1837-] 



Bomhay Islands. 



171 



basis consisting of clay, and the inclosed particles of altered quartzoze 

 grains, &c. 



Remains of painting are still observable, which seems to have origi- 

 nally been of a red colour, but has in some places faded to a purple hue. 

 The upper part of the rock, commencing at the roof of the apartments, 

 is composed of amygdaloid,, having a wacke basis, and containing cavi- 

 ties filled with rock-crystal, caicarious spar, zeolites, and many other 

 minerals which a careful examination would readily detect. During the 

 rains these caves are filled with water. The whole face of the hill above 

 these caves is craggy, consisting of amygdaloid, porphyry occasionally 

 appearing, and is covered with thick jungle, and climbers ascending the 

 stems of the numerous trees. Among the former we chiefly remark the 

 Dalbergia scandens, and among the latter, the Getonia floribunda, with, 

 its bunches of flowers* 



The path, continuing to wind up the declivity, conducts, after passing 

 a fine specimen of the tamarind tree, and of the Asclepias gigantea, to 

 the great temple which faces the north. Like the lower antiquities, it 

 is an excavation in the solid rock, with, however, a much greater ex- 

 tension of human art, for the space included within the walls of the 

 large apartment is a square of 43 yards*, and 18 feet in height, sup- 

 ported by three rows of pillars, consisting of rounded fluted capitals 

 and square shafts. The walls are covered with gigantic figures, all of 

 which have been mutilated, with the exception of the colossal repre- 

 sentation of the Trimurti fronting the entrance, and one entire mascu-.. 

 line form in j;he recess to the right.. The rock is amygdaloid occasion- 

 ally assuming a purely porphyritic appearance. The effects of the at- 

 mosphere upon the more exposed portions of the rock are obvious, for ifc 

 is evidently decaying and crumbling to powder, and, combined with 

 the ravages produced by visitors, would, in the lapse of time, prevent 

 the probability of any remnant continuing, had not the foresight of the 

 honourable governors of the country obviated the latter cause in some 

 measure, by stationing a resident sergeant to guard these interesting 

 relics. The rock, when first exposed, is highly indurated, and difficult 

 either to fracture or polish, both of which circumstances add greatly to 

 the wonder and admiration with which we must view the temple and 

 sculptures. 



In geological investigations, not the least interesting inquiry consists 

 in observations with regard to the degradation of the rocky masses, and 

 the formation of the soils for the growth of the members of the vege- 

 table kingdom. Such questions, it is obvious, can be most satisfac- 

 torily solved on insulated lands, where no agencies save the pure natu- 

 ral causes can come into operation. Coral islands, which are of such 



* This number is derived f i ;ora the resident sergeant. I made it forty-six paces. 



