370 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
Sagaing side alone I counted about two hun¬ 
dred, without being able to enumerate those on 
the northern part of the range which were con¬ 
cealed from view. This enumeration also ex¬ 
cludes all the monasteries and zeyats, a kind of 
caravanseras, which are not only used for the 
accommodation of travellers, but also occasion¬ 
ally for religious purposes, such as preaching and 
disputations. In the dells and ravines of the 
range of hills, in very romantic and pretty situa¬ 
tions, are to be found a great many Kyaungs, 
or monasteries. These secluded situations are 
chosen by the priests as favourable to study and 
meditation ; but we saw several extensive ones 
which had been abandoned, and were told that 
this was in consequence of the numerous gangs 
of robbers that haunted the place ; and who, 
from all accounts, were not disposed to respect 
even the sacred character of the Rahans. 
The view of the Sagaing hills themselves, 
as they are approached, is striking. Almost 
every remarkable peak is crowned with a tem¬ 
ple, some ancient and mouldering, but the 
greater number in a state of repair and white¬ 
washed. To a good number >of these, the as¬ 
cent from the very bottom of the hills is by a 
flight of stairs of solid masonry, with a wall on 
each side, to serve the purpose of a balustrade. 
