84 A. F. R. Hoernle— Ancient Manuscripts from Central Asia. [May, 
to the lower left, and reads from the outside of the coin, from the right 
to the left. This smaller section, therefore, follows the usual system of 
writing and reading the Bactrian script. But the larger section, 
commences on the left side, where the smaller section ends, and then runs, 
from the left to right, round the upper part of the margin, down to where 
the smaller section commences; and it reads from the inside of the coin. 
The larger section, therefore, reads from the left to the right, like the 
Greek. In fact, that section is arranged and reads like a Greek legend, 
while the smaller legend is arranged and reads like a Bactrian 
legend, though both sections are written in Bactrian characters. In 
other respects the legend is the usual one, viz .:—- 
Larger section : Maharajasa tradatasa 
Smaller ditto : Avadagagasa, 
Mr. Bonrdillon’s specimen gives the whole of the legend, except 
the letters vada of the name; but some of the existing letters are 
rubbed and mutilated; the five letters maha , ja and gasa , however, are 
perfectly distinct. On my own specimen of the coin, only a very small 
portion of the legend is preserved; viz., the letters maha and gagasa. 
This portion, equally distinct on both specimens, forms, as will be 
understood from the arrangement, above explained, a continuous set of 
letters, and is made up of the beginning of the larger and the end of 
the smaller sections. It is quite characteristic, and sufficient to prove 
how the whole legend must have run, even if it is not actually 
extant. 
Unfortunately there is not sufficient time to prepare photographic 
facsimiles of these four coins, before my departure on leave. But, 
I hope, on my return to publish facsimiles in the Journal, together with 
such further information, as may be then forthcoming. 
Dr. A. F. Rudolf Hoernle exhibited a number of small fragments 
of Ancient Manuscripts from Central Asia. He said :— 
These fragments were received by me about a month ago from the 
Foreign Office in Simla, to which they had been sent by Mr. G. Macartney, 
at Kashghar, where he acts as Special Assistant of Chinese affairs to 
the Resident in Kashmir. The Foreign Office letter stated that these 
manuscripts had been excavated in Kuchar and presented to Mr. 
Macartney by the Manager of the Chinese Foreign Commerce at 
Kash gh ar. 
Unfortunately these fragments are the merest scraps of what was 
clearly a collection of several manuscripts. They are too small to be 
of any literary or historical value ; but from the palceographic point of 
view they present some points of interest. 
