340 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



India, and the composition of nations it still contains. 

 Though the substance of the first is said to be fifteen, 

 and of the second thirteen centuries older than the 

 Christian era, it will be safer to consider both as re- 

 ferring to events at least as ancient, while the poetical 

 views of the compositions, exclusive of episodes, such 

 as the deluge, &c., are evidently centuries later, and 

 in all cases refer to dates subsequent to the first inva- 

 sions of the Caucasian man, though not to the total 

 subjection of the Indian peninsula to his conquests. 

 We take the Ram ay ana to be the later in point of 

 composition, in the form it now appears, as shadowing 

 forth the remotest known conditions which affected the 

 two typical stocks in southern Asia. The subject mat- 

 ter is so grand and exciting, that Valmiki's 24,000 

 slokas, or distiches, are not the only, though the most 

 complete elaboration of the theme now extant; for 

 there is another ascribed to Vyazudavu, and three or 

 four more, of which that by Bod-hyana is said to be 

 replete with splendid passages. All relate to the ac- 

 tions of Rama, the hero divinity belonging to the first 

 known dynasty of the kings of Oude, at a time when 

 it does not appear that the other sovereignties of the 

 peninsula were as yet in possession of the conquering 

 bearded races. The Nishada Vidantha Naga states, the 

 kingdom of Kapila at Hurdwar on the Ganges, &c., were 

 in the hands of indigenous tribes, and Lanka Dwipa was 

 the abode of demons.* Some, like the Rana of the 



* We have not had access to Ward's History of the Hin- 

 doos, and therefore cannot judge of the view -which that 



