IN THE ISLAND OF EJ.E.PHANTA. 427 



Jn the attitude of addressing the principal, bears a 

 ,crese, exactly resembling that in present use. The 

 heads of most oi the small male figures have a whim* 

 sical appearance, being covered with an exact resem- 

 blance of our wigs. 



Om each side of these groups is a small dark room, 

 sacred in ancient times perhaps to all but the unpol- 

 luted Brahmen; but bats, spiders, scorpions, and 

 snakes, are now in the possession. 



Left of the last described group, and nearer the 

 side of the cave, is another : a male is observed in the 

 action of leading a female towards a majestic figure 

 seated in the corner of the niche, his head covered 

 like our judges on the bench ; the countenance and 

 attitude of the female highly expressive of modesty 

 and a timid reluctance: a male behind urges her for- 

 ward. Several smaller figures compose this group. 



Curious it is to observe all the female figures have 

 ornaments round the wrists and legs, like those worn 

 by the Hindu women at present, while the males 

 bearing the same correspondence, have ornaments 

 round the wrists only* 



Opposite the last niche, and fiftv feet nearer the 

 entrance, is another of equal dimensions, inclosing a 

 figure that forcibly arrests the attention : it is a gigan- 

 tic half-length of a male with eight arms; round one 

 of the left arms a belt, composed of human heads, is 

 seen; a right hand grasps a sword uplifted to sever a 

 figure, seemingly kneeling (but too much mutilated 

 to distinguish it properly) on a block, held in the cor- 

 respondent left hand ; a Cobra dc Capella rises under 



one 



