197 
XXX. 
AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE INSCRIPTION ON THE 
DIGHTON KOCK ; 
dn a letter to the Rev. Samuel Webber, v. vd. 
By Hon. JOHN DAVIS, Esq. 11. p. F. aa. 
EEE FE 5 
DEAR SIR, 
THE copies, which we now have, of the inscription on the 
Dighton rock, are probably as correct, as can be obtained ; and what-. 
ever doubt there may be as to some of the figures or characters, from 
the variation in the copies, there are others, which, from the uniform 
correspondence of the copies, we may conclude to be exact. Of 
this description are the large triangular figures, which appear on eve- 
ry copy of the inscription. Some of the explanations, which have 
been suggested of this inscription, are evidently founded, in a consid- 
erable degree, on characters, which appear in different forms in differ- 
ent copies. And when the interpretation has reference to a suppos- 
ed resemblance in the characters to letters in some of the ancient al- 
phabets, a slight variation will materially affect the sense, and different 
copies, though bearing a general resemblance to the eye, will exhibit 
great diversity of meaning. If it could be determined, what was in- 
tended by those conspicuous and strongly marked figures, in which all 
the copies agree, we should be in a more likely way to ascertain the 
object of the entire inscription, and to form satisfactory conclusions as 
to its origin. Several Awman figures, and one representation of a 
quadruped, evidenily appear on all the modern copies. They cannot 
be distinguished on that sent by Cotton Mather to the Royal Society 
early in the last century; but that copy, as it appears in the Transac- 
tions of the Society, is so imperfect, that it can be of little or no use 
25 
