1840.] Note on Kandahar Gems, 101 



The figure No. 2, with the child, seems to me to hold not " a hawk," but a 

 parrot, on her hand. The frequent occurrence of a similar gem gives 

 room to hope that the personage represented (mythological in all pro- 

 bability) may be identified ; and I the more incline to think this, because 

 among the figures which Lieut. Conolly supposes to be rude representa- 

 tions of birds, I detect two distinct characters of the Pehlevi. May I 

 beg the attention of our readers to this, and to the other inscrip- 

 tions on these gems, and their aid in attempting to decypher them 

 by means of the alphabets compiled (As. Jour. vol. iv. p. 360) with such 

 care and accuracy by our late Secretary ? 



I may here mention, that we have now in Afghanistan the advantage of 

 an invaluable assistant in such researches, I mean Major Rawlinson, whose 

 recent discoveries at Persepolis, communicated to the Royal Asiatic Society, 

 must rank among the most important historical acquisitions of this coun- 

 try. Major Rawlinson's patience, enterprise, and ingenuity, have been 

 rewarded by complete success in decyphering the well known inscriptions 

 at that ancient city, the records contained in which go to verify the ac- 

 curacy of Herodotus with regard to a portion of the work in which the 

 Father of History has been hitherto (from want of corroborative testimony,) 

 supposed to be most open to doubt and objection. The exact correspondence 

 is said to be such that it might not be a wild supposition, were one to 

 entertain the idea, that these very inscriptions had been the sources of 

 his information. Having achieved so much, there is ample reason to 

 conclude that the same spirit of inquiry will be as ably directed in 

 researches into the present mysteries of Pehlevi, as of late into what was 

 the sealed book of Zend. I have indeed the gratifying assurance of know- 

 ing that Major Rawlinson is already engaged in applying his information 

 to his present field of action, as I am now keeping back a most interesting 

 paper on Seistan, by Lieut. Conolly, in order to have the advantage of 

 notes and translations added to it by the accomplished scholar above- 

 named. Under these circumstances I am justified in renewing my earnest 

 request for information on all and every point of antiquarian interest 

 beyond the Indus, in the deep conviction, that there do there exist the 

 means of unfolding another page in the great book of the history of na- 

 tions, with regard to countries, the " officina gentium" from of old to India. 

 What of discovery as to the origin of the mixed tribes, and many peoples 

 that inhabit the Peninsula, may not be elicited by a perseverance in re- 

 search in this new and most interesting field ! 



Nos. 3 and 4 and 5, I need not notice ; as regards No. 6 it is as well to 

 observe that the figure there given, is not exactly similar to No. 2, as sug- 

 gested by Lieut. Conolly. The child is held here on the opposite arm, and 



