to contain a regiment, who must find some difficulty in climbing
its rocky steep approach, up which, however, the ponies of the garrison
scramble nimbly enough.

We galloped over one afternoon from Furdapore to the caves of Ajunta, and
were delighted with their romantic situation high up the rocky glen
terminating in a waterfall, and so narrow, gloomy, and silent that it
harmonized well with these mysterious caverns, in one of which, more free
than the rest from bats, we determined to pass the night; and here,
surrounded by staring Bhuddas and rampant elephants, and gods and
goddesses making vehement love, according to the custom of such gentry,
we had a most comfortable tea preparatory to turning in: spreading my
blanket under the nose of a huge seated figure of Bhood, and guarded by
two very tall individuals in faded painting, which, as they had watched
over Bhood for twenty centuries, must have been well competent to perform
the same kind office for me, I was soon comfortably asleep, my head
pillowed on a prostrate little goddess, whom I was very reluctant to
leave when daylight warned us to proceed upon the work of examining the
wonders of the Rock Temples of Ajunta.

So much has already been written on the interesting subject of the caves
of Ajunta, that they are more or less familiar to every one, or, if not
already familiar, are destined soon to become so, thanks to the skill and
energy of Captain Gill, who is at present engaged in making copies of all
the paintings. These will form a splendid collection, and some of them
have already been sent to England, and placed in the collection at the
East India House. It was doubly delightful to us, who had just
previously examined the originals, to look over the portfolios of this
talented draftsman.

Ere we left the village of Ajunta we visited its neat whitewashed mosque:
the association connected with it must be replete with interest to the
Englishman, when he calls to mind that in it the Duke of Wellington--then
Sir Arthur Wellesley--wrote his despatches immediately previous and
subsequent to the victory of Assaye.

The caves of Ellora are two days' journey from those of Ajunta, and are
much more cheerfully situated on the face of a hill commanding an
extensive view over a more smiling country than is usually to be met with
in the Deccan.

It is difficult to say which set of caves are most worth seeing;
differing in many respects, they may be said to afford e