1855.] Notes on Assam Temple "Ruins . 21 



These military works abound in the valley, many of them, tradi- 

 tionally ascribed to apocryphal local heroes, are more likely to be 

 the remains of fortified camps, occupied by invading armies, at 

 times, when those who had anything to fear from the hostile force, 

 betook themselves to the strong places constructed on both sides 

 of the valley, in the passes into the hills. 



I have seen some of these forts, and have heard of more. They 

 are partly of masonry; well-cut and well-fitted blocks of stone, or 

 huge ramparts of earth, faced with brick ; and all so constructed, 

 as to render it obvious that the intention was not to protect the 

 plains from forays from the highlands, but to check the advance, 

 towards the hills, of a hostile force from the plains It is not likely 

 that the hill savages could have raised such works, the inference is, 

 that they must have been built by the inhabitants of the valley to 

 cover the passes to the hills, in which they took refuge from the 

 invading armies. 



I shall conclude with a notice of some very interesting ruins, I 

 recently visited, in the first range of hills due north of Dibrooghur, 

 on the banks of a small river called the Grogra, an affluent of the 

 Seesee. As it debouches from the hills, the Gogra takes a sweep 

 round the last hill so as almost to encircle it. This hill is scarped, 

 and upon the flat surface obtained, about 60 feet above the level of 

 the water, we have the remains of three temples, 30 paces apart. 



The existence of these ruins was unknown, even to the natives, 

 till a few years ago their accidental discovery was communicated to 

 Major Hannay, who visited them ; they are in a part of the country 

 fifteen miles distant from any village or habitation, and never fre- 

 quented, except by gold-washers. However effected, the destruction 

 of these temples was complete, three huge heaps of carved stones, 

 some of them very large and heavy, consisting of shafts, capitals 

 and bases of columns, cornices, architraves, friezes, massive door- 

 cases, altar blocks and the component parts of pyramidal roofs or 

 domes, are all found commingled confusedly, as if, after the over- 

 throw, it had been intentionally done, to defy restoration. As they 

 lie, however, it is obvious that each temple consisted of a shrine and 

 vestibule, the latter supported on pillars and pilasters. 



The pillars and architraves of the first and smallest temple, are 



