Those of the so-called "Golden Mosque"
are especially remarkable, being very fine and faced with marble;
the gateways are celebrated for their great width of span and the
solidity of their side walls.
As there was, fortunately, a depot for coals here, we were allowed a
few hours to do as we liked. The younger passengers seized the
opportunity to go out shooting, being attracted by the splendid
forests, the finest I had as yet seen in India. It was certainly
reported that they were very much infested with tigers, but this
deterred no one.
I also engaged in the chase--although it was one of a different
description. I penetrated far and wide, through forest and swamp,
in order to discover the ruins. I was successful; but how meagre
and wretched they were! The most important were those of two common
city-gates, built of sandstone and ornamented with a few handsome
sculptures, but without any arches or cupolas. One inconsiderable
temple, with four corner towers, was in several places covered with
very fine cement. Besides these, there were a few other ruins or
single fragments of buildings and pillars scattered around, but all
of them together do not cover a space of two square miles.
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