94 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
no doubt once glittered with all the gorgeous pomp of 
eastern magnificence : they are now a refuge " for 
the moles and for the bats.” 
In the neighbourhood of this once memorable spot, 
for it was once the mighty capital of a still mighty 
province * and a royal residence, there are several 
remarkable buildings, out of the walls and roofs of 
which trees of various kinds and sizes were growing 
when we visited Rajemah’l, and some too of consider- 
able bulk. There was especially a mausoleum, still 
in a perfect state of preservation, surmounted by a 
large dome ,* out of this a vigorous peepul tree grew 
and nearly overshadowed the entire building. It is 
supposed that crows or paroquets drop the seeds of 
different fruits upon the old walls or roofs of deserted 
structures, and that these seeds are nourished into life 
and growth by the deposit of slime and dirt which 
are the invariable accompaniments of neglect and de- 
solation. The mausoleum was still tolerably entire, 
though evidently suffering from the ravages of time. 
The tree which grew from the dome had not the least 
appearance of a stunted plant, but seemed to derive 
sufficient nourishment from the walls to support it 
even to a much larger growth ; and from the mis- 
chief which it has already done, there is no doubt, 
as its bulk increases, that it will ultimately destroy 
the tomb. 
Before we quitted this neighbourhood we had the 
opportunity of witnessing a suttee, t one of the most 
* Bengal. 
t The suttee is an Indian widow who burns herself upon the 
body of her dead husband. 
