584 



Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



[No. 5, 



4. From Captain. H. H. Godwin- Austen, P. R. Q-. S., description 

 of a mystery play as performed in Ladak, Zaskar, &c. 



The Librarian submitted a report of the accessions to the Library 

 since the meeting held in July last. 



Captain Godwin- Austen's paper was read by the Secretary, He 

 stated that mystery plays were enacted in the principal monasteries of 

 Ladak, in the spring and autumn of each year. He saw the perform- 

 ance in the monastery of Hinnis, situated in a ravine opening on the 

 Indus, a day's journey above Leh. Captain Austen describes the 

 monastery and its furniture at some detail, and proceeds to analyse the 

 performance, which commenced with a dance to music of masked figures; 

 in an extraordinary costume, with the device of a skull upon the 

 breast ; each dancer also held a ladle, made of a human skull, with 

 long streamers of silk attached to it. To this succeeded other dances, 

 the masks being frequently changed; one set had the third eye in the 

 centre of the forehead, which is the mark of a deity; others were 

 jesters or harlequins; others represented the Court of Indra; and the 

 scene closed with a " dance of death, 7 ' the performers in which were 

 got up to represent skeletons. Captain Austen's paper was illustrated 

 by stereoscopic views of the. various tableaux, taken by Captain A. B. 

 Melville, and which had been previously exhibited to the Society, and 

 was accompanied by a translation of a MS. obtained in Ladak, and 

 furnishing directions to dancers. 



Captain Lees said, — " I was asked a question at our last meeting 

 by the Hon'ble George Campbell, whose attention had been attracted 

 by the following passage in Purchas' travels in India during the reign 

 of Akbar : — 



" c In his Treasurie of Agra are in gold of Seraffins Bcberi (which 

 are ten Rupias a piece) three score Leckes. Of another sort, which 

 are one thousand Rupias each, twentie thousand pieces; and ten 

 thousand of another sort, halfe the value. Of Toles (euery tole is 

 a Rupia of siluer, and ten of those toles is the value of one of gold) 

 thirtie thousand. Of another sort of ten toles, five and twentie 

 thousand ; of another sort of five toles, fiftie thousand.' 



" The learned gentleman wished to know, with reference to the 

 proposed introduction of a gold currency into India, whether the coin 

 here alluded to under the name Seraffin, the value of which would 



