1844.] 



The Legend of Pay amir. 



15 



to know the customs of the place, and appeal to the chief. 

 He comes but applies his rod to the head of one, a scufflo 

 ensues, and the strangers are killed. 



Nilakesi when acquainted with the murder of her bro- 

 thers, leaves the palace and her son, and again wanders forth 

 begging. The son grows up and is instructed by his father 

 in all the arts of trade and ship-building (given in interest- 

 ing detail, full of obsolete words). The ship being at length 

 launched and manned with Vappurawas (?) Pandias, Chona- 

 kas, Cholias, and also with one Yavanaka, the merchants 

 start fearlessly on a voyage first to Pumpatna, round Mt. Eli, 

 then passing the Mala (-Dives) into the Tani-pimul-am 

 (river) to the town Puvenkapahia, proceed farther on to the 

 Cavari, from whence they sail into another sea to other 

 shores, till they reach the gold mountains f ponmala J where 

 they exchange all their cargo for gold, return and land their 

 goods in Cachilpatnam, store them in a new magazine, and 

 dismiss the mariners with their shares. After this, when the 

 father and son are amusing themselves with playing chess, 

 a female devotee is announced who is not satisfied with alms, 

 but wants to see the young merchant. Then follows a long 

 and mysterious conversation. She invites him urgently to 

 be present at a night- feast of women at Payanur. He pro- 

 mises, but cannot afterwards persua.de his father to give 

 him leave, who fears a plot and danger ; but the son persist- 

 ing in importuning him, and at last prostrating himself, he 

 consents. 



Here follows an extract, as a specimen : 



co^g-j a<5) (torn) erro cn^^co) ~y onrt 

 cn\ f m □ 3<T> (fo £ o-j q (o) oj 3 £53 (9) cm <S) cn 



t{ I swear by thee, O father, I must go." 



(XJ □ flJQ oft QJ^ (2^ C 



