1839] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



9 



different tales are represented as having been narrated to him by Sarpata 

 Siddha. One of the tales at the commencement relates to a great 

 hunting match, made by a king of the Anga countrj^ to destroy the 

 wild beasts by the advice of his ministers : and other tales are of a like 

 artificial structure : the object in view is to teach stratagems, artful 

 devices, and cunning, adapted to outwit others. It is in good Telugu j 

 but with orthographical faults. The book is complete, and in very good 

 order. 



Note. — It is entered in the Des. Catal. vol. 2, p. 321 , art. xi. at 

 least I suppose it to be the same work ; though in the Catalogue it is 

 stated to be imperfect. 



26. Nala Charitra, the story of king Nala, No. 35. — Countermark 

 385. 



This is an old manuscript. Palm-leaves are wanting from 13 to 28, 

 the remainder continues in regular order forw^ards ; but it is not com- 

 plete at the end ; where besides it is especially damaged. It contains 

 a poetical account of the fortunes of Nala-rdja, founded on an episode 

 in the Mahabhdrata, Versions of the tale are found in all the lan- 

 guages of the Peninsula. There is no need of abstracting it here ; and 

 the complete restoration of the manuscript is impracticable, without 

 possessing another copy of the same poem, I therefore pass it by ; 

 seeing that the mere local poetry, or belles-lettres of any section of tie 

 Hindus, is not the object of my enquiries. 



Note. — It is briefly entered in the Des. Catal. vol. 2, p. 332, art. 

 xxxix. " The story of JVala and Damayanti, as taken from the 

 MahabhdrataJ' 



27. Sesha-dhenna, or Hindu morality, No. 20. — Countermark 280. 



This is a poem divided into seven sections, each one entitled a sata- 

 ham ; the usual name of a distinct work of one hundred stanzas. 

 These sections are as follows : — 



1. Mukti Canda-satakam. 



2. Pardmanda-satakam. 



3. Bama-shaddcshari-inantram. 



4. Daltdtraya-satakam. 



