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DÉCEMBER, 1898.]
IN MEMORIAM GEORGE BÜHLER.
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Readers of this Journal will remember the beautiful obituary' which (Indian Antiquary, Vol. XVII., 1888) he devoted to his lamented friend Pandit Bhagvanlal Indraji, - a scholar whose excellent contributions to Indian epigraphy and archeology would probably have been lost to the European world of learning, if it had not been for Bühler, who translated into English the papers written in Gujarati by his friend. With a kindly and sympathetic interest, and at the same time with that strict accuracy and conscientiousness which characterizes everything written by Bühler, he gives in this obituary a full account of all that Pandit Bhagvânlal has done for Indian history, epigraphy, and archeology. In stirring words he refers to the noble character of this scholar, and then proceeds to describe his own relations to him, - how they sat together for hours, working and conversing about problems of Indian history and archeology, but frequently also about the social, political, and religious conditions of modern India. His amiable, frank character,' (he conclndes) his keen intelligence, and his extensive learning, made him very dear to me. I shall never forget the pleasant days, when I used eagerly to look forward to the announcement that the Panditji had come ; and I Badly acknowledge now, as I have done already on special occasions, that I have learnt a great deal from him.'
Never have I heard from Bühler any of those slighting and disparaging remarks about the character of the Natives, which one hears so frequently from people who have spent a few months, or may be years, in India without ever making the least attempt to become really acquainted with any class of Natives. When he spoke of the people among whom he spent so many years of his life, it was always with words of just appreciation of the good he had found in the Native character, and words of kindly and grateful remembrance of the services they had rendered him in his scientific pursuits. An incident, which occurred during his stay near Jesalmir, and which he relates in the above-mentioned paper on his Journey through the Indian Desert, may show how he surmounted even serious difficulties by the tact and shrewd commonsense, with which he respected and even adopted the religious prejudices of the Natives. One day it happened that a cow was found in the neighbourhood of his camp, ransacking the fodder stores of the camels, and one of the camel-drivers thew & stone to frighten the cow away. Unfortunately he hit her leg. Now, since cows are sacred in Rajputâna, this offence created a great stir. The owner of the cow appeared greatly excited, and stoutly refused to accept any recompense offered him for the damage done. The cows, he said, be loved like his family, and nothing short of corporal punishment inflicted on the offender would satisfy him. The minister of the Rawal, who had hurried to the spot, also insisted on the same demand. The camel-driver ,was to receive a hundred strokes. Bühler refused to endorse snch a sentence, and a whole day passed in futile negotiations with the local officials. At last Bühler hit on a new plan. When the minister of the Rawal came again, Bübler offered to inflict on the camel-driver a heavy fine, and to use the sum for e. pious work. To this the people agreed. If a certain amount of fodder were bought, and spread out on the spot of the accident to give the cows of Jesalmer & solemn feast, the atonement would be considered sufficient. Bühler at once promised to do this, and imposed on the offender a fine of twenty rupees, with which he bought five camel loads of bay. These were spread out outside the camp, and for three days all the cows of Jesalmer assembled for a solemn pasture. The wounded cow soon recovered, and the incident, which otherwise might have led to serious disturbances, had no further consequences. It even proved useful, inasmuch as it raised Bühler's authority in the eyes of the people, who were impressed with his sense of justice, since he had offered such a suitable práyaschitta for the horrible offence committed. The Sripůj, too, heartily approved of Bühler's action saying, 'You have acted rightly, now the people know that you respect their prejudices.'
Personal contact and frequent exchange of ideas with native Pandits, were considered by Bühler as indispensable for the progress of research. It was on this account that most of his contributions to Indology were written in English, that he wished his pupils to do the same,
