70 Description of Ancient Remains of [No. 2, 



believe, and as it is almost indisputably certain, it crossed over to the 

 right bank of the Burna. 



That both sides of the river Buma were in former days better 

 inhabited than at present, is somewhat corroborated by an examin- 

 ation of the ground on both sides. Brick debris is scattered about 

 among the fields on the right bank of this stream, and old coins and 

 broken stone images are occasionally found by the people, or are 

 dug up by the plough ; while on the other, or Benares side, not only 

 are old remains found in the fort, but also below it on the lowland 

 already referred to, blocks of stone, some of which are carved and 

 exhibit ancient mason marks engraved upon them, are still to be seen* 

 Moreover, it is stated in the Ceylon Annals that formerly the city 

 surrounding Sarnath, (about three miles from the right bank of the 

 Burna,) coalesced with or was a part of Benares, which, if true, must 

 have been at a period of remote antiquity. Indeed, the allusion in 

 these records is to an epoch long anterior to that of the historical 

 Buddha or Sakya Muni, and therefore prior to the sixth century 

 before Christ. This account must of course be received with much 

 caution, and not as absolutely authentic history. At the same time, 

 it is manifest that there was a tradition amongst the Buddhists of 

 India, conveyed thence by their missionaries to Ceylon, that in 

 remote ages the city of Benares extended to Sarnath. 



In visiting this ridge or embankment, it will be observed that the 

 high road leading to Raj Ghaut cuts right through it, the earth of 

 the cutting being used to raise the road above the level of the country. 

 It is well to remark too that where the road passes under the fort 

 to the ghaut, the soil has been cut away to make room for it, so that 

 formerly we may suppose that instead of a steep and almost preci- 

 pitous wall which the elevated land to the east of the road now 

 exhibits, the mound of the fort in this direction diminished in a 

 gradual slope, terminating perhaps not far from Tilia Nala. 



The ridge is in one part formed of three terraces, the uppermost 

 being perhaps thirty feet above the land, upon which elevated spot 

 is the tomb of Mira Sahib. In the mutiny a large portion of the 

 mound opposite the Fort was cut away for strategical reasons, although 

 what is left is sufficient to prove of great service to an enemy 

 attacking the fort. 



