326 Memoir on the Topes and [July, 



horticultural productions abound, ramifying within the flexures of the 

 mountains, or rising upon the acclivities, till checked by the rigor of 

 climate. It must have been in this neighborhood that Alexander 

 revelled in imitation of Bacchus, and there is actually a spot upon the 

 flanks of the snowy ridge that would seem to correspond with the locale 

 of that event, the summer residence of the Nuwab of Jeldldbdd, which 

 is described as affording the most delicious transition from the heat of 

 the valley, embowered in the most redundant ever-green verdure. This 

 portion of territory acknowledging but a capricious allegiance to the 

 Nuwab, and a less certain attachment to his authority, is seldom frequent- 

 ed and little known ; and though it is affirmed that there are no monu- 

 ments beyond the line above alluded to, 1 cannot doubt that research 

 would be repaid, and that along the skirts of a magnificent range, crown- 

 ed with eternal snow, tombs will be discovered : the situation almost 

 warrants the belief, if that has been selected from a regard to natural 

 concomitants, and in Kabul the choice has evidently been influenced 

 by such circumstances, for we cannot otherwise account for a position 

 that connects its objects with the surrounding gloom. There, in one 

 of the recesses or glens deeply locked within the mountains, stands a 

 Grecian pillar called Surkh Mindr, from its red colour. The site is 

 isolated upon a natural eminence, showing a steep acclivity, lofty and 

 almost mural cliffs rear on all sides. Another Grecian monument or 

 minar, appears perched upon the crest of the ridge, at a great elevation ; 

 neither of these bear inscriptions nor any kind of device, but I am in- 

 formed there is no doubt about their origin. 



The decay and most commonly total wreck of all the edifices planted 

 upon the southern margin of the dell at Jelaldbdd is easily explained in 

 the nature of the materials that have composed them, which are pebbles 

 of vast size, or blocks of stone, attrited by water to smoothness, conjoinedby 

 a cement of mud. They have consequently been easily delapsed, andhave 

 crumbled away into mere heaps, like gigantic mole-hills. Where these have 

 been excavatedat their base, a small hollow square or cavity is disclosed, 

 formed of hewn stones*, wherein was deposited whatever remains were de- 

 signed. These topes differ very materially from that of Manikydla, and 

 Usmdn Khatir, where the square is continued from the top in the form 

 of a shaft. In none of those which I have seen, or which havebeen opened 

 by Mr. Honigberger, does this conformation occur, and we may at once 

 note it as a distinguishing feature in these fabrics, which has no doubt 

 a local import. There are indeed few exactly similar ; for they vary in size, 

 in external decorations, or in their structure ; though the contour has 



* Then the carrS of Gen. Ventura, about which a doubt was expressed in the 

 foregoing paper, was a hollow, and not a solid, square. — Ed. 



