292 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 



the above orders. The position and dimensions of the exposed 

 portion of the shaft as I found it, has been so minutely and 

 accurately described by Col. Cunningham in his report {vide 

 Journal of the Asiatic Society, for 1865, Vol. 34, Part I.), that it 

 needs no repetition at my hands. 



" The small excavation made by Col. Cunningham and partially 

 refilled by him was in the first instance cleared out and a more ex- 

 tended area subsequently embraced, so as to enable me to reach the 

 bottom of the Monolith with the least possible amount of labour. 



" The excavation was uninterruptedly carried down to the depth 

 of 16 feet, exposing the shaft for a length of 26 feet from the top, 

 but without exhibiting any appearance of approaching the base ; 

 at this depth, however, it became necessary to cut away a portion 

 of the underlying bank against which the column rested, to 

 admit of its circumference being accurately measured, and during 

 this operation a joint running parallel with the axis of the shaft 

 in the direction of its base was discovered on the underlying side ; 

 and as it was popularly believed and strongly asserted by a re- 

 spectable body of natives collected on the spot that it was a secret 

 recess concealing treasure, operations were suspended and circum- 

 stances verbally reported to you on the 25th May, together with 

 my view of the matter, that it would most probably be found to be 

 a piece let into the base of the Monolith, to replace a flaw in the 

 original stone of which it was formed. But there being a possibility 

 of doubt on the subject, Mr. Chalmers, Assistant Magistrate, was 

 deputed to accompany me and witness the opening of the recess. 

 However, owing to an unfortunate accident (my horse falling and 

 rolling over me) I was unable to witness the further development 

 of the Monolith, although I was in camp in the vicinity. The 

 remainder of the operations was carried out under Mr. Chalmers' 

 superintendence and the recess opened in his presence, and the 

 supposed repository of treasure resulted, as I had anticipated, in 

 being nothing more than a piece carefully let in to replace a flaw 

 in the original stone. The piece measures 8 feet long, and is about £ 

 the area of the column at its base. 



il Owing to the accident above mentioned and the intense heat of 

 the weather, I was at this stage of the proceedings reluctantly 



