680 
REMAINS OF THE CITY. 
Ill as I was, a kind of loadstone influence attracted me to this 
inexhaustible treasury of deep interest; and Jbefore I took my 
final leave, I rode over the ground round the base of the great 
platform, to search for relics of the city beyond its lines. Few 
remain ; and the first that presented itself was a stately door-way, 
or porch, standing singly on the plain to the north of the 
platform, and at a short distance from the rocks. Its form 
resembles the niche in Plate LI., and the inner faces of its sides 
are sculptured with figures in long robes, now nearly broken 
away. The second object is to the south-west of the platform, 
and consists of a heap of beautiful fragments, apparently the 
ruins of a temple, or some structure of architectural consequence ; 
which the views of Chardin and Le Brun have distinguished by 
a noble and solitary column standing up from amidst its fallen 
companions, like a hero over his mighty dead. But it is now 
laid beside them, and the long grass alone, “ waves its green 
banner” above the prostrate pillars of greatness. The last stroke 
which levelled this beautiful relic, was struck about fifteen years 
ago by a party of the natives, for the sake of the iron which 
united the stones together. My informant was the peasant who 
daily attended me in my researches, and who confessed to have 
been one in the act of depredation. He likewise added, that 
nothing of the kind was likely to happen again, the danger 
of such sacrilege being now perfectly understood. On my 
inquiring what he meant, he related, that a man of their village 
had lately thrown down a pillar on the great terrace, and died 
the following day : but that was not all; for so many dreams 
had foreshewn his fate, and so many had since warned others 
of the same punishment for the same offence, from Solomon or 
the devil, that no man henceforward would ever dare put a 
