VIII,
with a hat and plume, others represent groups flying--one a golden bird,
another a man with a hemispherical helmet, all are much damaged. The
hair in some is dressed as in the modern Burmese top-knot, often
surrounded by a circle.

Otherwise the niches are not ornamented, except in one instance, as above
alluded to; the head of the smaller figure was formerly covered by the
roof, as evident from holes or troughs for timbers in the gallery. These
holes are now inhabited by pigeons, and the lower ones by cows, donkeys,
fowls, kids, dogs; some are filthy apertures blocked up by stone and mud
walls; the doors irregular, and guarded between two giants.

An old tope occurs near some small figures, it is composed of stones very
much disintegrated, with curious blocks of _kucha_ work, and large
Babylonish bricks; the smaller figures are much destroyed, some
completely; all are in alto-relievo.

The plants about Topehee valley, are Cichorium, Centaurea lutea, Berberis
common, Salvia, Cicer cultivated, Lucerne, Centaurea angustifolia, Cnicus
of Koti-Ashruf, ditto of Karabagh hills, Triticum, Asteroides, Avena,
Centaurea glauca, the common thistle, Ephedra, Mentha, Rumex, Melilotus,
Medicago, Artemisia pyramidalis, Lychnis inflata, Saponaria, Bromus,
Verbascum, Cerasus canus, Ferula, Statice, Salsola, Astragalus, Polygonum
fruticosum, Composita dislocata, Clematis erecta, Clematis alia,
Echinops, Leucades, Pulicaria fragrans, Hyoscyamus parvus, rare;
Geranium, Rosa, Fabago of Maidan, fructi echinatis, Arundo, Hippophae.

Halted at Bamean till the 6th, and inspected Ghoolghoola or Bheiran,
which presents extensive ruins: those of the city are almost destroyed;
but those of the citadel are more perfect, and situated on a mound 300
feet high, which still stands with steep banks or fortifications,
apparently of Kafir origin, generally _kucha_, with bases formed of
boulders. Three lines of defences remain on the valley side; and the
remains of a ditch 50 feet broad at the mound on the east side. _Pucka_,
or burnt bricks are common among the debris, also pottery, but this is of
the ordinary sort: I observed but few _pucka_ bricks in the fortification
on the west side. Great masses of rocks have been thrown about near the
building of the fort, and some of the lower bastions were built on these
masses. The mound is chiefly occupied by Salsolaceae, some of which
exist in profusion. Nothing seems to be known about the histor