CHAPTER VII.

Arrangement for residing in Keylas-Treaty with the Devotees -Sphinx-Night Scene at Keylas-Researches-General Description of the basement Story-Great Lanca-Galleries of the Gods and Goddesses.

Hall of the great

OCTOBER 9, 1810, 3 P. M. temple of Keylas.-The researches of yesterday having closed up stairs, and my luggage and tent having been brought nearer, it became necessary to think about my arrangements for future days. My tent was pitched and my horse picqueted nearly in front of Keylas, in a fine open spot-a necessary precaution in India, on account of reptiles or beasts of prey; but I purposed residing entirely in the great hall of Keylas. A numerous body of Brahmans, devotees, and anchorets, were here on casual visits. Many of the former had allowances or stipends from the mother of the .Mahratta chief Holkar, in whose territories these wonders were situated, and at that period were much frequented.

A number of armed men were in the neighbouring village of Elora, or Yerula. I knew, while I conciliated these people, and treated them with some degree of respect, having a guard of Siphauees and a very intelligent Brahman in my service, I

had not much to fear in the shape of annoyance or insult; but the religious party made many and great objections to a permanent residence in Keylas: however, the usual thing among the natives in India, a bribe

"Yea, it is gold that buys admittance,

Makes Diana's rangers false themselves-"

not in the shape of the precious metal, but in two or three bags of rice, bought for them by my Brahman (as my unhallowed hands and impurities would, in their estimation, have polluted the gift), appeared very acceptable to the fakeers: not that they were in want of it, but their wonted cupidity got the better of their scruples, and they acceded to my wish of residing in the temple. This arrangement, however, was not accomplished without certain stipulations, committed to writing, exchanged, and mutually ratified: they observing, with their usual flattery and cunning, that a Company's Sahib would not break his agreement, although they could not trust their own people, who were great rascals and liars. This side-wind compliment to the European is never received in any kind of ill-humour among each other, for they understand dissimulation and adulation as well as any people on the face of the earth. The restrictions they laid on me it was necessary to adhere to, as they delight in making a complaint,

being naturally of a litigious disposition. They will often put themselves to great expense and trouble to make the most fictitious charges, if it be only for the purpose of giving themselves consequence in the eyes of their followers or dependents; and though often no possible benefit can result from their misrepresentations, yet they will pursue a system of annoyance for weeks, giving themselves a vast deal of trouble in complaining, for the sole purpose of self-vanity in being listened to, and thought of some little importance in their village or community. These hints are not unnecessarily thrown out to those who may visit Elora.

I will now give the piece of diplomacy between the high contracting powers: it is short and explanatory, as all state papers ought to be. Whether there is any ability or address in the official document, is left to the better judgment of any of those gentlemen who lately met at Verona, should this work have the good fortune to fall into such hands.

Article 1.-The great hall of the temple is to be entirely evacuated by the fakeers of all orders, and the portico at the entrance to be likewise freed of all intruders.-Agreed to; but that my servants are on no account or pretence to cook meat, or smoke tobacco, within the walls.

Article 2.-That free ingress and egress are to be allowed to the devotees at certain hours for the

Ling worship of Mahā Deo, situated in one of the small rooms. Agreed to; but the priests and pilgrims are to proceed down the hall by the side aisles, and not through the larger or centre one. Agreed to.

Article 3.-That one spring of water is solely appropriated to my purposes, and no other to be polluted in any way whatever by me or my people. Agreed to.

Article 4.—That no fowl, sheep, kid, or other animal, is to be slaughtered near any of the temples, but one hundred yards distant, in front of the ground where my tent is pitched; that the cooking is to take place a few yards outside the wall of the front entrance. Agreed to.

In this treaty, it will be observed, no reference was made to beef, knowing the abhorrence they have even to the name of it: however accidentally or slightly alluded to, the mere mention of it will put a high caste Hindoo into a cold sweat of horror, and cause his countenance to assume a livid colour: they will spit on the ground at the

moment, that their breath may not be contaminated with the dreadful sound. I had salt provisions with me, but it would have been a cruelty to have outraged their feelings by letting them know it; nor would it have been a very wise or very safe thing to have informed them I had such an article in my possession. In one of the front rooms, near the balcony over the gateway, is the bull Nundi himself, the daily object of adoration and worship; so it will be seen whether keeping my salt beef au secret was not necessary.

Before closing the labour of the day we must again mention, that on each side of the porticos, in two corners, are figures of Sphinxes, cut similarly to those we see in accounts of Egypt. I have in no part of India, nor in the other excavations on Salsette, near Bombay, seen any representation of the kind: it is an interesting subject of remote antiquity, not undeserving the notice of the learned.

A circumstance may here be noticed that is not generally known, but it is nevertheless authenticated by an eye-witness, on whose veracity I can place the highest dependence, viz. that during the expedition into Egypt against the French, the Bombay Siphauees, that formed a part of the army who proceeded by the Red-Sea and Suez, recognized many of the mythological figures, particularly the bull, and some stone figures of serpents. This information they immediately conveyed to