154 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of the River Soane fyc. [No. 158. 



other singular elevations in different parts of the town or neighbour- 

 hood, evidently composed of the ruins of buildings of considerable 

 magnitude. One near the Durgah of Shah Arzan, another at Bikna 

 Puharee, on which a large European house has been built, another 

 near what is called the Dutchman's house, and a fourth at Chujjoo 

 Bagh, on which the house I reside in is situated. It must be admitted, 

 however, that tradition does not agree in assigning such an origin to 

 these elevations. As the southern bank of the Ganges gradually gives 

 way to the undermining power of the current, several old brick wells, 

 long since closed and built over, have been discovered, and in the 

 rainy season many ancient Hindoo coins gold, silver, and copper are 

 found. Gold ones of the Gupta or Canoge series, and Boodhist coins 

 of cast silver and copper are the most common. 



It is not, however, a matter of surprize, that the waves of time 

 should have obliterated what those of the Ganges may have spared, 

 in a country where the destructive power of vegetation is so great and 

 rapid. 



In 2000 years how many cities, empires, and even religions, have 

 passed away ! Of Babylon, Susa, Ecbatana, and Persepolis, cities 

 cotemporary with Palibothra, scarce a stone remains to mark their 

 site to the puzzled antiquary. " Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, 

 what are they."* 



The empires of Montezuma and the Incas have likewise risen, 

 flourished, and disappeared within that period. The religions of Zo- 

 roaster, Osiris, Jupiter, and Odin, have been superseded by that of 

 the Crescent or of the Cross. When cotemporary cities have perished, 

 and cotemporary empires have decayed, there is little room for won- 

 der that nothing should remain of the capital of Chundragupta save 

 a few mouldering heaps. 



Tempus edax rerum ! tuque in vidiosa Vetustas, 

 Omnia destruitis ; vitiataque dentibus oevi, 

 Paulatim, Jente, consumitis omnia morte. 



Omnivorous Time ! and thou invidious Age, 

 Consumest all things in thy wanton rage. 

 Worn, day by day, by Time's remorseless teeth, 

 Man and bis works at last must sink in death. 



E. C. R. 



* Childe Harold, Canto 4-. 



