330 #.N ORISSA PROBER 



mass of solid masonry, forming the head-piece or crowning ornament,' 

 The slope measures about seventy-two feet, and perpendicular height, sixty* 

 three or sixty-four. The total altitude of the building, from the floor to 

 the summit, is about one hundred feet or a little more. The outside of the 

 roof is divided into three tiers of steps, formed by slabs projecting curiously 

 from the body of the building, which are all bordered with a very fine pat- 

 tern of elephants, birds, and various figures executed with considerable 

 skill and spirit. Each of the terraces between the tiers, is decorated with 

 statues, placed at intervals, nearly as large as life. On the two lower ones, 

 are figures of nymphs and heavenly choristers, dancing and playing upon 

 sundry instruments, but with countenances expressing very little passion or 

 feeling of any kind. The third story -has the usual mythological animals^ 

 more nearly resembling lions than any thing else, which support on their 

 shoulders the outer rim of the huge turban-shaped ornament on the top; 

 besides these, there is a four-headed statue over each of the door- ways, the 

 ^crowns and sceptres of which, mark them as intended to represent the ma- 

 jesty of Brahnia* 



Each face of the Jagmohan has a fine rectangular door- way, with a porch 

 projecting considerably beyond and lined with superb slabs of the grey indu- 

 rated chlorite, many of which measure fifteen feet high by a breadth of six 

 or eight feet. The architrave of the door- way, as well as the roof of the pas- 

 sage leading to the interior, and an enormous mass of masonry resting upon 

 it, are supported by nine iron beams, nearly a foot square by twelve or 

 eighteen long, which are laid across the side ways in the most rude and 

 inartificial manner. The whole fabric is held together by clamps of the same 

 metal, and there is no appearance of any cement having been made use of. 



If the style of the black Pagoda betrays, in the rude and clumsy expedi- 

 ents apparent in its construction, a primitive state of some of the arts, and 

 a deficiency of architectural skill, at the period of its erection, one oanno£ 

 but wonder at the ease with which the architects seem to have wielded 



