142 Ancient documents engraved on copper in possession [No. 3 0 



hists ? J ains ? sects from the West, at present generally ap- 

 plied to the Muhammedans] would here be out of place. But 

 I think enough has been said to support the suggestion that 

 the Government which could afford such a first grant to fo- 

 reigners, remitting even the vassal's tribute, [which, was never 

 done with the Syrians*] — was less suspicious, more powerful 

 and enterprizing than any native rule which has succeeded it 

 on this coast. 



Notes on the preceding Papers. 



The documents for the preceeding able exposition of which 

 the Society is indebted to Mr. Gundert have long been a 

 source of interest, from the expectation that they would 

 throw light on the early advent to India of the two remark- 

 able races to which they relate. Though this hope has not 

 been fully realized, the field of inquiry now opened will pro- 

 bably lead to farther discoveries. It would be worth while 

 to search for inscriptions on stone on the sites of all the 

 earlier christian villages and places of worship. The sa- 

 sanams at the Tiruvanjiculam temple noticed by Mr. 

 Gundert should also he transcribed. The Sub-Committee 

 would gladly undertake the examination of any of these that 

 may be forwarded to them. 



Impressions of the Syrian deeds I. and II. having come 

 into the possession of a member of the Sub-Committee, it 

 has been resolved to give fac similes of the second which 

 will accordingly be found in plates 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. of this vol. 

 The first being in characters differing little from the modern 

 has not yet been considered worth the same trouble, besides 

 4 being unfitted by its greater size. It is 1 4| inches long by 

 4 broad, the part occupied by the writing being nearly 13 

 inches. f On the margin of one side is the figure of a Shankh 



* The wording here leads to the conclusion that Anjuwannam was in a l?ter period 

 obliged to pay the tribute, excepting only in cases when the vassal had to defend 

 himself against unconstitutional acts of Government. 



+ Buchanan Chris. Res. p. 140. 



