1838.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 829 



The hill of Badeswur is a quarter of a mile beyond the town, at the 

 foot of it, and on the east side are several small temples of antiquity, 

 but destroyed by modern innovations : there is also a fine stone well. 



I observed several idols executed in a very superior style in chlo- 

 rite ; amongst them was a figure of Budh erect, with the different Bud- 

 dhas in the sitting posture encircling him, similar to that dug up at 

 Sarndth by Lieutenant Cunningham ; it was besmeared with sendoor 

 and ghee, the same as the other idols. I endeavoured to persuade a 

 brahman, that he was guilty of heresy in thus worshipping Budh ; he 

 assured me that it was not Budh, but Maha'deva. So much for the 

 knowledge of the people of Orissa, for I have remarked the same 

 wherever I have been. 



We descended at this place into the bed of the river ; then after 

 rounding the hill and passing the mouth of a large nullah called the 

 Kdldgiriy we re-ascended the bank and entered another extensive plain 

 which continued uninterrupted till half a mile beyond where our camp 

 was pitched at Puddumbutte : it also extends for several miles south of 

 the river. 



The hill of Badeswur has a volcanic appearance and consists of a 

 brick-red marl and masses of gravel, breccia, and decomposed granite. 

 It is about 300 feet high and rises abruptly from the river, on the 

 opposite side of which (to it) is another rock forming an island having 

 an equally curious appearance ; there is a temple on it also, for all such 

 singular places are looked upon as the abodes of some " thakoor" or 

 form of the deity, and resorted to accordingly. 



VIII. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



Wednesday Evening the 10th October, 1838. 



H. T. Prinsep, Esq. Vice President, in the chair. 



Lieut. J. Duncan, and Dr. Helfer, proposed at the last meeting, were 

 unanimously elected members of the Society. 



James Middleton, Esq. of the Hindu College, proposed by the Secre- 

 tary, seconded by the Vice President. 



Oriental Publications. 



Read a letter from the Secretary of the Bombay Branch of the Royal 

 Asiatic Society, acknowledging the receipt of the Arabic works published 

 by the Society. 



Read the following correspondence relative to the interchange of works 

 of Oriental Literature with the Egyptian Government : 



