292 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



fall of about 2000 feet, with the peak of the Mother 

 of Gods rising immediately behind them. They have 

 an indescribably grand position, commanding an im- 

 mense extent of country and distant views of the 

 sea. Colonel Tod says of this "palace" that its 

 " black walls might defy the combined princes of 

 the universe. Superstition could not have chosen 

 a safer asylum to secure her shrines from profanation, 

 nor could these have a more appropriate station from 

 whence to elevate the soul to superior excellence." 

 This partly ancient building is used as a dharamsala 

 or hotel, $> as ineubti, for wealthy pilgrims. It is also 

 the residence of a band of about thirty Arabs and 

 Belooches, who are paid by the priests to guard the 

 temples, and who (whatever their piety may have 

 been) were, out of sight, the most blackguard-looking, 

 most cut-throat-looking set of men I had ever come 

 across which is saying a good deal. Judging from 

 appearances, I did not in the least wonder at Mr 

 Graham (whom they had prevented with drawn 

 swords from entering the temple, beneath which is 

 the Perspiring Statue) having remarked to me that 

 they would cut any man's throat for eight annas, or 

 one shilling. Their principal occupations were polish- 

 ing their arms, bullying the pilgrims, drinking coffee, 

 and searching their garments ; but possibly they were 

 not at all so bad as they looked. The temple part 

 of this building is very ancient : that portion occupied 

 by the guard and by pilgrims is scarcely habitable 



