50 
SHAPOUR. 
that subterranean passages of considerable extent, at the entrance of 
which were sculptured figures, existed in a mountain near the sculp¬ 
tured rocks, and we consequently took lights with us, in the deter¬ 
mination of exploring them. Unfortunately we had ignorant guides, 
who in hopes of reward assured us that they knew all the localities; 
but when we came to put their knowledge to trial were found useless. 
We attempted to reach a cavern, situated near the summit of a high 
rocky mountain ; but in the uncertainty of it not being the object of 
our search, and tired with scrambling over a steep and difficult road, 
we gave it up as a fruitless undertaking. However, we explored a 
small oval valley, situated close to the site of Shapour, entirely sur¬ 
rounded by masses of rock, of stupendous height and extraordinary 
forms. The heat of the weather was excessive, particularly as I stood 
under one of the large sculptures with the intention of drawing it, 
when the reverberation from the rock was too great to be borne. 
Those who have never explored these distant and barbarous countries 
can have no idea of the impediments that are thrown in the way of a 
traveller, even travelling with all the advantages that we enjoyed. 
When a learned doctor sits down in his easy chair, in a snug study and 
near a comfortable fire, to explore some favourite theme, he exclaims 
against the traveller for his indolence in having omitted to examine an 
object that was within his reach, and which would have exactly thrown 
that light upon his study necessary to clear up a doubt or an obscurity. 
But place the learned doctor on a jaded horse, under an ardent sun, 
surrounded by barbarous people, and tell him that to see that column 
he must scramble over a wilderness of rock, or to read this inscription 
he must crawl on his hands and knees, or clamber up a perpendicular 
ascent at the risk of his neck, and then perhaps he will bestow a little 
more mercy on his indolent traveller for not having given himself the 
trouble to labour for his information. I succeeded in making a sketch 
of the whole sculpture (of which in my last Journal I had only given 
one compartment,) including part of the rock on which it is executed. 
See Plate I. P. 87 and 89. 
