390 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal [Nov., 1914. 



collection, and enquire about antiquarian remains, inscriptions 

 and copper-plates in the village and neighbourhood. The 

 reason for which he should not be allowed to interfere with 



nown 



between Bhatas and Caranas, but also the impossibility for a 

 single man to carry on all the searching work and the conse- 

 quent necessity of having the work divided with another. On 

 receiving the Bhata's report, the editor will be able to judge if 

 the places in question deserve to be visited by him or not. In 

 case they do, the editor shall visit them taking with him his 

 first assistant and, if Caranas are reported to be there, his 

 second assistant too. It is obvious that only in case of very 

 rich collections or very important antiquarian remains, a visit 

 of the editor will be required ; in the case of small collections, 

 it will be sufficient to send over the Carana, or second assistant, 

 who shall visit the Caranas left out in the first visit, and try 

 to procure, whether by loan or purchase, such manuscripts in 

 the list submitted by the Bhata as may seem important. 

 Important manuscripts that cannot be purchased, but can be 

 obtained on loan, shall be copied by the scribe in the office ; 

 and only manuscripts that cannot be had on loan, which will be 

 very rarely the case, shall be copied on the spot. 



It is a fact that possessors of Bardic and Historical manu- 

 scripts in Rajputana generally disdainfully refuse to part with 

 them, and therefore a very rich collection of manuscripts can 

 never be expected from the search. But I have shown that in 

 our case there is not so much need of collecting manuscripts, 

 as of compiling a Descriptive Catalogue. Some original manu- 

 scripts, however, can be collected, and most, if not all, can be 

 borrowed and copied, if necessary. To avoid distrust, for any 

 manuscript that is asked on loan, besides a regular receipt, a 

 sum corresponding to the value of the manuscript should also 

 be given as a pledge, on the understanding that it be refunded 

 when the manuscript is restored to its proprietor. In this way 

 borrowing may become a means for securing manuscripts, 

 inasmuch as in many cases lenders, who could never be 

 induced to sell directly, when asked to refund the sum and 

 take back the manuscript, will prefer to keep the former and 

 renounce the latter. In fact the sum that is given as a pledge 

 is soon spent and when the time of the refunding comes, the 

 lender is very likely to view the thing in the light of a purchase 

 and possibly think that his manuscript is not worth the money. 

 Another device for securing manuscripts, which may be 

 successfully used in some cases, is to offer the proprietor a new 

 and accurate copy in exchange of the old and worn-out 

 manuscript in his possession. All these means, of course, 

 should be used only in the case of important 

 that deserve to be preserved. 



Now, as to the charges in this department. The first 



manuscn 



