crossing the road, or any thing falling without an evident cause, as unfavourable omens; and such occurrences are sufficient to prevent them from setting out on a journey, and to induce them to put off any business, however urgent it may

be.

Many of the musical instruments of Siam are the same with those used in the temples of the Hindus, and were probably introduced with their religion.

The Siamese, in general, bury the dead : the bodies of persons of distinction, are however, burnt with much show and ceremony: but if it was ever the custom for the widow to burn herself with the corpse of her husband, it is no longer observed. The bodies and ashes of the dead are generally buried under small pyramids, that are built round the temples; sometimes the ashes are thrown into a sacred river, on a supposition that it will be propitious to the soul of the deceased. All offer sacrifice to the manes of their relations. They imagine that they sometimes appear to them in

dreams; and, as often as this happens, the funeral sacrifices are repeated, and offerings made at the temples, for the expiation of their sins.*

* See Sketches on the Hindus, by the author of the present work, vol. ii. p. 117, et seq.

CHAPTER XII.

SOME ACCOUNT OF ANCIENT AUTHORS, WHO HAVE DESCRIBED INDIA.

THE ancient authors that have treated of India, whose works are yet extant, and chiefly merit to be consulted, are Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, and Arrian. They lived at no great distance of time from each other: Strabo must have written not more than sixty years before Pliny, the latter about as much before Ptolemy, and the latter about twenty before Arrian. It appears that they had some works to assist their inquiries, which no longer exist. Though Diodorus Siculus wrote his history in the time of Julius Cæsar, a few years before Strabo, it does not appear that either he, or the other three authors we have mentioned,

trusted much to his authority: Rennell observes, that "Arrian seems purposely to correct some of his errors." It is not known exactly when Quintus Curtius lived, but he must have compiled his account of the expedition of Alexander subsequently to the authors we have mentioned.

Of those who accompanied Alexander into India, Onesicritus, a disciple of Diogenes, the Cynic philosopher, wrote a history of his life,* which was regarded by Strabo as too fabulous to merit confidence; but, if fabulous in some things, we find others confirmed by subsequent observations; and notwithstanding the accusation brought against him by Strabo, he in several instances appeals to his authority. In proof of his merit it may be observed, that in the distribution of recompenses, made at the celebration of Alexander's nuptials, at Susa, with Barsine, or Statira, daughter of the unfortunate Darius, Nearchus

*This author is mentioned by Diogenes Laertius, lib. vi. c. 4. tom. ii. p. 642 (edit. Longolii).

and he were honoured with crowns of gold.* The former had commanded the fleet on its voyage from India; the latter had piloted it, which is a proof also of Onesicritus's knowledge in science. Callisthenes likewise wrote a history of Alexander, which is mentioned by Strabo. Journals of his proceedings were kept by his natural brother, Ptolemy Lagus; by Aristobulus of Cassandria,‡ by Diodotus of Erythræa, in Boeotia, and by Eumenes of Cardia, the secretary and faithful friend of Alexander, and one of the most illustrious, though least fortunate, of his successors. Diognetus and Beton had

* "To Onesicritus we trace the first mention of Taprobania, or Ceylon; and what is extraordinary, the dimensions he has assigned to it, are more conformable to truth, than Ptolemy had acquired four hundred years later, and at a time when it was visited annually by the fleets from Egypt."-Vincent, vol. ii. p. 20.

+ Vide supra, vol. i. pp. 220, 221, note.

This city was formerly named Potidea-so famous for its siege in the time of Pericles: the name was changed to Cassandria, by Cassander, son of Antipater.