50 Proceedings oftJie Asiatic Society. [Fed. 



heir of the late Fanner-General of the Shawl Revenue, who, in addition 

 to an excellent knowledge of his own language and of Sanscrit and 

 Persian, has taught himself something of the English language and 

 Grammar, and is alone quite capable of constructing a Cashmceree 

 Grammar with a little aid from an English Grammarian. In short, 

 the means of acquiring the desired knowledge lie abundantly ready to 

 hand. Some movement only is required to start the subject. I do not 

 think that I can be wrong in supposing it to be of eminent importance. 

 If anywhere is to be found the connecting link between the Sanscrit 

 and the modern languages of India, it must be in the speech of the 

 pure Brahmin population of Cashmere, for the whole population is of 

 Brahmin race : those not converted to Mjihomedanism, are still, without 

 any exception, Brahmins : no other caste is known, and the Persian and 

 Arabic of the Mahomedans is merely overlaid in a separate stratum as 

 it were. If anywhere the question whether the grammatical structure of 

 the present languages is of Sanscrit descent or of indigenous origin is to be 

 decided, it must be by comparing it with the language of the aboriginal 

 Arians of the long inaccessible Chilas, the Olympus to which the Hin- 

 doos still point. If anywhere farther links connecting the Arians of 

 the East and the West are to be found, it must be among those same 

 aboriginal Arians, still inhabiting, in an isolated position, the very seat 

 and centre from which the race was produced ; the very kernel from 

 which the great tree sprang; and the little that we have learnt of the 

 tongue of the unapproachable Kaffir hills, seems to suggest some al- 

 most startling affinities to the Latin. Viewing then the matter as at 

 the same time so important and so easy, I have ventured to bring it 

 to notice, and to submit for the consideration of the Council, whether 

 something might not be done, in communication with the Punjab 

 Government, towards putting upon paper the essence and structure of 

 the Cashmerce and Chilas languages. If I am supported, I would pro- 

 pose to give to the movement the sanction of the Society by the fol- 

 lowing resolution, of which I now give notice for the next meeting, and 

 which I should be happy to modify in any way that may be deemed 

 more effectual towards the object in view. 



Notice of Motion. 

 That the Council be requested to consider the means of obtaining 

 a better knowledge of the languages of Cashmere and Chilas, and to 



