________________
JUNE 7, 1872.]
water, of from one to two or three inches in diameter, on its uncovered occiput and temples. This produces a soporific effect, which generally lasts as long as the water continues to flow. The sleep is said to be very soothing, and children who have been much subjected to its influence are known to have been unusually free from the annoyances incidental to the period of dentition.
MISCELLANEA.
THE WHITE JEWS OF COCHIN.
IT is not surprising to find the blackness of the Jews of Cochin adduced in Mant's Commentary as a proof of the effects of climate, because English ignorance on Indian subjects never is surprising; but though there are black Jews on the Western Coast, (descendants of slaves and native proselytes), the Jews of Cochin-the Jews who profess to have settled in the country 1800 years ago, and hold grants dated in the fourth century A.D., are a handsome and singularly fair race, compared even with European Jews.-South of India Observer, May 9.
ORIENTAL NOTES.
WE learn that the well-known Mâmânsâ textbook the Jaiminiya-Nyaya-Mal4-Vistara, of which 400 pages in large quarto were completed by Dr. Goldstücker, will be completed by E. B. Cowell, Professor of Sanskrit in the University of Cambridge.
The photo-lithographic fac-simile edition of the celebrated commentary by Patanjali on Sanskrit Grammar entitled the Mahabhashya, which the same worthy and much lamented scholar had in hand, has only advanced to the 300th page, i. e. only onehalf of the book has been done. Whether this will be completed remains to be seen. As the writing is very small, the exertion required for editing is almost too much for the eyes, and therefore we have considerable doubts about its rapid completion. Should the work be published, we understand that the price will be Rs. 500, which will of necessity place it beyond the reach of most scholars,
Professor Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, we hear, is to be published in June.
A Hindustani Grammar will shortly appear from the pen of Professor Dowson of the Staff College, Sandhurst.
ON MASTA'N BRAHMANS.
IN the article by Mr. Ramsay on the hot springs of Unai (p. 142), mention is made of the Mâstân Brahmans. It may be useful to record that in Orissa, also, the majority of Brahmans do not touch the plough. Those that do are called Mastân, and are looked down upon by other sects of Brahmans. They are often to be found holding the post of Sarbarahkar, or village headman, and in that case are called Padhan (4. e. T). They are, like all
195
Oriya Bralimans, a haughty stiffnecked set, distinguished by the most serene indifference to the sufferings of their fellow-creatures. As Padhâns therefore they are highly appretiated by the rapacious and tyrannous zamindars, who find them useful tools in their oppression of the ryots. JOHN BEAMES.
Balasor, 11th May 1872.
THE Muhammadan coins mentioned (p. 130) by Dr. Bühler as found in the excavations at Walleh, are, in the opinion of Mr. Justice Gibbs, not older than the 16th century A. D. It is probable they may have been lost or deposited in comparatively, recent times by villagers whose huts stood over the site of the buried city.-ED. I. A.
CHESS.
THE Burmese game of chess differs slightly from the European game, but only where the Europeans have altered it since they received it from the East, for it was brought into Western Europe by the Crusaders, who appear to have altered the Burmese 'horses' to knights,' and chariots' to castles,' as now found in the European game. The Burmese name chekturen has been defined, "the chief ruler or leader of an army," which is not quite correct. The name is derived from the Pali or Sanskrit, chathu, four,' and enga a member,' i. e. the four members' (of an ariny), elephants, chariots, cavalry, and infantry; and it is the same name dragged through Persian and Arabic which appears in the English word chess which Webster refers to the French. The 'rook' of the English game is the same word as the ratha of the Burmese, being the Pali or Sanskrit name for a chariot.-Dr. F. Mason, A Working Man's Life.'
To the Editor of the "Indian Antiquary." SIR, A transcript of the Dinajpur inscription (page 128) of which a facsimile is published (plate VI page 140) was sent to me some time ago by the Assistant Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, together with a translation by him, for my opinion as to the meaning of the words which constitute the date. The appearance of my note in reply in the I. A. (p. 128), and the comments made on it by Mr. R. G. Bhandarkar render a few remarks from me necessary.
The text sent to me was a transcript, carefully made, but not a facsimile, and I had every reason therefore to suspect copyist's errors in those parts which were doubtful. A rubbing since sent to me by Mr. Westmacott shows the letters to be in an excellent state of preservation. With this before me all idea of possible errors must be set aside, and the reading published by you must be taken as correct, with the exception of a single misprint in the second line in which the word 'guna' has been changed to 'gana.'
