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JULY, 1888.]
MISCELLANEA.
205
medicine-vendor, and he too, as he was a very they opened the boxes to sort out their booty. cunning brute, recognised in the young lady the astonishment of astonishments, their eyes met thief of his boxes, and found her wound to be only broken pieces of stone, lumps of iron and that made by his boring-rod. They soon parted other such rubbish. Every one of them placed company. The lady bought a little ointment, his forefinger at right angles to the tip of his and the thief in disguise, gladly giving a little of nose, and exclaimed:-"Ah! A very clever his precious stuff from his cocoanut bottle, went girl. She has managed to deceive us all. away. The eight thieves had appointed a place But let this day pass. We shall see whether outside Kaivalyam for their rendezvous, and she will not fall into our hands to night." there they learnt who had robbed them of their | Thus, in wonder and amazement, they spent treasure. Not wishing to remain idle, they the whole day. Nor was Chandralekhả idle at chose that very night both to break into her own house. She was sure she would again Chandralókha's house and bring away herself see the robbers in her room that night, and, in and their boxes.
order to be prepared for the occasion, she made Chandralekha, too, was very careful. She a small sharp knife out of the robber's rod locked up all the treasures and kept the eight and kept it beneath her pillow, in the place boxes filled with rubbish, so as to correspond where she was accustomed to keep her purse with their original weights, under the cot containing a few betel leaves, nuts, chunam, &c., which she slept, or rather pretended to sleep, to chew. The night came on. Early Chandrathat night. The thieves in due course made a lêkhâ had her supper and retired to bed. Sleep hole into her bedroom and entered. They she could not, but she cunningly kept her found her to all appearance sound asleep, and to eyelids closed and pretended to sleep. Even their still greater joy they found beneath her before it was midnight the eight thieves broke cot their eight boxes.
into her room, saying to tbemselves : "This "The vixen is asleep. Let us come to-morrow clever lady-thief sleeps soundly. We will do night and take her away; but first let us her no mischief here. Let us range ourselves remove our boxes." So saying to each other, two and two at each leg of her cot and carry they took their boxes, each placing one on his her away unconscious to the woods. There we head, and returned in haste to their cave which can all ravish her and kill her." they reached early in the morning. But when
(To be continued).
MISCELLANEA. A NOTE ON THE EPOCH AND RECKONING the ordinary nirayana luni-solar year; the period OF THE SAKA ERA.
covered by Saka-Samvat 1808, as a sdyana year, General Sir A. Cunningham's Tables, and being from the 6th March, A.D. 1886, to the Ganpat Krishnaji's and Kero Lakshman 22nd February, A.D. 1887. For all purposes of Chhatre's almanacs, shew the period from the calculation, however, this Saka year has to be 5th April, A.D. 1886, to the 24th March A.D. taken as "the year 1808, expired;" even if we 1887, as corresponding to Saka-Sarh vat 1808. So, were working out the very first day of it, Chaitra also, the sayana-Panchang shews the same sukla 1. The Tables are intended for this apperiod, as corresponding to Saka-Samvat 1808, as plication of the number; and there are, in fact, no
The proper method of applying his Tables may saruvatsaras of the two cycles of Jupiter ; leaving it to perhaps be inferred from his remarks (e. 8. Indian Eras, anyone who has to make a particular calculation, to take DP. 5, 48, 52) that the numbers of the years in Hindu the preceding year as the basis of his work. And, dates refer to years actually elapsed; and that the in ordinary writing, the current Hindu years should Hindus count only by completed years. But I am certainly be quoted with the current Christian years. speaking of the meaning which the Tables present to a
• Unless with Tables based on the Mosha-Sankranti, general reader, at first sight. Thus, anyone turning to bia Table XVII. p. 199,- to which there is not attached
or entrance of the sun into Aries, as Prof. K. L. A note that the Hindu years given therein are expired
Chhatre's Tables are; in which the Saka year is practi.
cally treated as commencing with the day of the Mesha. years,-in order to ascertain the Saka equivalent of
Sankranti. With such Tables, for any tithi connected A.D. 1886-87, finds Saka-Sarnvat 1808; and naturally takes it as a current year. So, also, with any similar
with Saka-Samvat (1809 current and) 1808 expired, up Tables : 6.g. those in Mr. C. Patell's Chronology. Such
to the tithi that coincided with the solar day on which Tables would be much more useful for general pur
the Mesha-Sankranti occurred, we must work with the poses, if they shewed the current Hindu years opposite basis of even one year still earlier, vis. Saka-Samvat the current Christian years, 49 is done in the case of the 1807 expired.
his Tables Eras,
enro preceding thing, the curre
