1870.] Notes on Sanskrit Inscriptions from Mathura. 119 



of drapery. The head is slightly inclined towards the right should- 

 er, and the hair is dressed in a new and peculiar manner, with 

 long curls on each side of the face, which fall from a large circular 

 ornament on the top of the head. The back of the figure is 

 supported by a thick cluster of lotus stalks covered with buds and 

 flowers, which are ' very gracefully arranged and boldly executed. 

 The plump face with its broad smile is the least satisfactory part 

 of this work. Altogether this statue is one of the best specimens' 

 of unaided Indian art that I have met with. I presume that it 

 represents a dancing girl."* 



Mr. E. C. Bayley who was, at the time of the discovery, Judge 

 of Mathura, had the inscriptions removed to his bungalow, and facsi- 

 miles prepared of some of them. These were early placed at my dis- 

 posal. Major General Cunningham who saw the inscriptions soon 

 after, also prepared reduced transcripts of a number of them, and 

 placed them in my hands. I had been assured by Mr. Bayley that 

 he had taken immense pains in transcribing the inscriptions with 

 his own hands, after testing each letter by holding the unwieldy 

 stones in different lights, and I well knew the care and attention 

 which General Cunningham devoted to such work; I was prepared 

 therefore to find that the two sets of facsimiles would prove to be 

 exactly alike. But on examination, I found them to differ in 

 some material points, and I was obliged to lay them by, until I 

 got an opportunity of comparing them with the originals, which I 

 expected would soon be sent to the Society's museum. These were 

 received in 1863,f and on comparing them with my facsimiles, I 



* Ibid, p. 5. 



f These include — 



1st. The feet of a large image supported by male and female figures at the 

 sides and smaller figures between the feet (No. 830 A.) 



2nd, Figures representing portion of a procession in honor, apparently, of 

 Buddha (No. 830 B.) 



3rd. The feet of a small image, apparently, of Buddha, bearing an inscription 

 (830 C.) 



4th. A stone ladder which, apparently, bad been used as a drain-pipe, bear- 

 ing part of a very interesting inscription (876 A.) 



5th. Twelve bases of round pillars bearing inscriptions. 



6th. A fragment of red sandstono about 3 feet high with Buddhist figures in 

 relief on two sides. One of these sets of figures represents the birth of 

 Buddha, No. 880 A. 



7th. A very perfect figure of Buddha, about 6 feet in height, the head 

 encircled by an ornamental halo (887 A.) 



