2S0 
[No. 3, 
Contributions to the Geography and History of Bengal (Muhammadan 
jderiod). No. II .—By H. Blochmann, M. A., Calcutta Madrasah. 
(Continued from Journal, Pt. I, 1873, p. 310.) 
When putting together the notes for my ‘ Contributions to Bengal Geo¬ 
graphy and History’ in last year’s Journal, I did not think that I would 
have so soon to add a sequel to that portion which referred to the history 
of the Independent Sultans of Bengal. The old seats of Muhammadan 
governors and the Dargahs of Moslem Saints at Bihar, Debkot, Gaur, 
Sunargaon, Silhat, and Satgaon had before been visited by General Cun¬ 
ningham, Dr. Wise, Mr. Westmacott, and myself, and the result was the 
discovery of more than fifty inscriptions belonging to the reigns of the In¬ 
dependent Kings. But many places of antiquity remained, and still remain, 
to be examined, especially G’horag’hat, Taj pur, Purniah, Hazrat Panduah, 
Ekdalah, Maldah, and Maimansingh. In the beginning of this year, Mr. 
Westmacott had occasion to visit Maldah, and on examining the immediate 
neighbourhood of the station, he found no less than seventeen new Arabic 
inscriptions, which he very kindly placed at the disposal of the Society. 
They belong to the reigns of six kings and bear the following dates: 
1. Mahmud Shah (I), one of 859 A.H. 
2. Barbak Shah, one of 868 A.H. 
3. Yusuf Shah, two, date uncertain. 
4. Firuz Shah (II), two, one of 894 A.H. 
5. Husain Shah, seven, of 899, 900, 907, 910, 914, 918, 923, A.H. 
6. Nuqrat Shah, four, of 930, 935, 938 A.H. 
The first of these inscriptions is the earliest of Mahmud Shah that has 
hitherto been discovered; and the Firuz Shah (II) inscription of 894 is 
very valuable as the first clearly dated record of this king. 
Of the remaining, the Husain Shah inscriptions of 899, 900, and 907 
deserve special mention. The first two, of 899 and 900 A. H., are the ear¬ 
liest now known, though we have coins of the same ^ears.* 
In my former essay, I took on the testimony of coins the year 899 as 
the first year of Husain Shah’s reign. But as the coins of 899 seem all to 
belong to Fathabad, i. e. Eastern Bengal, the Hon’ble E C. Bayley, in 
his note on a gold coin of Muzaffar Shall,f concluded that Muzaffar Shah 
was still alive in 901, but besieged by Husain Shah in Gaur. Mr. West- 
macott’s inscriptions of 899 and 900. coming as they do from places almost 
under the walls of Gaur, render it likely that the conquest of Gaur and 
* Journal, A. S. Bengal, 1873, Pt. I, p. 292. 
f Journal, 1873, Pt. I, p. 313. 
