1838.] Notes of a journey to Girndr. 867 



This celebrated shrine occupies an elevated site in the south-western 

 corner of the city, overlooking the sea, and close to the walls. In its 

 present mutilated state, I find it very difficult to convey any very dis- 

 tinct or correct idea of the Somndth ; for although its original design 

 and gorgeous style of architecture, may still be traced in the complete 

 ruin it presents, its general effect is likely to be better understood 

 from an effect of the pencil, than the pen. (See Plates, Nos. XL VI, 

 andXLVII.) 



This temple consists of one large hall in an oblong form, from one 

 end of which proceeds a small square chamber or sanctum. The centre 

 of the hall is occupied by a noble dome, over an octagon of eight arches. 

 The remainder of the roof terraced, and supported by numerous pillars. 

 There are three entrances ; the sides of the building face to the 

 cardinal points, and the principal entrance is on the eastern side. These 

 doorways are unusually high and wide, in the Egyptian style, decreas- 

 ing towards the top ; they add much to the effect of the building. 

 Internally the whole presents a scene of complete destruction, the pave- 

 ment is every where covered with heaps of stones, and rubbish, the 

 facings of the walls, capitols of the pillars, in short, every portion pos- 

 sessing any thing approaching to ornament, having been removed or 

 defaced by the " destroyer*." On a pillar, beyond the centre arch, and 

 leading to the sanctum, is an inscription, which, anxious as I was to learn 

 any thing connected with the temple, much excited my curiosity. On 

 translation however, it proved to be merely a record of a certain sildt, 

 or mason, who visited the place some 300 years since. I learnt to my 

 inexpressible regret, that an ancient tablet, whose unoccupied niche 

 was pointed out to me, had been removed from the Somndth some few 

 years since, by a European visitor. I need hardly quote Col. Tod's 

 remark on this mistaken, and I fear too frequent, practice ; but if what 

 he says be applicable to the mere architectural ornaments of a building, 

 how much more so to engraven records, similar to that which is here 

 wanting. 



Externally, the whole of the building is most elaborately carved and 

 ornamented, with figures single, and in groups of various dimensions ; 

 many of these appear to have been of some size, but so laboriously was 

 the work of mutilation carried on here, that of the larger figures scarce- 

 ly a trunk has been left, whilst few, even of the most minute, remain 

 uninjured. The front entrance is ornamented with a portico, and sur- 

 rounded by two slender minarets, ornaments so much in the Muham- 

 madan style, that I doubt if they belonged to the original buildingf . 



* So Mahmu'd entitled himself. See Ferishtah. 



f 1 think it not at all improbable, that these minarets, the dome, and arches ia 



