1887.] W. H. P. Driver— On the Assurs. 223 



From time immemorial similar beads have been found in certain fields 

 by the cowherd boys (Uraons) and the tradition regarding them has been 

 handed down, that they belonged to ' Assurs ', who lived there before 

 the Uraons came into the country. These Uraons do not know that 

 such people as Assurs exist at the present day, but say they belonged 

 to the " Sat- jug." These fields have for generations been owned and 

 cultivated by Uraons, and neither Hindus nor Muhammadans have ever 

 had anything to do with them. 



There are no settlements of Assurs now within fifty miles of these 

 sites, nor have there been any for many generations, but they have a 

 tradition that they came from the east, they being now settled in the 

 west of this district (Lohardagga). 



These same Assurs, though now in a very degraded condition, have 

 traditions amongst them, that before the Uraons came and turned them 

 out, they rode in palkis and were clever artisans. They are still rather 

 clever at smelting and working iron. 



As some of the beads I have found are still unpierced, although 

 shaped and polished, it would appear that they were being manufactured 

 where they are now found. 



From all these considerations I am inclined to believe that the 

 present Assurs are really descendants of the people who made the 

 beads and used the coins, though it is quite possible that they learnt 

 their art from Greek settlers. 



I believe similar stone beads have been found in various parts of 

 Indiaf-and I should feel much obliged if you could let me know what 

 is the opinion of antiquarians concerning them, and if it is not possible 

 that they might have been used as money, words or numbers, by people 

 who did not know how to write. 



I believe there has not been found any written character which 

 can be attributed to the Kols, who are undoubtedly the most ancient 

 settlers of India. 



Babu Sarat Chandra Das exhibited some Tibetan,* Sanskrit- 

 Tibetan^ and Nepalese^ MSS. in which the much discussed word "Eko- 

 tibhava " occurred with a dental " t " and a long " i " ; and made the 

 following remarks : if Dr. Mitra has said (vide p. 176, Proceedings of 



* A Tibetan Dictionary written in Tibetan characters. 



f A Sanskrit-Tibetan Dictionary written in a form of the Deva-Nagari charac- 

 ter and Tibetan. 



% " Dasa Bhuniisvara" a Nepalese MS. obtained from Nepal by B. H. Hodgson. 

 (In Dr. Mitra's Notice of Nepalese Buddhist Literature I find that there is only 

 one copy of this work in the library of this Society. Pandit Harimohan Vidyabhu- 

 ehan, Librarian of the Oriental section, assures me that this is the copy which has 

 been noticed by Dr. Mitra.) 



