1830.] 
Some farther particulars, §c. 
177 
II. — Some further particulars of the country of Siccim , and of its in- 
habitants, the Lepchas and Bhutiahs. 
To the Editor of Gleanings in Science. 
Sir, 
The late account by Captain Herbert, of his visit to Darjiling, which appear- 
ed in Nos. 15 and 16, of the Gleanings, induced me to turn to some memoranda I 
made of an excursion into the same country to Nhgri, in the year 1825. Should 
you deem them interesting or deserving a place in your periodical, I place them at 
your disposal. I would only premise, that I made the excursion alone, with no 
object in view but my own diversion, and the satisfaction of my curiosity to see 
something of a people and country, of which I had heard much. 
I am, Sir, 
Your obedient servant, 
J. T. 
Notes of an Excursion to N&gri , in the Siccim country , in the year 1825. 
The route to Titalia is so well known as to need no remark, further than a no- 
tice of the celebrated ruins of Parwah, with a view to some points on which I would 
beg leave to differ from the author of the Visit to Darjiling. We learn from 
Stewart’s History of Bengal, that from about A. H, 750 to 800, Parwah (or more 
correctly Panduah) was the capital of the Mahomedan kings of Bengal, who ren- 
dered themselves independent of the supreme governmental Delhi, in the decay of 
the Affghan dynasty. From the same authority we learn, that the Adinah Mosque, 
the ruins of which are still an object of great curiosity, was founded by Secander 
Sh&h, in A. H. 763. An Arabic inscription*, in the Sulsee character, over a niche 
on the exterior of the building, behind the mimbar, gives the name of Secander 
Shah, and date 776 ; from which we may conclude that it was completed in the 
reign of Sief Addeen, the grandson of Secander Shah. There can be no doubt that 
it was built from the materials of ancient Hindoo temples, for the. fallen steps of the 
mimbar itself discover, on the reverse, Hindoo sculptures ; but that the building, in 
its present form, never was a place of Hindoo worship is clear, not less from the 
detached and insulated position in which these sculptured stones are found, than 
from the form and plan of the building. It was moreover the invariable custom 
of the Mahoimnedan conquerors of Indiaf to destroy the idol temples, and use 
the materials for other edifices, but never to convert the desecrated buildings to their 
own religious purposes. Enough of Parwah, which will well repay the researches 
of any antiquary, who has resolution to penetrate into a dense mass of jungle, at 
present the undisputed possession of bears and tigers. 
Feb. 22. Rode over to Mundmalla, distant about six miles, and took up my quar- 
ters in part of an uninhabited old bungalow belonging to Mr. J. Barnes, of Piprah. 
Lat. by mer. alt. of the sun 26° 34' 18". X In the evening received a visit from 
R&mu Pardhdn,- agent for the Siccim Rajah in the low countries. He seemed very 
willing to assist me, should 1 wish to proceed to the capital. The stages to the 
capital Gandok he gave as follows : The direct road branches off from the N&gri 
road at Tumbah-b&ns. Thence to 
Surndung, 
Phbang, 
Chongtong, 
Choar&ni, 
Ghdk, 
Barah Ringit Col ah. 
* I have by me two copies of this inscription, both of them incomplete. As far as 
they go, a translation may not be uninteresting, as a curious specimen of the style assum- 
ed by these monarchs. “The erection of this Jami Masjid was ordered in the rei<ru of 
“ the mighty Sultan, the wisest, most just, inost perfect and most generous of the S Sul- 
“ taus ot Arabia and Persia, Secander Shah; may God prosper his kingdom ; in 
* ‘ the month Rajah A. H. 776.” Secander Shah died in 769. The only solution I can 
offer for the anachronism is that given above, unless we suppose that both copies are 
wrong, in reading 776 instead of 767. 
f The same was the case at Juanpoor, especially in the instance of the Atalah 
Mosque. 
J My observations were made with a very excellent sextant, by Troughton, and an 
artificial horizon of quicksilver. Successive observations at the same place varied so 
little, that I have no hesitation in vouching for their accuracy. 
