2 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
one power to the other, as each alternately rose 
and declined. 
An ancient palace, called the Ghugun Mahal, 
exhibits some curious tokens of these reverses. The 
basement is of plain massive Hindoo construction 
and of great antiquity, coeval apparently with some 
temples of Mahadeo which stand near it. The next 
story is of more recent date, and is built in the best 
style of Moliummedan architecture, elaborately orna- 
mented, as if the builders had desired that it should 
form as forcible a contrast as possible with the 
Hindoo workmanship. Since its erection, again, it 
is apparent that attempts have been made by the 
Hindoos to alter the Moslem devices into something 
which should better assimilate with their own work ; 
the very cupolas have been surmounted with in- 
elegant pyramidical roofs, and a beautiful Saracenic 
screen, carved in white marble, has been mutilated, 
and in part replaced by some miserable representa- 
tions of dragons, and other grotesque fabulous 
monsters — poor substitutes for the delicate flowers 
and intricate arabesques, of which a few specimens 
still remain. 
There is, perhaps, but one considerable building in 
the place which has escaped these motley trans- 
formations, and that is by far the most ancient of 
all. It is the Sunkul-Boorjh, a high irregular 
bastion near the western gate of the fortress, a view 
of which is given in the vignette upon the title-page 
