cute his researches, it was necessary for him to enter into a negociation with the Brahmins who resided in the temples. He has given us the following history of this ludicrous affair:

I will now give the piece of diplomacy between the high contracting powers: it is short and explanatory, as all state papers ought to be. Whether there is any ability or address in the official document, is left to the better judgment of any of those gentlemen who lately met at Verona,

should this work have the good fortune to fall into such hands.

Article 1. The great hall of the temple is to be entirely evacuated by the fakeers of all orders, and the portico at the entrance to be likewise freed of all intruders. -Agreed to; but that my servants are on no account or pretence to cook meat, or smoke tobacco, within the walls.

Article 2. That free ingress and egress are to be allowed to the devotees at certain

hours for the Ling worship of Máhá Deo, situated in one of the small rooms. Agreed to; but the priest and pilgrims are to proceed down the hall by the side aisles, and not through the larger or centre one. Agreed to.

Article 3. That one spring of water is solely appropriated to my purposes, and no other to be polluted in any way whatever by me or my people. Agreed to.

Article 4. That no foul sheep, kid, or other animal, is to be slaughtered near any of the temples, but one hundred yards distant, in front of the ground where my tent is pitched; that the cooking is to take place a few yards outside the wall of the front entrance. Agreed to.

(Signed) SOMEKEE RAM VYSTNAM,

1810.

Bráhman,

Bhumeshearee, Sunassee. Gopal-Dass, Gossein. Indurvirakumee, Voiragee. NULLA RAO,

On my part

Bráhman and Pundit. In this treaty, it will be observed, no reference was made to beef, knowing the abhorrence they have even to the name of it however accidentally or slightly alluded to, the mere mention of it will put a high caste Hindoo into a cold sweat of horror, and cause his countenance to assume a livid colour: they will spit on the ground at the moment, that their breath may not be contaminated with the dreadful sound. I had salt provisions with me, but it would have been a cruelty to have outraged their feelings by letting them know it; nor would it have been a very wise or very safe thing to have informed them I had such an article in my possession.

In one of the front rooms, near the balcony over the gateway, is the bull Nundi himself, the daily object of adora

Since the visit of Capt. Seely, the circumstances of the country which contains these imperishable monuments of Hindoo idolatry have greatly changed. The district is now placed under British protection, and is consequently no longer infested by roving bands, whose occupation for many years has been plunder and devastation. Our countrymen are now at liberty to explore at leisure the most gigantic and perhaps most perfect relics of ancient superstition. By comparing these wonderful remains with the similar temples and idolatrous symbols of ancient Egypt, which the last few years have likewise opened to our inspection, much may be possibly effected to bring to light the history of the earliest ages. The labours of our antiquaries have been hitherto conducted in the dark with little or no encouragepenement, and it speaks well for their tration and judgment that so much has been accomplished. They are at length, however, beginning to work in a mine that is replete with the richest treasures, but one which undoubtedly demands the qualification of an expansive mind. Far as we must always be from undervaluing the advantages to be derived from the patient study of Sanscrit literature, we think, at the same time, that a single glance at these palpable productions of the first ages of the world, will do more to unravel difficulties and flash truth upon the mind, than the perusal of multiplied tomes surcharged, as they mostly are, with the absurdities, corruptions, and fabulous stories of comparatively modern times.

Capt. Seely has ventured a few speculations illustrative of certain historical passages in sacred writ, which, whether correct or otherwise, may open the way to further elucidation. subjoin the following as a specimen:

We

Figures of monkeys and peacocks are found carved in many of the temples. Both these animals are held in high vene

ration; and where British soldiers are stationed, the most positive orders are issued, by the local authorities, that no molestation be offered to them. On this subject a curious coincidence occurs in the first book of Kings, 10th chapter, 22d

verse :

"For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish (Tarsus), with the navy of Hiram (Tyre). Once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks."

It is singular that a people so remote from each other should distinctly mention these animals only; and a natural ques tion arises on it: For what purpose could Solomon import apes and peacocks? On this question an observation or two may be

hazarded. We know that the Hindoos were strictly forbidden, under severe penalties, from passing beyond the Indus. Instances are known where Hindoos of high character, proceeding on embassies to Persia, have for a time been degraded from their caste. It is very probable that many of the superstitions of the Egyp

tians, and other nations who held communication with India by Suez and the Red Sea, have borrowed many of their deities and customs from ancient India. The Hindoos being likewise forbidden to go on board of ship, it appears impossible that they could have adopted the forms or idols of other nations. They can neither migrate to distant countries, nor do they intermarry with foreigners; neither does their religion admit of proselytes or con

verts.

Any thing that tends to open our minds to the political or religious history of the earliest periods, and more particularly to throw light upon obscure passages in that volume which, a few days ago, was happily designated in Parliament as the “most beautiful history of the world," will always be attended to with interest and veneration.

A Special General Court of Proprietors was held at the East-India House on the 26th May, at which a resolution was agreed to, granting a special allowance of £300 per annum to each of the Carnatic Commissioners, in addition to their ordinary salary of £1,500. This grant was made in consideration of the additional duty of adjusting the debts between the creditors of the late Rajah of Tanjore and the East-India Company, being about to be placed in their hands by a bill now pending in Parliament.

In answer to several questions respecting the papers, ordered to be printed, relating to the administration of the Marquess of Hastings, the Chairman informed the Court that they were very voluminous, and were classed under the following heads: 1. The Nepaul war. 2. The Pindarree and Mahratta War. 3. The transactions between the house of Palmer and Co. and the Nizam of Hyderabad; and 4. The finances of India. The Chairman was not able to fix any determinate time when these papers would be ready for distribution.

A brief conversation next took place on the subject of the Palembang Prize. money; after which the Chairman adverted to a case that had been lately brought into the Court of King's Bench, in which two persons of the names of Taggart and Bascombe were prosecuted for taking the

sum of £100 from an individual named Bennett, on condition that they would procure him a commission in the Com. pany's forces. The commission was procured, and Bennett was now an Ensign on the Bengal Establishment. On the facts being examined, Taggart was acquitted, and Bascombe found guilty. The appointment, it appeared, was conferred through the nomination of an Hon. Director, on whose conduct, however, no imputation could be cast. He was, notwithstanding, most anxious that the matter should be investigated by the Proprietors. In consequence of his wish, the trial would be laid before them, and a motion would be made on the subject at the next General Court.

The Resolution of the Court of Direc tors of the 25th May relative to the transaction was then read. The chief point it contained was a declaration, that, as Mr. Bennett, to whom the commission had been given, was ignorant of the manner in which it had been obtained, the order which subjected persons procuring situations inproperly to removal and prosecution, should be suspended in his favour, he not being a fit subject for penalties. The Court then adjourned.

The lateness of the month has compelled us to present our readers with a mere abstract of the debate. It will be given at length in our next number.

CALCUTTA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

At a meeting which was held on the 19th of November, some very interesting communications were laid before the Society by the Secretary from Mr. Moorcroft. One of these, dated so far back as August 1822, describes an umbelliferous plant called prangos, and employed in the form of hay as a winter fodder for sheep and neat cattle. It is a native of Draz, from whence Mr. Moorcroft sent a large quantity of the seed, and several specimens of the dried herb, to the Government. The greater part of this highly interesting despatch has been forwarded to the Honourable Court of Directors for the Board of Agriculture of Britain; the rest has been distributed by the Superintendent of the Botanic Garden, with the view of affording every possible chance of success in rearing the plant. Unfortunately those which were sown at the Botanic Garden did not come up, nor is it likely that any part of the present des. patch will vegetate, as the seeds were more than a year old when they were received. The plant is described as being highly nutricious and fattening, and what would render it invaluable in England, it destroys the liver-fluke, which kills so many thousands of sheep annually. If it is considered that in addition to the above valuable properties the prangos yields a vast crop, endures through many years, and admits of being cultivated on land of the most poor and unpromising quality, the plant deserves to be ranked among the most important in rural economy that has ever been discovered. Dr. Wallich calls it laserpitium prangos. The other letter was dated from Kashmeer, the 8th of July last, and contains a number of ex. tremely valuable and interesting observations on the fruits cultivated there, which consist principally of apples, pears, quinces, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, mulberries, walnuts, pomegranates, and almonds, with their numerous varieties. With the view of introducing these riches into Hindoostan, Mr. Moorcroft recommends that a small nursery should be established in the Shalimar of Penjower, a garden which was established by a former Governor of the province of Kashmeer, and belongs now, with the adjoining country, to Raja Puteeala, who, it appears, derives no revenue from it, nor ever visits it. The garden is about twentythree days' journey from Kashmeer, three from Sabhatoo to the south, and about

nine from Delhi.

The Society concurring in the outline of this plan, have resolved to make a Asiatic Journ.-No. 102.

representation on the subject to the Supreme Government. An interesting account is also given of the manner in which the surface of water is made available for the purposes of gardening in that fertile country, by detaching a part of the banks of lakes, and forming them into floating, flexible beds, sometimes of very considerable extent, on which cucumbers, melons, and water-melons of a superior size and flavour are had in greater quantities. These singularly constructed oats are sometimes surrounded with a floating hedge made of reeds, and they are towed from one place to another as it suits the convenience of the proprietor, whose chief risk appears to rest on the frequency with which these moveable gardens are stolen away, and the difficulty of recognizing property among so many others of precisely the same shape and size.

A letter was also read from Mr. D. Scott, at Cooch Behar, describing a very ingenious, cheap, and successful method, invented by him, of raising cauliflowers, peas, and potatoes, during the rainy season, and applicable, probably, to most of the other sorts of vegetables. The principal feature of his plan consists in protecting the roots of the plants from the pernicious effects of too much moisture.

A letter was read from Lord Amherst, in reply to an address from the President, voted at the last meeting, signifying his Lordship's and Lady Amherst's compliance with the unanimous wishes of the Society, to become their patron and patroness, in succession to the Marquess and Marchioness of Hastings. His Lordship observed that he and Lady Amherst felt the warmest interest in the objects embraced by the Agricultural and Horticul tural Society, and would be proud to find themselves associated with those patriotie individuals, whose pursuits are directed to the substantial and permanent improvement of the British territory in India.

A communication from Mr. Chinnery announced that the portrait of their late patroness would be finished towards the close of the year.

Dr. C. Abel, W. Petrie, Esq., and Baboo Prusunno Cumar Thakoor, were elected members of the Society.

FRENCH ASIATIC SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the French Asiatic Society, held about the end of April, the President opened the proceedings by reading a letter from the Duke of Orleans, in which he expressed his regret at being unable to assist at this year's meeting, but assured the Society of his strenuous VOL. XVII. 4 P

support, and his best wishes for their success in propagating the knowledge of the Chinese, Hindoo, Sanscrit, and other Asiatic tongues in the colleges in France. The Secretary then proceeced to read a long report on the success of those engaged in the discovery of Asiatic manuscripts, and the progress made in perfecting types for printing those already re. ceived in Europe. Ile entered largely on the obstacles to be encountered in procuring copies, as the originals were generally deposited in the archives of the churches in Asia, and strictly guarded by the Bramins, whose prejudices it was difficult to vanquish. Many manuscripts have already been translated into Latin during the present year, among which is one by Monsieur Stanislaus Julien, who, in little more than a year, has made incredible progress in the knowledge of the Asiatic languages, and translated Mengtseu into Latin. The Secretary proceeded to compliment the British, whose researches had been very successful, and to acknowledge the favours the Society had received from the literati of Germany, and other countries, in aid of their laudable exertions in introducing into Europe the literature of those countries which gave birth to literature and the

arts.

MANUFACTURE OF INDIGO IN BENGAL.

The plant when cut is tied up in bundles of a given size, which is determined by a chain being passed round them. These are carefully placed in the steepingvat as soon after they are cut as possible, and pieces of wood being placed over them, to keep them down when the steeping shall have caused them to swell, the water is poured over them. When the water is equally covered with a scum or froth, it is considered time to pour it off, and this is done by pulling out a spiggot from the steeping vat, and allowing the water to run into another vat in front of and below the first. The water is then of a light green colour, and if covered in many places with a light copper-coloured scum, a good opinion is formed of the produce of the vat. This vat is about three or four feet deep, and from fifteen to thirty men, according to its size, jump into it, and with sticks, with which they are provided for the purpose, violently agitate the water. This process is called beating. After it has been continued for some time, the whole of the vats become covered with a light blue froth, standing sometimes for a foot or more above its surface. A few drops of oil precipitate all this, and the beating is continued until no more froth rises, and when the contents of the vat have assumed a black colour the operation is dis. continued. The object of thus beating

the liquor is to facilitate and expedite the separation of the blue from the evanescent yellow colour, from the junction of which the light green colour before alluded to is formed, and to determine the fecula, which afterwards is the indigo, to the bottom of the vat. After being allowed to steep for a sufficient time to precipitate the fecula, the water is carefully drawn off by remov ing one peg at a time from the front of the vat, and the indigo is left at the bottom. After this the last spiggot is taken out, and the indigo, still in a liquid state, is conveyed to another, called the settling vat. Here it is separated from the remainder of the water, and from hence it is afterwards conveyed to the boiler. After boiling for a sufficient time, it is allowed to pass from the boiler, through a piece of gauze, into a channel, which conveys it to the drying house. Here it is received in the state of a thick jelly upon pieces of cotton, through which any remaining water drains. After this has been sufficiently done, it is placed in frames to be pressed, and when the indigo becomes sufficiently pressed, it is taken from these and cut into the shape in which we see it, The cakes are then dried in the shade, which requires a considerable time, and are afterwards packed up in boxes of a specific weight.

An indigo concern of from 5 to 6,000 biggahs of land, will require from 2,500 to 3,000 people during the manufacturing season. The persons chiefly employed are natives of the bill districts, and appear to be a more active and industrious race of men than those of the plains, working more willingly, and free from many of the prejudices of the latter. They are of a low stature, with compressed features and flat noses. The price of labour is S rupees a month, and from this their frugal habits enable them to form a fund to take home with them.

CAPT. PARLEY'S RIFLE ROCKETS. To those interested or curious in the important matter of yesterday's (Dec. 15) exhibition at Dum-Dum, where the first practical experiment of Capt. Parlby's rifle rocket was undertaken by express desire of authority, the result must be most gratifying. The display took place in presence of General Hardwick, Commandant of the Bengal Artillery, who is now on the eve of embarking for Europe, of Colonel Casement, and many civilians and officers, who could not fail to experience a pleasing and proud satisfaction at the complete success of an experiment of which the ingenious and scientific individual has himself just cause for exultation, and his masters good reason to be gratified. The short notice, only a few days since, on which Capt. Parlby had to prepare, speaks much of the activity and ready