572 Mr. Marsden on the 
computation of a different nature, which, though not unknown 
in other parts of the world, is confined to thefe people amongft 
the Hindoos. This is a cycle, or revolving period, of fixty 
folar years, which has no further correfpondence with the eras 
above mentioned than that of their years refpeftively com* 
mencing on the fame day. Thofe that conftitute the cycle, 
inftead of being numerically counted, are diftinguifhed from 
each other by appropriate names, which, in their epiftles, bills, 
and the like, are inferted as dates, with the months, and 
perhaps the age of the moon annexed ; but, in their writings 
of importance and record, the year of Salabdn (often called the 
Saka year) is fuper-added ; and this is the more eflential, as I 
do not find it cuftomary to number the cycles by any progrefiive 
reckoning (r). In their agronomical calculations, we obferve, 
that they fometimes compute the year of their era by multi- 
plying the number of cycles elapfed, and adding the comple- 
ment of the cycle in which it commenced, as well as the years 
of the current cycle ; but from hence we are led to no fatif- 
faftory conclufion refpe&ing the origin of this popular mode 
of eftimating time (/). The prefumption is in favour of its 
being more ancient than their hiftorical epochs. The prefent 
cycle, of which 43 complete years were expired in April 1790, 
began in the year 1747, with the year of Salabdn 1669, and of 
the grand era 4848. M. le Gentil, to whom Europe is 
chiefly indebted for what is known of Hindoo aftronomy, has 
s 
fallen into an unaccountable error with regard to the years of 
this cycle, and their correfpondence with thofe of the Kalee 
Yoog, as appears by the comparative table he has given of 
them, and other paflages of his work. He feems to have taken 
it for granted, without due examination, that the year 3600 
of the latter jnuft have been produced by the multiplication of 
the 
