1836.] 



of the Southern Mahratta Country. 



459 



particles, as to form a hard rook J. This rock, in some instances, ex- 

 hibits an obscure schistose structure. 



Granite is not generally employed as a building stone in India, on 

 account of its great expense ; but large slabs of it are sometimes 

 brought into the bazars for sale by the Wudrahs,* and are used for 

 paving the floors of the verandahs in the better sort of native houses, 

 and other similar purposes. It is also hewn into hand-mills, for grind- 

 ing corn ; two or four of which are a load for an ass or a bullock ; and 

 are thus carried to the bazar for salef . These are the primeval mills 

 of all countries, which are mentioned in Scripture, and are still com- 

 mon among all uncivilized nations. 



The ancient Hindoo temples at Anagooncly, now partly in ruins, are 

 built of grey granite, or rather sienite. The massive and gloomy style 

 of architecture which characterises all Hindoo buildings, is also met 

 with here ; but, in one instance, it has, to a certain degree, been depart- 

 ed from ; for, in one of the principal buildings, there is an extensive 

 colonnade, the columns of which are light, with small pedestals and 

 capitals, and approaching somewhat in their proportions to the Grecian. 

 Some of the pillars are tastefully carved with flowers. A few are in 

 the form of caryatides. They support immense slabs of granite, which 

 are carved on their under surface, so as to form an ornamental roof. 

 The largest of these slabs, which are in the central part of the build- 

 ing, are at least thirty feet long|. The laminar structure of the gra- 

 nite has probably been taken advantage of in the formation of these 

 slabs,* for a slab of almost any thickness may be easily detached from 

 its native situation, and then cut into the required form, and of the 

 necessary length and breadth. 



It would appear, from a paper by Dr. Kennedy, in the 8th nu mber 

 of Brewster's Journal, that the natives of India have a method of po- 

 lishing granite, which communicates to it a black colour. In this, I 

 am pretty sure, he must have been deceived, and that he has mistaken 

 trap for granite. Trap is extensively used in India for architectural 

 purposes, and for statuary. Most of the temples at Anagoondy, as 

 already mentioned, are built of grey granite, which perfectly retains 



t Kirwan mentions an instance of an artificial accumulation of granite sand having so 

 completely consolidated, by means of a simple aggregation bet vveen its particles, as to 

 form a rock so hard as to be impenetrable by water. 

 * A vagrant class of people, somewhat resembling the Gypsies, 

 t This brings to mind the following passage of Virgil :— 

 JS Scepe oleo tardi costas agitator aselli, 

 Vilibus aut onerat pomis : laindemjue rsvertens 

 Ineusum?\ %c. 



t I cannot positively state their exact length ; for I attempted to ascertain it simply 

 by pacing across the building ; but I am confident they are not less than thirty feet 

 long. 



