some of all the intermediate sizes—marble, stone, wood,
brick, and clay. Some, even of marble, are so timeworn,
though sheltered from change of temperature, that the
face and fingers are obliterated. Here and there are
models of temples, kyoutigs, etc., some not larger than
half a bushel, and some ten or fifteen feet square,
absolutely filled with small idols, heaped promiscuously
one on the other. As we followed the path, which
wound among the groups of figures and models, every
new aspect of the cave presented new multitudes oF
images. A ship of five hundred tons could not carry
away the half of them.”
Here, in fact, are the accumulations of aOg es '; and
the interest of this strange spectacle, to the student o f
Buddhism, lies in the key it offers to the history of the
religion in Burma, of its origins, and the way by which,
it came to the country.
1 he long day of my visit to the caves nears its close,
and in the quiet shelter of the evening I make my way
back to Pha-an. Yet one more sensation remains to
complete the bizarre suggestions of the day. For as
I near the gateways of Pha-gat, I am startled by the
sound of a great flight of birds, a sound as of grey
geese on the wing, but of such volume as can proceed
only from a great host. These are the bats of the
Pha-gat cave. For more than twenty minutes they
sweep out, in a long swift line that grows tortuous as
it recedes; and, as far as I can see into the ruddy-
twilight, the line extends. Swiftly as each creature in it
is flying, it looks in the distance like a smoke spiral
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THE BEGGING RECLU