. William H. Seward's travels around the world. low colors. On either side of the arch is a carved bronze demon,fifteen feet high, protected by an iron railing. These figures, de-signed to be terrific, are simply hideous. They are plastered overwith moistened paper pellets, which have been cast on them by pass-ing pilgrims. The adhesion of the pellet is taken as an assurance THE GREAT STATUE OF BUDDHA. 47 that the monster is appeased, and consents to the visit of a that the missiles which our bearers had thrown uponthe demons had propitiated them in our favor, we boldly en-tere
. William H. Seward's travels around the world. low colors. On either side of the arch is a carved bronze demon,fifteen feet high, protected by an iron railing. These figures, de-signed to be terrific, are simply hideous. They are plastered overwith moistened paper pellets, which have been cast on them by pass-ing pilgrims. The adhesion of the pellet is taken as an assurance THE GREAT STATUE OF BUDDHA. 47 that the monster is appeased, and consents to the visit of a that the missiles which our bearers had thrown uponthe demons had propitiated them in our favor, we boldly en-tered the gate. Ascending a solid flight of steps, we reached apaved court, three sides of which are graced with monumentalshrines of stone and bronze. On a pedestal six feet high, in thecentre of the square, is the gigantic statue of Buddha (famous asthe Daibutz), sitting with crossed legs, on a lotus-flower. Thoughdescription by measurement is not poetical, we must use it to con-vey an idea of this colossal idol. It is fifty feet high, a hundred. feet in circumference at the base, and the head is nine feet long;the hands are brought together in front, with thumbs joined; thehead is covered with metallic snails, which are supposed to protectthe god from the sun. Some travellers find in the face an expres- 48 JAPAN, CHINA, AND COCHIN CHINA. sion of sublime contemplation ; to us it seems dull and meaning-less. The statue being made of bronze plates, is hollow; theinterior is shaped and fitted as a temple. We are inclined to be-lieve that the Japanese have lost their early reverence for theDaibutz ; we find the walls covered with the autographs of pilgrimsand travellers. The bonzes invited us to register our own names,and they offer to sell the god to any purchaser for the price of oldcopper.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury180, bookdecade1870, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworld
