INSCRIPTIONS. 



207 



the interior of several of the bastions. These inscriptions are 

 in Persian and Arabic characters, beautifully cut in a hard 

 stone resembling in appearance a dark-green slate. The 

 dates on four of these stones are 971, 1000, 1018 and 1029 

 Hijri, which correspond to 1563, 1591, 1609 and 1619 

 of our era. The following is a translation of the inscription 

 on the stone, which was till lately in the north wall of Hanu- 

 man's bastion, but which, it is much to be regretted, has 

 recently been removed and sent to Grulburgah. 



4 6 By the grace of Grod and that of Mohammed, our 

 Eedeemer, this building was completed. The erection of the 

 building began in the time of the noble Ibrahim Adil Shah. 

 The Agent Malik Yakub, with the assistance of Malik Eeham 

 Sahib, commenced its erection. This building was completed 

 and has since become twice holy ; it always faces the Kiblah. 

 It dates from 1018, and is held in as high estimation as the 

 constellation of the twins." 



The other inscriptions are of a similar character. Hanu- 

 man's bastion stands in the middle of the western wall, and 

 can easily be identified by means of an old tree growing in 

 the centre. It has a few rude figures of elephants and 

 monkeys dh some of the stones, which were probably taken 

 from some Hindu well or temple, as Mahomedans never 

 carved figures of animals on their buildings. This may 

 account for the Hindu name. At the north-east corner of 

 the outer fortification is a gateway and courtyard with some 

 Hindu carvings, but these are of little importance. Most of 

 them are badly designed and roughly executed, the best 

 being a slab on the southern side, representing a king 

 attended by dancing girls, who have their hair tied up in 

 most elaborate chignons. The wall of the outer line of 

 fortification is built in two parts, one of 18 to 20 feet rising 

 from the bottom of the moat up to an external pathway 10 

 feet wide, which is protected by a parapet ; and the other part 



