line. The top is now completely open, but appears to have been formerly surmounted by a dome. On the wall within is discerned the vestiges of numerous former visitors, and their initials cut in the stones with the date annexed. Many of these names were identified: directing attention to the most ancient, to discover, if possible, how long this has been the resort of European visitors, we traced 'W. Harwood, April 17th, 1771;' 'G. Grey, 1772;' 'I. Henchman;' 'G. W.;' 'H. C.;' and many others: inspecting more narrowly the initials 'M. V., 1683,' are deciphered. This was the remotest date ascertained: this reaches into the middle of the famous Aurunzebe's reign, and it may easily be supposed that the place had fallen into decay at least a hundred and eighty years, if not more. Who this European traveller could have been is a matter of conjecture; but it is agreed that he was some gentleman from Holland or Portugal. This date, if Gaur had fallen into decay previous to his visit, might ascertain the time of its having been abandoned.
"If the Emperor of Delhi, Akbar, who was contemporary with our Elizabeth, repaired and beautified it, the period between this visit and the meridian glory of Gaur could not have been more than ninety years.
"The height of the upper story from the ground is seventy-one feet. When to this is added the height of the cupola, &c., it seems probable that one hundred feet was the original height of the building. The diameter of the area in the upper story is precisely ten feet: as the extreme diameter at the bottom is only twenty-one feet, if the thickness of the two walls is reckoned at about three and a half, the extreme diameter of the upper story will be seventeen feet, so that in a height of seventy feet, its diameter has lessened little more than three feet, a circumstance which reflects the highest credit both on the architect and the materials of the building, as it has resisted the strongest hurricanes for so many hundred years. The steps of the staircase, which remain entire, are about fifty, but in many instances the intermediate ones are worn away. The windows are formed of black porphyry, which appears to have been intended for support as well as ornament, as the stones about
