!§<& Atf ACCOUNT OF THE SCULPTURES 



There are two circumftances attending thefe monu-» 

 ments, which cannot but excite great curiofity, and on 

 •which future inquiries may poffibly throw fome light. 

 One is, that on one of the Pagodas lad mentioned, there 

 is an infcription of a fingle line, in a character at pre- 

 fent unknown to the Hindoos. It refembles neither the 

 Dcyva-ndgre, nor any of the various characters connect- 

 ed with or derived from it, which have come to the 

 writer's knowledge from any part of Hindojlan. Nor 

 did it, at the time he viewed it, appear to correfpond 

 ■with any character, Afiatick or European^ that is com- 

 monly known. He had not then, however, feen the 

 alphabet of the Balic, the learned language of the 

 Siamefe, a fight of which has fince raifedin his mind a 

 fufpicion that there is a near affinity between them, if 

 the character be not identically the fame. But as thefe 

 conjectures, after fuch a lapfe of time, are fomewhat 

 vague, and the fubject of them is perhaps yet within the 

 reach of our refearches, it is to be hoped that fome 

 method may be fallen upon of procuring an exaft 

 copy of this infcription. 



The other circumftance is, that though the outward 

 form of the Pagodas is complete, the ultimate defign of 

 them has manifeftly not been accomplished, but feems 

 to have been defeated by fome extraordinary convulfion 

 of nature. For the weftern fide of the mod northerly 

 one is excavated to the depth of four or five feet, and a 

 row of pillars left on the outfide to fupport the roof: 

 but here the work has been flopped, and an uniform 

 rentofaboutfourinches breadth has been made through- 

 out the (olid rock, and appears to extend to its founda- 

 tions, which are probably at a prodigious depth below 

 the furface of the ground. That this rent has happen- 

 ed fince the work was begun, or while it was carrying 

 on, cannot be doubted; for the marks of the mafon's 

 tools are perfectly vifible in the excavated part on both 

 fides of the rent, in fuch a manner as to fhow plainly 



that 



