Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/246

 æra. His mind had been early stored with the knowledge contained in the Hindū writings, but he appears to have peculiarly attached himself to the mathematical sciences, and his reputation for skill in them stood so high, that he was chosen by the Emperor Mahommed Shah to reform the calendar, which, from the inaccuracy of the existing tables, had ceased to correspond with the actual appearance of the heavens. Jayasinha undertook the task, and constructed a new set of tables; which, in honour of the reigning prince, he named Zeej Mahommedshahy. By these, almanacks are constructed at Delhi, and all astronomical computations made at the present time.

The five observatories, which were built and finished by Jayasinha, still exist in a state more or less perfect; they were erected at Jeypoor, Matra, Benares, Oujein, and Delhi.

The next observatory, in point of size and preservation, is that at Oujein; it is situated at the southern extremity of the city, in the quarter called Jeysingpoorah, and where are still the remains of a palace of Jayasinha, who was subahdar of Malwa in the time of Mahommed Shah. The observatory at Oujein has since been converted into an arsenal and foundry of cannon.

At Matra, the remains of the observatory are in the fort which was built by Jayasinha on the banks of the Jumna.

The observatory at Delhi is situated without the wall of the city, at the distance of one mile and a quarter. It consists of several detached buildings:—

1. A large equatorial dial: its form is pretty entire, but the edges of the gnomon, and those of the circle on which the degrees were marked, are broken in several places. This is the instrument called by Jayasinha semrat-yunter (the prince of dials). It is built of stone, but the edges of the gnomon, and of the arches where the gradation was, were of white marble; a few small portions of which only remain.

2. At a little distance from this instrument, towards the north-west, is another equatorial dial; more entire, but smaller and of a different construction. In the middle stands a gnomon,