31835.] on Indo-Scythic and Hindu Coins. 623 



several of tbe dynasties to which the coins belong have been identi- 

 fied through the names and legends they bear, and many new princes* 

 hitherto unheard of, have been brought to light. Let not therefore 

 Colonel Stacy desert his line for one more engaging, but persevere 

 in it as long as anything remains to be explored. 



I cannot resist in this place pointing out the line of search recom- 

 mended by Colonel Tod, (to whom is justly ascribed the paternity of 

 this branch of numismatic study,) in a note on the late Panjdb discoveries 

 published by him in the Asiatic Journal of London for May : " Let 

 not the antiquary," he writes, " forget the old cities on the east and 

 west of the Jamna, in the desert, and in the Panjdb, of which I have 

 given lists, where his toil will be richly rewarded. I possess bags full 

 of these Indogetic gentry ; and I melted down into several sets of 

 basons and ewers, the rust of ages from which the tooth of time had 

 eradicated whatever had once been legible. ... I would suggest the 

 establishment of branch-committees of the Asiatic Society at several of 

 the large stations, which would have a happy moral result in callingforth 

 the latent talent of many a young officer in every branch of knowledge 

 within the scope of the Society. Agra, Mathura, Delhi, Ajmir, Jaipur, 

 Nemuch, Mhow, Sdgar, &c. are amongst the most eligible positions 

 for this object .... A topographical map, with explanations of 

 ancient Delhi, is yet a desideratum, and of the first interest : this I 

 had nearly accomplished during the four months I resided amidst th« 

 tombs of that city." 



In thanking Colonel Tod for his encouragement and advice, I 

 must be allowed to differ altogether as to the means to be employed. 

 Committees are cumbrous, spiritless, and inactive engines, for such 

 an end ; when anything does appear to be effected by them, it is gene- 

 rally the work of one member, whose energy is only diluted and 

 enfeebled by the association. Give me rather the unity of design, 

 and quickness of execution of (I will not say agent, as Colonel Tod 

 suggests, but of) an independent pursuer of the object for its own 

 sake*, or for his own amusement and instruction. It is by such as 



* These I may say are already provided at more places than Colonel Tgd 

 points out : Colonel Stacy at Chit or, Udaijapur, and now at Delhi : Lieutenant 

 A. Conolly at Jaipur ; Captain Wade at Ludidna ; Capt. CAUTXEYat Sehdran- 

 pur; Lieut. Cunningham at Benares ; Colonel Smith at Patna ■, Mr. Tregear 

 at Jaunpur ; and Dr. Swiney (now in Calcutta), for many years a collector in 

 Upper India. And for the exterior line, Lieut. Burnes at the mouth of the 

 Indus; Messrs. Ventura, Court, Masson, Kera'mat AlI and Mohan La'l 

 in the Panjdb; besides whom I must not omit Messrs. H. C. Hamilton, 

 Spiers, Edgeworth, Gubbins, Capt. Jenkins, and other friends who have 

 occasionally sent me coins dug up in their districts. 

 4 N 2 



