1868.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society* 117 



one near its stem, and is lying on the road to the cave under 

 the hill. The crosses at Katapar with one exception are uninjured. 

 All are situated to the right of the Cromlechs near which they 

 have been erected. Judging from the one lying exposed at Maliir, 

 they are all about 10 feet in length, although only 6 and 7 feet 

 appear above the ground. They consist of one stone, and are all of 

 the Latin form. No information of any kind could be obtained re- 

 garding the people by whom the crosses and Cromlechs were erected. 

 There can, however, be no doubt that the crosses are memorials of the 

 faith of Christians buried in their vicinity ; but by whom erected, 

 and at what time, has still to be ascertained. The isolation of the 

 broken cross at Maliir, if not erected as a road-side memorial, is very 

 puzzling. The whole of the Cromlechs at Malur are found near the 

 summit of the ridge, which is about 250 feet above the path leading 

 to the cave. Assuming the cross to have been broken while in transit 

 to the ridge, it is difficult to understand the reason of its being found 

 on the side opposite to that on which the Cromlechs are situated. If 

 broken while in transit to the cave, then the cave itself must be 

 another form of the Cromlechs crowning the hill, and if so, it is the 

 largest, and most interesting of the whole series. My own impression 

 is, that the Malur cross wherever erected, was thrown down after the 

 conversion of the cave into a temple by Brahmins from the neighbour- 

 hood of Badrachalam. In all probability the Brahmins know 

 nothing regarding the original use of the cave, and have not, in conse- 

 quence, disturbed the cement used to preserve the remains below, 

 What struck me as peculiar in this excavation, was its small entrance. 

 The surface of the rock above is carved to the height of 10 or 12 feet. 

 The cross is also slightly carved, but although similar in form to 

 those at Katapar, it is less angular in its general outlines. 



" I enclose Captain Glasfurd's note to me about the crosses, from 

 which you will see that he first drew my attention to them, and sug- 

 gested my taking the Photographs enclosed. If I am not mistaken 

 he sent drawings, and a packet of the implements, rings, and utensils 

 found in two of the Cromlechs that he opened, to the Asiatic Society,* 

 of which he is a member. 



" I am taking a set of Photographs of the wild people inhabiting the 

 * No such donation has been received by the Society. — Ed. 



