The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-03-02

corps carrying different arms, lances,
halberds, javelius, sabres, and bows
there triumphal march all depicting
the warlike character Of the nation
Again, there are representations Of the
Hindoo Paradise, Swarga, and the infer
nal regions, Niralma with the rewards
and punishments appropriate to EACH
Strange and wonderful are these ruins,
that seem now only to have started into
the light of day after being hid so long in
the gloom of barbarous ages. In the
language of the author:
"The temple of Ougeor is the most
beautiful and best preserved of all the re-
mains, and the first also which presents
itself to the eye of the traveller, making
him forget the fatigues of the journey
filling him with admiration and delight,
such as would be experienced on finding
a verdant oasis in the sandy deserts.-
Suddenly, as if by enchantment, he seems
to he transported from barbarism to civil
zatiln, from profound darkness to light
"What strikes the observer with not less
admiration than the grandeur, regularity
and beauty Of these mojestic buildings,
is the immense size and prodigious num-
of the blocks of stone of which they are
constructed. In this temple alone are as
many as 1882 columns. What means of
transport, what multitude of workmen,
must this have required, seeing that the
mountain out of which the stone was
hewn is thirty miles distant! In each
block are to be seen holes q centimeters
in diameter, and 3 in depth, the numbers
varying with the size of the blocks but
the columns and the sculptured portions
of the building bear no traces of them
According to Cambodian legend, these
are the prints of the fingers of a giant,
who after kneading enormous quantity Of
clay, had cut it into blocks and carved it
into hard and at the same time light
stone by pouring over it some marvellous
liquid.
''The principal entrance forms long
gallery with central tower, and two 9TH
ers of less altitude. The portico of each
tower is formed of four projecting columns
WIN staircase. Al eacn extremity are
similar porticoes, beyond which, but i'm
mediately contiguous thereto, is high
door or gateway, on the same level, which
served for the passage of vehicles. From
constant use wheels have worn two deep
ruts in the massive fagstones with which
the ground liz paved" "All
the mouldings, sculptures, and bas reliefs
appear to have boon executed after the
erection of the building. The stones are
everywhere fitted together in so perfect a
manner that you can scarcely see where
are the Jennings; there is neither sign OF
mortar nor mark of the chisel, the surface
being as polished as marble. Was this
Incompatible edifce the work of single
genius who conceived the ideas and watch.
ed over the execution of it? One is
tempted to think so for no part Of it is
deficient, faulty, or inconsistent. To
what epoch does it owe its origin -? AS
before remarked, neither tradition nor
written inscriptions furnish any certain
information on this peint; Or rather, ]
should say, these latter are as sealed
book for want of an interpreter and they
may perchance, throw light on the subjec,
when some European savant shall succeed
in decipheriug them"