APRIL — sept. 1859. j Copper Plates of Malabar. 



39 



used, and though this practice was ultimately dropped, and the 

 year, month, and date alone appear now in deeds, yet in some of 

 the astronomical writings, &c, the ancient practice is still employ- 

 ed up to the present day. 



Now, therefore, to find out the date of the Plate No. I, it must 

 be ascertained from the best astronomical calculations, on what 

 particular day the above state of the heavens actually occurred, and 

 to prevent any mistakes creeping in, it behoves us to make the 

 computation upward from the present date. Accordingly by re- 

 peated trials I have come to this final conclusion, that such a con- 

 currence of the heavenly bodies happened on the 1,216,665th day 

 or in the year 3,331 of the Kaliyoogom. Though it may be ob- 

 jected that Jupiter left Capricornus 5 days and 16 astronomical 

 hours previous to the day in question (that is the date of the deed 

 No. I.) after remaining fully 11 months and 25 days in it during 

 that year, yet in accordance with the practice above stated, the 

 year would be correctly described as that in which Jupiter was in 

 Capricornus. 



Now for the present Collom year 1031 or A. D. 1855-56, the 

 year of the Kaliage is 4957 from which if we deduct the above- 

 mentioned 3,331, the remainder will be 1,626 corresponding with 

 A. D. 230 ; which is therefore unquestionably the date of the 

 Copper Plate No. I. 



To make this plainer to Astronomers, I subjoin the following- 

 Memoranda. 



On the 1,216,665th day of the Kali-yoogom, or age, the Sun 



stands thus 11 



20 



37 — find the month and date by this. 

 The Moon stands thus. .01 

 18 



28 — find the Asterism by this. 



Jupiter stands thus 10 



05 



16 — find by this the Zodiacal sign in 

 which Jupiter stood in that year. 



