1877.] H. Blochmann — History and Gcogmj^liy of Bengal. No. IV. 265 



3. Contributions to the Geography and^ History of Bengal. No. IV. — By 



H. Blochmann, M. A. 



(Abstract.) 



The essay notices the following points : — 



{a.) Inscriptions. The Society has received from Maulawi Sayyicl 

 Ilahi Bakhsh Sahib, of Maldah, rubbings of nine new inscriptions from 

 Gaur, of which the most important are — (L) An inscription of 61<7 H. (A. D. 

 1249) of Jalal-uddin Mas'iid Jani, governor of Bengal. This is the 

 oldest Muhammadan inscription hitherto discovered in Bengal. (2") An 

 inscription of Yiisuf Shah, of 884 H. (A. D. 1479), ranking in beauty after 

 the Adinah Mosque inscription. (3) A Mahmiid Shahi inscription of 943 H. 

 (A. D. 1536), from which we see that Mahmud Shah's nickname was 

 Badr-i-SlidM, which explains the occurrence of this name on Mahmud 

 Shah's coinage. 



Maulawi Sayyid Ilahi Bakhsh Sahib has also written in Persian a his- 

 torical work, entitled 'Khurshed-i-Jahan-numa', containing a description of 

 Gaur and Maldah, of which an English translation will be given. 



The best thanks of the Society are due to the Maulawi Sahib for his 

 disinterestedness in placing his materials at the service of the Society. 



(h.) Coins. Three new coins have been received for description from 

 Mr. W. Campbell, Jalpaigori, viz., one struckby Fath Shahin887H. (A. D. 

 1482), and the other two by Husain Shah. Figures of the coins will be given. 

 The latter coins have enabled me to solve the puzzling legend* on many of 

 Husain Shah's coins. The king describes himself on them as the conqueror of 

 Kamru, Kamtah, Jajnagar, and Asaiii, just as the Madrasah inscri^^tion of 

 Gaur, discovered by Mr. Westmacott (Journal, As. Society, Bengal, Pt. I, 

 for 1874, p. 303) describes Husain Shah as the conqueror of Kamrii and 

 Kamtah. 



(c.) Chronology. The chronology of Bengal history, which may now 

 be said to rest on a secure basis, is curiously verified in several points by 

 Chinese historical works. M. Pauthier, in his " Examen Methodique des 

 faits qui concernent le Thian-tchu ou I'lnde, published in 1839, mentions that 

 A'iya-sse-ting of Pang-ko-la, i. e., Ghiyas-uddin (A'zam Shah) of Bengal, sent 

 several embassies to China, which the Chinese returned. The last return em- 

 bassy arrived in Bengal in the tenth year of the Chinese cycle called young -lo, 

 and assisted at Ghiyas-nddin's funeral. According to Prinsep's tables, the 

 tenth year of the cycle young-lo, would correspond to 1395 A. D., or 799 H., 

 and this is the last year found by Mr. E. Thomas on A'zam Shah's 

 coinage. Another Chinese embassy arrived in Bengal in the 13th year of 



* Vide Journal, As. Socy. Bengal, 1873, Pt. I, p. 292, note. 



