KUNKHUL. 
231 
with a handsome balustrade of carved stone, hut few 
fragments of it are now left. 
My sketch of this temple was made on the morning 
of one of those fresh and delicious days with which this 
part of the country is favored even in April. Having 
completed my task, I jumped upon my pony, who, 
pleased to have been spared the usual form of having his 
servant in attendance, had been nibbling the sprouting 
grass upon the banks ; then setting off in search of a 
new subject for my pencil, I was galloping at a round 
pace over the broken ground and ragged remnants of 
antiquity, when I came suddenly upon a group of 
natives, evidently confabulating upon matters of mo- 
ment and excitement. Upon the summit of a small 
knoll, under the shadow of a gigantic peeple tree, sat 
five well looking Brahmins face to face in a circle, 
engaged in earnest discussion ; immediately at the foot 
of the tree stood a tall, and I fancied rather a graceful 
female, whom, though closely veiled, I should also 
have guessed to be youthful, and by her side a man 
of no prepossessing figure or countenance, thick set, 
awkward, and in feature ugly and villanous. At a 
short distance from them, immediately without the 
circle formed by the wise men in conclave, stood a 
comely youth with downcast eye and abashed de- 
meanor, which betokened some cause for confusion, 
beyond his presence before the venerable Brahmins, or 
the gaze of the crowd of spectators who had gathered 
around the group. He however appeared to reply to 
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