resting on lions and other animals. The walls were adorned with pearls
and flowers formed of jewels. In the centre was a superb throne of
ivory, with a golden sun on one side and a silver moon on the other,
while a canopy studded with diamonds glittered above all. The rooms
were provided with rich carpets and couches, while even the ladle of the
rice-boiler was of gold."

This account gives us a tolerable notion of the luxury of the priestly
order of Buddhists in those days. Indeed, they seem to have taught
their followers that the most virtuous acts they could perform would be
to bestow their wealth upon them.

I certainly had no idea that such vast and magnificent edifices had
existed in that part of the world in those days. Leaving this region of
pillars, and passing several broken statues of different animals, we
were pursuing our way along the shores of another of those wonderful
tanks of which I have spoken, when suddenly I heard a shot in the
forest, then there was loud shouting and harking of dogs, and a huge
buffalo, mad with rage and fear, burst through the jungle, and catching
sight of the priest and me, with his head on the ground dashed towards
us. There was a tree at a little distance, but it was too far off for
the old man to reach before the buffalo would be up to us. I signed to
him to fly to it, intimating that I would defend him with my rifle. He
took my advice, and hastened towards it. Solon meantime ran off,
barking loudly, towards the buffalo. This distracted somewhat the
animal's attention, and he stopped to consider, apparently, which he
should attack first, I might have hit him where he stood, but I
preferred waiting till he came nearer, that I might have less chance of
missing him. He first made a charge at Solon, but the brave dog was too
quick for him, and nimbly leaped out of the way of his terrific horns.
Several times he stopped to butt at Solon, but without being able to
touch him. Then he turned towards me. Then my faithful dog saw that,
he attacked him still more pertinaciously. I was afraid, however, when
I fired, that I might hit the dog should I miss the buffalo, and I
therefore kept shouting, "Solon, Solon," to call him off. I never felt
more cool and composed. I really believe that I could have taken a
pinch of snuff if I had had one. It was very necessary that I should be
cool. The buffalo had got within ten paces of me, and in another
instant he would have bee