under which they crouched, presiding
over baskets full of beautiful flowers. The entire population were
Newars, except a few fierce mustachioed Ghorkas, who stood sentinels over
the temples, or loitered about the guard-house. The long street looked
deserted; there was not a single shop in it; and the foot-passengers were
few and far between. But the grand square was the chief feature of the
place, and was well worthy of a visit. We looked with astonishment and
delight at the incongruous mass of buildings, of the most varied and
fantastic construction, yet massive and substantial; but whence the
designs originated, or in what other part of the known world anything is
to be seen approaching to the style of Newar architecture, it would be
impossible to conjecture. Houses built of horn are said to exist at
Lassa; and from Lassa, I should imagine, came the designs for the temples
and houses of Patn. Time has mellowed their bright colours--if they were
ever painted at all like those at Katmandu--into a sombre, quiet grey.
The Durbar, a huge, massive building, is absolutely covered with black
wood-carving. The care displayed in its execution is still apparent
through the mass of dust and cobwebs which almost conceal it; for the old
Durbar of Patn is deserted. The residence of the monarchs who ruled the
happy valley is in strong contrast with the smiling appearance of their
former territory. It alone seems to have gone into mourning for its
former occupants, while the valley seems to thrive as well under the rule
of the Ghorkas as it did under that of the Newars. The Durbar is of
great extent, and occupies one side of the square, in the centre of which
stand two monoliths, between 30 and 40 feet high: on one of them is the
figure of an angel, represented in all respects as angels usually are,
with the addition of a magnificent gilt tail; this, together with a pair
of large gilt wings, gave it a most gorgeous appearance. My Ghorka guide
could give me no information as to what particular divinity this figure
was intended to represent. The other pillar was crowned by the figure of
a Newar monarch with an unpronounceable name, who was watched over by a
cobra, standing upon its tail, and looking over his head with its mouth
wide open.

On the opposite side to that on which the Durbar was situated were two
temples: one of them, built of grey sandstone, was an imposing structure,
altogether different from any building, lay