68 Visit to Dewangari. [Jan. 



over the hill is wider, and free from slipping stones, and the country is 

 more open. About noon we reached the first Bootia house, and shortly 

 afterwards the temple, which, at least the interior of it, is worth more 

 than the cursory inspection I had time to give it. It is a square stone 

 building with gable ends and thatched projecting roof. The gable 

 fronting the north has a verandah, or rather a projecting balcony of 

 timber, behind which a well constructed frame work with several doors 

 admits light into the temple. I was ushered in, and found in front of 

 the window a highly ornamented altar, on which various utensils and 

 offerings were placed in front of a recess, containing three large Bud- 

 dhist images, all seated in the usual cross-legged attitude absorbed in 

 heavenly contemplation. They appeared to be formed of clay, were 

 exceedingly well executed and resplendent with gilding. The apart- 

 ment before the altar, about 20 feet square, is boarded, and the walls 

 are entirely covered with paintings of figures in similar penitential or 

 devotional attitudes as those in the recess, but differently dressed. They 

 resemble Chinese paintings, but I was assured they were the work of a 

 village artist. If so, they are surprisingly well executed, the colours 

 very brilliant and well chosen, and drawing tolerably correct ; gilding 

 was introduced to heighten the effect. My guides pointed out to me 

 two sockets in front of the altar from which a pair of very handsome 

 elephant's tusks that formed an ivory arch in front of the images have 

 lately been stolen by some of our rascals, I make no doubt ; I hope I 

 shall be able to trace them.* The Bootias hold this temple in too 

 great veneration ever to have thought of committing such a (to them) 

 sacrilegious theft. Being on the high road to Dewangari, it is well 

 known to all our people, who come up here to trade ; there is no house 

 very close to it, and no one lives in it, consequently there was no diffi- 

 culty in removing unseen any thing it contained ; besides the tusks, some 

 of the altar vessels were removed, " and the gods looked on all the 

 time without doing anything to punish the marauders," innocently 

 remarked my Bootia Cicerone, as if he considered that by far the most 

 extraordinary part of the story. 



A priest's house also of stone stands near the temple ; it is two-storied, 

 and with its projecting roof and balconies has rather a picturesque 

 appearance. Of the other houses seen, some were of stone, some 

 * The thieves have subsequently been caught and punished. 



