Bejoort of the Archceolocjical Survey. 



Ixxxv 



right through the fort, they could not possibly have seen the statues. 

 There is no road along the bank of the river, and no one would think 

 of passing in that direction without some special reason. No doubt 

 the statues might have been seen from the opposite bank of the river, 

 but as our travellers had no call to go there, they probably never went. 

 Both of them came to Agra from Surat, and approached the fort on 

 the south side ; and Finch left Agra by the Delhi Eoad via Mathura 

 without crossing the river, while Hawkins returned to Surat. Had Finch 

 seen the statues, I feel satisfied that he would have mentioned them, 

 as he takes notice of the elephant statue in front of the Edthi Paur, 

 or " Elephant Gate,' 7 of the Gwalior fort. 



155. With regard to Akbar's object in setting up these statues, I 

 differ altogether from Bernier and Tod. Speaking of the heroes Jaymal 

 and JBatta, the former says that " even their enemies thought them 

 worthy to have these statues erected to them." This is somewhat 

 amplified by Tod, who says that Akbar " evinced an exalted sense, not 

 only of the value of his conquest, but of the merits of his foes, erect- 

 ing statues to the names of Jaymal and Patta." Here we see that 

 both Bernier and Tod were of opinion that these statues were erected 

 by Akbar in honour of his enemies, the two Eajput heroes of Chitor. 

 But when we remember that Akbar prided himself on having killed 

 Jaymal with his own hand ; that he gave the name of Durust Anddz 7 

 or "true-shooter," to his match-lock, and that both his Minister Abul 

 Fazl and his son Jahangir make much boasting of the Emperor's 

 lucky shot, the more natural conclusion is that the statues were erect- 

 ed in honour of Akbar himself. Had they been set up in honour of 

 his gallant foes, the fact would most assuredly have been comme- 

 morated in their loudest voice by the Bajput bards ; but so far was 

 this from being the case, that Colonel Tod was entirely indebted to 

 Bernier for this knowledge of their existence. 



156. Again, when I remember that the same Akbar assumed the 

 title of GMzi (or warrior for the faith) after putting to death with 

 his own hand in cold blood his able, gallant, and wounded antagonist 

 Kimu, I cannot believe that he would afterwards erect statues in 

 honour of any infidel Hindus, however noble in blood, or gallant in 

 the field. When I recollect, also, the position that the statues occu- 

 pied, one on each side of the Eastern Gateway of the Agra Fort I can- 

 not help feeling that they stood, like the two horsemen at the gate of 



