408 ON ANCIENT MONUMENTS 



the district, and by him communicated to Captain 

 WjLFORD, who has presented it to the Asiatick So- 

 ciety. 



The plate, which is l6^ inches long, and 12^ broad, 

 is engraved on one face only. The lines, of which 

 there are '24, run in the length of the phte ; and on 

 the left side is a curvature, on which a semi-circular ap- 

 pendage is riveted, containing a flat button representing 

 the impression of a seal. The figure is very imperfect, 

 but seems to be intended for some animal. 



With the plate itself, Captain Wilford Communi- 

 cated a copy of its contents as decyphered by a Fandit 

 in his service. On carefully comparing it with the ori- 

 ginal, I found all the essential passages, as well as the 

 names, correctly given ; a fevy alterations, which this 

 comparison showed to be necessary, have been made 

 with the concurrence of several Pandits from Tirhut^ 

 who assisted me in collating it. I preferred the aid of 

 pandits of that province, because the peculiarities 

 of the characters, where they differ widely, as they 

 do in many instances, from common De'va nagaru 

 make a nearer approach to the TirhiUiya letters than 

 to any other now in use. The whole inscription is 

 indeed remarkable for the uncommon forrri of the con- 

 sonants, and the very unusual manner in which the 

 Towels are marked. On this account, an exact copy 

 of the original in fac simile will be subjoined ; as well 

 as a correct transcript in modern Diva nagart letters. 

 The following version is as literal as the difference of 

 idiom permits. 



TRANSLATION. 



1. * Salutation to the God, who is manifested in 

 various forms, from earth to the performer of a sacri- 



I 

 1 



