116 



several parts of India and Caubul ; and throughout Persia the 

 dwellings of the poorer classes are of mud. These bear so great 

 a resemblance to the Irish cabin, that it has been remarked by 

 more than one modern traveller. Indeed in the western side of the 

 Indian peninsula, in Persia and Caucasus, not only houses but 

 palaces two stories high, and even fortresses, are built with mud 

 walls alone : neither stone, brick, nor timber being employed to 

 strengthen them. In Mysore the art of making mud walls is 

 carried to such perfection, that many of the mud- wall houses are 

 flat-roofed and terrassed.* Some habitations were probably con- 

 structed of wood, as were those of England at that time ; barons 

 only, and chieftains, being possessed of stone-built mansions. And 

 perhaps a part of the population, particularly the tribes of 

 Celtic race, might live under spreading trees in the forests, as 

 described to have been their practice in later times by Spencer ; 

 in a manner much resembling that which Bruce ascribes to the 

 African Galla, who pass the dry season in the forests with which 

 their country abounds ; each family chooses a spreading tree, of 

 which they plash together the outer bending branches, fastening 

 their ends to the ground: these branches they cover with the 

 skins of beasts. Within these walls of living wicker-work all the 

 small twigs are cut away, so that a large space is left free in this 

 vegetable tent, in which the tree stem appears like the central 

 pillar.-f- 



In any or all of these cases, for all may have existed simulta- 

 neously, no remains of dwelling houses could have come down to 

 modern times. 



* Buchanan's Journey through Mysore, 1. p. 33. 

 t Bruce's Travels, IV. p. 29, Edit. 1805. 



