174 ' NATURAL HISTORY OF 



Paraere, the back-bone of the world, not yet distinctly 

 marked in maps ; a more real umbilicus of the earth 

 than any other of the sacred centres of primaeval society. 

 Here is the mysterious Lake Surikol, at the source of 

 the Oxus, where local belief pretends that the Jaxartes 

 and the Indus have both affluents rising at no great dis- 

 tance, while the Kash-gar, on the east of the summits, 

 flows towards the rising sun. To the west are the 

 mountains of Northern Hindoo-Koosh, the probable 

 seat of the first Celto-Scythse, for in these regions was 

 afterwards established a Macedonian empire, which, 

 without an original consanguinity with the local nations, 

 could not have lasted even for one generation. 

 . Most primaeval nations have traditions of a primor- 

 dial city of the gods, of the progenitor heroes of each 

 stem a Babel, Nagara, Pasagardae, or Asgard. It 

 appears that Balkh (Kham-balu *) is at least the most 

 prominent, so far as the western and southern nations 

 are concerned, notwithstanding that the present Bamean, 

 with the interminable troglodyte habitations around, 

 may well represent the spot where increased population, 

 finding insufficient food, would be excited to discord ; 

 and an appeal to force would naturally end in the 

 weaker party being driven to exile or dispersion. 



Though other traditions may be more purely Cau- 

 casian, mention may be made of some, perhaps, no less 

 important. Among these is the very ancient name of 



* The first Cambalu, or rather Khan-balk, is not Pekin. 

 Samarcand, the first horse fair, and thence commercial city, 

 is at no great distance. 



