246 Asiatic Society. [Mat, 



of an inscription from the Sagar territory, which proves to he in old Sanscrit 

 character, (No. 2.) 



These inscriptions, Mr. Hodgson says, were communicated to the Asiatic 

 Society, eight or ten years ago, but no trace of them could be found among its 

 records : fortunately he has preserved the originals, from which we shall take an 

 early opportunity to make engravings for publication, together with the author's 

 remarks upon this and three other LaVhs in North Behar of a similar nature. 



The Vice-President exhibited a fac simile of an ancient inscription in the 

 same charactei*, No. 2, from the iron pillar at Delhi, carefully taken off 

 at his particular request by the late Lieut. Wm. Elliott, of the 27th N. I. 

 in the year 1831. 



Read extracts from Dr. J. G. Gerard's letters to the Secretary, communi- 

 ating further information of Mr. Mass on' s proceedings in the examination 

 of the Afghan topes. 



Mr. Masson's letter contained copies of an inscription found on a box extracted 

 from a tope at Jelalabad, by himself, in the same character, as that on the cylin- 

 der from Manikyala, and bearing strong resemblance to Sanskrit. 



Dr. Gerard gives the following account of the disasters which befel Mr. 

 Martine Honigberger, on his route homeward : he had fortunately left the 

 chief part of his collection of relics with General Ventura. 



" I beg to notice here the misfortunes which haveattended Mr. Honigberger's 

 journey from Kabul across the Hindu Kush mountains, in progress to Balkh 

 and Bokhara, in the hopes that they will become known through this medium to 

 his friends and countrymen in Europe. Mr. H. reached Bamian in safety, and 

 left it, to all appearances, without apprehension, but was almost immediately beset 

 by a party of horsemen, who began a promiscuous plunder of his property, first 

 binding the traveller hand and foot, and then threatening him with instant death, 

 which seems to have been most fortuitously averted ; the gang declaring at the same 

 time that they had the authority of the governor, at theinstance of Dost Mahomed 

 Khan, for the act ; but this T can scarcely credit, at least am very unwilling to trace 

 it to such a source, though suspicion is implicated in the mystery at present. Af- 

 ter the timely intercession of one of the party, Mr. Martine was untied, but he 

 lost his arms, which were valuable, and all the cash he had on his person. In the 

 struggle, the KafilaBashi', the same man whoconducted Mr.BuRNES and myself 

 safely to Balkh, received several slight wounds in attempting to defend his charge. 

 The party then resumed their journey, having been ordered direct to Khundiiz 

 by the chief M1r Morad Beg, which my informant considered by no means inaus- 

 picious, since Mr. Honigberger's treatment at Bamian was likely to plead favour- 

 ably with the Usbek tyrant. Nothing further was heard of him till a few days 

 ago, while I remained at Lahore, Mons. Allard received a letter from himself, 

 dated Khulm, stating that he was on route to Balkh, and an open road before him. 

 A large town in the northern base of Hindu Kush, in the vicinity of the Oxus, 

 where Mr. Burnes and myself supposed we were prisoners." 



The Secretary submitted to the inspection of the Meeting several ancient 

 coins, procured at Kanouj, by Lieut. A. Conolly, amongst which was one 

 gold coin of Hindu fabrication, peculiarly interesting from the legibility of 

 its inscription and superior excellence of its workmanship. 



[A drawing and notice of this coin is given in the present number.] 



