280 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [August, 1909. 
of the invention of firearms, to that of the modern Hindu, who 
seeks to show that the Vedic writings are evidence of the 
knowledge of the sciences by the old Indian sages! ? 
should mention that the greater number of the stories 
were related to me by Persian caravan men on many a long 
march, or in the evenings by villagers or travellers in the vil- 
was sufficient to set my companion of the moment talking. 
Perhaps the stories may have been all the more spontaneous, 
as I always wore an Afghan lungi, and being accompanied by 
Pathans, was often, for the time being at least, taken for 
an Afghan myself; such mistaken identity being more than 
sufficient to account for any defects noticed in my pronun- 
ciation by the ignorant villagers. At the same time my ac- 
first opportunity, usually the same night before going to bed. 
Several of the stories, however, were taken down by me in 
for the trouble he took on my behalf, and afterwards translat- 
ed by me into English. 
I have decided to give the different variations of the 
stories separately; and I have also ventured to translate the 
extracts made from the old French authors. If the renderings 
is 
THe Frnpine or a Marrint Henry RIFLE, BY A EUROPEAN 
TRAVELLER, IN ONE OF THE SARCOPHAGI OF THE ROOK- 
Hewn Tombs at THE Naqsu-1I-RvstTaM. 
i, 
distant by road, I heard the story in detail of the finding 
cas Lane Phe Customs, and Superstitions of India,’’ Oman, 
