334 SHRAVANA BALA G OLA. 



that a lofty, towering rock has been cut away, leaving the figure ; and it 

 appears that the whole summit of the hill has been levelled, by incalculable 

 labour, to form the plateau on which the image and its surrounding wall 

 and sacred buildings stand. The face of the rock at the feet of the figure 

 is cut away, so that the image appears to stand upon a lotus-flower. On 

 both sides, near the feet, the rock is hewn to resemble white-ant hUls, with 

 sacred serpents emerging from their galleries. Though the image is certainly 

 one, probably two, thousand years old (the ancient inscriptions on the rock 

 at its feet cannot be deciphered with certainty at the present day), its surface 

 has undergone no change, and it appears as if just fresh from the hands of 

 the sculptor. The face has the serene expression generally seen in Buddhist 

 statues ; the hair is curled in short spiral ringlets all over the head ; while 

 the thick lips and long ears give the impression of an Egyptian pattern for 

 the statue. Could a model of this stupendous testimony to the state of 

 art and culture of long-forgotten ages be erected in England it would dwarf 

 Cleopatra's Needle into insignificance, and would truly astonish the natives 

 around the Thames Embankment. 



We arrived at Shravana Balagola about midnight, having been piloted 

 across many miles of wild open country by successive village tallidries, or 

 watchmen. The village was wrapt in slumber as we rode through its silent 

 main street. We dismounted and left our ponies here, in charge of their 

 grooms, and proceeded with the coolies and guides, who carried our bedding 

 and provisions, to the building in the centre of the north side of the tank, 

 and which is seen in the illustration (from a photograph taken by my friend) 

 facing the beholder. This building, it will be observed, is open on the side 

 facing the tank ; it is composed of hewn granite, and the roof is supported 

 by massive granite pillars. Here we intended to sleep till morning. 



The whole scene was bathed in a flood of soft light from a full moon, 

 and the contrast between the bold and frowning masses of granite, and the 

 quiet slumbering sheet of water between them, was effective and engag- 

 ing. As I walked along behind our party, lingering to enjoy the scene 

 alone, I was startled by a low jarring sound in the rocks just above me. 

 It was repeated five or six times in succession, beginning low and swelling 

 into a harsh grating noise, somewhat like that caused by a pump that will 

 not draw, but much louder. It reverberated across the silent tank, and was 

 re-echoed from the opposite lull. I knew it must be caused by some wild 

 animal of the dangerous order, and on joining my friend he told me that 

 the guides said there were several panthers frequenting the caves in the 

 hill. This was exciting news to me, and gave a double interest to the 

 locality. How I longed to be able to converse in Canarese that I might 



