83 



cate the elegant enclosure of a palace than a strong and judicious 

 fortification. In the first is a pillar inscribed in Persian characters 

 with the names of the imperial descendants of Timur; the expenses 

 of the building are engraved in the Hindoo language. The second 

 court forms an oblong square, surrounded by a range of handsome 

 apartments, covered with domes, formerly occupied by the royal 

 household. The third square contains the famous subterranean 

 Hindoo temple, erected over the pepel tree, from whence the city 

 takes its name. This celebrated tree is said to have resisted every 

 attempt made by the Mahomedan invaders to destroy it, and 

 many are the stories told to that purpose. In consequence of these 

 vain efforts, the Mahomedans themselves are said to have called 

 the spot Allahabad, or the Abode of God. 



The temple being perfectly dark, we descended by torch-light 

 to a square supported by numerous pillars, extremely damp, and 

 pervious to the water from the surface, which drops down in 

 many places, and makes the rloor wet and dirty. The sides are 

 filled with niches, containing a variety of Hindoo deities of a simi- 

 lar character, and much the same kind of sculpture, as many in 

 the excavations at the Elephanta. On the side facing the sea is 

 the celebrated pepel tree, (ficus religiosa, Lin.) preserved by miracle, 

 and surrounded by a low circular wall, like most consecrated trees 

 of the Hindoos. 



The inner square contains the palace ; situated in the centre, 

 it overlooks twelve other squares, in which were the habitations of 

 the royal concubines, where the voluptuous monarch could receive 

 the homage of the whole without moving from his apartments. 

 The palace is heavy, incommodious, and ill executed. It forms a 



