COURT OF THE DEEVS. 
489 
to render the transportation of such immense shapes of marble, 
more easy ; probably, these hollows were afterwards filled up with 
lighter slabs, or this end of the colossal pillar was connected with 
some other masonry. The three remaining faces are beauti- 
fully smooth, and on that to the north, is a short inscription of 
four lines, in the arrow-headed character, perfectly uninjured, 
and so clear and sharp, that it seemed scarcely possible to mis¬ 
take a wedge. This I copied with as much care and accuracy as 
lies in the power of an eye practised to very minute ob¬ 
servations. On returning to my quarters I compared my draw¬ 
ing with those made by Mr. Morier and Sir Gore Ousely of the 
same inscription, and found that we all differed, in some of the 
lines, from each other. But, on this subject, I shall speak more 
particularly hereafter. 
In proceeding south-east, for rather more than a quarter of a 
mile, no vestige of ruins appeared, till I reached a low mound, 
which bore evident marks of having formerly been ascended by 
steps. To this, the inhabitants of the plain give the name 
of the Court of the Deevs or devils. From the centre of it, rises 
a perfectly round column, smooth as the finest polish ; but 
the base of which is totally buried in surrounding rubbish. The 
length of the shaft cannot be less than from 40 to 50 feet; and 
is composed of four pieces of marble. The lower division com¬ 
prises almost half the whole height, and in circumference mea¬ 
sures 10 feet. I should imagine that the column has been higher 
than at present, there being no fragment of a capital discernible 
at its top. A spacious marble platform supports this immense 
fragment of a column; the square shape of its area being 
marked by four pillars of similar style and dimensions to the one 
I had recently passed. The four are distant from each other 
3 it 
VOL. i. 
