46 PLINY'S NATUKAL HISTORY. [Book VI. 



people, and lying still more in the interior, are the Monedes, 

 and the Suari, 61 among whom is a mountain known as Maleus, 

 upon which the shadow falls to the north in winter, and to 

 the south in summer, six months alternately. In this district 

 the Constellation of the Greater Bear 62 is seen at only one 

 period in the year, and then but for fifteen days, according 

 to what Eaeton states. Megasthenes, however, informs us 

 that the same is the case also in many other localities of India. 

 The South Pole is by the Indians called Diamasa. 



The river Jomanes runs into the Ganges through the terri- 

 tory of the Palibothri, between the cities of Methora 63 and 

 Chrysobora. 64 In the regions which lie to the south 65 of the 

 Ganges, the people are tinted by the heat of the sun, so much 

 so as to be quite coloured, but yet not burnt black, like the 

 .^Ethiopians. The nearer 66 they approach the Indus, the 

 deeper their colour, a proof of the heat of the climate. After 

 leaving the nation of the Prasii, we immediately come to the 

 Indus; in the mountains of the Prasii a race of Pygmies 

 is said to exist. Artemidorus says that between these two 

 rivers there is a distance of two thousand one hundred 

 miles. 



CHAP. 23. (20.) THE INDUS. 



The Indus, called Sindis by the natives, rises in that branch 

 of the Caucasian range which bears the name of Paropanisus, 07 



61 Hardouin is of opinion that these nations dwelt in the localities oc- 

 cupied by the districts of Gwalior and Agra. 



6 - The Septentriones or " Seven Trions," in the original. Parisot is 

 of opinion that under this name of Mount Maleus he alludes to the 

 Western Ghauts, and that the name still survives in the word Malabar. 

 He also remarks that this statement of Pliny is not greatly exaggerated. 



63 Ansart says that this is the same as the modern town of Muttra or 

 Matra upon the Jumna, and to the north of Agra. 



64 Or Clisobora, according to Hardouin. It does not appear to have 

 been identified. 



65 In the Indian Peninsula, constituting more especially the presidency 

 of Madras. 



66 It is clear that he looks upon the countries of the Indus as lying to 

 the south of the Ganges. 



67 Or Hindoo Koosh. In this statement he is supported by Arrian, 

 Strabo, Mela, and Quintus Curtius. It rises, however, a considerable dis- 

 tance on the north-east side of the Himalaya. 



