1840.] from Bactrian and Indo- Scythian coins. 257 



the celebrated French academician, Mr. Raoul-Rochette, pub- 

 lished some new coins of the Greek Bactrian kings, and their 

 Indo-Scythian successors, which were received by way of 

 Russia.* 



While he was editing that learned work, those investigations 

 and discoveries had been already made, which have so much 

 enlarged our knowledge, and will probably furnish us with 

 still ampler stores. 



At that period Burnes had already achieved the journey, 

 by which the Indian Caucasus and Bactria were again opened 

 to us. Nor had his journey been unprofitable for Bactrian 

 numismatics, as the appendix to his well known work proves. 

 But all these detached acquisitions are inferior to those 

 which were effected at the same, or the immediately ensuing- 

 period in India ; we shall briefly mention them. Three 

 nations share in them. 



The generals Ventura and Allard, as well as another officer, 

 M. Court, three Frenchmen in the service of the Raja of the 

 Sikhs, were first favoured with a rich crop by collecting on the 

 spot, but chiefly by digging in the tombs which are called topes, 

 particularly in the tope of Manikyala. An Englishman settled 

 in Cabul, Mr. Masson, made further collections in the ruins of 

 ancient towns of that country, out of hill-tombs, and by zealous 

 inquiries in the bazars ; at the same time a German from Vienna, 

 Dr. Martin Honigberger, who travelled much about in the East, 

 was successful in collecting by the purchasing coins and opening 

 topes. These rich and surprising discoveries, published at short 

 intervals, have excited among the English in India an increasing 

 ardour of investigation, and the number of collectors is already 

 too great to publish here the names of all. Upon these dis- 

 coveries, and upon the hope of extending the inquiries to yet 

 untouched seats of former civilization, is based the confidence, 

 that our acquisitions are not yet closed. 



* Notice sur quelques medailles greicques in^dites, appartenant a cles rois 

 inconnus dela Bactriane et de 1' Inde, in the Journal des Sav. 1834, p. 328. 

 Here are likewise enumerated the numismatic acquisitions made from the 

 time of Bayer up to that period. 



