failure, allowed the column to remain. The pillar is dented near the top by a cannon-shot fired at it by Gholam Kadir.
Near the Kutab is the foundation of another minār, which was commenced on a larger scale, but was never finished.
Extracts from Colonel John Luard's "Views in India"—"The Cutteb Minar Dhelie.""This wonderful pillar derives its name from Cutteb-ud-din (the pole-star of religion) who having come from Turkistan as a slave, was purchased by the Emperor Mahomed Ghori—rose in his favour,—became a general,—and ultimately succeeded to the throne,—and was the first of the Patan, or Afghan sovereigns. In the year 589 Hegira, 1193 A.D., he took the fort of Merut, and the city of Dhelie, from the family of Candy Rai, and established the seat of his government there, and obliged all the districts around to acknowledge the Mussalman faith. To commemorate this and other successes over the infidels, this pillar was commenced about the year 1195 A.D. The circumference at the base is 143 feet;—height of the first balcony, 90 feet—the second, 140—the third, 180—the fourth, 203.—Total height in 1826 was 243 feet. The original sketch was made in 1823."
"Shumse-ud-din-Altumsh married a daughter of Cuttub-ud-din-Ibek. Like his father-in-law, he was formerly a slave, and was purchased for 50,000 pieces of silver. He became a great general, and succeeded to the imperial throne of Dhelie in 607 Hegira, 1210 A.D. He was an able, enterprising, and good prince—reigned twenty-six years,—died in 1235 A.D., and is buried in this elaborately ornamented building, placed about 200 yards from the Cutteb Minar, which he assisted in constructing. His tomb is built of white marble and red granite."
Having roamed around the tower and colonnades the whole morning, we retired to our tents to dine during the heat of the day.
