forwarded by Dawk Banghy for submission to His Honor the Lieutenant-Governo a set of plans and drawings executed by Mr. C. H. Burke, late of the Revenu Survey Department, deputed by me to visit the Caves for that purpose, which I fee assured will be considered highly satisfactory as well as creditable to Mr. Burke' industry and talents. 2. The Caves are three in number, called the Beeah Mandah Rownah, Mandah and Chargoodree. They are situated in Talooqah Shapore, Singrowlee, Purgunnal Burdee, which at the period of the Benares settlement was a small independent Ra held by a branch of the Chundels of Agoree Burhur (vide Regulation II. of 1795 Section 17) but was subsequently absorbed into the Rewah state by an arrange. ment between the Rajahs of Rewah and Burdee, the latter of whom made over his sovereignty to the former in exchange for a pension. 3. The country near the Caves is very inaccessible, being nothing but a succession of rocky hills covered with dense jungle, containing a few miserable villages inhabited by wild aboriginal tribes, from whom no information of a satisfactory nature can be obtained; the Caves themselves are avoided with superstitious dread by the few remaining inhabitants, and are utterly abandoned to the wild beasts of the forest. 4. The only answer given to queries on the subject is that they were constructed by the Balund Rajahs, a family of the Khurwar tribe, who held the sovereignty of Agoree, and Singrowlee, till expelled by the Chundels, who emigrated to this part of the country from Mohobah, somewhere about the year 1190, A. D. and obtained possession of Agoree, &c. by expulsion of the Balunds about 50 years subsequently. 5. The representatives of the Balund Rajahs still reside in a village of Shapore Singrowlee, called Mirwas, and although dispossessed for nearly 600 years, still entertain a hope of one day being restored to their possessions. It is said that they are under a vow never to bind on a turban till the day of restoration. 6. Some ruins of wells and brick buildings, as well as a Fort, are found in the Nilour hills, near a small village called Benowlee, 12 miles N. W. from the Caves, which is said to have been the ancient capital of Shapore Singrowlee, and the last strongholds of the Balunds, before their final expulsion, but no other remains are to be found indicating the former existence of a people capable of constructing such stupendous works. 7. A small sketch map accompanies the drawings, showing the relative position of the three excavated Hills, which are situated from 10 to 14 Koss south of the most remote part of the Mirzapore district. On the proposal of the Lord Bishop of Calcutta, seconded by Mr. Colville, Advocate General, the respectful thanks of the Society were roted to the Hon'ble the Governor of the N. W. Provinces for the valuable communication and drawings above recorded. The drawings were referred to the Committee of Papers for consideration as to their publication. Read two letters from Captain Kittoe, respecting Budhistical remains discovered by him at Gaya. Referred to the Committee of Papers. Read the following letter from Captain Kittoe: To the Secretary Asiatic Society, Calcutta. Sherghatti, 28th December, 1846. DEAR SIR,-Some months ago I submitted a paper on the subject of the Kootub and adjacent ruins, but to this date I have received no reply or acknowledgment. Being desirous of altering some parts of my paper, I request the favor of its being returned to me. As an old member, and one who (as long as encouragement was offered by the acknowledgment of contributions) took much pains for the Society, I beg to propose that for the future all communications be formally acknowledged, and that it be considered a rule, secondly, that such papers as may not be deemed by the Secre taries and the Committee of Papers, suited to the Journal or Researches, may be returned to the contributor, with a letter to that effect. I would, with deference, recommend that as the journal is now (I believe) published at the expense of the Society and is much in arrears, the Numbers should be brought up, if even the number of pages be reduced, for the interest in “ lost from their now proceedings" is appearing several months after date-most contributors to Periodicals feel encouraged by the early publication of their papers. I feel sure that such an would have a beneficial effect. I, for one, should feel pleasure in affording my mite of assistance in the Antiquarian, or Architectural branches, as well as illustrations in outline, such as I have proposed in another letter, only now forwarded, though arrangement and the publication of the latest proceedings mostly written long since.* I remain, Dear Sir, Your's faithfully, M. KITTOE, Captain, Read a letter from D. C. Mackey, Esq. Danish Consul, forwarding for the acceptance of the Society the Memoires de la Societé Royale des Antiquaires du Nord, Section Asiatique. anticipated in the Society's recent arrangements.-Secs. *Captain Kittoe will be pleased to find that his excellent suggestions have been To W. B. O'SHAUGHNESSY, Esq. Secretary to the Asiatic Society. SIR, I beg to hand you an extract from a letter I have received from the Secre tary to the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen, and for the ai of your Society in their Researches I am enabled to assure you of their most cordia co-operation in connection with any scientific pursuit in which their services can b made available. I beg your acceptance of the accompanying three Nos. of the R. N. A. Society': proceedings which have already been submitted to you, and when I receive more they shall be laid before your Society. I have the honor to be, Sir, Danish Consulate, Calcutta, 13th January, 1847. D. C. MACKEY, Danish Consul. Extract from Mr. Secretary Chas. Rafor's letter. "On the formation of an Asiatic Section in our Society we have had in view the elucidation of the ancient monuments of Asia, which shall be the aim of our earnest exertions. In connexion with this object several works have been already commenced, among which we may here mention the Treatises on the connexion between Sanscrit and Icelandic (old Danish) whereof the first part is already printed, and on the decyphering on the second Achoemenian or Median species of arrow-headed writing by Professor N. L. Westergaard, the author of the Radices linguæ Sanscritæ, and the disquisition on the coins struck by the Buids, by the Rev. Jas. C. Lindberg, A. M. which we hope will meet with especial favour in Asia, inasmuch as our Cabinet is in possession of several hitherto unknown coins of this class." Read a letter from Lieutenant Strachey, promising a copy of the narrative of his recent tour to the lake districts of Manésarowar, for publication in the Society's Journal. Mr. Laidlay read a list of coins, received by him from Mr. Torrens. Mr. Laidlay was requested to retain the coins in his charge, depositing a list with the senior Secretary for office record. Read a letter from Lieutenant Wroughton, forwarding copy of an inscription which has been referred to the Oriental Sub-Committee for examination. Read the accompanying note from Mr. Heatly, forwarding letters and publications from the Statistical and Ethnological Societies of London. To W. B. O'SHAUGHNESSY, Esq. Secretary, Asiatic Society. MY DEAR SIR,-I have the pleasure to place in your hand two letters from Mr. King, Honorary Secretary to the Ethnological Society, and Assistant Secretary to the Statistical Society-together with a packet of publications from those Associations, catalogued in the accompayning lists. The latter are a donation to the Asiatic Society and intended to open friendly relations between the donors, and the cultivators of similar pursuits in this country. Your's sincerely, S. G. T. HEATLY. Star Press, 13th January, 1847. Statistical Society of London, 12, ST. JAMES' SQUARE, 22d October, 1846. SIR,-I am instructed to forward to you a complete set of the Statistical Society's Journal, a Volume of its Transactions and six copies of its first series of questions, as well as all the forms we have in print, as a donation to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. To S. G. T. HEATLY, Esq. I have the honor to be, Your most obedient servant, 27, Sackville Street, 21st October, 1846. SIB,-I beg to enclose a set of the Ethnological Society's publications up to the present time, with the view of an exchange for those published by your Society. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, RICHARD KING, To S. G. T. HEATLY, Esq. Asiatic Society of Calcutta. I. Ethnological Society, pages 1 & 2. II. Queries respecting the Human Race, pages 3 to 14. Honry. Secy. III. The study of Ethnology by Ernest Dieffenbach, M. D. pages 15 to 78. IV. On the Ancient Peruvians, by Dr. De Tschudi, pages 79 to 102. V. On the Biluchi Tribes inhabiting Sindh, in the lower valley of the Indus and Cutebi, pages 103 to 210. VI. Address to the Ethnological Society of London, delivered at the anniversary meeting on the 25th May, 1844, by Richard King, M. D. Secretary, pages 7 to 40. VII. Address to the Ethnological Society of London, delivered at the anniversary meeting on the 26th May, 1845, by Rear Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm, President, pages 41 to 62. VIII. The Regulations and List of members of the Ethnological Society of London, 1843, 1844, pages 1 to 14. Transactions of the Statistical Society of London, Vol. I. Part 1, 1837. Journal of the Statistical Society of London, Vols. I. to X. First series of questions circulated by the Statistical Society of London, 1830 6 Copies. 16 Forms of Statistical Report. The Librarian submitted the following list of Books received, and O Donations to the Society's General Museum : List of Books, &c. received for the Meeting of Wednesday, the 13t) January, 1847. PRESENTED. 1.-Meteorological Register kept at the Surveyor General's office-FRom the SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE. 2.-Meteorological Register kept at Kyouk Phyoo during November, 1846.FROM THE SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE. 3.-The Calcutta Christian Observer for December, 1846 and Jan. 1847.—BY THE EDITORS. 4. The Oriental Christian Spectator for December, 1846.-BY THE EDITOR. 5.-An attempt to explain some of the monograms found upon the Grecian coins of Ariana and India, by A. Cunningham.-BY THE AUTHOR. 6.-Vedantic Doctrines Vindicated.-BY BABU RAJENDRALAL MITTRA. 7.-The Hindu Intelligencer, 5 Nos.-BY THE EDITOR. 8.-Contributions to Terrestrial Magnetism, by Lieut. Col. E. Sabine.-BY THE BENGAL GOVERNMENT. EXCHANGED. 9.-The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, No. 82. 10.-Journal of the Agri-Horticultural Society of India, Vol. V. part III. 11.-Calcutta Journal of Natural History, No. 27. 12.-The London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, No. 194. PURCHASED. 13.-Conchologia Iconica, from No. 13 to 36. 14.-Thesaurus Conchyliorum, by G. B. Sowerby, Jr. Parts 4th, 5th, 6th. 15.-The Classical Museum, No. XIII. 16.-The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 119. 17.-Journal des Savans, Aout 1846. 18. The Calcutta Review, No. 12. DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM. 1.-A Steel and Tinder-box used by the natives of Lahl and Kooloo, Donor-II. TORRENS, Esq. |