AND RUINS AT MAVALIPURAM. I47 



mination, which, like um in Latin, is generally annexed 

 to neuter fubftantives*. To this etymology of the name 

 of this place it may be proper to add, that Bait is the 

 name of an hero very famous in Hindoo romance; and 

 that the river Mdvaligonga, which waters the eaitern fide 

 of Ceylone, where the Tamulic language alfo prevails, 

 has probably taken its name from him, as, according to 

 that orthography, it apparently fignjfies the Ganges of 

 the great Bali. 



The rock, or hill of ftone, above mentioned, is that 

 which firft engrolfes the attention on approaching the 

 place ; for, as it arifes abruptly out of a level plain 

 of great extent, confifis chiefly of one (ingle flone, 

 and is fituated very near to the fea beach, it is fuch 

 a kind of object as an inquifitive traveller would na- 

 turally turn afide to examine. Its (nape is alfo fingu- 

 lar and romantic, and, from a diftant view, has an ap- 

 pearance like fome antique and lofty edifice. On com- 

 ing near to the foot of the rock from the north, works 

 of imagery^ and fculpture croud fo thick upon the eye, 

 as might feem to favour the idea of a petrified town, 

 like thofe that have been fabled in different parts of the 

 world by too credulous travellers^. Proceeding on by 

 the foot of the hill, on the fide facing the fea, there is a 

 pagoda rifingout of the ground of one folid (tone, about 

 fixteen or eighteen feet high, which feems to have been 

 cut upon the fpot out of a detached rock, that has been 



found 



* This explains also, why the Shanscrit word Vcd, by which 

 the Hindoos denominate the Books of the Law of their Religion, 

 is written by the Tamulians, Vedam, which is according to the 

 true orthography of their language, and no mistake of European 

 travellers, as some have supposed ; while the same word is called 

 Bed by the Bengal ies, who have,in effect, noF in their alphabet.— 

 See Dow, Vol. I. Dissert, p. 41. 



f Among these one object, though a mean one, attracts the at- 

 tention, on account of the grotesque and ridiculous nature of the 

 design ; it consists of two monkies cut out of one stone, one of 

 them in a stooping posture, while the other is taking the insects 

 put of his head. 



t See Shaw's Travels, p. 155, et seq. 



