devotion in this retreat, and that he was contempo rary with a certain venerated welee who died at Behár in the 590th year of the Hegira. For the truth of this tradition our author does not pretend to vouch; but he informs us that the cave has been for some time frequented by Mahometans, as there are some remains of an old mosque close betore it, and within there is a raised terraces such as Manometan devotees usually construct for their religious retirement. There are several other caves in the neighbouring hills; and--it is said that the entrance of one of them is curiously, ornamented with sculptures of elephants and other animals.

On the declivity of a mountain about a mile from the town of Ellora, are sixteen remarkable caves, or excavations; of which we shall give distinct descriptions, beginning at the northernmost, and proceding in the order as they are situated in the mountain, which runs rather in a circular direction from north-west to southeast.

The first of these caves, called the Jugnath Subba, is a beautiful excavation fronting the en trance of the area, but the lower story is almost choked up with earth and rubbish. A flight of steps forms an ascent to the upper story, the inside of which is in good preservation, many parts of the ceiling, walls, &c. still retaining the coat of lime with which the marks of the chisel have been concealed, and which appears to have been curiously painted. Many parts of the bor der round the cieling are also entire, consisting of male and female figures, some of which are represented in festive groupes, and have highly ornamented head dresses somewhat like tiaras,

It has been urged, however, against the antiquity of the painting, that much of the sculpture and flating of the pillars are covered by it, which can hardly be supposed consistent with the intention of the original artist. This cave consists of two oblong squares, the inner one being formed by twelve pillars. Its breadth is said to be forty-seven feet seven inches, its length fiftyseven feet, and its height from the floor to the cieling thirteen feet four inches.

Opposite to the front of the cave is a large statue, sitting cross-legged, with his hands in his lap. This figure the Brahmins distinguish by the appellation of Jugnath, and his two attendants they call Jay and Bidjee, which names appear to have been anciently given to the porters or doorkeepers of Veeshnu. On each side of the entrance of the recess are two standing figures; and the whole apartment, except the open front, is decorated with similar ones, but of a smaller size.

The Brahmins who show the caves have a cu rious legend that they were fabricated by Biskurma, the carpenter of Ramchunder, who caused a night of six months, in which he was to connect these excavations with the extraordinary hill of Doulutabad; but that, on a cock crowing unexpectedly, his work was left unfinished.

The Adnaut Subba is situated on the left of the abovementioned cave; and is said to be about forty-five feet long, twenty-eight feet wide, and nine feet four inches high. Above the entrance are three figures representing Luchmu Narrain with two attendants; but these have been con i. derably injured by length of time and ex to the weather. At the extremity of the

seated the idol Adnaut; and on the left there is an opening to a smaller cave of superior workmanship; but this is so much choked up with earth and rubbish, as to have left little more than the capitals of the pillars above ground.

The entrance to the third excavation, called Indur Subba, is by a magnificent gateway, cut from the solid rock, and adorned with the figures of two lions couchant. The door-way opens to an area, where stands a pagoda of a pyramidal form, containing a sort of square altar, and ornamented with a profusion of rich sculpture.On the right side of the area is the figure of an elephant; and on the left is a beautiful fluted obelisk, the capital of which is decorated with a groupe of sitting figures that appéar loosened from the mass.-The entrance of the lower story of this Subba is in a very unfinished state, but it has a figure in the recess opposite the entrance like the former.

A communication is formed between the lower and upper stories, by a flight of stone steps, at the top of which is a gigantic figure of Indur seated on an elephant, with a tiara on his head, and asjandee, or Brahmin string, over his left shoulder; and opposite to him appears his con. sort Indrance, seated under a mango-tree by the side of a lion.. This apartment is formed into two square divisions by twelve pillars, and there is such a redundance of figures in various parts of the cave as precludes the possibility of a minute description. The lower story is said to be seventy-nine feet long, thirty-eight broad and fourteen high. The upper story measures se venty-eight feet in depth, sixty-six in breadth,