MAHMOUD OF GHUZNEfi's TOMB. 



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architectural skill than any thing I have seen in the country, except- 

 ing the interior of Ahmed Shah's tomb. The base is angular, fluted, 

 and equals the capital, which is but little thicker towards it base. 

 They are brick, and derive their beauty from the diversity in the 

 situation of the bricks. The one nearest the city is the smaller, and 

 appears perfect, it is likewise provided with a staircase : the larger 

 one is broken at the top of the capital. 



26th. — I went to see Mahmoud of Ghuznee's tomb, which is 

 situated in a largish and better than ordinarily built village, about 

 two miles from the Cabul gate, on the road to Cabul, at a portion of 

 the valley densely occupied with gardens. The situation is bad, and 

 the building which appears irregular, quite unworthy of notice ; it is 

 situated among the crowded houses of the village, and to be found, 

 must be enquired for. 



At the entrance of the obscure court-yard which leads to it, there 

 is a fine rivulet that comes gushing from under some houses, shaded 

 by fine mulberry trees ; in this court are some remains of Hindoo 

 sculpture in marble ; the way there leads past an ordinary room 

 under some narrow cloisters to the right, then turning to the left 

 one enters another court, on the north side of which is the entrance to 

 the tomb ; there is no architectural ornament at all about it, either 

 inside or out. The room is an ordinary one, occupied towards the 

 centre by a common old looking tomb of white marble, overhung 

 by lettered tapestry, and decorated with a tiger skin : over the en- 

 trance, hang three eggs of the ostrich, for which the natives have the 

 very appropriate name of camel bird, and two shells, like the Hindoo 

 conches, but smaller. The roof is in bad order, and appears to have 

 been carved. The doors appear old ; they are much carved, but the 

 carvings are effaced ; they are not remarkable for size, beauty, or mass ; 

 and appear to be cut from some fir wood, although the people say they 

 are sandal wood. The tomb strikingly confirms the- idea that the 

 Putans became improved through their connection with Hindoostanees, 

 rather than the reverse ; the tomb is unworthy of a great conqueror. 



I then ascended the ridge, and descended along it to the picquets 

 on the flank of our camp. This ridge, like all the low ones from 

 Mookhloor to this place, is rounded, very shingly, and generally 

 on the northern face, is partly covered with rocks, apparently lime- 

 stone. The vegetation presents nothing unusual, with the exception 

 of a very large Cnicus, Cnicoideus zamiafolius, capitulis parvis, an 

 Urabellifera, a Scutellaria, Dipsacus ; otherwise they are thinly 



3 c 



