S20 On the Coins and Relics, #c. {July, 



one or other of the five types so carefully preserved within the brown 

 liquid. 



On the 2nd of ^une, one more copper coin was extracted, and on 

 the 3rd of the same month, six more of a similar nature. 



On the 8th June, the opening perforated from above met that from 

 the side, and reached the earth beneath the foundations. The exca- 

 vations were however pursued to a depth of twenty feet below the level 

 of the structure without making any further discovery, until the setting 

 in of the rains finally obliged the Chevalier to discontinue his opera- 

 tions. , 



I had delayed the publication of the above narrative in hopes of obtain- 

 ing a section of the building, and a ground plan of the spot,which Cap- 

 tain Wade had obligingly written for at my request ; but the lamented 

 illness of General Ventura and his visit to Loodiana for medical ad- 

 vice have precluded the possibility of its arriving within a reasonable 

 time ; it may however still reach me ere I resume the subject, which 

 I must now drop, to admit of the insertion of Captain Gerard's and 

 Mr. Masson's further details on this interesting field of discovery. I 

 have before alluded to Dr. Martin's prosecution of excavations at 

 Jelalabad: the extent and success of these, from Dr. Gerard's account, 

 is much greater than might have been expected. While he was pursuing 

 his search in this direction, Mr. Masson was equally active in the 

 plains of Beghram ; where his good fortune in the discovery of 

 coins and his talent in decyphering, arranging, and describing them, 

 and eliciting useful results, have been made conspicuous by the valuable 

 memoir read on the 30th April, to the Society. A subsequent note from 

 him to Dr. Gerard, (from which extracts will be given presently,) puts 

 us in possession of the progress of his operations on the Topes up to the 

 end of March last. Dr. Gerard himself also remained at Kabul some 

 time, zealously pursuing the same inquiries. 



Thus 'we shall bring together in one view the history of the opening 

 of the Punjab mounds up to the present time, when we may suppose 

 them to be nearly exhausted of their treasures ; but we must remember 

 that, however successful subsequent researches may have proved, — to the 

 Chevalier Ventura must be awarded the palm of originality in these 

 discoveries : while he alone perhaps could have commanded sufficient 

 influence, from his position in a dominant court, to overcome all the 

 scruples and difficulties which the first enterprise of the kind naturally 

 presented. When once it was found that treasures lay hidden under 

 the topes, a stimulus was furnished for the prosecution and comple- 

 tion of similar researches, and I fear it must be added, for the de- 

 molition of these mysterious monuments of past ages. 



