1835.] of the Image of Buddha discovered near it. 131 



years ago, whose name I could not ascertain. The doctor, however, 

 (according- to a native's account, who assisted in the work,) found no 

 treasure, but only a well of great depth, situated immediately under 

 the centre, which I could not find any vestige of, although I made a 

 search for it. At present a Hindu Faqir has availed himself of 

 the doctor's labours by converting the extremity of the excavation into 

 a place of worship, making a few images of clay, and fixing them to 

 the sides of the cavity. 



One of these images, coloured black, attracted my notice from its 

 singular grotesque appearance : on closer inspection, I discovered 

 that the lower part was of stone, finely sculptured, and altogether 

 different from the upper which I found to be made of clay. I suc- 

 ceeded in purchasing the deity from the Faqir for two rupees, and 

 after washing, picking, and separating the outward covering of clay, 

 in an adjoining tank, a fragment of beautiful ancient sculpture was 

 brought to light. On further inquiry, the Faqir's artfulness was 

 detected by a person present, who recognized the fragment to have 

 been found by the zemindar of the place when digging among the 

 ruins for bricks to build his present pakka house, a few hundred yards 

 distant. This fragment of sculpture represents the lower part of a 

 figure of Buddha, sitting cross-legged, according to the custom of the 

 east, with the arms resting across the upper part of the thigh. On 

 the soles of the feet (which are turned up), and on the palm of the left 

 hand, is represented the lotus flower*. The back of this fragment is 

 beautifully sculptured, with two lions standing in an erect position, up- 

 on two elephants. On each side of the base is cut a lion half cou- 

 chant with a small female figure in the centre. The stone is the same 

 as that of the pillar, viz. a red fine grained sandstone, very hard. On 

 the lowest part of the fragment is an inscription in Sanscrit, which 

 the Pandits of this part of the country cannot as yet decypher. 



I have no doubt but this fragment is coeval with the pillar, if not 

 connected with its history. 



Note on the above by J. P. 



The mutilated image thus fortuitously rescued by Mr. Stephenson, 

 and by him presented to the Asiatic Society, is represented in Plate IX. 

 The inscription around the pedestal, which had baffled the pandits of 

 Tirhut, excited considerable curiosity on its exhibition to the Society, 

 from the circumstance of none of the ancient Buddhist images in our 

 museum, whether from Benares or from the Bhagelpur hills, possessing 

 such a characteristic. 



* The emblem always borne by a Chakravartti, or universal sovereign, and 

 & fortiori by Buddha.— Ed. 

 S2 



