Many of the pillars of this colonnade are now lying at the base of the monument; and several portions of the coping or architrave prove that the enclosure was a circular one. The inscriptions Nos. 173, 174, 175, and 176, are taken from the fallen pillars of this colonnade. The pillars are 3 feet 4 inches high, 9 inches broad, and 7 inches thick. They are of the same pattern as those of the lower enclosure, and in fact of all the enclosures of Buddhist Topes throughout India.* I counted nearly forty of these pillars, but several must be buried beneath the rubbish of the destructive excavation made by the amateur antiquaries in 1822.† As the spaces between the pillars were, as nearly as can now be ascertained, about one foot, this enclosure would have required exactly sixtyone pillars. 12. Within the upper enclosure there was a square altar or pedestal surrounded by pillars of the same description, but much taller, some of which are still lying on the top of the dome. In 1819, when Captain Fell visited Sánchi, these pillars were all there; but one of the corner pillars is now lying at the base of the monument to the north-west. It is proved to have belonged to a square enclosure, by its having faces at right angles to each other with two rows of mortices for the reception of the ends of the stone * See Plates VII., IX., XXIII., and XXVIII., for specimens of enclosures. + Prinsep's Journal, iv. 712. Prinsep's Journal, iii. 490. rails. The projecting cornice of this altar or pedestal is restored from the numerous representations of Topes amongst the bas-reliefs of the gateways. The cupola or umbrella-pinnacle is restored from existing fragments guided by the designs of Topes just mentioned.* One piece is now lying on the top of the dome, and another at the foot of the breach. This cupola was 5 feet 6 inches in diameter, and 2 feet high. It is hollowed out underneath; and above it has a mortice 8 inches deep for the reception of a staff of a second cupola, such as we see represented in the bas-reliefs. 13. The total height of the building including the cupolas must have been upwards of one hundred feet. 14. The base of the massive colonnade, 144 to east, and 151 Tope is surrounded by a feet in diameter from west feet in diameter from north to south. This enclosure is therefore elliptical; the greater diameter exceeding the lesser by 7 feet. By this arrangement a free passage is obtained round the southern staircases, and a greater breadth at the foot of the ascent. The breadth of the cloister on the north-west and north-east sides averages 9 feet 7 inches, the several measurements only differing by a few inches. From east to south the cloister increases rapidly in width; the breadth at the east being only 9 feet 11 inches, and at the foot of the staircase 13 feet 8 inches. The elliptical form is * See two specimens in Plate III., figs. 1 and 2. * shown distinctly in my brother's plan, although he does not mention it in his description. 15. The pillars of this colonnade are 9 feet 10 inches in height, with an average thickness of 1 foot 10 inches. The front and back of each pillar have three faces; a middle one, 9 inches in breadth, and two side ones, slightly bevelled, each 6 inches broad. The pillars are let into the ground from 15 to 18 inches. The interval or inter-columniation is 2 feet 1 inch. 16. The rails are three in number with intervals of 4 inches. Each rail is 2 feet 1 inch long, and the same broad. The section is formed of two intersecting circular segments, with a double versed sine of 9 inches, which forms the thickness of the rail. The mortices in the pillars are of the same section as the rails, and are from 3 to 4 inches in depth. 17. The architrave or coping is formed of long solid blocks rounded at top, each 2 feet 3 inches in height, by 2 feet 1 inch in thickness. Each beam spans two intercolumniations, and has three mortices for receiving the tenons of the three pillars. Some of the beams are connected together by tenons and mortices, and others by stone joggles. 18. A view of this remarkable stone-railing is given in Plate IX., which shows the general disposition of the numerous inscriptions. The style is evidently characteristic and conventional, as it is * Journal As. Soc. Bengal, xvii. Plate XXVIII. found wherever the Bauddha religion prevails.* It is in fact so peculiar to Buddhism that I have ventured to name it "the Buddhist railing." This peculiar railing is still standing around the principal Topes at Sánchi and Andher; and some pillars and other fragments are still lying around the great Topes at Sonári and Satdhára. The same railing was placed around the holy Bodhi Trees,† and the pillars dedicated to Buddha. The balconies of the City Gates, and of the King's Palace,|| were enclosed by it. It formed the bulwarks of the State Barge. It was used as an ornament for the capitals of columns, as on the northern pillar at Sánchi ;** and generally for every plain band of architectural moulding. At Sánchi it is found in many places as an ornament on the horizontal bars which separate the bas-reliefs from each other. 19. The Sánchi railing has one entrance at each of the four cardinal points; as represented in the plan in Plate IV. Each entrance is covered in * No less than nine specimens of this kind of railing were found amongst the Bhilsa Topes, all of which are described in the following pages. In Plate IX. fig 3, I have added a specimen from the great Dipaldinna Mound at Amaravati, for the description of which see Prinsep's Journal, vol. vi. Plate X. + See coins, in Plates XXXI. and XXXII. See Plate XXXI. fig. 1, and Plate XXXII. fig. 11. § Bas-relief at Sánchi, Eastern Gateway, Plate XV. fig. 3. || Bas-relief of Eastern Gateway-Fergusson's Illustrations. ¶ Bas-relief of Western Gateway, Left Pillar, Inner Face, No. III. **See Plate X. front, and to the left (as seen from the outside), by a short railing of the same style. In after times another short railing was added to the right of each, and the entrance was changed to the front through a lofty gateway. 20. These four gateways are the most picturesque and valuable objects at Sánchi, as they are entirely covered with bas-reliefs representing various domestic scenes and religious ceremonies. Each gateway is formed of two square pillars, 2 feet 3 inches thick, and 13 feet 8 inches in height. The capitals of these pillars vary. The pillars of the western gate have each four human dwarfs; those of the southern gate have four lions; and those of the other gateways have four elephants surmounted by their riders. height of the capital is 4 feet 6 inches. The total height of the gateway is 18 feet 2 inches, and its breadth is 7 feet 1 inch. The 21. The pillars are crowned by an architrave 19 feet 9 inches in length, with an arched rise of 4 inches in the middle, and a projection of 4 feet 5 inches on each side. These projecting ends are supported by brackets, each formed of the stem and foliage of a tree, beneath which is a náchni, or dancing woman. The style of hair and the peculiar bead-girdle of these female dancers, is so much like those of some of the Tibetan women of the present day, that one is naturally led to trace them to an Indo-Scythian origin; especially when we know that the Indo-Scythian power was paramount in India at |