of Edinburgh, Session 1884 - 85 . 197 
“ I cannot, not having references at hand, find out what star is 
meant. According to Bentley, both the Ganges and the Euphrates 
symbolise the Ecliptic in Esoteric Astronomy. 
“ But apart from this, look at the photograph and see how closely 
it tallies with Isaiah xviii., literally translated, — ‘ A people scattered 
and bald to a nation to he feared from this and onwards ; people 
corded. 5 The people in the photograph have put aside their turbans 
for fear of losing them, and you see nearly every head is shorn and 
bald ; and you may he able to make out the Brahmins by the piece 
of pack-thread slung across their shoulder and chest. 
“ Comhaconam is an obscure town, principally inhabited by Brah- 
mins, who are largely pensioned officials. It contains, however, a 
College at which the highest English education is given, and where 
the late Sir Alexander Grant was once Principal. 
“ What star I wonder is this Mukkum,’ 5 continues the Colonel, 
“ and why should it be important enough to draw such a mass of 
Hindoos on the 28th of February to N. Eat. 10° 45', and East 
Longitude 79° 30'. Is not a multitude that can he incited by a 
motive of which we have no appreciation, literally ‘ to be feared. 5 
“ It may be admitted that our Madras Astronomer, Mr Pogson, is 
as learned an Astronomer as any of the day, and yet I am certain 
there is nothing he could say about any one of the stars, which 
could collect hundreds of thousands of men to bathe at an obscure 
town on the Eailway. Therefore natives must know what we do 
not. 55 
In a subsequent letter dated May 4, the Colonel further writes : — 
“ I am now able to give you some information about the stars 
fixing the festival at Combaconam, having got a Brahmin the night 
before last to actually point them out. 
“ It appears that ‘ Mukkum, 5 which means they tell me in Sanscrit 
‘ sacrifice,’ is not a single star, but the four stars together, in the 
sign Leo, forming the four corners of a rhomboid. They were just 
overhead here about 7 h p.m. 
“ The very bright star close to them, I was told was ‘ Brama- 
haspiti, 5 the ‘tutor of Brahma 5 — though I identify it with the 
Planet Jupiter. 
“ Each sacred town has what is termed its ‘ Stalla Purana, or 
Purana loci, and the festival of which I sent you the Panorama is 
