Showing 37 results

'Copy of a letter addressed to Colonel Sykes by Captain Kittoe (no place or date)' in which he writes that he has just returned from a tour along the bank of the Gandak. He has spent several months examining inscriptions made by Captain R.W. Ellis, Political Assistant in Bundelkund. He is currently having them translated into English. He is becoming convinced that ancient Pali was the first written character in Central India.

Kittoe also writes about the architectural details and sculpture discoveries that he has been making of both Buddhist and Brahmanical buildings giving descriptions of them and their inscriptions. There are also some pencil sketches with the copy of the letter to further aid his descriptions. He writes of having been in Allahabad as well as Bupau, Patna and back to the Benares (Varanasi) area.

'Copy of a letter addressed to Col. Sykes by Capt. R. Gill, dated Jabneh, 29 March 1849' in which he writes of his latest series of paintings which comprise of copies of nearly all the paintings of the verandah of the caves except that which was supposed to be a representation of the zodiac, but which appeared to Gill as a representation of the states of man. Gill continues to describe the caves and their paintings, inscriptions and layout.

'Copy of a letter addressed to Col. Sykes by Dr. Gutzlaff, dated Hong Kong, 24 January 1851' in which he writes of the difficulties of interpreting the Buddhist literature as it is in verse and he cannot find anyone that can give an adequate explanation of it. He writes that the ancient literature writes of pilgrims between India and China and of the difference in Buddhism between the two countries.

He also writes of the statistical investigation of the country and information that he is gleaning from merchants. He writes that the Royal Asiatic Society will publish his Japanese grammar.

'Copy of a letter addressed to Col. Sykes, East India House, by Dr. Impey, dated Indore, 10 June 1849' in which Impey writes that in the same mail he has sent Sykes a paper on the colossal Jain figure on the 'Satpoonah Range'. He is unable to decide which of the Jain figures it represents. The inscriptions to be found are in Sanskrit. He compares his discovery to that of Captain Vodel's written about in the Transactions of the Society. He also writes of visiting the caves at Awkya Tankye.

'Copy of a letter addressed to Capt. Reynolds by Dr W.H. Bradley, dated Camp [Humber, near Soulah], 25 January 1830' in which he asks Reynolds to pass on to Colonel Sykes the information he writes regarding the Aurangabad Caves. He then continues to provide the information and his opinion upon the caves.

'Copy of a Letter addressed to Col. Sykes by Hugo James Esq., dated Lahore, 20 Oct. 1849' in which he writes to send information about the Dera Ghat. He writes of the taking of the fort of Lukkee. He and others had accompanied the force and sends this letter to write of their discoveries concerning the area and its inhabitants.

'Copy of a Letter addressed to Col. Sykes by the Revd. Dr. J. Stevenson on an Inscription from the Nana Ghat, Bombay (Mumbai), 14 May 1851' in which he writes that the Cave Com. of the Royal Asiatic Society has acquired the services of a young man, Mr Brett, who has a taste for the study of languages and makes very good sketches. He is engaged in making exact facsimiles of all the Western India Inscriptions. He also writes that his Society has agreed to reprint the three volumes of the Transactions of the Bombay Literary Society. In the third volume, he writes, is an inscription from the Nana Ghat which he had visited recently and so wants to add to what was already known.

'Copy of a letter addressed to Col. Sykes by Walter Elliot Esq. of the Madras Civil Service, dated at [Maltari] Vizagapatam, 5 Sept. 1850' in which he writes to send the inscriptions he has received from Captain Gill from Ajanta. He writes concerning these inscriptions and of others that can be found in Madras.

'Copy of a letter from Capt. Gill, addressed to Col. Sykes, dated at Adjuntah, 16 October, 1849' in which he writes of his concern that his paintings had not arrived when Sykes had written to him. He has continued to copy the cave paintings and writes of those and inscriptions. He also writes concerning Professor Wilson's remarks upon his paintings and of some things Wilson seems to have missed.