1832.] Results by Simple Means. 69 



end to end ; it is fourteen feet six inches deep, and contains at least, 

 seven hundred and fifty tons of stones*." 



Say the pillars are twenty feet in height, and firmly imbedded, 

 would you not be at a loss how to apply modern aids or obtain fulcra ? 

 Yet the thing- is easy of accomplishment, if we would condescend to do 

 what the people of old would have done ; that is to say, employ the 

 cheapest mode of imbedding the two pillars up to their tops in earth, so 

 as to form an inclined plane equally all round them. Now, suppose the 

 impost stone to be at the foot of the inclined plane, what would be the 

 least expensive mode of rolling it to the top ? I will give one plan to 

 be followed, should there be no mechanical aid available other than 

 obtainable by levers and ropos — men however being plentiful. Having 

 procured twenty stout timbers of twenty-five feet in length, to one end 

 of each I would attach a cable ; the other ends I would insert 

 at equal distances apart, perpendicularly (or rather sloping back- 

 wards) along the upper surface of the mass to be moved ; the ropes 

 being pulled on, by a sufficient number of men, the levers must 

 be brought down to the ground, making the mass of stone turn nearly 

 a quarter of its circumference : having people ready with earth and 

 stones to throw behind it, to prevent retrogression : the stone-cutters 

 will then cut out another set of lever-insertion holes, the levers be again 

 applied ; and the stone be turned over a second quarter turn ; and so on, 

 until there are lever-insertion holes on the four sidest, so that it may 

 be turned over and over until it gets to the top, and is fixed on the pil- 

 lars : then remove the earth, and the task is accomplished. If it should 

 so happen, that the number of men are deficient to furnish power to 

 pull down the levers, the cables might in that case be made fast to 

 anchor stakes on the reverse inclined plane, taking a double turn of 

 each ; then by twisting the two ropes with hand levers inserted between 

 them, enormous power may be obtained : this in fact was the power of 

 the catapult and other ancient artillery. In the Dekhan, the power of 

 twisted ropes is to this day made much use of. A kubi (cultivator) 

 will pile up an enormous height of straw on his cart, and then throw over 

 the load several sets of simple ropes, with snatch-blocks of a simple 

 construction at each end of them fastened to the side of the cart ; then 

 by twisting the ropes he will compress his load to a surprising degree. 



Now let us consider how to move by simple means, masses which 

 are nearly cylindrical, to considerable distances. For instance, ancient 



* Maurice's Indian Antiquities, vol. vi. page 140. 



f Not however opposite each other, or so deep as to injure the stone. 



