1854.] On the Ballads and Legends of the Punjab. 155 



Shiv'h, an obelisk, has often a porch and sometimes also an aditus 

 both on pillars with convex roofs built by laying successive layers of 

 flat stones of rectangular figure, so that the sides of each successive 

 layer shall cut the corners of that below. The porch and aditus 

 are manifestly foreign to the original design, yet their effect is pic- 

 turesque and pleasing. 



(27.) And as he near'd the mystic light, two globes of dull red 

 fire. 



The tradition is silent as to the means by which Eussaloo found 

 the maiden, and this verse is supplementary. 



He found her and forced her, by the ungallant threat of his drawn 

 sword, to reveal her brother's retreat and the incantation by which 

 he might be brought out of the rock in which he was petrified. 



(28). Eut bent Russaloo's mighty bow. 



The eastern bow is seldom slackened. In figure it resembles that 

 with which Cupid is armed, in ancient paintings. It is rarely formed 

 of steel ; most generally of wood and horn mixed. The structure is 

 rude and simple, and apparently unequal to the work expected of 

 it. The bowyer takes the first stick of mulberry tree that comes 

 to hand and cuts from it a pair of crooked slips to serve as horns to 

 the bow and a third piece for the handle or grasp. He then cuts 

 a couple of straight slips of buffaloe horn to form the springs. If 

 the horn be crooked, the slips are straightened by means of fire, 

 One of the horns or points of the bow, formed as said of mulberry 

 wood, is then laid upon the spring of buffaloe horn, and they are 

 bound firmly together with a thong of fresh sheep's or goat's gut 

 soaked in glue. This binding is applied in the form of a complete 

 case. When the lashing approaches what is to be the centre of the 

 bow, the grasp of mulberry is applied to the other end of the spring, 

 and bound to it with the gut in like manner as the horn was secured. 

 The same process is repeated for the other side of the bow. After 

 this the irregularities of surface are filled with glue, and a colour- 

 ed varnish is applied over all. 



Marvellous as it may appear, such bows are susceptible of great 

 elasticity and power, and if kept dry will last many a year of wear. 

 Such a bow costs from 1 to 3 rupees : it is very handy for horsemen 

 because so short and light. 



