________________ 365 Dr. Vincent A. Smith on Vaisali prince of the imperial Gupta family. It was in the province of Tira or Tarabhukti, the modern Tichut. . "In the time of Buddha Vaisali was the capital of the Licchavis, a tribe, people, or nation, who were regarded as a section of the Vgjji (Pali Vajji) nation. The origin and affinities of the Licchavis, who certainly were foreigners, afford much room for speculation. Spooner seems to suggest that they were domiciled Persians. The writer of this article believes that they were of a Mongolian race, akin to the Tibetans and other Himalayan peoples. "Vaigali stood on the ancient royal road leading from Pataliputra (Patna) to Nepal, the line of which is marked by four Asoka pillars and other notable ancient remains. The city thus was in direct communication with the imperial capital and with many places of high importance in the olden times. The distance from Patna is about 27 miles in a direction a little west of north. "If the locality should ever be explored properly at any future time, as the site of Taxila is being examined by Sir John Marshall, many interesting discoveries may be anticipated, and further identifications of monuments may be possible".
