determination of the father's name; it is now irrefragably esta-
blished that we have to do with the gravestone of Sultan Mansur
Shah of Malacca, who according to all accounts was a son of Sul-
tan Muzaffar Shah. It is clear that between "Mansur" and
"Muzaffar the word (
Arabic characters) stands, but the "r" of "Mansur”
and the "n" of "Sultan" cannot be traced. Mistakes on these
gravestones are very frequent so that it is quite possible the mason
omitted the letters. As regards the reverse, it is clear that in the
top line not dar al-wirad but dar amal occurs. More important
however is the date. The cast showed at once how the faulty
reading due came about. The flourish of the word min has been
mistaken for a dal and combined with the wau of the year been read (Arabic characters).
In 882 A.H. the month of Rajab began on a Thursday, the 9th of October, 1477 A.D,
So following my reading one must choose between Wednesday the 7th, 14th, 21st or 28th of Rajab 882 A.H. Wednesday the 15th, 22nd, 29th October or 5th November, 1477 A.D.
Seeing that it seldom happens that the word for "year" is
omitted in dates, I have assumed it occurs on this stone and read
(Arabic characters) with Hervey. I must point out however that one can equal-
ly well read (Arabic characters) = 6, so that the reading would run
يسم الاربعا ستة من رجب ثنتين وثمانين وثمانماية
Wednesday 6 Rajab 882 A.H. = Tuesday 14 October, 1477 A.D.
My emendations for the words defaced on the bottom are borne out by the legible lines and require no defence.
Hervey's reading of the side inscriptions is untenable. It is (Plate III) the beginning of a verse repeatedly found on stones in Northern Sumatra :—
انما الدنيا فنأليس الدنيا ثبوت الا انما الدنيا كبيت نسجته العنكبوت
which Professor Dr. van Ronkel translated for me as follows:—
"The world is but transitory; the world has no per- manence; the world is but as a house made by a spider."
The end of this text occurred probably on the lost foot-stone and the adventures of the stone we have discussed testify to the truth of the words.
I give my best thanks to all who have been kind enough to assist me.
