Page:The Land of the Veda.djvu/429

Rh and on the ground, covered with broken boxes and rubbish, I found those marble slabs, (of the existence and use of which I had previously heard,) one professing to bear the impress of Mohammed's hand, and the other of his foot. Notwithstanding the boast of the Mohammedans as iconoclasts, they do pay these relics a certain religious veneration that is idolatrous. I found them where they kept their most venerated things. Those who sought only precious metals and other valuables had not considered them worthy of removal, but to me they were deeply significant, and, as “looting” was the order of the day, I carried them off, to the great amusement of the Beloochee soldiers, who laughed at the idea of the “Sahib” soiling his clothes to carry away “such useless things as those dirty stones.” As long as they last they will be an evidence of the debasement of Oriental Mohammedanism, furnished by the treasure room of its greatest mosque.

From the Jumma Musjid we went to the Hindoo Temple of Mahadeva, near the palace gate. Destruction had raged here also. The high priest was very civil, telling us “how thankful he was that our Raj (Government) had returned.” They confound all white men with the Government. We entered, and the little knot of priests looked sad and sorrowful enough. Seeing that the idols were all off their pedestals, I inquired where they were. They led us up to the place, and there, on the ground, covered reverently with a cloth, were nearly twenty of their gods, beautifully carved in white marble, about as large as little babies, all in a state of mutilation, not one whole one in the lot. Their legs, and arms, and heads were off, and their noses smashed, while the bright eyes of one and another looked up out of the pile as if they were astonished!

The poor priests looked down, with rueful countenances and heavy sighs, at the wreck and confusion. I had no condolence to offer, for the scene was such an illustration of the folly and impotence of idolatry that I felt like giving way to immoderate laughter, but refrained, as I knew it would annoy them to the last degree. We asked, “Who or what wrought all this destruction?” “Why, Sahib, the Budmash Mohammedans, of course. They came into