It was very pretty to see how anxious the mothers were about their
young. When I startled them, she took one upon her back, the other
clung to her breast, and with this double weight she not only sprung
from branch to branch, but even from tree to tree.
If I had only possessed somewhat more imaginative power, I should
have taken the forest for a fairy wood, for besides the merry
monkeys, I saw many remarkable things. The rock sides and debris to
the left of the road, for example, had the most singular and varied
forms. Some resembled the ruins of temples and houses, others
trees; indeed, the figure of a woman with a child in her arms, was
so natural, that I could scarcely help feeling a regret at seeing it
turned into this dismal lifelessness. Further on, lay a gate, whose
noble artistic construction so deceived me, that I long sought for
the ruins of the town to which it appeared to lead.
Not far distant from the jungle is the little town of Lakari,
situated upon the almost perpendicular declivity of a mountain
ridge, and also protected by fortifications. A beautiful pond, a
large well with an artificial portico, terraces with Hindoo idols
and Mahomedan funeral monuments, lie in very attractive disorder.
Before Notara I found several altars, with the sacred bull carved in
red stone. In the town itself stood a handsome monument, an open
temple with columns upon a stone terrace, which was surrounded with
fine reliefs, representing elephants and riders.
There was no caravansary at this place, and I was obliged to go
about the streets with my cumbrous equipage in search of a lodging;
but as no one would receive a Christian, not from any want of good
nature, but in consequence of an erroneous religious opinion that a
house which has been visited by an unbeliever is defiled. This
opinion also extends to many other matters.
There was no alternative left for me except to pass the night in an
open verandah.
In this town I saw a circumstance which proved the amiability of the
people. A donkey, that was maimed either from its birth or by an
accident, was dragging itself with great exertion across the street,
a task which it required several minutes to accomplish. Several
people who were coming that way with their loaded animals waited
with great patience, without making a single murmur or raising a
hand to drive the creature on. Many of the inhabitants came out of
their houses and gave it fodder, and every passer-by turned out of
the way for it. This feeling of sympathy touched me uncommonly.
11th February. On this, the thirteenth day of my journey, I reached
Kottah.
