64 WES T E R N H I N D O O S T A N. 



tories. Add to thefe, rich embroideries of various kinds, and a 

 great trade in various works in agate and cornelians, found in 

 the rivers, whicli are turned into bowls, handles for knives, 

 fabres, and various otli.er things. 

 Nagra* Near Cambay are the vefliges of another antient city called 



Nagra, perhaps the Comanes of Ptolemy. Almeyda, when he 

 vifited the coaft of Cambay, obferved a very antient town, with a 

 large mofque, and near it a fpatious place, covered with, tumuli*. 

 The moll learned of the natives informed him, that they un- 

 • derftood by their records that Hercules, in his expedition to 

 India, had here two great engagements with an Inuuin prince, 

 and was defeated, and that the tumuli were the graves of the 

 conquered. I mention this part only to fliew how exa<5l the 

 Indians have been to preferve their hiftory, founded, as part 

 may have been, upon fable. Arrian, i. Exped. Alex. p. 306. 

 fufpe(Sts that he v/as never in l§idia, but that the inhabitants, 

 hearing of his fame, adopted him among the gods of their 

 country t. 



Great numbers of the inhabitants of the city of Cambay are 

 Hindoos, who retain all their cuftoms, and all their fuperftition, 

 in the fulleft primoeval manner. One tenor of their religion is 

 to pay the utmoft attention to the brute creation ; this they 

 obferve with a charity that would be incredible, was it not fo 

 well attefted by travellers. The account given by Pietro de la 

 Valle, who vifited this city in 1623, cannot but be acceptable to 

 readers of curiofity. 

 Hospital for. *' The fame day of our arrival," fays he, p. 35, " after we 

 Birds. << -^^^ dined, and refted a while, w^e caufed ourfelves to be con- 



* Oforio. lib. vi. p. 345. Gibb's Tranf. f Arrian, Rerum. Indie, i. p. 523. 



6 *' du^ed 



