-440 Asiatic Society. [No. 125. 



permitted, (for though he is the King's uncle, and a member of this present Govern- 

 ment,) he would willingly add to our information about his own country, but unfortu- 

 nately, he is obliged to be very cautious in his intercourse with us. Indeed the 

 manner in which the Images were sent shews this. Mr. Sarkies, to whom the Prince in- 

 trusted the dispatch to me of the Images, first proposed forwarding them through Mr. 

 Browne, but after the departure from Rangoon of the King and Court, and finding a 

 person, an Armenian countryman of his own, to whom he could trust, he sent them 

 to me with a note from himself, and a memorandum from the Prince. 



Mr. Sarkies writes, 



" While the Prince of Mekhara was here, he gave me two ancient Idols, which he 

 " ordered me to send to you, and which I now accordingly beg to forward by Mr. 

 " Catchatoor. The object of so doing is to inform you, that this kind of Idol has been 

 " also found in various parts of the world at different times. He hopes they will serve 

 " you as a curiosity.''' 



The Prince's Memorandum is to the effect, that " the Images are the same as those 

 " found by Captain Hannay at Tagoung Myo, the inscription the same also in old 

 " Deva Nagari characters, and that they must be at least 1800 years old." 



I have just received them, and will make enquiries as to the localities whei-e they were 

 found, as Mr. Browne mentions a number of the same description were taken up. Ran- 

 goon is the site of an old city, and we may be able to trace some connexion between 

 its foundation and that of the old city of Tagoung. 



You will find an account of the Tagoung Images in the vol. of the Journal of the 

 Asiatic Society, for 1836, page 157. I never saw the images therein referred to, but 

 conclude they are with the Society. 



Should you think fit to notice the subject in the Journal, perhaps the less promi- 

 nently the Prince is brought forward the better. We are certainly much indebted to 



him for sending them. 



Yours ever sincerely, 



W, Macjleod. 



P. S. I got a vol. of the English and Burmese Dictionary for him from Bayley, but 



if you have any at the disposal of the Society to spare, I am certain he would esteem 



it a favour if you would present him with one. The copy he has, in that case I fancy 



he would place at the disposal of the King. 



My dear Torrens, 



Since writing to you with the Image, I found a Plate of the one brought down by 

 Captain Hannay, in the Journal ; it differs from the one 1 sent you. The principal 

 image in Captain H.'s is supported by two figures, whereas the Rangoon one has 

 two Pagodas. The Mekhara Prince in his note mentioned, that those he sent me 

 resembled some Dr. Bayfield brought down from Tagoung, but never having heard 

 of these, I erroneously supposed His Highness had confounded Dr. Bayfield with 

 Captain Hannay ; but. Dr. Richardson has put me to right. Both Dr. B. and Captain 

 H. visited Tagoung, and both appear to have found images with the Deva Nagari 

 inscription, though Captain Hannay's discovery only has been recorded. 

 I have not been able to hear any thing further on the subject. 



Yours very sincerely, 



W. Macleod. 

 Moulmein. \{)th March, 1842. 



