355 
1873.] E. Thomas —The Initial Coinage of Bengal. — Ft. II. 
Modern authors, examining a single passage, might well have felt 
reserve in reconstructing at hazard a primary version; hut the editors of 
the Calcutta official printed text have gone so far towards perpetuating the 
enigma they were unable to unravel, as to add to the difficulties of solution 
by making Chingiz Khan fight (so far on his way to Lak’lmauti) the 
memorable battle of Perwan [30° 9 7 N., G9° 16 / E.] on the conveniently 
converging site of Baclaon (p. 348), which was situated on one of the 
favourite main lines of transit to the south, east of the Ganges. This 
conglomeration is, however, the less excusable, as Stewart, in his History 
of Bengal, had already pointed out Firislitali’s palpable mistake to the 
same effect; and the editors themselves unconsciously admit the preferable 
variant ofinserted in the foot-note, p. 199. Dr. Hunter, I see, in 
his new work on Orissa (ii. 4), incautiously follows Stewart’s first impressions, 
in the notion that the “ vanity” of Muhammadan historians had intentionally 
“ converted the attack of the humble Orissians into an invasion of Tartars” 
(Stewart, p. 62). # I myself prefer the more obvious and direct explanation 
above given, which perhaps reflects more upon our defective criticism than 
upon Muslim vanity.f 
* Mr. Stirling, in his most exhaustive Memoir on Orissa, published in the Asiatic 
Researches in 1822, observes :—“ Major Stewart, in his History of Bengal, places an 
invasion of Orissa by the Mussalmans of Bengal during this reign, that is A.D. 1243. The 
Chronicles of the country contain no mention of such an event. I have not Major Stewart’s 
authorities at hand to refer to, hut strongly suspect that he has been led into an error by 
mistaking some word resembling Jajipur, for Jajipur in Orissa. He expresses himself 
thus : ‘ In the year 614 (a.d. 1243), the Baja of Jagepur (Orissa) having given some cause 
of offence, Toghan Khan marched to Ketasun, on the frontier of Jagepur, where he found 
the army of the Raja had thrown up intrenclnnents to oppose him’. . . . Now, in the 
first place, Jajipur was never a separate principality, as here described; and there is no 
such place in Orissa as Ketasun. Ferishtah is altogether silent on this subject in his 
history of Bengal, but in his general history he ascribes the siege of Gour, in the very year 
in question, to a party of Mogul Tartars who had invaded Bengal by way of Cliitta, Thibet, 
etc. Dow’s mistake of a similar nature is scarcely worth noticing. He makes Sultan 
Balin pursue the rebel Toghral into Jajnagar (a.d. 1270), which he calls Orissa, whereas 
it is evident from the mention of Sunargaon as lying on the road, that Jajnagar is some 
place beyond the Ganges.”—Stirling, As. Res. xv., p. 274. 
It seems to have escaped Mr. Stirling’s notice, that Stewart had already corrected his 
own error in speaking of “ Jagepore” as “ Orissa,” pp. 61 and 65, by placing that town in 
its proper position in “ Tipperah,” in a later passage (p. 70); and he further improved 
upon his advanced knowledge by saying in a note, at p. 72, “ Jagenagur is said to have 
been a town in Orissa, near Cuttack; but this passage proves it to have been situated on 
the eastern side of the Burhampooter. The Jagenagar mentioned by Ferishtah should have 
been written Jagepore.” [P] Stewart, Hist. Bengal, p. 72. Dow, i. 202 (4to. edit.). Briggs 
i., 260. See also Chronicles of Pathan Kings, p. 121. 
f Cf. Elphinstone (new edit, by Professor Cowell), p. 377. Elliot, Muhammadan 
Historians ii., pp. 264,344, Dr. Lee’s Ibn Batutah, Oriental Tr. Fund, p. 97. Firishtah 
