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in mosaic patterns ; some of the colours are still bright. The op- 
posite hath of the same proportions, is less ornamented; between 
them a room detached from the rock contains a colossal represen- 
tation of the lingam. Several small caves branch out from the 
grand excavations. 
I remained on one occasion four days at the isle of Elephanta, 
and paid more than one visit to the sculptured mountains of Ca~ 
nara, sketching the most striking features of these wonderful works, 
I once accompanied an eminent English artist on his first visit to 
the Elephanta; I had been lavish in its praise; too much so, as 1 
had reason to conclude, on our arrival at the great temple. After 
the glare of a tropical sun, during the walk from the landing-place, 
it was sometime before the eye had accommodated itself to the 
gloom of these subterraneous chambers sufficiently to discrimi- 
nate objects in that sombre light. We remained for several minutes 
without speaking, or looking particularly at each other: at length, 
when more familiarized to the cavern, my companion still remain- 
ing silent, I expressed some fear of having been too warm in my 
description, and that, like most other objects, the reality fell short 
of the anticipated pleasure: he soon relieved my anxiety by de- 
claring, that, however highly he had raised his imagination, on en- 
tering this stupendous scene he was so absorbed in astonishment 
and delight as to forget where he was. He had seen the most 
striking objects of art in Italy and Greece, but never any thing 
which filled his mind with such extraordinary sensations. So en- 
raptured was he with the spot, that after staying until a late hour 
he reluctantly accompanied me to the hospitable mansion of an 
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