The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-06-07
The Ruins Of AngcOr.

to the vestlges OF former ci'liiLa'ion'
Those of Angcor are situated IN the
heart of a dense forest. They were
known to the Portuguese at the end OF
the sixteenth century, but have fallen
into utter neglect. Proud statues OF
lions stand at the entrance OF broad
way, paved with fat stones, passing
over deep bitches, now changed into
marshes; this leads to long gallery, of
which three half-ruined towers inter-
rupt the architectural line. Passing
through the central pavilion, assecond
paved avenue of two hundred yards in
length opens out on an immense edl-
fee of wholly different style OF archl-
lecture to any that is seen in the West.
Tower above tower seem to rise IN
fantastic profile; but when examined,
the plan consists of two rectangular
and concentric galleries, with pavilions
at the corners and four towers In the
centre, giving the appearance of an i'm
mense tiara. The highest. which rises
to the height of sixty yards, dominates
over the whole, and is the holy of ho-
lies, where the BONES meet for prayer
before a statue of Buddha. Not stone
of this colossal monument is without
ornament. The sculptures are marvels
due to incompatible artists, whose in
SEPARATIONS are forever engraved on stone,
but whose names are efaced from the
memory of man. According to leg
endary, tradition, it was built by a
leperous king of neigboring city in
consequence of vow he had made,
but it is impossible to determine the
epoch. 1t can not however be doubted
that the development of architectural
art, of which this temple seems to be
the highest expression, comedies with
the introduction of the Buddhist relig-
ion among this people, driven, perhaps,
from India at the time of the great re-
ligious persecution.
As to the city itself, the walls only
are intact; they are nine feet in thick
ness, formed of cut stones laid together
without cement, and have defed the
assaults of time and a most vigorous
vegetation. Broad roads over deep
moats lead to the gates, guarded by fifty
stone giants, enormous sentinels bound
together by tie folds of monstrous
serpent, which seems to exhaust itself
in vain efforts to escape. A sort of trl-
amphal arch leads to the interior; the
heads of elephants decorate the summit,
and the trunks unfolded vertically like
columns, rest on cluster of large
leaves. Regret is as great as astonish-
ment when, having passed through this
magnificent barrier, the thick forest is
found to have filed up the vast inclos-
ure surrounded by the walls. The ves-
tiges of few ruins are met with in
solitudes peopled by wild animals, whose
fearful cries are repeated by the echoes
alone. The kings palace is crumbling
under the climbing plants which divide
every stone with their roots. 1t seems
to have been conceived by wonderful
rich imagination, and was formerly sur
rounded by forty or fifty towers, some
representing the heads of Buddha,
which remind the spectator of the
Sphinx of Egypt. But encountered by
ruins, it does not please so much as the
temple, which is model of grandeur,
harmony, and simplicity. The Portu-
guese historians seem to think that it
was no longer royal residence in 1870,
and perhaps it was abandoned by the
inhabitants at the same time. A SINH
lar sanctuary is net with in a most dis
tant province of Laos, built in the same
style and covered with gliding. One of
the buildings, to which the BONES will
scarcely allow access, contains library
of sacred books. There they were, ar
ranged on decorated shelves, enveloped
inrich bindings covered with silk, SUM
bering uninteruptedly, for not one of
the monks could decipher the language
in which they were written.-1o Day.