474 Voyage of the Novara. 



this appears to be a mistake, for here the sea seems encroaching 

 rapidly, as is the case at Fort St. George, which 80 years ago 

 was at some distance from the sea-shore, whereas its walls are 

 at present washed by the tremendous surf. 



But the inroads of the sea could hardly have been so sudden 

 and extensive as to have swallowed up an entire city, without 

 leaving any traces. Not one of the natives to whom we 

 spoke in the place could say for certain, that the sea had 

 materially gained upon the land within the memory of man. 

 Nowhere are there any traces visible of the ruins of a city. 

 One can safely assert that there never existed such a city at 

 Mahamalaipuram, but that it has always been a mere abode of 

 priests, with temples, sanctuaries, &c., without any more 

 extensive settlement, similar to Copan, Quirigua, or Peten, in 

 Central America, but altogether larger and more artistic, and 

 evidencing a far higher culture on the part of the artist. The 

 supposed antiquity of the sculptures at Mahamalaipuram is too 

 low, to admit of our supposing that since their erection the 

 greater part had been swallowed up in the sea. None of the 

 sculptures that we saw belonged to any prediluvian period, 

 whereas they are all susceptible of explanation out of the 

 modern Hindoo mythology, with the aid of the Epic poems 

 of Mahabharata, all referring to Vishnu and his world of 

 deities. 



While some of the Novara expedition were visiting Maha- 

 malaipuram, others made out a trip to the Pulicat Lake, near 

 the shore, northwards from Madras. About 40 or 50 miles 



