Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/262

 254 RAE edge along the river, another to the east facing the ruins of the old town, and two short sides forming an advancing angle at the back. The two north-eastern sides are respectively 163 and 315 yards long, the other two are of nearly equal dimensions, and the entire circumference may be esti- mated at 900 yards or above half a mile. The corners however are advanced considerably, and the space is therefore circumscribed within by the retreating ramparts. The land sides particularly are almost cresent shaped, and good fanking fire could be kept up from the advancing angles on every part of the rampart. The defences consist of vast earthen mounds from 40 to 60 feet high and some hundreds of feet thick, for in point of fact, except at one break in the middle where a deep hollow extends right through from the river face, the fort consists of one immense artificial mound covering about eight acres, which was originally crowned with a wall, and appears to have been partially fenced with masonry all round. At the south-east corner of the nver face the masonry is still standing, the earth is cased with brickwork about fcur feet thick, and sloping at an angle of about 30 degrees to the ground; from this at a perpendicular height of about 40 feet the battlements rise wall within wall, each outer one acting as a buttress for that on the inside-and the whole is crowned by a bárahdari, or the place of twelve doors--an open pavilion about one hundred feet above the river, to wbich at this point the descent is a sheer perpendicular. The entire river face is scarped eitlier by nature or the action of the water, to the land sides the slopes are more gradual, but still would be very difficult to escalade, It does not appear as if this work was originally designed for military purposes; there is no ditch on the land side and never has been; it further appears on examination that the steep scarp in many places was replaced originally by terraced steps, some of which with their briek casings are still to be seen. The remains of wells, too, are found outside the defences, only one small and modern well is within the enclosure; the mass of earthwork also is quite beyond what would be required even to resist modern artillery, and for defence against the engines of medieval India exbibits an unac- counts prodigality labour. It apparent on inspection that the work is one of different ages; in several places the torrents of rain from the high plateau within have forced their way out, forming yawning rifts or ravines, on entering which it appears that considerably within the present outer line of circumvallation, there exists a brick wall of excellent material and fine work laid without lime resembling in all respects the early Buddhist work to be seen at Sarnáth. This wall appears to have been formerly all round the place; in some places it has been removed, on others the upper wall, which was formerly much higher than it appears at present, bas tumbled down in vast masses forming a glacis of mixed materials and concealing the ancient wall; the wall in fact has doubled over, and the inner casing of earth alone is visible. The interior is studded here and there with houses, mosques, and tombs of