ELLOKA. 79 



trodden by so many able and enlightened men, amongst 

 whom Major Moore, in his works on Hindoo worship, stands 

 pre-eminent. 



Johnson, who had frequented these caves during his shoot- 

 ing expeditions for many years past, pointed out to me the 

 luxury and convenience of the great hall of Key las as a resi- 

 dence during our stay at Ellora, and accordingly, by affixing 

 the kanamts or sides of our tents round some of the pillars of 

 the nave, so as to leave a quadrangular space within, we had not 

 only a cool and delicious retreat from the scorching rays of the 

 sun, but were hidden from the gaze and curiosity of any wan- 

 dering pilgrims or fakeers who might happen to approach the 

 shrine during the period of our stay. Cisterns of cold water 

 were at hand for bathing and drinking purposes, and the 

 few Brahmins that frequented the caves were now so ac- 

 customed to the intrusion of Europeans, that they made no 

 further remonstrance against this desecration, always, how- 

 ever, stipulating that all cooking should take place, and the 

 horses be picketed, on the outside of those sacred excavations, 

 and that no beef in any shape, which, to their horror, was 

 slaughtered and eaten by the Mahometan population at 

 Roza, should be employed in our cuisine. They have the 

 utmost aversion to the very name of the sacred ox being 

 mentioned in any way. However accidentally or slightly 

 alluded to, the mere mention of it will put a high-caste 

 Hindoo into a cold sweat of horror, and cause his countenance 

 to assume a livid colour. They will spit on the ground on 

 the moment, that their mouth may not be contaminated 

 by the dreadful sound. We had salt provisions with us, but 

 it would have been a cruelty to have outraged their feel- 

 ings by letting them know it, nor would it have been a very 

 wise or very safe thing to have informed them we had such 

 an article in our possession. 



In one of the front rooms, near the balcony over the gate- 



