84 A. F. R. Hoernle — Ancient Manuscripts from Central Asia. [May, 



to the lower left, and reads from the outside of the coin, from the right 

 to the left. This smallei- section, therefore, follows the usual system of 

 writing and reading the Bactrian script. But the larger section, 

 commences on the left side, where the smaller section ends, and then runs, 

 from the left to right, round the upper part of the margin, down to where 

 the smaller section commences ; and it reads from the inside of the coin. 

 The larger section, therefore, reads from the left to the right, like the 

 Greek. In fact, that section is arranged and reads like a Greek legend, 

 while the smaller legend is arranged and reads like a Bactrian 

 legend, though both sections are written in Bactrian characters. In 

 other respects the legend is the usual one, viz. : — 



Larger section : Maharajasa tradatasa 

 Smaller ditto : Avadagagasa, 



Mr. Bonrdillon's specimen gives the whole of the legend, except 

 the letters vada of the name; but some of the existing letters are 

 rubbed and mutilated ; the five letters maha, ja and gasa, however, are 

 perfectly distinct. On my own specimen of the coin, only a very small 

 portion of the legend is preserved ; viz., the letters maha and gagasa. 

 This portion, equally distinct on both specimens, forms, as will be 

 understood from the arrangement, above explained, a continuous set of 

 letters, and is made up of the beginning of the larger and the end of 

 the smaller sections. It is quite characteristic, and sufficient to prove 

 how the whole legend must have run, even if it is not actually 

 extant. 



Unfortunately there is not sufficient time to prepare photographic 

 facsimiles of these four coins, before my departure on leave. But, 

 I hope, on my return to publish facsimiles in the Journal, together with 

 such further infoi^mation, as may be then forthcoming. 



Dr. A. F. Rudolf Hoernle exhibited a number of small fragments 

 of Ancient Manuscripts from Central Asia. He said : — 



These fragments were received by me about a month ago from the 

 Foreign Office in Simla, to which they had been sent by Mr. G. Macartney, 

 at Kashghar, where he acts as Special Assistant of Chinese affairs to 

 the Resident in Kashmir. The Foreign Office letter stated that these 

 manuscripts had been excavated in Kuchar and presented to Mr. 

 Macartney by the Manager of the Chinese Foreign Commerce at 

 Kashghar. 



Unfortunately these fragments are the merest scraps of what was 

 clearly a collection of several manuscripts. They are too small to be 

 of any literary or historical value ; but from the paloeographic point of 

 view they present some points of interest. 



