Goojerat came into the country, and Gowindjee acted as chief of his army. The Nuwab became jealous of him, and caused him to be poisoned. The Wachanees broke into the palace, in order to carry off Gowindjee's son, Chutursaljee. The Khoomans, with a party of horse, had come to pay condolence on the father's death. They released the Kour, and made an arrangement by which he retained Bhundaria and twelve villages; and Ukherajjee was sent for from Bhooj, and placed on the Gadee. He had four sons. The second, Hurbhumjee, received Wurtez in grass. The third, Wujjajee, received Thorvee. The fourth son received Muglana. 45. Gohel Rutun Singjee,-was killed in the Gurer valley.

Bhao Singjee,-founded the city of Bhaonuggur in S. 1779, A.D. 1723. He had five sons

The second, Rawul Weesajee, received the Wulla Purgunna.

Rampoor.
Huliad.

Ruttunpoor.

Wukut Sungjee.-He took and reigned over Tullaja, Botad,
Patna, Muhoowa (i.e. Mowa), the Lathee Pargunna, Gudra,
Goondaloo, Koondla, Rajoola, and other places. He died
Phagun wud 1, S. 1872. He had three sons-

The second, Rawul Bapjee, received Rohel, &c., three villages.
The third
Rao Singjee,, Bhalwao.

Rawul Wujjee Singjee,-the present chief. His family is as follows:

:

ART. VII.-Description of some of the Kanheri Topes. By E. W. WEST, Esq. [With a Plan and Drawings.]

Presented 10th October 1861.

AMONG the excavations at Kanheri that are rarely visited, although containing several objects of interest, is the long open gallery under the south-western brow of the cave-hill, numbered 38 on the general plan of the caves. This gallery is the first excavation that comes in sight when approaching the caves from the direction of Tulsí, as the path passes near the foot of the precipitous slope beneath the gallery, when about a mile from the Chaitya. There can be no doubt that this, and also the other galleries Nos. 39, 40, and 41, are merely artificial enlargements of natural hollows in the face of the precipice, where a stratum of soft perishable rock lies between two harder strata. The two latter, being exposed to the rain, become blackened, while the softer stratum decays into dust, and is blown away, leaving a long hollow under the brow of the hill, where the rock, being sheltered from the rain, remains of its natural yellow sandy colour. Many such hollows occur in the valleys to the north-east of the caves, some of which have been enlarged by art, but are scarcely accessible.

The only safe entrance into gallery No. 38 is from above, where a path cut in the rock, and furnished with steps where necessary, traverses the lower plateau of rolling ridges, and may be approached either down the steep slope south of cave No. 55, or by keeping below the terrace-wall in front of cave No. 36, which latter cave appears to have been excavated across the original course of this rock-path, and consequently at a later date. Following this path southwards, it turns suddenly to the right over the brow of the precipice, alongside which it descends by steps (eut in a rock almost detached by a deep fissure), which are in a very broken condition, and terminate in another rock-path, leading northwards into No. 39, and southwards into No. 38.

Following the path into No. 38, we descend some steps and ascend others to the level of the floor of the gallery, and soon are sheltered by the rock above. Here occur the letters cut in the rock, forming the back of the gallery, which constitute No. 22 of the Kanheri Inscrip

tions; and the floor of the gallery, which seems covered with brickdust, is found to consist of the foundations of small brick topes buried in their own débris, and probably from 15 to 20 in number, though only 7 of them have been opened out, and marked on the accompanying plan of the gallery. Beyond these are the ruins of a large stone tope, which will be more particularly described hereafter. Behind this tope are three small chambers, containing much sculpture, but, owing to the perishable quality of the rock, it is in a very decayed state. The first chamber has a group on both sides and at the back, each consisting of a large sitting figure with attendants, two of the attendants in each group being life-size; there is also a small sitting figure outside, between this chamber and the next, with two larger figures below. The second chamber has a sitting figure with attendants on the left wall; a standing figure with attendants on the back, and several small sitting and standing figures on the right. The third chamber has a standing figure with attendants on both side-walls (those on the left nearly obliterated), and a sitting figure with attendants on the back; there have also been some sculptures outside this chamber. In all these chambers there are some remains of plastering and traces of painting.

Passing the large tope, the floor of the gallery suddenly rises about 14 feet to a short level, on which are, the foundations of 11 small brick topes, buried in their débris; then another rise of 3 feet to a level containing the foundations of 33 similar topes, which have been buried in their débris. These topes have been built upon a platform paved with brick, and the rock above is cut out in some places to make room for them. The brick débris, indicating further topes, extends just beyond the fourth chamber, which is semicircular, with a small rock dagob in the centre, much decayed, and a small recess at the back, about two feet above the floor-level, which is two feet below the surface of the brick débris outside. From this point, the bricks disappear for about 80 feet, the floor of the gallery beginning shortly to ascend, past another semicircular chamber, above the level of the gallery, with a small rock dagob in the centre, and an umbrella-shaped canopy cut on the ceiling; then past a dagob in bas-relief and the commencement of a cell, where the brick débris appears again, and continues for about 200 feet, no doubt covering the foundations of a row of brick topes, with a second row for some distance. The floor of the gallery then rises rapidly to the end, where there is a bench cut in the rock, commanding a fine view in the direction of Bassein. Near the end of the gallery are three recesses, with benches, from 6 to 10 feet above the level of the floor; and below the first recess are three sockets cut in the rock,

for fixing woodwork. There was formerly a rock-path past the end of the gallery, leading to steps which ascend the hill; but the first part of this path has slipped down the precipice, and the communication is cut off.

Of the numerous topes in this gallery, the ruins of the large stone one have been fully explored, and many of the brick ones have been cleared; and the results obtained are figured in the accompanying drawings.

The large stone tope, in 1853, presented the appearance of a heap of dust and stones decaying into bluish-coloured earth, which had probably not been disturbed for ages. It was noticed that one or two of the stones were covered with small sculptured figures, and the whole of the heap was carefully turned over and cleared away, in the search for further sculptures. The result was the discovery of the lower part of a large tope, built of stone, differing from the neighbouring rocks, and of considerable architectural pretensions, as indicated in the accompanying plan and section.

This stone tope has been a sixteen-sided polygon for a greater height than the present ruins, and above that it must have been circular. At various heights, it has been surrounded by tiers of sculpture, which may conveniently he called "friezes," and remains of seven of these have been found among the ruins, all of which have been figured, excepting some ten groups of the lower frieze, which remain standing in their original positions. Figure 1 is the only specimen drawn of the lowest frieze, which occupies the position marked A on the section of the tope; most of the other groups in this frieze resemble figures 15 to 18, but are of larger size. Figures 2 and 3 are remains of the frieze B, representing griffins' heads, with a few human figures; it is possible that figures 4, 5, and 6, representing wild and tame animals classified into groups, may belong to this frieze, or they may be portions of a higher one. Figure 7 is a specimen of the frieze of ornaments on the moulding C. The portion of the frieze D now standing is plain, but it is possible that figures 8 to 14 may have formed some portion of this frieze, as the size of stones is about the same; otherwise they must have formed part of a higher frieze. The groups on this frieze are of a more diversified character than the others: figures 8 and 9 appear to represent offerings made to two superior beings with peculiar lotusshaped head-dresses: in one instance of a horse whose master kneels alongside, and in the other of a boy held up in the air by a male and female, while another male brandishes a large knife, as if about to sacrifice the boy. It has been conjectured that this group may represent

a human sacrifice; but it might admit of other conjectures, and it may be observed that the attitude of the divinity appears to forbid the act. The blank space on figure 9 is covered with faint traces of an inscription visible when the light falls at an acute angle upon the surface, but too much decayed to be legible. Figure 10 represents the only sculpture cut in durable stone; it is a group of warriors and women of doubtful import the other groups 11 to 14 are much mutilated, but represent human beings with horses, elephants, trees, and lotuses. Figures 15 to 18 represent portions of an upper frieze, no portion of which is now standing, each of the groups consists of a sitting figure with two male attendants, and there have been two groups on each side of the polygon, separated by columns of the Elephanta order; these sculptures are more rudely executed than the rest. Figures 19 and 20 represent two other

ornamental friezes, one of festooned drapery, the other of rosettes.

All these sculptures have (at some period after the building of the tope) been covered with a thin coat of white plaster, which effectually concealed all the fine lines of the sculpture; this was probably done when the projecting parts began to decay, and has no doubt tended towards the preservation of the sculpture. It was by picking the remains of this plaster out of the hollows, that the outlines of the figures were ascertained in the more decayed specimens. Upon this white plaster the features of the figures were painted in red lines, not always corresponding with the original features. At a later date, and after the lower sculptures had become dilapidated, a circular brick moulding, surrounding the basement, was added, so as to cover up the lower two friezes; this brickwork was likewise covered with a thin coating of white plaster, and its erection no doubt marks the epoch of a thorough and cheap repair of the whole edifice.

Besides the sculptures, three flat segmental stones were found among the ruins, bearing portions of an inscription on their circular faces; these are figured as Nos. 54, 55, and 56 of the Kanheri inscriptions, and the stones probably formed a part of the upper circular portion of the tope, but below the level, where it began to round off into a cupola: many plain stones were also found among the ruins, of the proper shape for forming portions of the cupola. The stone moulding, figure 21, was found during a later search among the dust surrounding the tope; it has been a part of the polygonal portion, and bears an inscription in Arabic letters, cut in vertical lines, and without diacritical points; the letters are finely but superficially cut, like those in the inscription on the three stones abovementioned, and the four lines copied constitute the whole inscription.