ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 4^5 



in the Ajeen-Akbery, that the largeft is eighty ells high, 

 and the other only fifty. Thefe dimenfions are great- 

 ly exaggerated, according to the opinion of all the tra- 

 vellers I have feen, and the difproportion is not fo great 

 between the two. According to the author of the 

 Fharangh-Jehanghiri cited by Th. Hyde* they sre 

 faid to be only fifty cubits high ; which appears to be 

 the true dimenfions. At fome diflance from thefe two 

 ftatues, is another of a fmaller fize, being about fifteen 

 cubits high. Natives and Perfian authors, who have 

 mentioned them, agree neither about their fex nor their 

 names. The few^ HinduSy who live in thefe countries, 

 fay, that they reprefent Bhi'm and his confort: the fol- 

 lowers of Buddha, that they are the flatues of Sha'- 

 ha'ma', and his difciple Sa'lsa'la'. The Miifidmam 

 infiff, that they are the ftatuesof Key-Umursii and his 

 confort, that is to fay, Adam and Eve; and that the 

 third is intended for Seish or Seth their fon ; whofe 

 tomb, or at leaft the place where it flood formerly, is 

 fliewn near Bdhlac. This is in fome m'eafure confirm- 

 ed by the author of the Pharangh-Jehanghiriy who fays, 

 that thefe ftatues exifted in the time of Noah ; though 

 he gives them different names, and fuppofcs the third 

 to reprefent an old woman, called Nesr, more generally 

 reprefented with the countenance of a vulture. Thefe 

 flatues are fo much defaced, through the injury of all- 

 devouring time, and the intolerant zeal of the Muful^ 

 mansy that I believe it is difficult to afcertain their fex. 

 Travellers do, however, agree that one of them at leafl 

 is a beardlefs youth •, fome more particularly infill that 

 the fwelling of the breafls is remarkably obvious, and 

 that both look towards the eaft, fo that, when the fun 

 rifes, they feem to fmile, but look gloomy in the even- 

 ing. Their drefs, as defcribedto me, is much the fame 

 with that of the two figures, half buried at TuB-RuJium 

 near Iftacar in Perjla; with this difference, that the female 

 figure has no head-drefs ; but the male has Inch a tiara 

 as is worn by the fuppofed female figure at Tu6l Rii/iu?n, 



* p. 132. 

 Vol. VI. H h Thefs 



