Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, Part 2.djvu/118

680 I left Jal.swar at 10 p•. and reached Jkal,war (Angilec Bolasore), the next morning (the 26th) at sunrise, having stopped for half an hour at the Burabslaag river to search for fragments ci coal. I was unsuocesaful. In the night I left again on itrip to the Neilgiri hills at NeiigarL distant about 12 miles, which plies I reached at daybreak. Neilgark li the capital of the petty state of that name and is the residence of the rjas; it is an insignificant place ith a few pukka buildings belonging to the rja, also some small temples.

I had been told that there were caves in this hill, but upon inquiry on my arrival I was assured that I had been misinfortued, and that the only curiosities were two huge blocks of stone Irds of the way up the bill which are venerated and known by the names of Domurra and Domurrani. I accordingly climbed up the hill, and being much fatigued rested on the rock: Iliad a noble view of the sea and the surrounding country which in some measure repaid me for my trouble. My guide assured me with the gravest face possible that thesd two shape1ea stones were deities in that disguise awaiting the time when the sea will rise above the low lands and wash the foot of the hills, when they (the Thak6rs) will sit and enjoy themselves, fishing with a red ad line; there is no accounting for such an absurd tradition.

The rock of this lofty bill is a fine close-grained grey granite with large veins of quartz.

Having taken a cup of tea I retraced my stops to Bald, war where I arrived at 3 i’. M. I left the following evening for Jajipur, which place I reached at noon on the 1st. I had expected to meet a native friend of mine, Moonsif ABDULAHED, with whom I intended to pass a couple of days exploring the anti4uities of Jajipur, but to my regret he had left two days’ previous for a place twenty miles off. I made every possible inquiry, but was asiured that therewere no inscriptions or other objects worthy of notice beyond what I had seen in November 1836, already described in my journal, vido page 53 Journal As. Soc. No. 73 for January 1838; I examined the huge idols near the shrine: it would upon more mature consideration be an useless expense renioving them, as they are much mutilated.

I went to the temple where the eight idols are placed, which are said to have been dug out of the bed of the river and drew five of them. There are very faithful representations of the whole (nine idols) in the MACKENZIE collection of plates ; also of the three colossal figures above mentioned. Towards the evening I was informed that there was a stone with writing and sculpture upon it situated in the centre of an extensive plain about six miles to the south-westward. I procured bearers and