262 Biographical sketch of Col. Mackenzie. [July 



who, tradition says, was endovv'ed with supernatural 

 powers to enable him to overcome a washerman named 

 Ganga Dhobi, who was deeply skilled in the art of 

 magic, and exerted it to oppress and torment the Shud- 

 gdrshids and all the minor professors of the art. 

 (Signed) 



J. A. R. Stevenson. 



IV. — Biographical Sketch of the Literary Career 

 of the late Colonel Colin Mackenzie, Surveyor-Gene^ 

 ral of India. ; comprisiMg some particulars of hii 

 Collection of Manuscripts, Plants, Coins, Drawivgs^ 

 Sculptures, 8^'c. illvstrative of tJie Antiquities, His- 

 tory, Geography, Laics, Institiitiojis , and Manners^ 

 of the Ancient Hindus ; contained in a, letter ad- 

 dressed by him to the Right Hon. Sir Alexander 

 Johnston, V.P.R.A.S. &c. &c. 

 {Extracted from the Journal of the Royal Asiatic So- 

 ciety, Vol. 1. page 333.) 

 [The Catalogue of the Mackenzie Collection puhHsh- 

 €d at Calcutta by professor Wilson, in the year 1828, 

 being with difficulty procurable in England, it has been 

 thought that the following account of that Collection 

 might not be unacceptable to those persons who feel an 

 interest in the subjects which it was intended to illus- 

 trate, and who may not be aware of its nature and ex- 

 tent. 



This sketch was communicated by Colonel Macken- 

 zie himself in the year 1817, to Sir Alexander John- 

 ston, whom he had known from his earliest youth, with 

 a view to its publication in the event of Col. Mackenzie's 

 decease before any accurate and complete catalogue of 

 the Collection should be prepared ; and it is the docu- 

 ment alluded to by Sir Alexander, in the evidence 

 given by him before the Committee of the House of 

 Commons, in the year 1832 ; on which occasion he pro- 

 posed that the government should take the necessary 



