broad pro]e6il;ing". into the area of tb^ building from the bottom 

 of the inner eirciimference of the dome, which is fo ingenioofiy- 

 laid upon fupports inclining inwards to the fide walls in graceful^ 

 curves, that it does ' not apparently diroinifh the width of the room, 

 but is rather an ornament to- it, ' It cannot be called a cornice, but 

 affords the fame relief and effeO;. I found-^my way to it through 

 a niche in the cupola, and od raifmg .my voice, the echo fro..--, 

 the top, was fo per fed,, that , I could fancy it the voice ot another 

 perfon mimicking me. The tomb of the Sult/^n lies under a wooden 

 canopy im the centre of the room on a platform of granite 8o' 

 feet fquare and raifed.4:: feet above the floor. On tire right -of the 

 Sultan's tomb, as you. enter, are the tombs oF his fon and'daugh-- 

 ter in-law J oa the leftj the tombs cF a. fav®?ite dancing-giri, his' 

 daughters and his wife. Over alofty dooF^-way through which you en*' 

 ter on the fouthern fide, are fome Arabic wfcriptions- in Togra letters- 

 which are fculptured, in alto-relievo* The chara£lers are gilded, and the- 

 ground is painted with a liquffal pigiparatian of Idjaward or lapjs lazuli' 

 which gives the whole an appearance of a beautiful diftribution of 

 gold and enamel. All the snfariptions which I (hall have occasion to 

 mention are fculptured and oriiamsnted after this* fafhion, and being 

 dispofed in all vadeties of ihape and- figure have a very elegant 

 effect. They are faid to be all extra6ls from the Koran, but the cha- 

 rafters are fo entwined and interwoven with each other, that the 

 quickefl reader of this band would find fome difficulty in decy- 

 phering them; I was, however, fiiccefsful in difcovering a Perfian 

 infcription here, which is ® chronogram on the death of Sultan Mu- 

 HAMMED. The line is ^ ^^^^-^^j^j b ''the end of Muhammed 

 was Iiappy," and th« ikl€ anfwering to it is io67 Hijri. (h) 

 On the outfide of thjs face is fufpended from the top of the buildings 



(li) A. D» l(JiO. 



3S. 



