464 ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 



into a fmall lake, from which ifTue four rivers, the 

 Hirmend, the Landhi-Sindh, the rivers oi Ba/j/ac, and of 

 Ccnduz. 



The city of Baimyan confifts of a vaft number of 

 apartments, and receffes, cut out of the rock ; fome of 

 which, on account of their extraordinary dimenfions, 

 are fuppofed to have been temples. They are called 

 Samach'Jj*, in the language of the country, and Sarnaj 

 in Fcrfian. There are no pillars to be iztu in any of 

 them, according to the information I have received 

 from travellers, who had vifited them. Some of them 

 are adorned with niche's and carved work ; and there 

 are to be feen the remains of fome figures in relievo, 

 which were deftroyed or miferably disfigured by Miiful- 

 mans. Some remains of paintings on the wallsare (till 

 to be feen in fome of them : but the fmokc, from the 

 fires made there by the inhabitants, has aim' ft oblite- 

 rated them. It is faid in the Ayeen-Akbery^ that there 

 are about 12,000 of thefe receffes, in the Tiimdn or Td^ 

 gdvi of Bdmiyan; this is alfo confirmed, from general 

 report, by travellers. The country of the Afghans, as 

 far as Bdhlac and Badacjhduy abounds with Sanmch'hes or 

 Samajes : fome of them are very rude, whiHt others are 

 highly finifhed and ornamented. The moft perfect are 

 at a place called Mohiy on the road between Bdmiyan 

 and Bdhlac : as they are fituated amongft precipices, 

 the Miifulmans have never thought of living in them, 

 and the paintings, with which they are adorned, look 

 quite frefh. 



But what never fails to attraft the notice of tra- 

 vellers, are two coloffal Itatues, which are feeii 

 at a great diilance. They are cre6l, and adhere 

 to the mountain, from which they were cut out. 

 They are in a fort of niches, the depth of which, 

 is equal to the thickncfs of the flaiues. It is faid, 



* This word is {pelt Sarnacmh't} by the natives. 



that 



