father of Modaffer, we ought to observe, jects of dispute, which it would be irrele that the son and successor of Sekander Schah, called himself Gaiath-eddin, and the name of a prince, of the name of Moudjahed, is not mentioned by any Oriental author whatever. Those who are acquainted with Musulman history, will not be surprised at the pompous epithets which the kings of Bengal gave to the khalifs of Egypt; such were imam or sovereign pontif,-and magnificent khalif, titles assumed also by the ancient khalifs of Bagdad. It will, perhaps, be thought more singular that the names of the four first khalifs, or successors of Muhamed (Mahomet), should be inscribed on the medal numbered 4. vant here to discuss: but we must confine In general, nothing is so common in the east as epithets; even the Muhamedan towns have theirs. On No. 4 of our medals, the term of-the town well guarded, is an epithet which probably applies to Sonarganou, which bears also the title of brilliant residence, Here is the reason; the assemblage of these four names is the designation of the religious sect to which the Musulman princes of India belonged. It is well known, that among the various sects which divide Islamism, there are two principally which appear now more than ever to controul the rest. The first are the exclusive partisans of the right of the house of Ali, the second are those who acknowledge, as equally legitimate, all the families of the sovereigns who have governed Islamism. The division ascends to the first century of the Hejra. When Mahomet died, he left no son. The only person, who, by his birth, had a right to the empire, was Ali, who married Fatima, the daughter of Mahomet; unfortunately, the right of succession not being then established in Arabia as it was elsewhere. The fact is, that Ali did not immediately succeed his father-in-law, but occupied the throne after Abou-bekr, Omar, and Othman. Also, from that period, his partisans began to maintain, as they had previously maintained, that to him, exclusively, belonged the sovereign authority, and that the three princes who had preceded him, were intruders and usurpers. Those who thought this, however, were by no means the greater number. The others advised to leave things as they were; they contested not the right of Ali to the khalifat, from the moment that he was recognized as such by the Musulman provinces; they only required that the other three should not be rejected, consenting to acknowledge all the four as good and it is easy to convince ourselves, by our own eyes, that they have deceived themselves, even by following the draw legitimate khalifs. To these discussions, were introduced political and other sub the word that signifies residence, has been employed in all ages, with the same meaning, by the Musulman princes of India to exalt their capitals. Thus, in the drawing of the ancient medals of India, collected by Colonel Gentil, we read the words-residence of Lahor,-residence of Dehli,residence of Moultal; the same word is Nothing is more common for example, than to find this word on the coins of Fez and Morocco. It is an error of all those who have had to publish these medals, to have read castle for residence. Now, also used in Africa. خصن حضرة thus constructed are not, perhaps, in harmony with the rules of Arabic grammar; neither will we absolutely undertake to defend our manner of interpreting them. We should be careful, however, not to insist too much on this sort of reasoning; it would be wrong to suppose that the Arabic language was ever written in India, as it was formerly at Bagdad, and Bassora. Not to cite new authority, the word town, without the article which we might remark, on the medal No. 4, ought to have been prefixed. This grammatical error is just the same as if we should say, struck in the town the well guarded. We should say, by attending strictly and literally to the Arabic lan guage, struck in town the well guarded. TURKISH LITERATURE. We have translated the following excellent article from the Courier de Londres of March 30. Nouveaux Elémens de Grammaire Turke, à l'usage de l'Ecole Royale des Langues Orientales; par Amédée JAUEERt, Maître des Requêtes, Professeur de Langue Turke près la Bibliothèque du Roi, etc. AN erroneous opinion is generally entertained in Europe respecting the language and literature of the Ottomans, and their system of education. It is supposed by many, that the language of this barbaious people is even less cultivated than their manners: such, however, is not the case. The decendants of Othman† possess a language, which is inferior to no ancient or modern tongue in softness, flexibility, * A French newspaper published in London every Tuesday and Friday evening. We eagerly embrace this opportunity of recommending, particularly to our younger readers, this useful and interesting Journal, every number of which con. tains a great variety of valuable information admirably arrang d. We can scarcely imagine a better mode of obtaining a familiar acquaintance with the French language, than the constant perusal of a well-conducted newspaper in that tongue. It gives us pleasure to add, that the publication we allude to, is as remarkable for its moral tone, as for the general interest which the novelty and variety of its matter cannot fail of exciting. The barbarous appellation of Turks, by which this people is usually designated, is not acknow ledged by themselves. and harmony; and its rules are so admirably simple, that we should rather suppose them to have been framed by an academy of learned men, than by a society consisting of nomade and pastoral tribes. We shall not enter into a minute analysis of this language; but it may not be amiss to furnish, as an example of its general construction, the facility with which a verb is conjugated. By adding a single syllable, and sometimes by a single letter to the radical of the verb, it is thus modified. The verb sevmeq, to love, is made to signify, to be loved, to love one another, to make one love, to make us love one another, to love not, to be loved not, to make us not love one another, &c.We should tire our readers by following up the series of modifications. There are, however, several defects with which this language, or rather those who write it, may be charged. The literati of the country frequently write with a degree of obscurity it would be easy to avoid. Not contented with admitting into their pages, a multiplicity of Arabic and Persian terms, borrowed from their neighbours, and which are not readily subjected to the rules of Turkish syntax, they strive to crowd together a number of participles, which give no determinate time, always keep the meaning of the sentence inconveniently suspended, and sometimes even to the end of the second or third leaf of the volume. When, in addition to these defects, we take into consideration, that there are neither vowels, paragraphs, nor punctuation, which, in fact, are seldom to be met with in Oriental languages, we may form a tolerable idea of the perspicuity of a Turkish manuscript. The penury of Turkish literature is, doubtless, to be attributed to these causes. Nevertheless the language can boast of poets, for instance, Rouhihi and Meshiy; of romance writers, amongst whom the aged Tartare Barakeh may be mentioned; and of a considerable number of historians, geographers, and physicians. But, even if the Turkish language does not present us with a variety of literary productions worthy of attention, it ought not the less to be an object of study to the philologist, for it is the only diplomatic language made use of at most of the eastern courts. It is almost exclusively spoken at the courts of the Viceroy of Egypt, and the Shah of Persia, under the tents of the great Khans of Tartary, and in the seraglio of the Sultan, and is cer tainly the maternal language of these princes. In fact, over all the northern coasts of Africa, and from Constantinople to the western frontiers of China, there is scarcely a spot where the Turkish idiom is not more or less understood. The importance of such a language is undoubt edly great, whether regarded in a commercial or diplomatic view. M. Jaubert, whose justly celebrated name recalls to our recollection the various services he has rendered to his country, has now established a new claim upon the gratitude of his fellow-citizens, as well as upon that of all friends to literature, by publishing the grammar to which we are here requesting the attention of our readers. The scarcity and dearness of the small grammar published at Constanti. nople, by the Jesuit Holderman; the obscurity of Meninski's grammar; and the incorrectness of the Oriental type, in that which was published by father Viguier, render the new publication of M. Jaubert very acceptable to Orientalists. Instead of following the example of his predecessors, by rendering his subject difficult and complicated by a multiplicity of rules, for the most part useless, this writer has endeavoured to simplify the language he has undertaken to teach, by laying its elements before us with method and perspicuity. He has distinguished, with much address, a variety of trifling anomalies, which other grammarians had regarded as general rules instead of exceptions. In short, this learned orientalist has employed the superior intelligence he has derived from long study and extensive experience to preserve to the Turkish idiom the character of simplicity which justly belongs to it. The work is concluded by a collection of proverbs, engraved in lithographic, by M. Bianchi, and which are both entertaining and instructive. These proverbs will serve as exercises for the pupil; and will, at the same time, be interesting to other readers, by exemplifying the wisdom and observation of a people generally supposed to be barbarous. We repeat, the Turks are by no means so uncivilized as report declares them. Public instruction is encouraged by all the higher classes of society, Numbers of rich men, in bequeathing legacies, usually devote a portion to the erection of a Mudreseh, or public school. Several of the Turkish emperors have followed the example. It is actually the case, whatever surprize the statement may occasion, that, at the present moment, there exists at Constantinople, a greater number of colleges than at Paris. In the penal laws of this people, there are certain provisions which are not to be found in our own codes,* but which would have done honour to the wisdom of our legislators. Unfortunately, however, these institutes are infected with the same fanatical spirit which attaches generally to the followers of Mahomet, and more especially to those Mahometans who belong to the Sunnite sect. This fanaticsim will ever prevent the present rulers of the Bosphorus from attaining to such a degree of civilization, as is absolutely requisite to enable them to command respect in the great family of European nations. M. de Hammer, the learned German Orien talist, has published a translation of these laws, known by the title of Canons. A French version of the German work is now in the press at Paris, RETIRED HALF-PAY TO COMPANY'S OFFICERS. To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal. SIR: I have learnt with great satisfaction, that the Hon. Court of Directors have increased the half-pay of their retired captains to seven, and of lieutenants to four shillings per diem, from Christmas last. This is as it should be; and I am confident all officers in the service must feel grateful for this liberal consideration of their long represented claims. Although upon the retired list, I cannot omit expressing to you, how highly pleased I am with the new formation of the Indian army; as it not only renders the various establishments infinitely more respectable, but each corps being formed into two regiments, they are thus rendered more compact, and all military detail for distant reliefs or field service becomes more efficient. Junior colonels, it is true, may have to wait in succession for offreckonings; but this is in some degree compensated, by advanced rank and pay; and a few years must, in the course of nature, occasion a diminution of their seniors, both at home and India. I confess I should like to see the irregular horse and infantry, and each sebundy corps, most efficiently officered. They should all be commanded by a lieut.-colonel, and each troop and company should at least have one European officer. These corps are chiefly placed on our frontiers in conspicuous situations; and it ought to be made a rule, that they should furnish recruits or drafts, when required for the line regiments; for, by thus introducing recruits from various and distant parts into the several corps, the hitherto distinct system of levies may be dispensed with; and from this ready intermixture of men into the line, procured from such distant points as Ramghur, Rungpore, Gorruckpore, Burdwan, Benares, Cawnpore, and Midnapore, &c. &c., in all about sixteen distinct and distant situations, they would be less liable to desert, than when corps obtain recruits from favoured places, such as the Oude province. I well recollect, that when some of our most admired Bengal corps for discipline and appearance of the men, were ordered down into Bengal, or on service to the coast, they were apt to desert in a greater ratio than the more compact little sepoys, who, moreover, on long marches, proved more capable of enduring the fatigue of arduous field-service, than the Oude grenadiers: the same may be also said of the battalion men in the royal corps. Men of large stature are not able to endure the fatigues of long marches. To render all sepoy regiments more efficient, the bazar of each corps should be distinct, and under the controul of their commanding officer, or its paymaster; for all officers must recollect how Lord Cornwallis's plan of placing the station bazar under the civil paymaster, who was to supply corps ordered on march with bazars, proved abortive, the chowdries and bazar men often deserting, and occasioning great distress to the corps. How far the institution of an active commissariat may have corrected the evil, I am not able to decide. In the Oriental Herald, I observe, that the hardship, which the writer supposes is likely to be experienced by the Bengal engineers, is set forth in a letter signed Cato; but my old friends in the B. E. must well recollect, that Lieut. General Cameron was a major for some years before Sir Henry White (both being cadets of the same year) was made a captain. The same may be observed of the various artillery promotions over those of the infantry. It is utterly impossible to reform any army without partial supercession being NEW ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN. (Discovered by Capt. Hunter of the DONA CARMELITA.) Extract from the Donà Carmelita's Log Book. July 20.-Fine clear weather, carrying all possible sail. At 11. 30. P.M. saw the land, bearing S.W. by W., distance six miles, up courses and shortened sail to the top-sails and stood towards it at day.. light, fresh breezes, the land discovered proved to be an island. At 8 A.M. close in under the lee of it, observed a number of fishing canoes to leeward, which were plying for the shore with all possible dispatch; bore down and intercepted one of them, and with a good deal of persuasion got one of the people to come on board, when I presented him with a hatchet and piece of white cloth, which pleased him much, as he showed it to all the canoes that were about the ship, and after that we did not want visitors. About this time a Chief came on board, and on my making signs that we wanted refreshments, he sent all the canoes on shore, and staid on board himself with a few others. At 11. 30. close in shore, armed and manned the cutter, and dispatched her on shore in charge of the 1st officer and our friend the chief, keeping another on board as a hostage. At 1 P.M. the canoes returned from shore, to the number of thirty, laden with hogs, yams, plaintains and other fruits, and traded with the greatest honesty for iron hoops, nails, and pieces of white cloth, &c. They seemed to be very expert swimmers, as they often got their canoes overturned; but it never incommoded them in the least, for they soon put them to rights. They are about the colour of Malays, but have more of the European features. The island from the ship appeared most Asiatic Journ.-No. 101. beautiful, and seemed to be well culti vated and inhabited. The canoes were very handsome, not unlike the Ceylon canoes, and ornamented with shells. At 4 P.M. the cutter returned from the shore, having on board twelve hogs, a great quantity of yams, and tropical fruit of different kinds. The Chief Officer related the following particulars: Chief Officer's Report concerning the Isle of Onaseuse, or Hunter's Island. At 1 P.M. got close in shore, the native desired us to pull in, when we observed a great concourse of people assembled on a bluff point of land. The surf being pretty high, landed opposite the people. The native in the cutter pointed out the King (Funafooah); the King with his attendants came round and seated himself close to the boat. The native desired me to walk towards the King. I thought it best to go unarmed, as it would make them have more confidence in us. Most of them were armed with war clubs, with short round heads, some with spears from 24 to 40 feet long, afterwards I saw some much longer. A great number of women, many of whom carried two spears, as I judged for the use of the men. I was desired to sit down close to his Majesty; after making my obedience, I made him a present of a white shirt, putting it on him; I likewise gave the same to his brother; they seemed highly pleased, and in return, made a present of a hog, a basket of yams and bananahs and cocoa-nuts. After sitting some time, surrounded by men and women, I made him a present of a looking. glass, which seemed to surprise them greatly; it went from the King to the Queen, and from her all round, every one taking a look at it, and then touching the crown of their heads with it; that cereVOL. XVII. 3 U |