Chap. LIV. SACRED SITE OF GA'BATA'. 
63 
tion were to be seen. The sun was very powerful ; 
and as we marched during the hottest hours of the 
day, I felt very unwell, and was obliged to sit down 
for a while. 
After having traversed the plain, we again had the 
mountain-chain on our left ; and in a recess or amphi- 
theatre which is formed by the eminences, we obtained 
a sight of Gdbata, the old residence of the Muniy6ma, 
but at present exhibiting nothing but a heap of un- 
sightly ruins, encompassed towards the road side by 
a wall built of different kinds of stone, but at present 
entirely in decay, while in the very angle of the re- 
cess at the foot of the mountains a stone dwelling is 
seen, where it was the custom, in olden times, for 
every ruler of the country, upon his accession to the 
throne, to remain in retirement for seven days. It 
had been my intention to visit this spot; but the 
present governor had urgently requested me to 
abstain from such a profane undertaking, the place 
being (as he said) haunted by spirits: and my sudden 
indisposition prevented me from accomplishing my 
design. The natives say that there are caves leading 
from the stone dwelling into the rock. 
Our left being bordered by the mountain-slope, 
which is beautifully varied, and having on our right 
a fine grove of magnificent trees and cultivated fields, 
we reached, at three o'clock in the afternoon, the well 
situated in a recess of the mountains, but had great 
difficulty in choosing a spot tolerably free from ants. 
Here I felt so weak that I did not care either about 
