EX MONETA Essays on Numismatics, History and Archaeology : in honour of ‘ Dr. David W. MacDowall (Volume 2) Edited by Amal Kumar Jha Sanjay Garg = HARMAN PUBLISHING HOUSE New Delhi 199827 COINS COLLECTED BY CHARLES MASSON I AFGHANISTAN Sanjay Garg Among the pioneer explorers of Ariana (as Afghanistan was called by the Europeans during the early 19th century), the name of Charles Masson (1800-53) is well-known He traversed through that ferra-incognita for thirteen long years, between 1827 and 1840, and collected enormous antiquities. His collection, which is remarkable for its numismatic ingredients, included a large number of coins of Graeco-Bactrian, Indo-Greek and the Kushana monarchs, which formed the basis of later advanced researches that led to the veritable revelation of quite a few kings which were unknown to the numismatists and historians of his times. No comprehensive account of Masson’s life and works was available till 1986, when Sir Gordon Whitteridge, British Ambassador to Afghanistan between 1965 and 1968, published the first biography of Charles Masson’. As for the original sources for the above work, the author has utilised the manuscript sources available in the U.K. only — at the India Office Library and Records and at Guildhall Library. However, a large number of untapped archival material is available in the records of the East India Company housed in the National Archives of India, New Delhi, which throw immense light on the circumstances, methods, extent and the nature of Masson’s antiquarian explorations in Afghanistan 1. Gordon Whitteridge, Charles Masson of Afghanistan: Explorer, Archaeologist, Numismatist ‘and Intelligence Agent (Warminster, 1986).382 Charles Masson in Afghanistan This paper contrives to present a few gleanings about Masson’s numismatic explorations in Afghanistan as revealed from the archival sources in the National Archives of India. It is with a deep sense of satisfaction and gratitude that I dedicate this paper to Dr. D.W. MacDowall whose interests, knowledge and contribution to the study of Afghanistan and its antiquity motivated me to undertake my own study of Charles Masson, I Charles Masson was born on 16 February 1800 in London as James Lewis. On 5 October 1821 he joined the East India Company’s armed forces and the following year sailed for Bengal. From 1822 to 1827, he served in the 3rd Troop of the Ist Brigade of the Bengal Horse Artillery. In 1827, when his regiment was posted at Agra, he deserted from the army?. Under the self-assumed citizenship of Kentucky (USA) and a fake name, Charles Masson, he wandered over a large tract of land — ‘penniless at first, usually alone and on foot’, He traversed through Rajputana to Bahawalpur (1827); to Peshawar (1828) and thence through the Khyber Pass to Jalalabad and Kabul (1828); then to Baluchistan and Sind (1829) and finally to Persia (1830). His wanderings were solely aimed to ‘put as much territory as possible between himself and British India in order to minimise the risk of being detected"®. At Persia, for the first time since his desertion from the army, Masson came in contact with a British official. Major David Wilson, British Resident at Bushire, whom Masson met under his American Persona, could never doubt the ‘genuineness’ of his guest’s claim. Wilson forwarded to the Government of Bombay, a large number of Masson’s papers relating to his description of the prevailing conditions in Afghanistan, including an account of the city of Herat‘. These papers aroused great interest of the English authorities in India. Diligent enquiries then followed which eventually ‘unmasked’ Masson. It was, however, not till 1832, that Masson formally figures in the Government of India’s records. It was only after his return from Persia to Kabul in 1832 that he was spotted by a British 2. Nothing was known about Masson’s early life till 1933, when Frank E. Ross wrote about the collection of Masson Manuscripts in the India Office at London; see Frank E. Ross, ‘New Light on Charles Masson’, Indian Antiquary, Vol. 62 (1933), pp.221-22. 3. Whitteridge, op. cit, p. 6. 4. George W. Forrest, Selections from the Travels and Journals Preserved in the Bombay Secretariat (Bombay, 1906), pp. 101-08Sanjay Garg 383 Intelligence agent’. Cognizant of the importance of Masson’s first-hand knowledge of that politically sensitive land of Afghanistan and his acquaintance with its people, the East India Company decided not to let go the opportunity to use Masson for their political gain. It, therefore, wrote to the Court of Directors at London to obtain the Royal Warrant of Free Pardon to the deserter James Lewis® This was eventually secured and transmitted to the Company’s Government in India for onward transmission to James Lewis (alias Charles Masson)’, who meanwhile in 1834 had been appointed as Newswriter at Kabul on a monthly salary of _Rs.250/-* From 1834 till 1838, Masson very reluctantly performed his dual role as a (re)searcher of antiquities and a Government agent. In 1838, in the wake of declaration of the First Anglo-Afghan War (1838-42), Masson resigned from the services of the East India Company and once again engaged himself in his favourite pursuit of exploration. of antiquities and we find him making excursions into Shah Baz Ghari and the Yusuf Zai districts. At the former place, he discovered an Ashokan rock edict.” In 1839, suffering from ill health, Masson spent most of his time at Tatta (Sind) writing his Narratives", and his Memoir for H.H. Wilson's Ariana Antiqua’. In the early part of 1840, having despatched his manuscripts for publication in England, 5, National Archives of India (hereinafter referred as NAI), Foreign Department, Political Branch, Consultations dated 19 March 1832, No 31 - “Abstract of Intelligence Received from Cabul from 3 to 25 December 1832 from Meer Keramat Ali.” 6.NAI, Foreign Department, Despatch to Secret Committee, No. 3 of 1834, dated 19 June 1834 7. NAL, Foreign Department, Letters from Secret Committee, dated 9 February 1835 8. NAL, Foreign Department, Political Branch Consultations dated 7 January 1835, No. 59. 9. Whitteridge, op.cit., p. 138, _10. Masson initially wanted to publish his memoirs under the title “Rambles in Various Parts of Central Asia.” See NAI Foreign Department, Political Branch, Consultations dated 18 July 1836, No.13. However, these were later published as Narratives of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Punjab, including a Residence in those Countries from 1826 to 1838: a) Originally published in three volumes in 1842 by Richard Bentley, London ) Reprinted in 1974 with an introduction by Gavin Hambley, by Oxford University Press, Karachi (Pakistan), under ‘Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints’ series. ©) Second Reprint in 1975 with an introduction by Garry J.Alder, by Akademische Druck-U.Verlogoanstalt, Graz (Austria), under ‘Quellen Zur Eutdeck Ungsgeschichte Und Geographe Asian’ Series. 11. HLH, Wilson, Ariana Antiqua: A Descriptive Account of the Antiquities and Coins of Afghanistan, with a Memoir on the Buildings called Topes, by C. Masson Esq. (London, 1841, Reprint, Delhi 1971). 12. Whitteridge, op.cit., p.145.384 Charles Masson in Afghanistan Masson decided to resume his travels and antiquarian researches.'* According to his own estimate, he intended to complete his work in Afghanistan within two years!’ However, while on his journey to the Afghan land, he was estranged in the strife-torn principality of Kalat. He was taken prisoner by one of the local insurgent leaders and in the loot that ensued, he lost ‘a large accumulated stock of manuscripts and papers, the fruit of above fifteen years’ labour and inquiry’. Later, when the insurgents chose him to negotiate their case with Captain Bean, Political Agent at Quetta, the latter arrested him suspecting him to be a Russian spy. He was finally released in January 1841 after which he returned to Karachi and thence sailed to Bombay, arriving there in October 1841'5, Masson had by now decided to return to England. He sailed from Bombay on 1 November 1841 by a steamer! to Suez, crossed Egypt overland and after making a small stop-over at Paris finally reached London in March 1842 Masson’s life even after his return to England was not less illustrious. In 1842 his Narratives of Various Journeys were published in three volumes, Another volume dealing with the events of Kalat was published in 1843 and a combined edition of four volumes appeared in 1844. In January 1844 he delivered a lecture on his excursions to Shah Baz Ghari at the Royal Asiatic Society in London. The lecture was later published in the Society’s Journal in 184617, In 1848, Masson’s _ other book entitled Legends of the Afghan Countries, etc. was published’* Another article by him on the route from Selucia to Apobatana appeared in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1850" 13. Charles Masson, Narrative of a Journey to Kelat, including an Account of the Insurrection at that Place in 1840; and a Memoir of Eastern Balochistan, viz. Vol. IV of the Narrative of Various Journeys. 8) Originally published in 1843 by Richard Bentley, London A 'b) Reprinted in 1977 with an introduction by H.T. Lambrick, by Oxford University Press, Karachi (Pakistan), under ‘Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints’ Series. See (1843) rp.1-2 14, Whitteridge, op.cit., p.150. 15. NAI, Bombay Political Despatches to the Court of Directors, No. 75 of 1841, dated 28 December 1841, para 116 16. Ibid. 17. Charles Masson, ‘Narrat VIII, (1846) pp. 292-302 18. Legends of the Afghan Countries in Verse with Various Pieces, Original and Translated by Charles Masson, & c., (London, 1848) 19. Charles Masson, ‘Illustrations of the Route from Selucia to Apobatana, as given by Isidorus of Charax’, JRAS, Vol. XII (1850), pp. 97-124 , JRAS Vol. es of an Excursion from Peshawar to Shah Baz GhatSanjay Garg 385 Masson, a gifted artist and an accomplished draughtsman, spent the last years of his life, from about 1850 onwards, working up many of his original drawings and sketches made during his travels and explorations of Central Asian lands*®, He died in London on 5 November 1853. A rrich medley of Masson’s letters, drafts, notebooks, journals, newspaper cuttings, drawings and sketches now form part of Masson Manuscripts in the India Office Library and Records, London”! Masson’s contribution in the field of numismatic studies is most remarkable. The value as well as the quantum of coins collected by him during his thirteen years’ labour in Afghanistan far exceed the general expectations. A tribute to his contribution has been recorded in the Centenary Volume of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in the following words of H.H.Wilson “Among the coins discovered by him are not only new ones of Greek princes already known, but also those of several whose names are not mentioned in history as Antialkidas, Lysias, Agathocles, Archebias, Panthaleon, and Hermaeus. He also found coins of the king whose titles are only specified as the Great King of Kings, the Preserver, and others whose names, although assuming a Greek form, indisputably denote barbaric or Indo-Scythic princes — Undopherres, Azes, Azilises, Kadphises and Kanerkes. The first step in the series of the Bactrian numismatic discovery was thus accomplished, and the great object of later investigations became only to complete and extend the structure, of which such broad foundations had been laid” 2 Various estimates about the number of coins collected by him are available to “se. According to Thomas Holdich, Masson’s collection of coins totalled between 13,000 and 20,000 in 1837, an estimate which does not incorporate the figure for the subsequent years. Gavin Hambley states that Masson collected 30,000 coins**; the same figure has been given by H.H. Wilson,?* who however, wrote 20.Whitteridge, op.cit., p.163 +21. India Office Library and Records (IOLR), Masson Collection (Mss. Eur. E 161, etc.). See Johnston’s ‘Introductory Essay to Masson Collection’ in Catalogue of Manuscripts in European .__ Languages, Vol. II, patt ii, Section ii, p.1273. 22. R.Mitra, ef al, Centenary Review of the Asiatic Society of Bengal from 1784 to 1833, patt II, (Calcutta, 1885), pp. 30-31; Wilson, op.cit., p.12. 23, Thomas Holdich, The Gates of India (London,1910), quoted in Whitteridge, op.cil., p. 67 24. Gavin Hambley’s ‘Introduction’ to the Narratives (Reprint 1974), p.xviii 25.Wilson, op.cit., p.11386 Charles Masson in Afghanistan by Masson himself. C. Grey mentions the figure of 70,000.?° However, more interesting information about the actual number of coins collected by Masson can be seen forthcoming from the following account given by his biographer Gordon Whitteridge: “the copper coins from Begram alone amounted to 79,735. If to this figure is added the few silver ones and the several thousands of coins, including some gold ones, from elsewhere in Afghanistan, the grand total must have been well in excess of 80,000”? The above estimate can well be compared with the figures of Beghram given b, Masson in his Narratives 1833 - 1,865 copper 1834 1,900 copper 1835 - 2,500 ‘copper 1836 - 13,474 copper 1837 - 60,000 copper 79,739 Thus, with the addition of ‘several thousands of other coins, brought to light in various parts of Afghanistan’ the grand total must have exceeded 1 lac. This was probably the largest collection of coins collected by any individual. This curious testimony of the collection of large number of coins also testifies the numismatic potential of the Afghan land. Wilson observed “The far greatest proportion, judging from Mr. Masson’s collection, must have been too much injured by time and corrosion to have had any other than metallic value; but from the same accumulations we may infer that great numbers of coins, of high numismatic interest, must have perished in the indiscriminate destructiy— to which the whole have for so long a time been condemned””? From the end of 1832 until 1838, Masson made the city of Kabul his headquarters and devoted himself to the antiquarian researches in the Kohistan and in the neighbourhood of Jalalabad. Initially drawing upon the generous donations and loans from his patrons and well wishers, Masson finally on 1 January 1833, made a proposal to the Government of Bombay to place all relics, antiquities, coins etc 26. C.Grey, European Adventurers of Northern India, 1785 t0 1849, ed. by H.L.O. Garret, (Lahore 1929), p. 192 27.Whitteridge, op.cit., p. 67 28, Masson, Narratives, Vol. Ill (Rep. 1974), pp. 148-49. 29, Wilson, op.cit.. p.12.Sanjay Garg 387 etc. found by him at their disposal in return for financial aid for his antiquarian researches”, Masson, however, soon discovered that the intricacies of the bureaucratic system would not allow timely funding of his researches. Disillusioned as he had become, Masson wrote to Capt. Wade, British Resident at Ludhiana, on 1 August 1834 to liberate himself from his contract with the Bombay Government”!, At one point of time, Masson even thought of approaching the Royal Asiatic Society for funding his researches. His sentiments were reflected in one of his letters to his friend and guide Col. Henry Pottinger, British Resident in Kutch, who wrote to _the Government of Bombay — he proposes that three thousand rupees a year (250 rupees monthly) shall be placed at his disposal by the Society for researches, etc., excavation, purchase of coins etc., and his present salary be ensured to him for a term of three years.”?? Later, however, through the good offices of Col. Pottinger, the financial aid was secured not only through the government funds but also by drafts which Masson so liberally drew upon that officer. From the beginning of 1834, Masson started to receive sums, which though small, enabled him to undertake extensive explorations. From 1834 to 1837, Masson received a total sum of Rs. §,500/- from the Government. In 1837, the Government decided not to advance any further amount to Masson on account of his antiquarian researches.* Accounts of the public money thus received and spent by Masson on his antiquarian researches were regularly sent by him in his despatches to the Government. These Papers are now part of the records of the East India Company. One such account, enclosed in Masson’s letter dated 30 November 1835 and addressed to Col. Henry ottinger, is appended to this paper as Appendix A. At the same time, Masson also contributed a series of Memoirs to the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, which described the coins discovered by him in Afghanistan**, These 30. Whitteridge, op.cit. p. 76; However, as per the Government records, the proposal was made ‘early in 1834. See NAI, Bombay Political Letters from Court, No. 7 of 1838, dated 2 May 1838, para 3 31. NAL, Foreign Department, Political Branch, Consultations, dated 18 May 1835, No.57 (encl.) 32, Ibid., 18 July 1836, No.13, Pottinger to the Political Secretary, Government of Bombay dated 2 April 1836 33. NAL, Foreign Department, Secret Branch, Consultations dated 19 June 1834 Nos.1-4; Foreign Department Political Branch, 26 June 1837, Nos.14-15 34. Charles Masson i) ‘Memoir on the Ancieat Coins found at Beghram, in the Kohistan of Kabul’, JASB, Vol.Ill, No.xxviii (April,.1834),pp.153-75.388 Charles Masson in Afghanistan Memoirs aroused great interest of noted indologists of the times — James Prinsep and H.H. Wilson. Wilson, then serving as the librarian of the India Office London, under whose charge Masson’s collection of coins and antiquities was placed after being received in England, offered his services for preparing a ‘connected description —of the whole of the coins received from Mr. Masson’>*. Though Wilson’s Ariana Antiqua included a large number of coins collected by Masson, yet it was not purported to be a comprehensive ‘catalogue’ of his entire coin-collection. The details available in Masson’s various Memoirs and the records of the East India Company equip us with some additional information about the subject and nature of the coin collection While the scope of a comparative study of the details of coins thus available on the one hand, and the actual coins ex-Masson’s collection in various Museums on the other, is quite tempting. I would leave it for some later occasion and move over to discuss some issues connected with the circumstances of the despatch of Masson’s collection to England. m According to Masson, “The whole of the coins, and other antiquities from Begram, with several thousands of other coins brought to light in various parts of Afghanistan, have been forwarded to the Honourable the East India Company.” Under an arrangement, Masson sent his collection of coins and other antiquities at intervals to Bombay from where it was transmitted to London and deposited there in the East India Company Museum.” Meanwhile, when reports of the despatch of Masson’s collection of antiquities to England reached Bengal, James Prinsep, Secretary of the Asiatic Society, took th first opportunity to request the Government to make that collection available for examination before it being sent to England.?® ii) “Second Memoir on the Ancient Coins found in the Kohistan of Kabul’, JASB, Vol.V, No. xliv Gan, 1836), pp.1-28. iii)'Third Memoir on the Ancient Coins found in the Kohistan of Kabul’, JAS, Vol.V, Nolvi (Sept.1836), pp.537-47. 35,Wilson, op.cit., ‘Preface’, p.vi 36. Masson, Narratives, Vol. III (Reprint 1974), p.149. (PS: Italicisation is mine) 37. Wilson, op.cit., ‘Preface’, p.v. 38. Prinsep’s request has been referred to in a letter received by W.C.Macnaghtan, Secretary to the Government of India, from Wathen, Chief Secretary, Government of Bombay, dated 12 August 1837, see NAI, Foreign Department, Political Branch, 26 June 1837, No.15.Sanjay Garg 389 The Government of India acceded to Prinsep’s request and on 26 June 1837 instructed the Government of Bombay that the coins and relics received from Masson should first be sent to Calcutta for examination”. However, by the time these instructions were received at Bombay, the Government of Bombay had already sent two lots of Masson’s collection — the first lot comprising coins and other articles collected by Masson during 1833 and 1834, _and the second lot comprising coins, etc. collected during 1835, to England on 24 anuary and 26 April 1837 respectively“ The next lot of Masson’s collection of coins and relics, which was received at Bombay through Col. Pottinger, was forwarded to Calcutta by the ship John Adams on 15 October 183841. Its receipt was acknowledged by the Secretary to the Government of India, in a letter dated 19 December 1838, stating that the collection “will be forwarded to the Court of Directors after examination of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and the learned and curious on such subject at this Presidency” ** Meanwhile, things had changed in Bengal. James Prinsep had left Calcutta for England in October 1838, where he eventually died on 22 April 1840. ‘The Asiatic Society declined to undertake the examination and report upon these collections in the absence of its late Secretary [James Prinsep] and other Members who had given attention to the subject’.4? In a meeting of the Asiatic Society, held in January 1839, it was found that no one was knowledgeable enough to be entrusted with the task of examination of Masson’s collection. The Society, therefore, resolved that the collection be immediately shipped to England“. Lord Auckland, the Governor- “Seneral of India, was however, anxious to retain such coins for the Museum of une Asiatic Society as may be found duplicates 2. The Governor-General — is unwilling to deprive the Asiatic Society of tie advantage of enriching its Museum with such duplicate specimens of coins as may prove of value 39. Ibid. 40. NAI, Bombay Political Despatches to Court, No.2 of 1837 dated 24 January 1837 and No.12 of 1837 dated 26 April 1837 (PS: Of the latter, only reference is available in one of the later documents, viz. Bombay Political Letters From Court of Directors, No.7 of 1838, dated 2 May 1838). See also Foreign Department Political Branch, 4 September 1837, No.1] 41. NAI, Foreign Department, Political Branch, Consultation dated 19 December 1838, No.2] 42. Ibid., No. 22. 43. [bid., 27 February 1839, No. 20. 44, Ibid., No. 16390 Charles Masson in Afghanistan in completing defective series, or in forwarding the researches of local antiquities”."° Accordingly on 23 February 1839 the collection was made over to one William Cracroft, C.J. who was requested by the Government to make a selection of the duplicate coins for the Asiatic Society of Bengal*® Banking more on his common sense than any expert knowledge, Cracroft earnestly took upon the task of examining Masson’s collection and finally selected a total of 55 coins for the Asiatic Society’s Muscum. The details of these coins are as follows -_~ “4 Gold coins with Arabic Inscriptions 2 -do- Nagree Inscriptions 10 Silver Mahomadens -do- Bull and Horse 1 -do- Device of Bird 1 -do- Menander Eramaious 4 -do- Boodhists 7 -do- Probably Boodhists 1 Menander 1 Eukratides € Copper 1 Applodotus, 1 Unknown Sd /- W. Cracroft”” The remainder of the collection was sent to England with Cracroft on board ship Repulses* Meanwhile, an earlier consignment of three wooden boxes containing coins ar*~ other antiquities collected by Masson in 1836 and 1837 arrived at Bhuj at the beginning of 1840®. A list of contents of these boxes was separately forwarded by Masson to Col. Pottinger‘. The arrival of the collection was inordinately delayed due to unexplained reasons. From Bhuj the collection was transmitted to 48. Ibid., No. 13 46. Ibid, No. 18 47. Ibid. 48. Ibid., No. 16 49. NAI, Bombay Political Despatches to Court, No. 6 of 1840, dated 25 March 1840, paras 2 and 3. 50. Ibid., para 4.Sanjay Garg 391 Bombay by the ship Brig. Palinurus, which arrived in Bombay on 25 February 1840. At Bombay, the collection was examined by a Committee of three officials of the Bombay Government, viz. John Williams, Sub. Treasurer, L.R. Reid, Chief Secretary and W.R. Morris, Persian Secretary. The Committee made a comparison of the articles with the list sent by Masson to Col. Pottinger, and found many differences. A fresh list was drawn up by the Committee and forwarded to Masson for information.*! The collection was re-packed in two treasury boxes and transmitted to England by ship Corniwall which left Bombay on 29 March 1840.*? Thus, the entire coins and other antiquities collected by Masson during 1833-37 was shipped to England. If any coin, etc. fell into Masson’s hands after 1838 is not revealed by the government records, because after cessation of his contract with the Government of Bombay, Masson was under no obligation to transfer his collection to the East India Company. Perhaps a detailed study of his private papers in the India Office Library and Records, London, may throw some light on this aspect Iv After its arrival in London, Masson’s collection was initially deposited in the Museum of the East India Company. After the disposal of that Museum in 1879 it became the property of the India Office. In 1882, the India Office presented a selection of finer and rarer coins of this collection to the British Muscum. Out of this, a selection of Greek and Scythian coins was included in Percy Gardner’s Catalogue®. In 1906, a large number of coins from this collection was given to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. About the disposition of the remainder of Masson’s collection, no authoritative information is available. Perhaps it is still lying in the strong rooms of the British Museum or some other government office in London, waiting for another Charles Masson, who will ‘rediscover’, document and show it the light of day $1. Ibid. 52. Ibid., No. 2 of 1841, dated 28 January 1841 $3. Perey Gardner, Catalogue of Indian Coins in the British Museum: Greek and Scythian Kings of Bactria and India, (London,1886; Reprint Chicago,1966); see also Whitteridge, op.ci., Pp. 68-69 for illustrations of six other coins from Masson’s collection, now available in the British Museum. $4, Whitteridge, op.cit., p.67; Sophie P.B. MacDowall, “British Travellers in Afghanistan’, in this Volume, pp. 511 ff.392 Charles Masson in Afghanistan Appendix A. Facsimile of a Memorandum of Expenses, Submitted by Charles Masson, 1835 QM stander of before rat hie ais litle Gost Hage Moifag Geb ie Laine Dasa l: Aboud 2 roe > fa fue oes See ia 5 fee pay CO Goll buns Maes boca adi es: Ia ile ding Cbive feat sahara tut en Q hoes Ohartit UG ditoes dake Lota hg dit ve (Poe v Sige wed nly sue frome Cain fpuicea Srnanen —-——— 3. Celbealeiw of osired fiom foles bowler “7 Le Ofer — Bae Carell of tiff aint fais Pirbinanes — (8 » Coffer Crit fare Dleyes Mahal omer Layers Alaltalbad Play hman—— Io» ~ 7 . Wlho ated er nrtnvillny whi tedideane sel lalss dtalimard nat ba ype Gh latalaie cd a tot phegpinaed sntcsindind Keaditah sine me Listing