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294
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1891.
interesting papers the author materially adds to our knowledge regarding the origin of the latter, and the games played with them. The subject, however, hardly concerns the object of this Journal, beyond the fact that a theory which gives an Indian origin to playing cards is shewn to be unfounded. Briefly stated the main result arrived at is to take away the credit of the invention from the French. As far back as 1303 cards were known in Spain as a Moorish game, and playing with them was known as “lo joch de naibs.' The army of Bertrand du Guesclin probably brought them from Spain to France in 1369 or thereabouts. Herr Himly considers that the most probable derivation of the word naibs is from the Arabic nchib, 'a robber. Other proposed derivations are from näib, 'a representative,' and from nabi, 'a prophet.' It is unnecessary here to trace the further steps, by which the author shews that, most probably, cards had their origin in China, where mention of playing implements resembling them occurs as far back as the year 1071.
Prof. Hermann Jacobi contributes a short article on the Udgata metre, which is found in its oldest form in the Kirátárjunkya, and in the Sibupalabadha. An analysis of the verses in these works enables the author to add to Pingala's rule. He defines the Udgata as a system, in three unequal members, of 14 ganas and one syllable. In each even gana there is an am. phibrachys ( -U), except in 4th and 8th, which have each a proceleusmaticus, with a cæsura after the first short syllable (Ivy ), and in the 10th, which has an anapast, followed by a cæsura (VU-I). In the uneven ganas there are anapasta (v v), except in the 7th, which has a spondee with cæsura after the first syllable (-1-). The last cæsura is always marked by the end of a complete word and not by the ending of the first member of a compound, and divides the verse into two nearly equal portions. It is to be noted that the first syllable of the 7th gana which ends the second pada, thus, 2
5
with a simple short vowel, in which case the first word of the third pada must commence with two consonants. In later authors, however, in whose time a living knowledge of the metre was lost, such as Mankha, the author of the Srikanthacharita, and Parimala, the author of the Sahasdukacharita, both of whom lived at least five hundred years after M&gha, the last syllable of the second pada is common, as would be expected from the analogy of other metres.
This is followed by a paper by the present writer, entitled selected specimens of the Bihari Language, which gives the Bhojpuri poem entitled Git Naika Banijar'wa, together with grammatical introduction, notes, and translation.
Next comes an essay on the Achæmenian inscriptions by Dr. W. Bang. It consists of short notes on readings and translations of disputed passages.
The number concludes with two Reviews, one by Prof. Nöldeke on Mani's Researches into the Manichæan Religion, the other by Prof. Ed. Meyer, on Nöldeke's Essays on Persian History.
Part IV. commences with the continuation of Herr K. Himly's article on playing cards already referred to.
It is followed by Dr. Geiger, who gives us some most valuable Balachi texts with translations. Better still, he promises us a Balochi dictionary at an early date. Three texts illustrate the North Baldchi dialect, and are taken from Hittû Ram's Biluchindma. The fourth text illustrates South Balachi, and is taken from an unpublished MS. in the British Museum. The extracts are valuable alike to the student of Iranian languages, and to the student of folklore, and the author expresses
hope, in which I cordially join, that his essay will encourage local students to dig into the rich, but hitherto unexplored mine of the folktales. fables, songs and historical traditions of the Balachis.
Prof. von Roth follows with a short, but most interesting essay on Indian fire implements. Kåtyâyana's account of the Manthana-yantraka is well-known, if not well understood, but he describes a comparatively modern machine, in which metal is employed. The two friction pieces, arani, are made of asvattha (ficus religiosa) wood, and are two boards, one cubit, i.e., 24 inches (angulas) long, six inches broad, and four inches thiok. A special variety of the asvattha is recommended when obtainable. The boards are carefully prepared beforehand and dried. The under (adhard) board is laid on the ground and hence the first and second padas are really only one pada.
viu,
7
8 ' 9 10 -, uuuu, UU-UU11
12 -
13 vu-u-u, v-, - ,-1!
in the poems already referred to always long. That is to say, it is long by nature, or ends with a short vowel plus a consonant or visarga, in which case the first word of the third pada must commence with & consonant, or ende
1 In the 4th and 8th ganas, the casura is not a verse-sura, but only due to the nature of the gana,
