of' tlie Southern Mahralta Country. 107 



ter sort of native houses, and other similar purpoi&^s. It is also 

 hewn into hand-mills, for grinding corn ; two or four of which 

 are a load for an ass or a bullock ; and are thus carried to the 

 bazaar for sale *. These are the primevid mills of all coun- 

 tries, which arc mentioned in Scripture, and arc still common 

 among ail uncivilized nations. 



DiThe ancient Hindoo tempks at Anagoondy, now pardy in 

 ruins, are built of grey granite, or rather syenite. The mas- 

 sive and gloomy style of architecture which characterises all 

 Hindoo buildings, is also met with here ; but, in one instance, it 

 has, to a certain degree, been departed from ; for, in one of the 

 principal buildings, there is an extensive colonnade, the columns 

 of which are light, with small pedestals and capitals, and ap- 

 proaching somewhat in their proportions to the Grecian. Some 

 of the pillars are tastefully carved with flowers. A few are in 

 the form of caryatides. They support immense slabs of gra- 

 nite, which are carved on their under surface, so as to form an 

 ornamental roof. The largest of these slabs, which are in the 

 central part of the building, are at least thirty feet long-(-. 

 The laminar structure of the granite has probably been taken 

 advantage of in the formaition of these slabs ; for a slab of al- 

 most any thickness may be easily detached from its native si- 

 tuation, and then cut into the required form, and of the neces- 

 sary length and breadth. 



It would ap{)ear, from a paper by Dr Kennedy, in the 8th 

 number of Brewster's Journal, that the natives of India have a 

 method of polishing granite, which communicates to it a black 

 colour. In this, I am pretty sure, he must have been de- 

 ceived, and that he has mistaken trap for granite. Trap is ex- 

 tensively used in India for architectural purposes, and for sta- 

 tuary. Most of the temples at Anagoondy, as already men- 

 tioned, are built of grey granite, which perfectly retains its na- 



• This brings to mind the following passage of Virgil : — 

 " Saepe oleo tardi costas agitator aselli, 



Vilibus aut onerat pomis : lapidemquc revcrtens 

 Incusum," &c. 

 I I cfaiiirot positively state their exUct lenglli; for I attempted to ascer- 

 tain it simply by pacing across the building: but I am confident they are 

 not less than thirty feet long. 



