44 On the Syrian and Jewish [No. 9, new series. 



xnent really began. That such Government began about 68 years 

 before the beginning of the Christian era, has been already stated 

 in a preceding page of this paper. So that it is clear that this do- 

 cument was executed in A. D. 168 or 62 years previous to the do- 

 cument No. L 



The Hindoos as well as the Europeans appear up to this day to 

 have failed in finding out the correct dates of these documents, 

 because the former without discretion or judgment are always apt 

 to accept as true the most remote dates, which their writers with- 

 out any bounds or limits have introduced into their writings, just 

 as may^happen to suit the measure or the rhyme of their poetical 

 legends, upon subjects they are quite ignorant of. Thus their cal- 

 culations extend to unlimited periods beyond all chance of reality. 

 On the other hand the views of the Europeans generally fall short 

 of the real facts, because they have not yet been able fully to 

 comprehend when Kerala first began to be civilized, and also be- 

 cause they find that the civilization of its people has not yet arriv- 

 ed at that perfection which it otherwise should have. 



It is no doubt an important question for decision, how it is that 

 if Kerala were so early civilized and possessed of rulers and sub- 

 jects as well as laws and regulations, they not only never appear 

 to have acquired any other country, but have besides lost their 

 own that they had ? To this I answer, it is true that they both 

 formerly had and still have in their possession some books such 

 as Kamnutikeeyom, &c, which treat of different branches of 

 military arts, &c, though these will by no means vie with the 

 present military skill of the Europeans ; but it must be con- 

 cluded that their blind superstitions entirely barred their pro- 

 gress in other countries, for they believe that they cannot live 

 amongst others without pollution and the violation of their num- 

 berless castes, and the privileges appertaining thereto. It is 

 from such foolish notions that they as well as the other ^Hindoos 

 of Hindostan became like birds in a cage, precluded from passing 

 into other countries, and acquiring them and of embellishing their 

 own country with the fruit of the sciences and learning of other 

 kingdoms. Again, it is not a matter for surprise that a ruling 

 sovereign should lose his oww country by exhausting his treasure 



