Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 1.djvu/468

418 Resolved, that the thanks of the Society be presented to the Donors of the above presents. A collection of papers on the language and literature of Madagascar, and specimens of Missionary Tracts, printed at Madagascar, were presented by Mr. Calder, on the part of Mr. C. Telfair, President of the Natural History Society of the Mauritius. We hope hereafter to find room for the insertion of some of the curious legends of Madagascar, as translated faithfully by Mr. Baker, the contributor of the spe- cimen of the poetry of that island printed in our number for March. Remarks on the intercourse of the western nations of antiquity with India, by Mr. E. Stirling.

The papers connected with the abstract of the subsequent portion of the Kah-gyur were laid on the table ; of which an analysis by the Secretary was presented at the last meeting ; (printed in the present No.) The thanks of the Society were voted for the above.

1. — Extract of a letter from Lieut. Alex. Barnes, dated Balkh, Wth June, 1832.

" On leaving India, I had resolved to avoid the Town of Khulm, in the territories of the Uzbek chief of Kiindiiz, who placed Mr. Moorcroft's party under contribu- tion to the amount of 25,000 rupees, but by the urgent advice of a most influen- tial man at Kabul we joined a party who were to pass that town, since they were supposed to have influence at Knnduz. The result was, that we were forthw ith put under surveillance, and reported to the chief, who summoned us to his pre- sence. Leaving all my party behind me, as well as Dr. Gerard, I proceeded to Kundiiz, and personified the character of a poor Armenian, by profession a watch- maker, who was proceeding to Bokhara. Muiad B£g was deceived ; but I must add, that I first came to a private understanding with his custom-house officers to keep me in countenance. You may imagine, I did not wait long at Kunduz, but mounting my horse, rode 70 miles at one stretch, and 40 on the following day, to this city, where we are beyond the reach of all such d^sagremens. As I finish this, our caravan is just starting for Bokhara, which we shall reach in fourteen days.

Our journey across the Hindu Kush was most exciting: it is a fearful undertaking, but with a judicious choice of season presents no barrier to the passage of an army, if accompanied by a horde of pioneers. The great range of the Indian Caucasus, i. e. the prolongation of the Himalaya, has been placed erroneously in our maps to the north, instead of the south of Bamian. None of the passes were higher than 12,000 feet, as water boiled on them at 192° and 193°, [Bar. 19.72 and 20.15 inches,] but some of the peaks cannot be under 20,000 feet. There are six passes between Kabul and Khulm. The formations of the three first differed widely from those farther north, and which are lower. South of Bamian we had iron, blue mica slate, and quartz, and from the higher hills blocks of granite had been precipitated from above. North of Bamidn, at the pass of Dundan Shikun, or the tooth-breaker, the formation changed into ash-coloured limestone, and continued so till we left the mountains. Once across the mountains we wound among terrific defiles and dells, the different courses of the water. Some of these rose to a height