GANGETIC HINDOOSTAN. 223 



in front Avith three or four pillars. They are lliaded with a 

 very lofty ficus Indica, fee preceding volume, p. 207. The 

 pendent branches have taken root in numbers of places, and 

 are forming a foreft of themfelves. The furrounding country 

 is hilly and wooded, and extremely beautiful. 



Thirty miles to the north of Rhotas is Sqfferam, the birth Sasseram. 

 place, and place of interment of Sheer Khan. He was of Jfghan 

 origin, had a grant of the lands about Eajferam^ and was made 

 Soubah of Bahar; rebelled, and ufurped the province. He 

 drove the vivtwous ■^nnc& Hmnami from the throne in 1541, 

 who fled to Perjia, and fuffered a long exile. Sheer Khan was 

 killed at the fiege of Chitore, in 1545, by an explolion of gun- 

 powder, but not till he had news of the furrender of the place. 

 He was a prince of great abilities, but great vices. After the 

 reign of three other ufurpers, filled the throne. At length, in 

 1554, Humaion was rettored, but died in the following year. 

 Sheer Khan built in his life time a moil fplendid maufoleum at 

 Sajferam, in which he was interred. It rifes out of a fine tank, 

 and was joined to the land by a bridge now ruinous ; it confifls 

 of two {lories, both angular, the lower fupported by pointed 

 arches. Each have a gallery round the top, with numbers of 

 equidiflant cupolas rifing out of them. From the upper is a 

 moil noble dome, of an elegant form. Various other buildings 

 rife round it which I cannot trace, mixed with trees. This 

 maufoleum is given by Mr. Hodges^ in a large plate detached 

 from his views, and does him much credit in the drawing, and 

 in the execution by Mr. Morris. 



About twenty-two miles below Gazipour, on the fouth bank Palieothra. 

 of the Ganges, flands Patna^ the difputed Palibothra of the an- 



tients. 



