1836.] Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions. 557 



the remainder is unintelligible, although the value of many individual 

 letters can be readily assigned. 



The fragment (fig. 10) in the parallelogram-headed character, (of 

 which an alphabet will be furnished under a subsequent heading,) is all 

 that remains of what was once a long inscription in the zodiac cave. 

 It is therefore useless to transcribe it in modern character, which 

 might easily be done for the major part of the fragment. 



But it will enliven the dry recapitulation of such particulars to 

 introduce the reader to the romantic scene whence these antique relics 

 were derived, in the very language of Mr. Ralph's most animated and 

 scenic correspondence — written as he clambered up the precipitous 

 and crumbling entrance, and threaded his way through the recesses 

 of the hollowed hill by the light of the brahman's torch. 



" On the 6th of the month I left Aurungabad, and went seven marches east- 

 ward that T might join Captain Gresley, and induce him to come hither with 

 me. When I found him on the 13th, we were near 50 miles from this place, to 

 which we came in two breakneck marches, galloping over stony roads and rocky 

 torrents at the rate of ten miles an hour. We then rested one day, and on the 

 18th arrived here at 9 A. m. During the two last days Gresley has been with 

 me, and his exclamations of admiration and regret, the mere variations of won- 

 der, — would fill three pages. The paintings, which are fast fading and falling 

 away, demand consideration. There is nothing in India like them. They give 

 us glimpses of a former world — but, alas ! how industriously these valuable and 

 beautiful remains have been by violence destroyed ! I shall now rapidly throw 

 together my companion's observations, among which are all mine, in which he 

 agreed. You know I have no knowledge of painting or design — only a perception 

 of what is beautiful ; but you must have remarked his skill in drawing and good 

 taste in every thing. 



" These caves are becoming daily more difficult of access. You pass along nar- 

 row goat paths with a chasm of 50 or 80 feet below, the footing not nine inches 

 broad, with scarce any thing to cling to. The rains yearly making the passages 

 worse. G. and I admired the fires on the hill above us : grass and leaves burning- 

 all night. What followed ? Why, last night every hour and oftener, stones and 

 burning rubbish, large logs half consumed, rolled down close to the tent, and this 

 morning the ascent proved more difficult. One cave is inaccessible, and several 

 are approached at the risk of life. 



' What a wonderful people these must have been ! Remark the head dresses. 

 Now, is this a wig or curly hair ? All the statues, the curved figures of Buddha 

 have them. How can I say ? First wigs were made to represent hair, and then hair 

 dressed to look like wigs. 'Tis the shape of your Welsh wig, and rows of curls 

 all over. Then the head dresses and ornaments are different from every thing 

 we now see. These are chiefly domestic scenes— seraglio scenes ; — here are 

 females and males every where, then processions and portraits of princes 

 which are always larger than the rest. The subjects are closely intermixed; — a 

 medallion is twelve or fifteen inches in height ; below and above, closely touch- 

 ing, are other subjects. I have seen nothing monstrous. No, certainly, 

 there is nothing monstrous except where we see some figure evidently designed 



