. The road enters a gorge roads up to Deogurh, Khetree, Patun and in the first range of hills, and after proceed- Hursh-Nath, most of which may be accoming about 400 yards, encounters a wall flanked plished on horse back, or at all events on by four towers, which extends across the ponies: though the policy of smoothing the narrow valley, to defend the town of Kho, assailants progress seems rather questionable. which is built inside. It is rather extensive" A great gulf fixed" extends to the left of and regular, and has, I imagine, been a place these zig-zags; and as this portion of the of some consideration, but at present bears ascent is commanded by Girno fort, to which too evident marks of neglect and decay. it is also the only path, a short visit enabled Many of the houses are in ruins and many me to discover, possession must be obtained greatly dilapidated. I was told that there is of this latter position before operations could but one well, a boulee, and a tank, the latter well be commenced against Rughoonathcontaining water only during the rainy season. gurb. The mountain, indeed, is covered with Such a scarcity of water would add materially jungle trees of sufficient size to aid considerto the difficulty of investing the fort. Imme-ably in getting up Artillery, and when in leaf diately above the town to the S. E., there is it would afford a notable screen to the bea small square fort, encompassed by low out-seiger's employment of making a road, which works; it is called Girno, and I should say would be an indispensable preliminary. After is about 400 feet, perhaps more, above the ascending about 500 feet, a path way, nearly town, which it completely commands. On horizontal, strikes off to the right hand to this side it is quite inaccessible; but towards Girno; the main one becoming worse and the upper fort, a neck of land connecting it worse, till near the summit it passes between with the main hill, is sufficiently level to ad- two small but well built redoubts of masonry, mit of guns being brought to bear on it at a of which, that to the right hand contains a small elevation; having first, however, the large supply of water; the other is unfinished. task of drawing them up 500 feet, over a I saw no obstacles which could prevent these path as steep, rugged and narrow as that to being taken by escalade; and once gained, Paradise itself! Raghoonathgurh itself is they would afford an admirable position for seen, far above, to E. by N. distant by the batteries, as they are within 500 yards of the winding ascent nearly two miles, which may walls, which are completely exposed from this be accomplished in half an hour. Passing site, the interval being level, or merely a through the town, in about quarter of a mile, gentle slope towards the N. E. This is the is a deep and very narrow gorge, with pre-only spot from which the fort could possibly cipitous sides of black rock, 150 feet in height; the rock is in vertical strata, running at right angles to the ravine; it consists of a very hard, black, glistening slate, which extends upwards but a short way, when it is replaced, to the summit, by white quartzose rocks. This gorge is the outlet to a great body of water in the rains, collected in the thousand gullies and furrows of the hill above; it has every appearance of having been excavated by their artion; but in the warm season a very small rill only, of pure water, trickles among the masses, which have be attacked; but my stay was too short to admit of an exploring excursion to discover whether there is no other road up to it than that exposed to the fire of Girno-I was informed that there was such, to the southward, and our knowledge that the approach to the. Shekawattee forts invariably by the most impracticable ground, as at Khetrce and Patun, renders the account probable. At the narrowest end of the fort, indeed, or that next to Lohagulee and Oodehpoor, there is a ridge of rock beyond the walls, but I should imagine it inaccessible, though the strongest works, and apparently the latest constructed, are even an escalade, the elevation outside varyraised inside and above this front, and seem ing from 9 to 12 feet, the greatest thickness destined to defend the spur of the hill from of the walls being not above 5 feet, while the chance even of being occupied. On the the parapet is but 23. The three large baswestern side, the hill and fort are divided by tions before mentioned, in the N. E. quarter a very deep valley from the range next the of the outer enclosure, are also hollow. In plains, of which the town occupies the lowest short, the fort could not hold out against part. To the S. E. the declivity is equally heavy ordnance for eight and forty hours, abrupt into another profound rugged valley, and was never built with such a design; the which separates Rughoonathgurh from the obstacles to an assailant are chiefly natural, still loftier range of hills in that direction, though it must be confessed considerable extending N. E. and S. W. The cliffs at skill has been shewn, in the disposition of Lohagulee to the E. by. N. from the N. W. the subordinate defences, which cover every exposure of this range, which must be 300 or avenue to the place, as well as every spot 400 feet above the fort; the summit is table-from which an enemy could advantageously land, or at least a very easy slope, furrowed annoy it: the inner works stand on higher by deep rocky gullies. The waters of this ground than the exterior; the greatest fall valley flow partly towards Lohagulle, and partly in the opposite direction. S. W. by S. till they are deflected to the N. W. by an immense labyrinth of deep ravines, and after reaching the sandy plains pass before Kho towards Pursrampoora, where all the waters of these hills are collected and form, I believe, a large jheel. is towards the N. E. and N. W. faces, amount- menced. The views from the fort of the adjacent hills approach in character the magnificence of the Himalyah scenery; but at the period of my visit, April, the plains were enveloped in clouds of dust and sand, while at the fort the air was serene, and of a delicious temperature, contrasted with the furious warm gusts beneath. I found with a celebrated personage in Eden The fort of Rughoonauthgurh is estimated to be 1,370 feet above the level of the adjacent country; it consists of a double enclosure, like Deogurh; the extreme length of the outer works is, as well as I could make out by having much rough ground, about 800 feet, the greatest breadth about 270; the general form being that of a rude oval, the longer diameter of which points about N. N. E. The inner fort is about 230 feet by 80, with six bastions, viz.: 4 at the angels, one in the centre of each of the longest sides of the parallelograms. These dimensions are only to be accepted as an approximation to the truth. The inner fort is placed near the S. S. W. end of the outer one; about one half of its area being occupied by covered reservoirs of water, besides which, there is a puckah tank of excellent water immediately outside its walls. The exterior walls are flanked by 15 bastions: and towards its N. N. E. extremity, the main enclosure is entrenched by 3 bastions and a curtain, by far the strongest works in the place. The masonry of the rest is neither very thick nor compact; and is still further weakened by the multiplicity of loop holes with which it is perfoTo the S. W. by W. beyond Girno Gurrated. The excellent limestone of Khuror is thee, a valley is seen among the hills filled so near that the S. W. works at least should with pure white sand, as if it were a bay of have been constructed with it. The outer the sea just forsaken by the tide! The level gate on this side is quite ludicrous as a barrier; but the inner gate is plated with iron; and is also protected by an unfinished circuJar breastwork. The section of the curtains of the upper fort gives only seven feet thickness, the parapet wall being 8 feet high and only 2 feet thick, with a double banquette of 2 feet. The bastions have a parapet of 6 From Rughoonathgurh there is a pugdundee feet by 2, with a banquette of 5 feet; at first down to Lobagully, of which I was not then sight these bastions appear very substantial, aware, and proceeded by the main road outand what is technically called " full;" but side the bills which are continuous from Kho in reality each of them is so hollowed out as for about 5 miles, where a narrow gorge sudto contain small chambers for magazines and denly appears to the right among the lofty the use of the garrison. The exterior defen-hills, forming the entrance to the valley, and ces are still calculated to resist artillery or as stony and rough as can well be conceived, Of pure, now purer air Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires of this sand appeared 200 or 300 feet above that of the neighbouring plains, or of the valley of Kho, from which a range of hills divides it. On a hill side, near the town, there are excellent quarries of white sand stone, which is extracted in great slabs, and forms the apparent export of the place. being indeed nothing more than the bed of a | be seen exemplified in the situation of the torrent in the wet season. A short distance Romish Monasteries all over Europe. From inside the mouth of this pass there is a very the boulee of Chetun Das the gorge winds fine stone bowlee, 96 STEPS in depth: as well for about a mile, becoming more and more as a large monastery close by, in which reside confined and rocky; till at length the path 30 or 40 fakeers; the founder of these was emerges from it, and enters a valley extending one Chetun Das, a rich Dehlie bunneah, who a considerable distance to the right and left convinced that "all, all on earth is shadow, towards Rughoonathgurh and Oodehpoor. all beyond is substance," like Bishop Berkely, Nothing can surpass the grandeur of the became an ascetic, and for 12 years, the scene, which now bursts on the eye of the remainder of his life, performed penance in a pilgrim; immediately before him rises the small Chetree or Chapel on the lofty pinnacle stupendous scarped front of the mountain, of Moll Kate: and by this acceptable mortifi-falling in a perpendicular precipice of naked cation of the body, became as celebrated a Tapasya, as John, Anthony, Pachomius, or Saint Simeon Stylites who in the golden age of Christianity in Syria, attracted universal applause and veneration, by standing on one leg on a lofty pillar, like one of our Bengal adjutants, for about 40 years; as the Monkish guide informs Childe Harold in Portugal Lo! in yon cove Honorious long did dwell, In hope to merit heaven by making earth a hell." The early inhabitants of the globe, pressed on every side by want, difficulties and dangers, seem, in their ignorance and fear, to have formed their gods in their own likeness; after their own image Gods partial, changeful, passionate, unjust, They were greedy, ferocious and cruel, and She, midst the lightning's blaze, and thunder's sound, rock fully 1,000 feet, and of noble breadth, facing the N. W. The general continuity of the summit line of this magnificent wall, is broken by a rocky pinnacle, rising perhaps 300 feet higher, and crowned by a small temple. The name of this pinnacle is MollKate, whom I take to be the Sakti or feminine principle and energy of Mahadava, in his form of Sri Horsha Deva-the god of joy ; perhaps the same goddess that Tacitus alludes to as worshipped by the ancient Germans under the name Malbrued, of whom our Saxon ancestors till very recently preserved the memory by the celebration of bacchanalian songs and orgies to the honor of Malbrook. But perhaps if the word be spelled "Mal-Khet," "the field of wealth," it will allude to the heavenly treasures which are there laid up by the otherwise poverty striken below, one would suppose their summit to be hermit. Viewing these grand precipices from that of the mountain, but from Rughoonauthgurh the rock is seen to slope up from it gently a long way to the true summit: from the plains, the precipices are entirely concealed by the first range of hills, as well as the valley of Lohagully itself. The trans mile; in some places very stony, in other verse diameter of this last is about of a to the base of the cliffs, and the sacred places well cultivated, an easy ascent leads cisterns-the wells of salvation to thousands of Hindoo pilgrims. This valombrosa is beautifully shaded by majestic burr and mango trees, which "high over-arched embower" many elegant quadrangular edifices for the accommodation of the gods, priests, fakeers and pilgrims. There are several cisterns, but the one in greatest request is at The magnificent cliffs, &c., of Lohagully, the very foot of the cliff, and certainly one must have had “a natural tendency to pro- cannot look up and around him here without duce a conviction of the existence and agency a sensation of awe, or wonder at least; the site of supernatural beings; to quell and sub- is admirably calculated to nourish the superdue the spirit with a sense of its own weak- stitious emotions which, if we judge from the ness and insignificance, and to excite those nature of most of the Hindoo scenes of emotions of awe and solemn adoration with pilgrimage, are rife in the national temperawhich an inferior nature instinctively contem-ment. The chief reservoir has the title of plates the visible indications of danger unde- Sooruj-Koond; it is spacious enough to adfined, wrath irresistible, and power uncon-mit one or two dozen people bathing at once; trollable." It is remarkable that while the secluded, wild and stupendous sites in nature should have been selected for the seats of the gods, their ministers have, for the most part, so il confirmed their taste to that of the immortals, as to prefer and to appropriate to their own use the most beautiful and fertile spots on the face of the earth, as may the water is very clear, and in April was not above two or three feet deep, and though in a constant state of ebullition, is not so hot as to prevent small fishes from swimming about in it. In the middle of the day in February, when the thermometer was at 75 in the shade, it rose 10° degrees more in the water. The officiating priests were civil, and so liberal as |