110 JOURNEN THROUGH LAOS FROM BANGKOK TO UBON. 
swering the purpose of parapets, there are colossal statues of 
Siva, seated, and with the head turned three-quarters-face to- 
wards the traveller as he advances. Nothing is left of these 
now but the pedestals, the various parts lying on the ground 
or in the moat. I measured, out of curiosity, a fragment of 
one of these statues from the lower lip to the top of the head ; 
the measurement was 0m.60, with adistance of 072.50 from one 
ear to the other. A few paces further on I found the neck 
and upper part of the chest of the same statue, this fragment 
being deeply embedded in the ground. The designs with 
which the neck and chest are ornamented, are executed with 
much delicacy, and have resisted the ravages of time. This 
causeway must be that which they call the bridge, or the gate, 
of the giants. At theend of it there is a thick wall, im the 
middle of which isa gateway adorned with sculptures, and 
erotesque monsters. A little further on 1s seen a little build- 
ing which gives one the idea of a chapel. 
It is atolerably broad corridor pierced with windows on the 
side facing south. These windows are fitted with bars of 
rounded stone, each being of a different shape or pattern. 
The vaulted roof, which is somewhat of the ogival shape, is 
entirely of hewn stones one placed over the other. Looking 
closely at the structure, no trace of timber, lime, or iron is to 
be seen in the walls, all the blocks are fitted together, and 
placed one on the other. The blocks are enormous, ten men 
could hardly lift one of them. A sculptured ornament occu- 
pies the centre of the vault. In the middle of the building, ou 
a pile of stones, pious visitors have deposited a statue of 
Buddha seated on snakes, the heads of which spread out hke a 
fan behind him. _The whole building is of pyramidal shape. 
Between the eastern and southern gates, there is an im- 
mense wall about 40 or 50 métres in length, and 3 or 4 métres 
in height, the inner surface of which is entirely covered with 
bas-reliefs relating probably to the fabulous births of Buddha. 
These sculptures are still in good preservation. It would 
seem that this series of sculptures used to be protected by a 
covered gallery, which has fallen down, and the ruins of 
which le about the base of the wall where the explanatory 
inscription ought to be found. I reached the southern gate; 
