32 Presidenfs Address. [Feb. 



succeeding in pulling down the figure which originally stood at the top. And 

 it is generally believed, (upon what authority I do not know) that the Groruda, 

 which is the subject of the photograph, No. 4, (Plate II) was the figure so cast 

 down. Mr. Smeaton lends himself to this view, and adds " that the base on 

 " which the figure (the Groruda) stands belongs to the monolith, there is 

 " this additional proof, that in the four corners of the platform, holes 

 " are drilled exactly as in the corners of the monolith, and its capital." But 

 I think if you place the two photographs side by side, it will be evident 

 to you that the base, or platform, on which the Goruda now stands, never 

 could have been a part of or an addition to the existing capital of the 

 column : it is itself a capital, with appropiate mouldings, not a copy 

 of, though closely resembling, the capital of the column. It is even open 

 to doubt whether the Groruda itself ever could have formed the termi- 

 nation of the lath, for the image appears to be too small to be capable 

 of being seen with effect at the elevation of 37 feet, to which the lath 

 rises. I ought to say that the Groruda is now in a small thakurbari, about 

 one and a half mile distant from the column, under the care of brahmaiis who 

 do not permit a European to enter the building : they, however, willingly af- 

 forded facilities for the photograph being taken from the outside ; and this 

 was ultimately effected through the expedient of illuminating the image by 

 sunlight thrown upon it by a succession of mirrors. 



The Santamadhub figure, represented in photograph No. 1 (Plate III) has 

 never before been wholly exposed. Mr. Sterling makes no mention of it at all, 

 and Mr. Smeaton says with regard to it, " the lower half, from the loins down- 

 wards, is buried under roots and logs." On clearing the ground close along 

 the margin of the visible portion, for the purpose of photographing it, the 

 coolies struck upon the remaining portion separated from the first by an 

 interval. The clue thus obtained was immediately followed up by further 

 excavation, until the whole figure was brought into view, as it is seen in the 

 photograph. It lies broken, in two large pieces, within a plot of garden 

 ground, at a distance of one and a half or two miles from any of the monoliths. 

 There is now, apparently, no trace of old buildings close to it ; and in truth, 

 almost nothing is known about it. There seems to be nothing to connect it 

 specially with the spot, where it now is, and for its better preservation it 

 would be well if it were removed to the compound in which the other 

 monoliths have been placed. 



In the very hurried mention, which I have this evening made of some of 

 the more recent manifestations of literary and scientific activity in this part 

 of India, I have made no attempt to be comprehensive. Had I been bold 

 enough to do so, I must have failed. Time has not permitted me to touch 

 upon such valuable labours as those of our Meteorological Eeporter, or of 

 the officers of our Trigonometrical and Greological Surveys, or even to notice 



