1 52 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aug. 



2. Nearer view, showing the courtyard and Buddha Pad. 



3. View from the South, showing the Bodhi tree. 



4. View from the North. 



5. General view of the temple and courtyard from the North. 



6. Temple of Tara Devi from the East. 



7. Two Boodhs, from a cell in the courtyard. 



8. Temple at Koch from the East. 



9. Ditto ditto, from the South- West. 



" The other Photographs are nearly ready and will be sent in a day or 

 two. The weather being now so cloudy has prevented my getting them 

 ready sooner." 



Gya, 29th July, 1865. 



" I have just paid another visit to Boodh Gya in order to examine more 

 carefully, than I was able to do on my last visit, the plaster covering 

 the different parts of the temple, with a view to determine the age of 

 the arches in the middle and lower chambers ; the following is the 

 result of the examination. 



"1st. The four sides of the main building, above the terrace on 

 which the Bodhi tree stands, has had two distinct coatings of plaster, 

 the first or original one (in all probability applied immediately on its 

 erection) is of such a distinct character as to be readily recognised ; 

 it is composed of fine lime with very little admixture of other materials, 

 thin, and almost of the consistence of limestone, sparely ornamented, 

 and that where the outward coating is now ornamented the original 

 coating was plain and vice versd ; this coating is somewhat weather 

 worn in some places, showing that some time must have elapsed before 

 it was covered with the 2nd coating. 



" 2nd. The lower platform, as far as it has been exposed by tfye 

 excavations conducted by Capt. Mead, has only one coating, but 

 differs from the original coating of the superstructure in being thicker 

 and applied in two layers, it is highly ornamented with a frieze of 

 Lion's heads and hanging garlands, &c. but it is equally hard, it is 

 therefore most.likely the original coating of this part of the temple. 



" 3rd. Having therefore got some guide as to the covering of the 

 temple as originally constructed, it may serve as a test of the relative 

 age of the different parts of the building, more especially with 

 reference to the age of the middle and lower chamber containing the 

 arches. 



