56 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
entered by a lofty gateway, upwards of one hun- 
dred feet high. The portal, ponderous in the ex- 
treme,, and composed of a few immense stones, rises 
to a height of about forty feet. The uncommon mas- 
siveness of the work approaches nearer than anything 
I have seen to the Egyptian style of architecture. 
This temple is held to be very sacred. Here no 
water is used for idolatrous purposes but what is 
brought from the Ganges, which is every morning 
liberally poured over an uncouth image, looked upon 
as the presiding deity of the sanctuary, and then 
sold at an immense price to those who are devout 
and rich enough to pay for it, which in truth brings 
no mean revenue to this pagan sanctuary. 
Quitting Ramiseram, we proceeded down the coast 
to Kilcaree, and thence to Veypar. Here we could 
obtain no water but what was brackish, except by 
sending to a distance of three miles, which, notwith- 
standing the respectable number of our retinue, we 
found to be anything but convenient. The road from 
Veypar lay through a thick wood, chiefly composed 
of the umbrella-tree ; and here it was that I had 
an opportunity of observing the strangely fantastic 
forms which it so frequently exhibits wherever it is 
found in great abundance. Here indeed I saw some 
of the most remarkable growths of this capricious mem- 
ber of the forest which I witnessed during the entire 
period of my residence in India. 
We found very little change in the face of the 
country from Veypar to Panamgoody, which is im- 
mediately upon Cape Comorin. The peak of this 
mountain overlooks a beautiful and extensive tract 
