1870.] Arabic and Fenian Inscriptions in the Hugli District. 285 



ters are raised. The characters are not in Tughra, and look awkward. 

 Regarding the geographical names, vide below. I have placed 

 this inscription first, as it appears to be the oldest, or at least of 

 the same time as the next inscription. In neither of them do we 

 find an allusion to the reigning king. 



The Jami' Mosque mentioned in the inscription cannot be the 

 Tribeni mosque, which to judge from the next inscription, was built 

 by Zafar Khan, although it is impossible to say when or wherefrom 

 the slab was brought to the place where it now is. 



To the left of this inscription is another in black basalt ; but 

 the letters are so broken and effaced, that only the words 



" — uddin Abul Muzaffar Husain Shah" are legible. As Husain 

 Shah (II.) reigned in the beginning of the 10th century of the 

 Hijrah, it is clear that this inscription also has been brought to 

 the Tribeni mosque from some other place. 



Further to the left of these two inscriptions, we come to another 

 Mihrdb, or niche. Although no Mimbar, or pulpit, stands within it, 

 it would appear that this Mihrdb was the principal one. It looks 

 like a walled up door ; the posts are of black basalt, and on them 

 there is an inscription. The post opposite to the threshold is 

 horizontal, and above it there is a long inscription, which, to- 

 gether with the words on a small separate key-stone, forms a 

 part of that on the posts. It is a long Arabic poem, a Qagidah 

 with a rhyme in sin. The letters are, however, in many places 

 illegible, especially those over the niche. The poem commences 

 i on the right hand post, near the ground, goes upwards, and ends 

 with a Tdrihh on the lower end on the other post. The follow- 

 ing lines are all that I have deciphered. 



Inscription II. (Arabic.) 



(Zafar Khan's Mosque). 

 # * # a- # * a- * * # 



