A STONE ELEPHANT. 
263 
poisons by its touch, its exudations, and its saliva, and 
no otherwise. Bontius speaks of its bite or sting. It has 
recently been ascertained that theOrnithorinchus para- 
doxus of New Holland possesses a venom, emitted from 
the spurs with which Nature has furnished it.* 
Upon quitting the stone elephant, we ascended the 
hill in our palenkeens by a steep path, and about mid- 
day came to the first cave, which is merely a small 
unfinished chamber, supported by two pillars. It pos- 
sesses no feature to engage the traveller’s attention. 
About a third further up the hill, the principal cavern 
opens upon the view, as you ascend a narrow path 
thickly wooded on either side. The entrance of this 
excavation is less imposing, when first seen, than might 
be expected, and generally disappoints the traveller. 
It is low, and the face of the rock from which it is 
hewn is so broken as entirely to destroy all beauty of 
proportion; but when you are sufficiently near to look 
into the temple, the sight is truly imposing. Y ou see 
a vast chamber cut out of the solid rock, the roof 
supported by rows of beautiful columns, the capitals 
of each forming a cushion, so admirably cut as to 
appear as if yielding to the weight of the superincum- 
bent mountain. The principal temple is surround- 
ed by handsome colonnades, the pillars of which are 
carved with great delicacy. It is a square apartment, 
and every side is covered with groups of figures in alto- 
relief. At the bottom, facing the vestibule, in a recess 
about the centre, is a colossal bust with three faces, 
which are upwards of five feet in length ; the whole 
* See Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible, 4to. Fragments. 
Vol. iv. 
