418 Miscellaneous Intelligence. [Sept. 



Resolved, that the thanks of the Society be presented to the Donors of the 

 above presents. 



Literary. 



A collection of papers on the language and literature of Madagascar, and 

 specimens of Missionary Tracts, printed at Madagascar, were presented by 

 Mr. Calder, on the part of Mr. C. Telfair, President of the Natural History 

 Society of the Mauritius. 



We hope hereafter to find room for the insertion of some of the curious legends 

 of Madagascar, as translated faithfully by Mr. Baker, the contributor of the spe- 

 cimen of the poetry of that island printed in our number for March. 



Remarks on the intercourse of the western nations of antiquity with 

 India, by Mr. E. Stirling. 



The papers connected with the abstract of the subsequent portion of the 

 Kah-gyur were laid on the table ; of which an analysis by the Secretary was 

 presented at the last meeting ; (printed in the present No.) 



The thanks of the Society were voted for the above. 



VI. — Miscellaneous Intelligence. 

 1. — Extract of a letter from Lieut. Alex. Barnes, dated Balkh, Wth June, 1832. 



" On leaving India, I had resolved to avoid the Town of Khulm, in the territories 

 of the Uzbek chief of Kiindiiz, who placed Mr. Moorcroft's party under contribu- 

 tion to the amount of 25,000 rupees, but by the urgent advice of a most influen- 

 tial man at Kabul we joined a party who were to pass that town, since they were 

 supposed to have influence at Knnduz. The result was, that we were forthw ith 

 put under surveillance, and reported to the chief, who summoned us to his pre- 

 sence. Leaving all my party behind me, as well as Dr. Gerard, I proceeded to 

 Kundiiz, and personified the character of a poor Armenian, by profession a watch- 

 maker, who was proceeding to Bokhara. Muiad B£g was deceived ; but I must 

 add, that I first came to a private understanding with his custom-house officers to 

 keep me in countenance. You may imagine, I did not wait long at Kunduz, but 

 mounting my horse, rode 70 miles at one stretch, and 40 on the following day, to 

 this city, where we are beyond the reach of all such d^sagremens. As I finish this, 

 our caravan is just starting for Bokhara, which we shall reach in fourteen days. 



Our journey across the Hindu Kush was most exciting: it is a fearful under- 

 taking, but with a judicious choice of season presents no barrier to the passage 

 of an army, if accompanied by a horde of pioneers. The great range of the Indian 

 Caucasus, i. e. the prolongation of the Himalaya, has been placed erroneously in 

 our maps to the north, instead of the south of Bamian. None of the passes were 

 higher than 12,000 feet, as water boiled on them at 192° and 193°, [Bar. 19.72 and 

 20.15 inches,] but some of the peaks cannot be under 20,000 feet. There are six 

 passes between Kabul and Khulm. The formations of the three first differed widely 

 from those farther north, and which are lower. South of Bamian we had iron, blue 

 mica slate, and quartz, and from the higher hills blocks of granite had been pre- 

 cipitated from above. North of Bamidn, at the pass of Dundan Shikun, or the 

 tooth-breaker, the formation changed into ash-coloured limestone, and continued 

 so till we left the mountains. Once across the mountains we wound among terrific 

 defiles and dells, the different courses of the water. Some of these rose to a height 



