1839.] Account of a Journey to Beylah. 193 



language, entitled, '<The Adventures of Syful Mullik with the Fairy 

 Buddul Tumaul." I obtained a copy of the work at Kurachee. 



A short distance above the entrance of the city, the broken precipi- 

 tous ravine in which it is situated decreases in width to ten or twelve 

 yards, and forms a deep natural channel in the rock. For about half a 

 mile the cliffs are excavated on both sides to a considerable height, and 

 taking the remains of houses into account, I think there cannot be less 

 altogether than 1500. In one place a row of seven, in very good preserva- 

 tion, was pointed out by theguides as the residence of" the seven friends," 

 and further on we came to the grandest of all, the palace of Buddul 

 Tumaul. At this part, the hill, by the abrupt turning of the ravine, juts 

 out in a narrow point, and towards the extremity forms a natural wall 

 of rock about 300 feet high, and twenty feet thick ; half way up it had 

 been cut through, and a chamber constructed, about twenty feet 

 square, with the two opposite sides open ; it is entered by a passage 

 leading through a mass of rock partly overhanging the ravine, and on 

 the other side of the apartment two doors give admittance to two 

 spacious rooms ; the whole had once been plastered over, and from its 

 situation must have formed a safe, commodious retreat. At the summit 

 of the hill near it there is another building, which my attendants said 

 was the mosque where the princess was rescued by Syfal Mullik, when 

 the demons attempted to carry her off. Having seen every thing 

 worthy of notice in this troglodytic city, we quitted it, and returned to 

 Beylah. 



On the 21st the letter and presents for Government having been 

 delivered to me by Ularacky, I left Beylah late in the afternoon, 

 and on the evening of the 24th arrived at Soonmemy. On the road we 

 met a party of fakeers proceeding to Hinglaj : they presented a 

 most grotesque appearance, their faces besmeared with paint, and their 

 ragged garments decorated with tufts of feathers, and a variety of 

 irregular ornaments. Their agwa, or chief, who was a portly, well- 

 dressed personage, marched at their head, and carried a long white 

 wand as the badge of his office. These poor wretches had collected 

 from all parts of India, and as we approached them they set up 

 a loud shout, exclaiming " Hurrah for the holy saint of Hinglaj — we 

 are going to visit our good grandmother — praises to Kalee, the holy 

 goddess ! hurrah, hurrah." 



Hinglaj, the shrine to which they were proceeding, is situated 

 about a day's journey from the sea-coast, at the extremity of the 

 range of mountains dividing Lus from Mukran, and is said to be 

 of great antiquity. The temple is merely a small building erected on 

 one of the mountain peaks, and is held in great veneration by both 



