2 
M. A. Stein — New inscriptions discovered by Major Deane. [No. 1, 
Lave thrown upon him. The exceptional success which has attended 
his efforts in the interest of research, is amply illustrated by the fact 
that the number of new inscriptions which he has forwarded to Lahore 
since M. Senart’s publication, is nearly twice as great again as the 
number comprised in the latter. These epigraphical documents have 
reached Lahore either in the form of the actual stones where these were 
obtainable, or as ink impressions on paper or cloth, taken by Major 
Deane’s agents in the case of inscriptions beyond British territory which 
could not be secured otherwise. 
The stones with inscriptions have been deposited without exception 
in the Lahore Museum which contains now also the stones previously 
communicated to M. Sen art for publication. In order to keep together 
in the same place, as far as possible, all that bears on the epigraphy 
of those interesting regions, Major Deane has been kind enough to 
entrust to me the impressions above referred to. For this mark of con¬ 
fidence which I must value all the more in view of the great trouble 
and the expense connected with the collection of these materials, I may 
be allowed to express here publicly my grateful acknowledgments. 
By making me in this manner the depositary for at least a part of 
his discoveries, Major Deane has also, as it were, put me under the 
obligation of bringing them to the notice of fellow students. From 
a personal point of view I might well have wished that the honour 
of this first publication may have fallen on one more competent 
than myself and better able to do it justice. The want of necessary 
leisure at Lahore and the obligation of devoting whatever time was at 
my disposal in Kashmir, to my translation of Kalhana’s Chronicle, have 
prevented me from making that minute study of the inscriptions ‘ in 
unknown characters ’ which seems indispensable even for the slight¬ 
est advance towards their decipherment. As these inscriptions form 
the great majority of the new finds, I must also regret my want of 
acquaintance with that field of philological research which, as will be 
seen below, might possibly furnish a clue to these puzzling documents. 
Under these circumstances, I hope to meet best the interests of 
those who are in a position to undertake a serious study of these 
monuments, if I avail myself without further delay of the opportunity 
offered by the Asiatic Society’s kindness in order to publish the new in¬ 
scriptions in unknown characters in faithful mechanical reproductions. 
To the latter I have added such information regarding the find-spots, 
present condition, etc., of the inscriptions as Major Deane has com¬ 
municated either along with the inscriptions themselves or in subse¬ 
quent letters addressed to me. My own remarks must necessarily be 
restricted to a few observations which the examination of the docu- 
