286 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [August, 1909. 
having had some food they again descended, and this time they 
did not appear until midnight. It appeared also that they 
must have found another exit, as they did not emerge from 
the passage by which they had entered, but were seen to 
approach the platform from the open plain. As it was a very 
dark night no one was able to observe if they had anything 
with them, and no one was able to ascertain what their ad- 
ventures had been, or what they had seen. 
3. 
An educated Persian in reply to a question told me that 
Persians, who have accompanied Europeans into the under- 
ground passages, say that when a distance of from sixty to 
eighty yards has been penetrated, there is such a strong wind 
found to be blowing that no headway can be made against it, 
and one is consequently forced to turn back. It is commonly 
believed that this wind is created by the flanges of the 
diamond wheel which is always revolving with immense Velo- 
city. 
Some Persians who are better educated state that there is 
no such thing as the Charkh-i-Almas, and that the passages are 
in reality ancient water conduits. 
4, 
Extracts from ‘‘ Chardin’s Travels in Persia,’’ 1674. 
{ Translated from the French. } 
