34 Proceedings ofthe Asiatic Society. [Jan. 



History of Abyssinia, there is scarcely a single one in English, and 

 certainly there never has been any attempt to give a general state- 

 ment of the facts in our language. I feel also that the publication 

 of such researches, under the editorship of the original observer him- 

 self, would be an object worthy of the patronage of a great Govern- 

 ment like that of this country, and would be a fitting supplement to 

 the enlightened interest which they have already displayed in, and 

 the liberal sanction they have already afforded to, such scientific en- 

 quiries in the country they were compelled to enter. We look forward 

 with great interest to Mr. Blanford's detailed reports, knowing how 

 well prepared he was for the investigations he has been engaged in, 

 by his long and eager study of the Natural History, and his intimate 

 acquaintance with the Geology, of India. It was to me a great 

 pleasure to urge the special fitness of my esteemed and able colleague 

 for such a duty when at home last year, and I have no hesitation in 

 expressing my conviction that the importance of the results will fully 

 justify these anticipations. Of course, the extent of Mr. Blanford's 

 acquisitions must be considered with reference to the very brief dura- 

 tion of his visit, and the necessity, under the peculiar circumstances, 

 of his confining his researches to the immediate neighbourhood of 

 the line of march of the force which he accompanied. 



-Another of our members, Dr. Jolm Anderson, had been despatched 

 with the expedition from British Burmah to Yunan, and also returned 

 towards the close of the year. We have not yet had any detail of 

 Dr. Anderson's observations in those little known countries, but the 

 very valuable and beautiful series of costumes, weapons, implements, 

 musical instruments, &c, portions of which are still hanging in this 

 room, and which have been all open to the inspection of the public 

 for days past, shewed what a rich harvest he had gathered, bearing on 

 the history, habits and relations of the curious tribes among which | 

 he had been. The collection is also singularly suggestive of connection 

 between these tribes and others. At the meeting in June last, some 

 Panthay visitors were present, and a sketch of the history of this 

 strange people, — an island of Mussulmans in the centre of a raging 

 ocean of Chinese, which had withstood all the attacks made upon 

 them, and had not only held out against their threatened destruction, 

 but were yearly gaining in numbers, importance, and strength, — was) 



