18G4.] Note on the Bactro-Pali Inscription from Taxila. 35 



in the evening they sat outside near a fire and roasted plantains, 

 yams, and fish, and were not at all timid, and quite pleased. 



13^. — The Launch started from Eoss Island with them, taking 

 portions of a hut to be erected on North Point for them ; but after 

 proceeding some distance, it was, owing to an accident obliged to put 

 back to Eoss Island, so the natives or rather aborigines amused 

 themselves by entering the bazar and receiving presents of rings, 

 &e, &c. from the convicts and shop-keepers. In the evening, the 

 Launch put off again, and as it was late when they reached the other 

 side, the aborigines would not land but returned to Eoss Island and 

 slept in the boat with the sailors. 



14^.— The Launch went over to North Point with the abori- 

 gines ; this morning upwards of ten women came out to welcome 

 the party ;— the hut is being erected. Smith and his crew have not 

 yet returned, and all promises to be successful, at least I hope so. I 

 will continue this Journal, for I must now close this, to send off by 

 the Burmah Mail Steamer. 



Note on the Bactro-Pali Inscription from Taxila. 



A. Cu^NiNaHAM. 



-By Major- General 



In his note on my remarks on the Taxila inscription, Babu Eajendra 

 Lai states that according to me " the Hidda record opens with the 

 words Samvatsaraye athavisatihi, 20.4.4. (= 28) mase Apilaesa eJca- 

 msitihi; but that, on referring to the facsimile in Ariana Antiqua, he 

 finds that the only letters visible are 4 4 mase Apeusa chidasa, and 

 that the letters from c Samvatf to ' 20' do not exist in the original." 



A similar remark has been made by Professor Dowson on my pre- 

 vious reading of this date as 28, (see Boyal As. Soc. Jour. Vol. XX. 

 p. 230). The Professor's words are as follow: "The inscription on 

 the Hidda jar appears to be the earliest date known, the year being 

 XX =8. Col. Cunningham in his last paper on these dates reads it 

 as consisting of three figures, but this is a mistake, as there are only 

 two figures." 



Notwithstanding these rather startling statements of two well 

 known scholars, I adhere to my reading as noted in the extract from 



e 2 





