[104] Second Journey, p. 75; Ouseley, ii. 255. They were afterwards given to the British Museum, and for a long time were the only materials for the study of Persian art. The practice of taking away specimens seems to have been continued by later travellers, and, as Porter says, much of value was ‘doomed to the predatory mallet’ (p. 632). When Rich visited the ruins in 1821, he observed that ‘many parts had been defaced by the passion for preserving curiosities. This rage has induced some even to chip off bits of inscriptions. One has endeavoured to chisel off a very fine head, which was well preserved, and, not succeeding, he has apparently in wrath thrown his mallet against the head and smashed it.’ (Koordistan, ii. 222.) Rich found the inscription on the robe of the king in the Palace of Xerxes had suffered from these proceedings. ‘They have been variously defaced by people chipping off pieces (mostly very recently) for curiosities. I have copied what remains of three of them’ (Babylon and Persepolis, Pl. 19). A disease visited the people of the country shortly after, and those of them who had assisted in these acts of Vandalism thought themselves justly punished. Flandin, ii. 113, 127.
[105] Ouseley (Sir W.), Travels, vol. ii. For Persepolis and Murgab see chaps. xi. and xii.
[106] Ouseley, ii. 91.
[107] Plates 41 and 47, pp. 256-7.
[108] Ouseley, p. 286.
[109] Ib. pp. 265-7.
[110] Pp. 426-9.
[111] Plate 49: 1. Morier, from a pillar of the palace. 2. Gordon (and Morier), from over the winged figure. 3. Ouseley, from the solitary monolith.
[112] Mohl, Rapports annuels faits à la Société Asiatique, 1840-45: 1843, p. 13.
[113] Porter (Sir Robert Ker), Travels in Georgia, &c. (London, 1821), i. 679.