HE Pagoda of Perwuttum,

"THE hitherto unknown to Euro

peans, is situated near the south bank of the Kistna, in a wild tract of country, almost uninhabited, except by the Chinsuars, about

65 miles W. of Inawada in Guntoor. 63 miles E. N. E. of Canoul. And supposed to be 103 miles S. and E. of Hydrabad. "March 14th, 1794.-Having sent notice to the manager of the revenues (the principal officers of the circar) that I was desirous of seeing the pagoda, provided there was no objection, I was informed at noon, that I might go in. The manager did not appear very desirous of paying any of the common civilities, but the Bráhmens crowded round to conduct me into the place. On entering the south gate, we descended by steps, and through a small door, to the inner court, where the temples are: in the centre was the pagoda of Mallecarjee, the principal deity worshipped here. It is square, and the roof is terminated by a pyramid of steps; the whole walls and roof on the outside, are covered with brass plates, which have been gilt, but the gilding is

now worn off. These plates are joined together by small bars and sockets, so that the whole may be taken off without damage; the spire or pyramid is not above thirty feet from the ground; the plates are plain, excepting a few embossed figures of women, some small orna◄ ments, and on the friezes of the doors, the pannels of which are also plated. A statue with three legs is placed over each of the three entries; to support this uncommon figure, a post is carried up, which, at first sight, gives it the appearance of being impaled. On the west side of the pagoda inscriptions are engraved very neatly on three sheets of brass plates. Opposite to the south side, on a neat basement and pedestal ornamented with brazen figures of cows, is a slender pillar about twenty-four or thirty feet high, entirely composed of brass plates; it is bent: and from the joints, which plainly appear in the plating, it seems to be laid on a bamboo enclosed within. The four sides of the pedestal are covered with inscriptions, two in Gentoo or Tellinga, one in Grindam, and one in Naggerim: the first seven

tines of the latter in large well de-, fined characters, I copied five smaller lines followed, which I could not copy so exactly, the character being small, and the pedestal highly elevated. Some characters are also engraved on the fillet and ornamental parts of the moulding. From hence I was conducted to the smaller and more ancient temple of Malecarjee, where he is adored in the figure of a rude stone, which I could just distinguish through the dark vista of the front building on pillars. Behind this building an immense fig tree covers with its shade the devotees and attendants, who repose on seats placed round its trunk and carpeted. Ainong these was one Byraggy who had devoted himself to a perpetual residence here; his sole subsistence was the milk of a cow, which I saw him driving before him: an orange-coloured rag was tied round his loins, and his naked body was besmeared with ashes.

"Some of the Brahmens came in the evening, with a copy of the inscriptions on two of the brass plates: they professed not to know exactly the meaning of them, being, they said, sanscrittum jigum. The same ignorance of the language of their religious books seems to prevail through all these countries. The Brahmens in attendance here are relieved at stated times, from Autcowr and other places, as this place is unwholesome and the water bad. One of them said, he had books at Autcowr, explanatory of the history of the pagoda, and of the figures carved on the walls. Though they had never heard that an European had been here before, they did not express any surprise at his visit. Some of them applied for medical aid, but no fever prevailed among them at that time. 1799.

"During the troubles of Sevirow, the Chinsuars occupied the pagoda, who stripped it of some ornaments, and damaged it. Since Sevi-row had submitted, the revenues derived from the resort of pilgrims are collected for the canoul circar by a manager or aumildar, who resides within the enclosure, as do the sebundies and peons, stationed here to protect the pilgrims, who come from all parts at certain stated festivals.

"The red colour, that predominates in the rock of this country, (which is a granite,) is very remarkable. The superstratum, which, in many places, forms the naked superficies of the soil, is of a black colour, and, from the smooth shining surface it frequently exhibits, appears to have been formerly in a state of fusion, but goes to no great depth; the next stratum is composed of grains of a reddish colour, mixed with others of a white shiing quartz, in greater proportion and of a larger size, so as to give the stone, when quarried, a greyish colour, which is more observable afier it has been cut or chisseled. Iron is found in several parts of this mountainous tract, and so are diamonds, but the labour is so great, and the chance of meeting with the veins so very uncertain, that the digging for them has been long discontinued; the following places were mentioned as producing them,

rains, when the rivers fall, they are found sometimes in the beds. This place is near the ruins of Chundra goomply putnam, for merly a great town on its north bank, and now belonging to Amraritty.

"The weather being warm, I was desirous of getting over as much of this bad road as I could before noou; my tents and baggage had been sent off at four, A. M. and I only remained at the pagoda, with the intention of making some remarks on the sculptures of its wall as soon as day-light appeared. But the Brahmens with the Rajpoot amuldar (who had hitherto shewn a shyness that I had not experienced in any other parts of the journey,) came to request, that, as I was the first European who had ever came so far, to visit Mallecarjee, and had been prevented from seeing the object of their worship, by yesterday not being a lucky day, I would remain with them that day, assuring me that the doors would be opened at ten o'clock. I agreed to wait till that hour, being particularly desirous of seeing by what means the light was reflected into the temp'e, which the unskilfulness of my interpreter could not explain intel ligibly to my comprehension. Notice being at last given, at about half past eight, that the sun was high enough, the doors on the east side the gilt pagoda were thrown open, and a mirror, of reflecting speculum, was brought from the Rajpoot amuldar's house. It was round, about two feet in diameter, and fixed to a brass handle, ornamented with figures of cows; the polished side was convex, but so foul that it could not reflect the sun beams; another was therefore brought rather smaller and concave, surrounded by a narrow rim, and

without a handle. Directly opposite to the gate of the pagoda is a stone building, raised on pillars, enclosing a well, and ending in a point; and, being at the distance of twelve or fourteen feet, darkens the gateway by its shadow, unt.l the sun rises above it: this, no doubt, has been contrived on pur pose to raise the expectation of the people, and by rendering the sight of the idol more rare, to favour the imposition of the Brahmens. The moment being come, I was permit ted to stand on the steps in front of the threshold without, (having pat off my shoes, to please the directors of the ceremony, though it would not have been insisted on,) while a crowd surrounded me, impatient to obtain a glimpse of the awful figure within. A boy, being placed near the door-way, waved and played the concave mirror, in such a manner, as to throw gleams of light into the pagoda, in the deepest recess whereof was discovered, by means of these corruscations, a small, oblong, roundish white stone, with dark rings, fixed in a silver case. I was permitted to go no farther, but my curiosity was not sufficiently satisfied. It appears, that this god Mallicarjee is no other than the Lingam, to which such reverence is paid by certain casts of the Gentoos; and the reason why he is here represented by stones unwrought, may be understood from the Brab mens' account of the origin of this place of worship. My inter preter had been admitted the day before into the sanctum sanctorum, and allowed to touch the stone, which he says is smooth, and be ning, and that the dark rings or streaks are painted on it; probably it is ad agate, or some other stone of a sill ceous kind, found near some parts of the Kishina, and of an upcom›

At Chundra-gumpty-patnum. 'twelve parous down the river on the north side, formerly ruled at raja, of great power, who, being absent several years from his house, in consequence of his important 'pursuits abroad, on his return fell in love with his own daughter, 'who had grown up during his long absence. In vain the mother represented the impiety of his pas 'sion : proceeding to force, his daughter fled to these deserts of 'Perwuttum, first uttering curses ' and imprecations against her fa'ther; in consequence of which, his power and wealth declined; his city, now a deserted ruin, re'mains a monument of divine wrath; and himself, struck by the vengeance of Heaven, lies deep beneath the waters of Puttela'gunga, which are tinged green by the string of emeralds that adorned 'his neck. Here is a fine subject for a fable; it may, however, furnish a clue to history, as the ruins of this once opulent city are still said to exist. This account of the

known person milking the cow, 'ran to strike him with an iron rod or mace, which she held in her 'hand; but the figure suddenly disappeared, and to her astonishment nothing remained but a rude shape'less stone. At night the god appeared to her in a dream, and informed her, he was the person that milked the cow, she, therefore, on this spot built the first temple that was consecrated to the worship of this deity represented by a rude stone.' This is the second temple that was shewn yesterday, where he is exhibited in the rude state of the first discovery, and is called Mudi-Mulia Carjee or Mallecarjee; the other temples were afterwards built in latter times, by rajas and other opulent persons. The lingam, shewn by reflected light in the gilded temple, has also its history and stories, still more absurd and wonderful, attached to it. It was brought from the (now deserted) city of Chundra-goompty-patnam. The princess, now worshipped as a goddess, is also calledBrama-Rumbo, or Strichillum Rumbo, from whence this pagoda is called Stricbiilum. She delights peculiarly in Perwuttum, but is called by eighteen other names.

It may be proper here, to take
K 2

notice