THE LEGEND OF ST. THOMAS. 
dwell on this, the inscription is of real importance. It helps 
not only towards the discovery of its date, which experts have 
put as early as the seventh or eighth century — proving the 
existence of a church there 1,200 years ago — hut also 
towards determining the connection of the church on this 
coast with that in Malahar, both having been Nestorian. 
The inscription in fact contains, as I believe, a pet heresy 
peculiar to Indian Nestorianism.^ 
The Little Mount (six miles south-west of Fort St. 
Greorge) is the traditionary site of the Apostle's martyrdom. 
There is a cave in the rock, where it is asserted that St. 
Thomas took refuge from his pursuers. A church stands 
over it. On one side of the cave there is an opening or window, 
which the uninitiated might suppose to be intended merely 
for the admission of air and light ; but visitors must under- 
stand that, in the attempt to escape through this opening, 
the Apostle was speared and slain. Outside the chiu'ch and 
near the top of the rock on which it is built there is a cleft, 
which a natural spring replenishes with water all the year 
round. This spring was created, we are told, to supply the 
saint with water during the period of his concealment in the 
cave ; and not long ago two pilgrims are said to have come 
hither from Edessa and filled some bottles with the sacred 
Water to carry back to their own country. 
"Within the precincts of the cathedi'al of Maylapiu' or 
St. Thome (thi-ee miles south of Fort St. George) there is a 
little chapel, built over what is populai'ly regarded as the 
grave of St. Thomas. A trap-door in front of the altar 
gives access to the grave, and many a handful of the dust 
is carried off by the faithful wherewith to cui-e diseases. 
Over the altar is a quaint old scrinium -nith a cruciform 
reliquary in which ai-e deposited some of the ashes and the 
> Sco my Article on " The Syrian Chi-istians of South India,"' in the 
LoMdon Qiiiu tcrly Rcricw for October 1SS7. 
