488 Note on the Bhilsd Inscription at Sdnchi. [Oct. 



III. — Second Note on the Bhilsd Inscription. By the same. 



An original facsimile of the inscription in the neighbourhood of Bhilsa, 

 to which the foregoing note of Mr. Hodgson also alludes, was fortu- 

 nately in his own keeping, and was transmitted to me for the purpose 

 of having an accurate copy transferred to copper-plate. This has been 

 done in Plate XXVIII. with the greatest care and fidelity, but still with 

 little success as to useful result, further than the certainty now acquired 

 that its character is the same as that of the Allahabad column No. 2, 

 which from the circumstance of its occurrence on all the gold Kanouj 

 coins, we may properly distinguish by the title of "Kanouj Nagari." 

 There is however a considerable admixture of the more ancient cha- 

 racter, so much so that the period of its sculpture might seem to form 

 an intervening link in the history of the two alphabets. 



None of our orientalists have yet been able to make any thing of 

 the Bhilsa or Sanclu inscription, although they are far from abandon- 

 ing their attempts to decypher it. I am perhaps to blame in exhibiting 

 it prematurely to the world before it has been read, but I justify 

 myself in the reflection, that the more it becomes known the better 

 chance have we of a solution of the enigma. We may find duplicate 

 and triplicate versions of part or the whole in other places, as in the 

 remarkable example just brought to notice, and may thus correct 

 dubious forms and render effaced ones legible. As the present inscrip- 

 tion was a facsimile taken by compressing the paper on the surface of 

 the stone, there can be no doubt of its exhibiting every impression 

 precisely as it exists there ; but every slight chip or flaw is also made 

 manifest, and in a few cases the true letters may thus be rendered im- 

 perfect. On the whole, however, it appears very authentic, and only 

 difficult to read from the rude execution of the stone-cutter's chisel. 



This inscription, it is known, belongs to a Bauddha edifice. A few 

 months since Dr. Spilsbury sent us a native drawing of the sculpture 

 on one of the compartments of the same monument, which puts the 

 matter beyond doubt ; for it represents the consecration of the chaitya or 

 dehgope by a procession of nobles, priests, and votaries. This curious 

 drawing is engraved in Fig. 1, Plate XXVII. It is much to be wished 

 that some amateur artist would pay a visit to the spot, and bring away 

 accurate drawings of the whole details of this highly interesting object 



doubtless unravel the whole mystery of the pillar inscription. It might, perhaps, be 

 deemed by some more prudent to make this attempt before publishing the present 

 notice ; but, it is precisely because I have not the necessary acquaintance with San- 

 scrit myself, that I desire to make known generally the progress and results of fortu- 

 itous discoveries, which may be of service to others in their investigation of the in- 

 scription. J. P. 



