1840.] Asiatic Society. - 731 



Read a letter from Captain T. S. Burt, of Engineers, of which the following is an 

 extract : — 



" On the third page I have the pleasure to send you some information which the 

 Rev. Mr. Pratt has kindly favored me with; by noticing the existence of the pillar 

 in your Journal, it may be discovered and an old character on it besides, for I should 

 doubt any one having dug down to its base, buried as it is 21 feet below ground, 

 notwithstanding what the Oriental Repository says on the subject. I brought to notice a 

 pillar at Patna with some antique writing upon it in the March number of the Journal 

 Vol. III. for 1834, but I cannot think it means this one. Sir Charles Wilkins found 

 one some where in the neighbourhood of Pa|pa also, and translated the inscription 

 found upon it in, I think, the 1st Vol. A. R. but as well as I recollect, that was at 

 Buddal not Singea. 



'' Extract from Oriental Repository, Vol. 2, 1808. 



** The plate of an ancient column near Singea in Bahar, was obligingly communi- 

 cated by Mr. Thomas Collinson. In the letter dated 15th February 1793, he says — 

 This singular column is situated on the site of an obscure village in the neighbour- 

 hood of Singea in the province of Bahar, of which no traces whatever with respect to 

 its establishment are to be derived either from oral tradition oi the existing legends 

 of former times; nor is there any inscription discoverable on any part of the column, 

 though it has been carefully examined many feet below the surface of the earth. 



" Note. — Some foolish travellers have cut their names upon it, but it is to be hoped 

 this impertinence will be soon effaced from the column, and I would not let the copper 

 plate be a record of their folly. The whole of the shaft is said to be one entire piece. 

 It is of greyish stones or marble (?) The lion on the capital is of the same material, 

 but what renders the subject still more extraordinary, is, that 4here is not a stone 

 to be found within 150 miles of the spot, or such an animal as the one described 

 within the circle of our dominions — consequently, but little known to the natives. 

 The sculptural decorations bear no similitude to the works either of the Hindoo, or 

 Musulman artists. 



" Dimensions. ft. in. 



Shaft, an entire stone, 44 



Ditto sunk, 21 



Ditto above ground, . , 23 



Diameter at ground, 41 



Ditto under capital, ., ., 35 



Height of capital without the lion, 3 



Table on which the lion sits, 10 



Ditto long, 4 6 



Ditto broad, ., 3 10 



Height of lion from paw to ear, 5 4 



" Lion and Capital one stone, 



(" 1792. Signed) D. C-" 



It was suggested that early occasion should be taken to invite research upon the 

 interesting subject mentioned by Captain Burt. 



Read a letter from Dr. H. Falconer, with impressions of gems from Affghanistan. 



Read a letter from J. Avdall, Esq. forwarding a Memoir of Mechitharghosh, the 

 Armenian Legislator for the Journal of the Asiatic Society. 



