1847.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 207 



14. — The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 120. 



15. — The Shah Nameh of Ferdusi, in Oordu verse, by Munshi Moulehund Luck- 



navi, 4 copies. 

 16. — Gunje Kubii, or an Oordu version of the Akhlak Mohuseeni, 4 copies. 

 17. — The Akhwan ul suffa in the original Arabic, 4 copies. 

 18. — Ditto in Oordu, 4 copies. 



Read the subjoined report by Mr. Laidlay on the investigations refer- 

 red to the Society regarding the Ajunta caves. The Report was direct- 

 ed to be submitted to the Committee of Papers. 



Report upon the Committee of Antiquities, 



Having t>een honoured at the meeting of December with the command of the 

 Society to report upon the proceedings of the Committee of Antiquities, I lost no 

 time in searching for such documents and correspondence connected with the sub- 

 ject, as might be available : but great delay having occurred in obtaining these, it 

 was not till a few days ago that I was in a position to form any estimate of what 

 that committee had done. 



The Committee of Indian Antiquities was appointed, as all present are doubtless 

 aware, in consequence of a communication from Government requesting the assist- 

 ance and suggestions of the Society in devising the best means of preserving and pub- 

 lishing to the world the interesting monuments of Antiquity scattered over India 

 generally, but more especially and immediately the invaluable paintings and inscrip- 

 tions in the caves of Ajunta, which from their peculiarly perishable character, claim- 

 ed the earliest efforts to rescue them from impending destruction. 



This communication from so high and influential a quarter, was hailed with enthu- 

 siasm by the Society, as presenting not merely the highest encouragement to conti- 

 nue and extend a favourite pursuit, which had already reflected great lustre upon its 

 past history, but also as a rare opportunity of doing so under the auspices of 

 Government, pledged, in a manner, to assistance and co-operation. The Committee 

 in question was appointed accordingly, and its members, — such at least, as like 

 Messrs. Webb, Heatley, Kittoe and Latter, felt earnest on the subject, — entered at 

 once upon their functions with ardour worthy of the Society's best days. The 

 means of preserving and of delineating the precious remains of Ajunta, were discuss- 

 ed in a series of most able minutes, in which, — each member viewing the subject 

 through the medium of his own predilections — a mass of varied and instructive matter 

 was thrown together, which it were well to preserve for the guidance of all such as 

 have kindred researches to prosecute. 



But here, I regret to say, the labours of the Committee appear to have termi- 

 nated I I have not been able to discover that any active measures were ever founded 

 upon the suggestions offered in these minutes, or indeed that the Committee 

 ever even met to adopt these or any other means of fulfilling the object of their 

 appointment ! 



