Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/266

 August, 1875.] BOOK NOTICES. 253 " * It might be expected chat a Jaina coll like the Jesillmir Brihajjiuinakoslia (great store- house of learning) would be composed entirely of religious books of the sect to which it belongs. But that is byno means the case. Fully one-third of the MSS. contain Brahmamcai or profane works by Jaina autln " Dr. Bidder has made arrangements to obtain copies of all the important new works found in this library. He thinks also that careful collations of all the old Brohmoiiicnl MSS. should be made, as the present editions are based on much later and less trustworthy MSS. The total number of MSS. copied or purchased in Kajputa-nn is upwards of two hundred. Besides, thirty MSS. have been acquired iu Gujarat ; several of these have been lent to Sanskritists iu India and in Europe -, and Dr. Buhler has an edition of the Vikramankakavya in the press." In the Educational part of the report it is to be noticed that the Superintendent of the School of Art states that "the Ajanta Expedition and Mr. Burgess's explorations have affected Ins returns by drawing off some of his best pupils." As they could hardly be better employed, we will not lament over the falling ofT in the returns, and it is pleasant to observe that Mr. Griffiths con si 1 ffirs " the art-experience gained" to have been " of great practical value to the students who have been employed in copying and restoring" the Ajanta- paintings, although we regret to observe that Heveral of the students employed in the expedi- tion have since Buffered from fever, — which illustrates the dangers and difficulties under which researches of the sort are carried out, and which, perhaps, are not always Fully appreciated by those who have not undergone them. •• All the paintings brought from Ajanta in the prece>i were photographed, and the origi- exhibition at the Town Hull and Vie- •• sent home to the ! Museum. The Government of India have now sanctioned a r petition of the expedition at a cost of lis. 5,000 yearly until the work is liuished; and sin-re the close of the year under repoi ha has been sent to England to study the latest i for the restoration of the puiir and to make inquiries as to the possibility of removing i '''" already partly detached, or which could bo easily detached. " ■■ .!u u ; I luring the past year a regular survey of bond and other archaeolo- gical remains in the Bombay Presidency was com- laeneodbyMr. BurgCSS. Thi in ili.' despatch of Hi* Grace the Duke of Argyll, No. 173. of I lth October 1871, in which it was proposed that arrangements should be made by this Government to carry into effect certain sug- gestions which had bean made for the production of a complete work on the Rock-Cut Temples of Western India. "A detailed scheme was accordingly drawn out by the Honourable Mr. Gibbs, was fully concurred in by His Excellency in Council, and recommend- ed to the Government of India in this Govern- ment's letter No. ^*, dated 2 tth July 1678. This contemplated the employment of Mr Burgess on this special duty for about three years, during which time he was to spend six mouths of the dry weather in the field, and six months at home elab- orating the notes he had made during his tour, preparing the plans and drawings, and printing the photographs. The Government of India had 568 set apart Bs. 13,000 for this work in the Bombay Presidency, and this sum was notexceeded in the scheme proposed. But it was pointed out that with more liberal allowance for establishment the held work would be carried on much more rapidlV, and in the end the work would be propor- tionately cheaper. It was also proposed that the operations should extend over Haidarabad, the Berars and Central Provinces, in addition to the Bombay Presidency, and that whilst the main object of the survey would be the caves and other Buddhist remains scattered over this extensive area, careful surveys of some at least of the most interesting Brahmanical and Jaina remains should be included. "The scheme was -sanctioned by the Govern* ment of India on the understanding that the ex- pense should not exceed the authorized grant of Us. 13,000, and on the condition that the operations should rioted to the Bombay Presidency." Thelatter limitation, however, excluded the Ajnnta, Eluril, and other groups of caves just outside tho Bombay Presidency, and thus rendered impossible the pi of a complete work on the roe! temples of Western India. This has been rem .and Haidarabad and th'- Central Provinces! have now been added to Bombay and Beriir as tho field to bo surveyed. M Mi*. Burgess did not take charge of the of Archaeological Surveyor and Reporter till the .lamiary 1871, and his actual work in the field did not begin till the -2nd February. He concluded pril, as, owing to a thunder-storm. prefcended his materials might be injured by rain. Hi- first season ma thna a ferry abort one, and in addition he had other difficulties to contend against. He states aeana at his disposal were too limited for the organization fa proper -Mil. and that the allowance for photography in particular was manifestly inadequ " On the whole, however, it appears that a good