laths, beamSi &c. that thefe InfeCts: ;aftack j and this wiH
fervc to explain the eircumftance I have juft mentioned. -
T he hotlfes on Choultry plain sfre many of them beautiful
pieces of architecture, the apartments' fpacieais arid-magnifi«
cent, I know not that I ever felt more delight, than id going
on a vifit to* a family on Choultff plain, food after my arrival
at Madras, in the cool of the eVehihg, after a very hot day.
The moon ffrotie in its fulleft lufttfe, not a cloud ovcrcaft the
fky, and every houfe on the plain w&s illuminated. Each
family, with their friends, were in the^open porticoes, enjoying
the breefce. Such a fcene appears more-like a tale, of
enchantment than a reality, to the imagination^ o f d ftranger
juft arrived.
T here am few objects to be met with here, which ferve
to illuftrate the hiftorjr or chdirafters of the- original inhabi*
farits of India. One, however, is too curious ter be omitted,
and that is a beautiful Hindoo Temple, or Pagoda, at Triplecane,
two miles fouth of Madras.' It of confidcrable
magnitude j and the top of the building riling confiderably
above the trees, it is Teen all over the country. Adjoining
to the teriiple is a large tank, with fteps defeending to‘the
bottom, filled with water. The whole fe o f ftone, and the
mafdnry excellent. On the furface of the temple are many
baffo relievos, which I fuppofe to relate' to the religion of the
Hindoos; but whether they are connected with the rites and
I N D I A . i i
worlhip of Bramah or not, I am riot able to, fay: for fome
of theni are of thp moft; indecent‘kind. I made an accurate
drawing ofthisvhuilding,,, which^l was * Tent to England, and
Ipfbon bp3rd the,General Barker- EaftTndiaman, when that
Ihip was wrecked on the epift^pf Holland, in i x } but as
I hgte made drawings of other Hindoo temples, I lefs lament
tne|j$ifs. The annexed plate,, a view o f the great Pagoda at
Tanjore, is from a picture which I painte<$from an accurate-
drawtngimadehy Mr. Topping, an ingenious friendi®i?mine,
now .On a lurvey of the' coaft of CoromandpI for ttfe; Hon.
the EaU-lndia" Company, and will ferve to give the reader a
general-idea of thefe efforts of Indian architecture.
c a