the fortrefs till his -return. The Rajah, not lefs deceitful, accepted
the propofal with joy, meaning to make himfelf mafter
of Sheer's, depofit. A long train of covered Palanquins filled with
armed men, but fuppofed to contain the women, was fent in. A
multitude o f foldiers, in form o f bearers of the women, or carriers
o f the treafures, were permitted to enter. The con.fequence
was, the daughter o f the garrifon and pofleflion o f the fort, the
Rajab, and a few of his followers, alone effedted their efcape.
Mr. Dameil gives different views of this fortrefs, and its approach.
One is of the Rage Gaut, or principal road, confifting
of ihort fteps, N° V. . A round tower appears on the top, and a
noble cataradt falls down a precipitous gap full in view. N" XX.
ihews the vaft precipice impending over the Soane, which appears
to be a fine river. The entrance up to the fort on this
fide is, at the firft approach, extremely narrow, with precipices
on both fides ; and where they ceafe, the entrance is ftrongly
fortified. Part of the fortifications and a mofque are feen on
the fummit, from whence is a molt extenfive profpedt over the
Soane.oî a flat country.
B e s id e s the mofque is. a Pagoda, a-temple o f the Hindoos,'
the original founders of the great fortrefs. The molt elevated
part is of the glafs-houfe fhape, like thofe at Bindrabund-, before
it is an elegant portico, divided into three parts, each with
an angular .roof : but. as to the form,, confult Mr. Daniell's-
foletrin view of it, at plate XI. embofomed in darkfome
woods.
A t Agouree, about feventy miles weft of Rbotas, feated on
the Soane, are feveral Pagodas of a lingular form, exadtly like
fpire fteeples, with a fmall neat open portico to each, fupported
9 in
in front with’ three or four" pillars. ' They are fhaded with a
very lofty 'ficus Indica, -fee preceding volume,1 p.- 207. The
pendent branches haveriakén rpót in numbers of' places, and
are forming a foreft Of tliemfelves’.' The furrounding 'country
is hilly and wooded, and extremely beautiful.’
T h i r t y miles to the north o f Rbotas. is SaJJerasn, the birth
place, and place o f interment of Sheer Kban. ' He. was of Afghan
origin, had a grantof tlie lafids about Sajjeram, and was made
Soubah o f Bahar -, ‘ rebelled, and ufurped the province. He
drove the virtuous prince Humaion from the throne in 1541,
who fled to Perjia, and flittered a long exile. Sheer Kban was
killed at the fiège o f Cbïto-re,--in 1545, by an explofion of gunpowder,
but not till he had news o f the furrender o f the place.
He was a prince o f great abilities, but great vices. After the
reign o f three other ufurpers, filled the throne. At length, in
1554, Humaion was reftored, but died in the following year.
Sheer Khanbuilt in his life time a moft fplendid maufoleum at
Sajferam, in which he w.as: interred. It rifes out of a fine tank,
and was joined to the land by a bridge now ruinous1; it confifts
of two ftories, both angular, the lower fupported by pointed
arches. Each have a gallery round the top, with numbers of
equidiftant cupolas riling out of them. From the upper is a
moft noble dome, of an elegant form. Various other buildings
rife round it which I ' cannot trace, mixed with treeSl This
maufoleum is'given by’ Mr. HodfdS, in a large plate detached
from his views, and does him much credit in the drawing, and
in the execution by Mr. Morris.
A b o u t twenty-two miles below Gdzipòur, issi the foüfh bank
of the Ganges, ftartds Patna, the difpüted Palibothra of the antients.
S a s s e r a m .
P a l i b o t h r