314 On the Coins and Relics discovered [July, 



than ordinary degree of magnanimity was necessary to induce the author 

 of such discoveries to forego the natural desire of monopolizing a prize 

 won by his personal achievement and labour, and at considerable cost 

 to himself; but in the present instance it required further the self-denial 

 and disinterestedness of a friend to whom the possession of these va- 

 luable relics was generously proffered, to enable them to reach a third 

 party who had no such claims of friendship ; and nothing to offer in 

 recompence, but the public notice, which his position enabled him to 

 promise, in the pages of the Journal. I should not do justice to General 

 Ventura, nor to Captain Wade, did I not make known circumstances 

 so highly to their credit, and I trust therefore that I shall be pardoned 

 by the latter gentleman for publishing the following extract from his 

 private letter to my address, in corroboration of the above facts, from 

 which the world will be enabled to appreciate both the extent of his 

 forbearance, and of the sacrifice made by General Ventura himself. 



Extract of a Letter from Captain C. M. Wade, Political Agent at Ludi- 

 ana, dated 3rd June, 1833. 



" While at Derd Ghdzi Khan in March last, the guest of M. Ven- 

 tura, the Journal for January reached me, containing a notice of the 

 coins found by the Chevalier at Manikydla. I showed the passage to 

 him, and he expressed himself flattered by the allusion which you made 

 to his labors in exposing the numismatic treasures buried under that 

 mysterious temple. We had a long and interesting conversation on 

 the subject, the result of which was an offer to me on his part of the 

 whole of the Manikydla coins, together with the cylinder in which some 

 of the most valuable were found. I told the Chevalier I could never 

 think of accepting such a gift for myself, but that I should be proud 

 of the honor of sending them in his name to you, who would be able 

 justly to appreciate their value, and to do him the credit to which he 

 was entitled as the author of the discovery. He assented to my pro- 

 position, and promised to dispatch these precious articles to me on his 

 arrival at Lahore, for which place he was then about to set out." 



In acknowledging this unexpected and most disinterested offer, I 

 could not but disclaim all permanent interest in the relics, and request 

 M. Ventura, through Captain Wade, to consider them still at his dis- 

 posal, although I should be proud, while they were deposited under my 

 care, to do my utmost in making them more fully known to the world. 



On the 16th August, the precious packet came into Captain Wade's 

 possession, and although he was unable to find a secure opportunity of 

 conveyance for them to Calcutta, until the beginning of the following 

 year, still through fear of injury or displacement of the various objects, 

 especially the liquid contained in the cylinders, he would not open the 



