. Pictorial history of China and India; comprising a description of those countries and their inhabitants. the date of its existence, the condition of its inhabitants,or the cause of its being buried in the dust. The numerous coins of theearly and middle ages, found recently in various parts of Hindostan, prove the existence and duration of several states,and record the names of many of their sove-reigns not otherwise known ; but they throw nolight on the general state of the country, nor dothey afford any information with regard to thepeople for whose use they were coined. The most celebrated
. Pictorial history of China and India; comprising a description of those countries and their inhabitants. the date of its existence, the condition of its inhabitants,or the cause of its being buried in the dust. The numerous coins of theearly and middle ages, found recently in various parts of Hindostan, prove the existence and duration of several states,and record the names of many of their sove-reigns not otherwise known ; but they throw nolight on the general state of the country, nor dothey afford any information with regard to thepeople for whose use they were coined. The most celebrated exploit of Sultan Mah-mud in India, was the conquest, before alludedto, of the temple of Somnath, near the south-ern extremity of the peninsula of Guzerat, therichest and most frequented place of worship inthe country. There were twothousand priests belonging tothe shrine of Somnath, with anumerous train of musiciansand female dancers, whose tal-ents were called forth at allthe religious festivals, whichwere conducted with the ut-most joyousness; and all theseFemale Dancer. wefc maintained out of the. MUSSULMAN CONQUESTS. 379 revenues of two thousand villages that had heen granted, by different princes,to support the grandeur of this splendid place of worship. The interior ofthe temple exhibited a specimen of Hindu magnificence, that was, no doubt,highly agreeable to the invaders. The great lamp was suspended by achain of solid gold, and the pillars that supported the lofty roof were richlycarved, and ornamented with precious stones — a greater proof of wealththan taste, but not less admirable on that account, in the eyes of Mahmudand his followers, who entered the spacious edifice after three days of almostincessant fighting, for it was strongly fortified and guarded, besides which,several neighboring princes had come with their assembled forces to aid inits defence. At length the enemy prevailed, and the gorgeous temple wasquickly despoiled by the rude hands of the IMussul
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsearsrob, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1851
