shed out. When Keane's army
took Ghuznee in 1839, this mace was still to be seen hanging up over the
sarcophagus of Mahmud, and the tomb was then entered through folding
gates, which tradition asserted to be those of the Temple of Somnauth.
Lord Ellenborough gave instructions to General Nott to bring back with
him to India both the mace and the gates. The latter, as is well-known,
now lie mouldering in the lumber-room of the fort at Agra, for their
authenticity is absolutely indefensible; but the mace could nowhere be
found by the British plunderer. Mahmud reigned from 997 to 1030 A.D.,
and in his days Ghuznee was probably the first city in Asia. The
extensive ruins of his city stretch northwards along the Cabul road for
more than two miles from the present town; but all that now remains
standing are two lofty pillars or minarets, 400 yards apart, one bearing
the name of Mahmud, the other that of his son Masaud. Beyond these ruins
again is the Roza or Garden, which surrounds the mausoleum of Mahmud.
The building itself is a poor structure, and can hardly date back for
eight centuries. The great conqueror is said to rest beneath a marble
slab, which bears an inscription in Cufic characters, thus interpreted by
Major (now Sir Henry) Rawlinson: 'May there be forgiveness of God upon
him, who is the great lord, the noble Nizam-ud-din (Ruler of the Faith)
Abul Kasim Mahmud, the son of Sabaktagin! May God have mercy upon him!'
The Ghuznevide dynasty founded by Mahmud lasted for more than a century
after his death, though with greatly restricted dominions. Finally, it
was extinguished in 1152 by one of those awful acts of atrocity which are
fortunately recorded only in the East. Allah-ud-din, Prince of Ghore, a
town in the north-western hills of Afghanistan, marched upon Ghuznee to
avenge the death of two of his brothers. The king was slain in battle,
and the city given up to be sacked. The common orders of the people were
all massacred upon the spot; the nobles were taken to Ghore, and there
put to death, and their blood used to cement the rising walls of the
capital."

{176} The "Czardas" is a solitary public-house, an institution which
plays a considerable part in all romantic poems or romantic novels whose
scene is laid in Hungary, as a fitting haunt for brigands, horse-thieves,
Gipsies, Jews, political refugees, strolling players, vagabond poets, and
other melodramatic personages.

{218a} A Black Govel.

{2