xxxviii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [April, 1844. 



No. 68. Flint for Pottery, west of the Indus opposite Hydrabad, Scinde. Sir 



Alexander Burnes. 

 ,, 69. Believed to be the pounded flint, No. 68, used in pottery. From Sir 



Alexander Burnes' collection, but the label lost. 

 ,, 70. Natron, Scinde. Sir Alexander Burnes. 



,, 71. Sand of the Indus, label lost. Sir A. Burnes' collection. * 



M 72. Lauuionite, Mazagon, Bombay. 



John G. Malcolmson, 

 Bombay, 9th February, 1844. Secretary, B. B. R. A. S. 



Presentation of a Silver Standish to H. Torrens, Esq. 



When the Geological Curator had concluded his portion of the business of the evening, 

 the President, The Hon'ble W. W. Bird, rose and addressed the Meeting as follows. 

 Before we proceed farther, I wish to draw your attention, gentlemen, to the beautiful 

 specimen of Indian workmanship lying on the table in the shape of a silver inkstand, 

 which is intended as a testimonial to Mr. Torrens, from his associates of the Asiatic 

 Society, expressive of the deep sense entertained by them of his distinguished services. 

 It will be in the recollection of many here present that about the commencement of 

 last year, he was obliged, for reasons then stated, to resign the office of Secretary 

 which he had for some time held with so much credit to himself, and so much advantage 

 to the Society, and it was on that occasion that this testimonial was voted to him, which, 

 under the superintendence of Mr. Piddington, has assumed the form of the very tasteful 

 object now before us, and on which no pains or expense have been spared to render it 

 worthy of Mr. Torrens' acceptance. 



As few can have the opportunity of examining this elegant specimen of Indian 

 manufacture, I will shortly describe it, and I cannot do so more appropriately than in 

 the words of Mr. Piddington, who has kindly favored me with a memorandum on the 

 subject. 



" The style," he says, " of the testimonial is Moorish, (Arabesque,) chosen as the most 

 appropriate one in reference to Mr. Torrens' able and spirited translation of the 

 Arabian Nights, (the Alif Leila,) dedicated by him to the Asiatic Society; the only 

 translation cf that classic work which has exactly painted to the English reader in 

 his own language, and with the colours of his own imagination, the minds and the life 

 of the children of the East. 



" It is placed on a basement of shawl-work of which the pattern is the Shamrock, in 

 allusion to Mr. Torrens' Irish origin. The frosted wreath above this basement 

 is composed of the rose (Persia,) the Lotos (India,) and the Jessamine (Arabia.) These 

 flowers are from nature. All the other decorations are from the Alhambra, or 

 from the great Mosque at Cordova, two of the wonderful and inimitable monu- 

 ments of a people, who seem to have been almost led to construct them as lessons to 

 the human race of the imperishable glories of science, literature and the arts, as 

 compared with those of conquest. 



"The centre and surmounting ornament is an exact model of the Fountain of Lions in 

 the Alhambra. It has been chosen, not only from its beauty, and its numerous historical 

 associations with the magnificent era of the Arabian Khalifa of Spain* but also from 



