merits of his other works:* having mistaken the Chelum, or Hydaspes, for the Indus of Alexander, he has consequently misplaced, and mis-named the subsequent rivers of the Panjab.+

“Arrian's Indian history, which is extremely curious, and merits more notice than it commonly meets with, shews us how very little change the Hindus have undergone in about twenty-one centuries, allowances being made for the effect of foreign conquests; which, however, have produced fewer changes here, than they would have done any where else: for customs, which in every country acquire a degree of veneration, are here rendered sacred, by their connexion with religion; the rites of which are interwoven with the ordinary occurrences of life. To this, and to the seclusion from the rest of mankind, inculcated by the Brahminical religion, we are to ascribe the long duration of the Hindū religion and customs; which are only to

* Vincent.

+ Rennell,

be extirpated, together with the very people among whom they prevail; and which have been proof against the enthusiasm and cruelty of the Mohammedan conquerors: nay more, have taught a lesson of moderation to those conquerors, who at last saw no danger arising to the state, from a religion that admitted no proselytes.

We are at the first view surprised to find that Arrian, who professes to treat of India, should confine himself to the description of a particular part only, while he had authors before him who had treated the subject at large. It may however be accounted for in this manner: that he chose to follow those only, who had been eye-witnesses to what they wrote; not compilers: and it is pretty clear that his account of India is meant chiefly to illustrate the history of his hero. The following particulars, selected from among others, will shew to those who are conversant with India, how nearly the ancient inhabitants resembled the present. 1. The slender make of their

bodies. 2. Their living on vegetable food. 3. Distribution into sects and classes; and the perpetuation of trades in families. 4. Marriages at seven years of age; and prohibition of marriages between different classes. 5. The men wearing ear-rings; party-coloured shoes; and veils, covering the head, and great part of the shoulders. 6. Daubing their faces with colours.* 7. Only the principal people having umbrellas carried over them. 8. Two-handed swords; and bows, drawn by the feet. 9. Manner of taking elephants; the same as in the present age. 10. Manufactures of cotton, of extraordinary whiteness. Monstrous ants: by which the Termites, or white ants, are meant; though exaggerated. 12. Wooden houses, on the banks of large rivers; to be occasionally removed, as the river changed its course. 13. The Tala tree, or Tal; a kind of palm. 14.

11.

* Meaning the distinctive marks of their casts or families, painted daily on the forehead with water-colours.

The Banian, Burr, or Vota tree,* and the Indian devotees sitting under them.

"As to Megasthenes, Arrian thought he had not travelled far over India; although farther than Alexander's followers. This opinion may serve partly to explain, why Arrian did not preserve the journal of Megasthenes by inserting it in his history of Alexander, or in his account of India.

"His geography of India relates chiefly to the northern parts, or those seen by Alexander and Megasthenes. And his catalogue of rivers, most of which are also to be found in Pliny, and among which we can trace many of the modern names, contain only those that discharge themselves into the Ganges or Indus.

Of the different histories of Alexander, that have travelled down to us, that by

* Points of branches of this tree descending into the ground, take root and shoot up into fresh trees; hence so large a space is sometimes covered, from one original stem, that it is no exaggeration to say that a battalion of five hundred men might easily encamp under the shade produced by it.

Arrian appears to be the most consistent; and especially in the geography of Alexander's marches, and voyage in the Panjab; which country, by the nature of its rivers, and by their mode of confluence, is particularly favourable to the task of tracing his progress.'

* Rennell, Introduction to Memoir of a Map of Hindūstān, edit. 1793, p. 28, et seq.