colonnade, supporting a double-beaded architrave and cornice. Eight of the westernmost pillars of this colonnade, including the double pillar which terminated the row, were still standing, and from this ran off a range of smaller columns, leading northward to the stream. The pillars of this colonnade in front of the theatre were about five feet in diameter, and stood five paces apart from centre to centre; the whole length of the front measuring one hundred and eighteen paces.

The theatre itself has three distinct divisions or classes of seats, as if intended for persons of different orders, each separated from the other by a wide space for the passage of the spectators from one part of the theatre to another. The first division of these benches, or those nearest the stage, contains thirteen rows of seats, intersected by five flights of smaller steps for ascending and descending, going up like rays from the centre of a circle. In the interval of separation between the first and second division of benches are doors and deep recesses, at regular distances from each other. The second division contains fifteen ranges of seats, intersected by seven flights of steps similar to those below; and in the interval of separation between this division of benches and the one above it are seven doors at equal distances. In the last, or upper division of all, are seventeen ranges of seats, intersected by five flights of cunii; and in the broad pathway that runs round the whole at the top is a deep square recess, entered into by a fine Corinthian doorway with an architrave and pediment, having concave niches on each side, as if for the reception of statues.

The Arabs call this building Serait-el-Sultan, or the King's Palace, and think the only use of the range of seats around was to serve as flights of steps for the ascent of persons of much greater stature than the present race to the recess above, for the sake of enjoying the cool shade of the summer, and the pleasure of the view, which, it must be confessed, is from hence at once beautiful and interesting. As the benches or seats are about two feet in breadth and depth, and the intervals between each great division

are at least six feet, the perpendicular height from the stage to the central recess at the top must be upwards of 120 feet, and the distance from the stage to the upper range of seats nearly 200. The circuit of this upper range was 200 paces, and the diameter of the semicircle below, or the distance from the stage to the first row of seats, was 52 paces, as measured on the spot. There are two arched stage doors, facing each other, at the ends of the semicircle, communicating with a vaulted passage from below the seats. Some of the benches are broken, and the colonnade in front is partly destroyed: yet on the whole it may be considered as an unusually perfect monument of Roman luxury,-for a very slight repair would make it available for its original purpose.

While literally running over this theatre, scrawling the few notes I could make of it, in secret, beneath my outer garment, and looking behind me at every step, in the apprehension of being perceived and interrupted, anxiety for my own safety did not prevent my being forcibly struck with the passion of the Romans for public amusements and for architectural grandeur. At this place, Ammān, as well as at Geraza and Gamala, three colonial settlements, within the compass of a day's journey from each other, (not to mention Scythopolis, Tiberias, Sebasta, the two Cesareas, and other cities, all within a short distance,) and each much inferior in importance to Baalbec and Palmyra, there were five magnificent theatres and one amphitheatre, besides temples, baths, aqueducts, naumachia, triumphal arches, &c.; while, throughout all India, an empire in itself, and far richer than any colony of Rome in the days of her greatest splendour, we have not a public monument, even in the capitals of the several presidencies, equal to the least of these: the theatres at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, being inferior even to many of the provincial houses in England.

Following the course of the valley westerly, the next object seen beyond the theatre is on the opposite side of the stream, consisting of the remains of a colonnade, and the front of some large edifice, with steps descending from it to the water. On the side of the

hill on which the fort is built, and just above this edifice, a number of arches are seen, probably belonging to private dwellings of different dates, for some were of the Roman and others apparently of the Saracen form; unless this last was occasioned by the falling together of the sides of the arches, a point I could not determine, from not being near enough to decide. To the westward of these, but still on the north of the stream, and at the foot of the hill, is the portion of a very large edifice which looked like a temple. I could not cross the stream to examine it, but saw several columns standing, many others fallen, and a part of the northern wall, with a doorway, pediments, cornice, and other ornaments, still perfect.

Continuing westerly, the valley widens to the north; and on the north, the hill on the side of which the theatre is built, presses close on the stream, which runs, in this place, beneath a lofty cliff of yellowish stone. A broad arch is here thrown over the brook, the concave or under part of which is smooth, but the upper part of it rough and broken; as if some building had originally been built on the arch, the brook itself being not more than 15 or 20 feet wide.

After crossing over this arch, I came to a large edifice, presenting a semicircular front towards the stream, built of rustic masonry, with large solid stones of an oblong form, closely joined without cement. In the exterior of the southern front, there are appearances which would seem to indicate that water-works of some description had been used here, probably for some purpose connected with the fortification of the hill. On the interior are columns that once stood around the concave part of the semicircle, some still standing and others fallen, with broken fragments of the building, extending for many yards in a northerly direction. The pediments of the recesses, the cornices, and other ornaments around this interior face of the southern wall, do not appear to have been finished; as many parts exhibit only the preparatory stages of the work, in which the larger parts required to be removed are first roughly hollowed out, and the remainder left for the finishing

chisel of the sculptor. The capitals of the columns were, however, finished, and some even seemed in a state of great decay; one of the shafts still standing had also been cleft down the middle, apparently by lightning. The general form of this edifice was oblong, presenting a semicircular end towards the stream on the south, and the order of the architecture was Corinthian.

To the south-west of this is a larger and more perfect building, with Roman arches, and a square tower arising from it. I dared not go over to examine this, however, as I had already been absent more than an hour, and in the vicinity of the building itself I saw Arabs with their flocks, so that I could not have passed among them without observation. I therefore ascended the hill from hence to the S. E., and on reaching its top observed other buildings and columns on the side of the opposite hill to the N. W., with arches over the stream to the westward, at the distance of about half a mile. The stream is said to run from this westerly, inclining sometimes northerly in its course, winding frequently until it joins the Zerkah, when it falls with it into the Jordan, and is ultimately lost in the Dead Sea.

On returning to the tent from which I had stolen away to make this unperceived visit to the ruins of Amman, I was surprised to find Abu Fārah and my horse departed: I enquired whither, and it was answered, in search of me. The fact was, that the nature of my occupation had rendered me insensible to the progress of time, and the sun was now three hours high, while no one knew where I had wandered. The sheikh, Abu Suliman, coming into the tent, accosted me with a very angry look, and accused me of being a Muggrebin magician, come here to raise the treasures which belonged to him as lord of the place. He insisted on my producing my instruments and writings. I declared that I had none. He laid hold of me by the arm, and said he would search me. resisted; though there was no one near on whom I could rely for assistance, and even my musket and dirk had been taken away by

Abu Farah, along with my horse, in the hope that he might discover me, and render it unnecessary to return again to the camp. I was determined, however, though quite alone, to resist any violence offered to my person, and in the struggle I fortunately prevailed. I was then questioned as to where I had been? I replied, to wash myself in the stream. It was asked, why? I answered, because I had been defiled by unholy dreams. Where was my country? Stamboul. Was I Muslim? "Ul humd al Illah — La Illah ul Ullah" was my reply; but the rest of the sentence was cut off by quick demands of where I was going? what was the object of my journey? &c. &c. At length, finding all his questions readily answered, the sheikh tried softer means, and endeavoured to persuade me, that as lord of the palace of Solomon the son of David the prophet, he had a right to at least half the treasures found within the ruins; and then by entreaty strove to extort from me the confession of my having really raised such treasures, by the aid of incantations and charms.

gone

While this controversy was carrying on betwixt us, two women entered the tent. These were the sheikh's wives, both of whom had in search of me, without gaining any trace of my steps; which the sheikh insisted could not have happened, had I not been a magician, and possessed the power of concealing myself from the sight of others.

In the midst of this unpleasant discussion, which I could only maintain by opposing denials to accusations, my old guide, Abu Farah, returned to the tent, exclaiming, as he entered it, "Ya, Hadjee Abdallah," and upbraiding me with all the real anger of one grossly offended at my indiscretion. I said not a word, but remained silent till his rage had spent itself in imprecations, angry questions, and self-suggested replies, when I found it necessary to set up the same excuse as I had given the sheikh, for washing in the stream. This, however, did not satisfy him; for he continued to believe that I really went to the ruins for the purpose of raising