TEMPLE OF SHOEMADOO PRAW. 119 



the fouth-weft corner are four gigantic reprefentations, 

 in mafonry, of Palloo, or the man-deftroyer> half 

 bead, half human, feated on their hams, each with a 

 large club on the right fhoulder. The Pundit who 

 accompanied me faid, that they refembled the Rakuss 

 of the Hindus. They are guardians of the temple. 



Nearly in the center of the eaft face of the area are 

 two human figures in ftucco, beneath a gilded um- 

 brella. One (landing, reprefents a man with a book 

 before him, and a pen in his hand. He is called 

 Thagiamee, the recorder of mortal merits, and mor- 

 tal mifdeeds. The other, a female figure kneeling, is 

 Maha Sumdere, the protectrefs of the univerfe, as 

 long as the univerfe is doomed to lad: but when the 

 time of general diflblution arrives, by her hand the 

 world is to be overwhelmed, and deftroyed everlaft- 

 ingly. 



A fmall brick building, near the north- eaft angle, 

 contains an upright marble flab, four feet high, and 

 three feet wide, on which is a long and legible Bir- 

 man infcription. I was told it was a recent account of 

 the donations of pilgrims. 



Along the north face of the terrace there is a 

 wooden fhed, for the convenience of devotees who 

 come from a diftance to offer up their prayers at 

 Shoemadoo. 



On the north fide of the great pagoda are three 

 large bells, of good workmanihip, fufpended near the 

 ground, between pillars. Several deers' horns are 

 ftrewed around. Thofe who come to pay their devotions, 

 firft take up one of the horns, and ftrike the bell three 

 times, giving an alternate ftroke to the ground. This 

 act, I was told, is to announce to the fpiritof Gaudma, 



H 4 the 



