'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎126] (157/582)

126 V I SIT T0 THE ANTIQUITIES
ing close to the fronts of the Caves themselves. On arriving at
these, the appearance presented is that of a high and bare moun
tain, rising in nearly a perpendicular line, with a small brook of
beautifully clear water flowing beneath its feet. The source of
this is close by, as it issues out from beneath the rock; and over
the spot are two brick arches of the Roman form, still perfect.
These are not the remains of a bridge, as M. Rousseau supposes,*
as they are built in the side of the rock, and lead to no passage.
The purpose of them seems to have been to mark the source of
the stream and keep its outlet clear ; a similar arch of stone
being erected in the same way over the source of the Ain-el Fee-
jey, near Damascus, close by an ancient temple there.
These arches are the first objects seen on the right or south
east in looking towards the Caves, and close to them are three
sculptured figures on the outer surface of the rock. The tablet,
or pannel, in which these are included, is just sufficiently large to
contain them, and the figures are about the size of life. The
sculpture is in bas-relief, tolerably executed, and still very perfect.
One of these, the figure on the left, has a star beneath his feet, and
a sort of halo, like the rays of a blazing sun, around his head ;
another, the central one, has a globe over a helmet, like the heads
of the Sassanian medals; and the third, on the right, nearest the
source of the stream, stands on a figure lying horizontally on the
ground^ The first of these is perhaps the one taken for Ariman,
or Zoroaster, but whether the others were armed or not I do not
perfectly remember. The frilled drapery of their trowsers form
ing a line from the ankle to the hip, produces a very novel effect,
as well as the sort of sandals with which their feet are bound.t
Close to this still on the left or north-west, is the first or
smallest Cave. This is little more than fifteen feet square, and
* Mines de rOrient, torn. iii. p. 94.
~ "• «
J See the plate in Sir John Maleolm's History of Persia, w hich is very correct.