ASSYRIAN MONUMENTS. 89 



tutored minds, overwhelmed by their overwhelming 

 surroundings, as they must have been, should have 

 called this unique tree Deodar — the God-tree, growing 

 up in heaven, up among the clouds ? Is it to be 

 wondered that they brought down with them, if the 

 first explorers did ever come back, the cones of this 

 heavenly tree as something sacred ? No, it was the 

 most reasonable thing that could have occurred in those 

 days. 



Then, as they became more and more acquainted 

 with this tree, and discovered it lower down where 

 they could become more frequently familiar with it, 

 and began to use its wood, its durability and its 

 perfume must have added to its charms. Everything 

 that they knew about this wonderful tree conspired to 

 convince them that it was something supernatural; and 

 the * God-tree ' was about the most appropriate name 

 they could give it ! ^ 



Afterwards, when they began to utilize its timber for 

 temples, etc., their vivid imagination soon wove round 

 it myths of all sorts. 



^ Mr. Thomas Harris, Head Master of the Government College, Ajmere, 

 informs me that the Anglified name ' Deodar,' among the educated natives of 

 India, is Deoihvar, and the common people call it Deodiar ; that diar is the 

 word commonly used by the people for tree or wood. It also means door or 

 gate, and as the Himalayas are considered by the Hindoos to be the seat of 

 their gods — a sort of Hindoo Olympus, this name may also mean the door 

 or gate of the gods, these wonderful trees being the last before they come to 

 eternal snow. At Almora, he says, Hindoo temples have very often an avenue 

 of Deodars leading to them ; and that he has seen the tree worshipped by 

 women at certain seasons. 



