Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 03
Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

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Page 387
________________ NOVEMBER, 1874.) ORIENTAL RESEARCH IN 1872-73. 325 mains of Ceylon may be reasonably expected to ence as an archæologist, that his operations wil throw much light as well on some dark chapters of be productive of important results. the history as on the comparative pluilology of the INDIAN HISTORY AND ARCILEOLOGY.- Meanwhile Åryan vernaculars of India. Of a fine set of pho- the Iulian Antiquary, edited by the samne gentographs of Ceylon ruins taken some years ago tleman, has lost nothing of its vigour and usefulfor the Coylon Government by the late Mr. ness as a channel of publicity for the most varied Lawton, it seems that unfortunately only two information on subjects of historical, literary, and copies are now in existence. It is to be hoped that antiquarian interest. Discussions such as those the negatives of them have not been destroyed, lately carried on in its columns by Professors and that the collection may yet be made accessible R. G. Bharularkar and A. Weber, Drs. G. Bühler, to the public, accompanied by such drawings, J. Muir, and A. Barnell, Mr. Telang, and others on plans, and descriptions as can alone render such various points of Sanskļit and Praksit languages photographs of scientific value. and literature, and its numerous communications Java.--In their last Report the Council drew on archæological matters, and of copies and attention to a splendid collection of upwards of translations of inscriptions, ought to secure to this 300 photographs of antiquities of Jara executed by periodical a hearty support from Orientalists. order of the Dutch Government, of which a copy The publication of Colonel W. E. Marshall's was presented to our Society. Now, thanks to the | investigations into the physical peculiarities, the enlightened liberality of the same Government, a manners and institutions of the Todas in the still more mngnificent work has since been brought Nilgiris forms a very welcome addition to out, and a copy of this also has been munificently our knowledge of the mountain tribes of India, presented to tho Society. This publication consists enhanced as it is by excellent autotype plates, and of eight volumes of lithographed drawings of the by a sketch of the Toda grammar by the wellsculptures of the famous dagoba known by the known Tamil scholar Dr. G. U. P'ope. In an name of Boro. Bedoer, executed chiefly by appendix the Rev. F. Metz has given a vocabulary Heer F. C. Wilsen. They are accompanied by a of Toda words. Two other works --Colonel E. T. volume of excellent descriptive and explanatory Dalton's Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal, illustrated letterpress, edited by Dr. C. Leemans, from reports by lithographs from photographs taken by Dr. B. by Heeren Wilsen and Brumund. Simpson, and published at the expense of the N. India. The results of the archæological sur. Government of Bengal; and the Rev. M. A. vey of Northern India by General A. Cunningham Sherring's Tribes anıl Castes de represented in and his assistants during 1871-2 have now been Benarcs, --contain a mass of useful facts for made public. The principal ancient sites visited and ethnological students, who must also have wel. reported upon in this volume by the General himself comed two additional volumes of the People of are Mathura, Buddha Gaya, and Gaya. India by Dr. F. Watson and Sir J. W. Kaye. These reports also add a number of new inscrip- The liberal support accorded by the Court of tions, and revised copies of others already known. Directors and the Indian Government to the former The General mentions that he also paid visits volumes of Sir H. M. Elliot's History of Indiu to Sunargám, the ancient capital of Eastern as told by its own Historians, ably edited by Bengal; to Bikrampur, the place of residence Professor J. Dowson, has been deservedly extended of the Sena Rajas of Bengal after the Muham- to the fifth volume, which contains a transiation madan occupation, and to Gaur; and that he has of the Tabalet-i Allure, and extracts from the had plans made of the tombs and masjids of the Turkh-i Alft and the Muntakhab-t Thrikk, Dihli and Jaunpur kings, and collected fresh in- dealing with the interesting reign of Akbar the scriptions at these places. Greut. W. India.- After the remarks in the last Report, The Rev. E. Downes, of Peshawar, has lately it will be satisfactory to the inembers to learn published a pamphlet giving some account of the that Mr. James Burgess has since been appointed customs, language, and country of that littleArchæological Surveyor of Western India. It is knowu tribe the Siah-Posh Kafirs. At recent understood that that gentleman is at present meetings of the Society, Dr. G. W. Leitner, of engaged in exploring Dharwad. His attention Lahor, he also given an account of the materials has been particularly directed to the Jaina temples collected by him on a tour among other tribes of Belg & m and Aiwalli, and the little-known beyond the north-west frontier of the Paujáb. series of Cave Temples at Bada mi; and it may An interesting and useful account of the debe confidently hoped, from Mr. Burgess's experi- velopment of the Hindu creeds has been published • Ante, p. 58.

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