222 SURG.-GEN. C. A. GORDON, M.D., 0.B., ETC., ON 
Deccan, and Nerwaal. These first inhabited the countries 
known to this day by their respective names. To Deccan 
was born three sons, amongst whom he divided his kingdom, 
and from whom sprang the three great tribes of the Deccan, 
namely, the Marhattas, Conherias, and Telingas. Nerwaal 
had also three sons, Beroge, Camboge, and Malrage. Bang 
had many children, who lived to inherit the kingdom of 
Bengal. Purib, the first-born of Hind, had 42 sons, who in 
a short time multiplied exceedingly; but among them, one 
whose name was Krishen (Krishna?*) exalted himself above 
his brethren, and ultimately became first monarch of Hindo- 
stan. The approximate date at which we have thus arrived 
is B.c. 2100.f 
From these traditionary accounts, let us briefly refer to 
the more recently expressed views on the same subject. 
According to them, in very ancient times the great river 
plains of India became the theatre on which a nobler race 
(than the aborigines) worked out its civilisation, That race 
belonged to the Aryan or Indo-Germanic stock, from which 
the Brahman, the Rajput, and the Englishman descend. Its 
earliest home in Central Asia, whence certain branches 
started for the East, others for the West. From the Eastern 
stream, powerful bands descended by the Himalayan passes 
to the Punjab, and spread themselves as Brahmans and 
Rajputs over India. 
We know little of these noble Aryan tribes in their early 
camping ground in Central Asia. It is inferred that there 
they roamed over the grassy steppes with their cattle, 
making long halts to crops of grain. They had tamed 
most of the domestic animals, were acquainted with some 
metals, understood the arts of weaving and sewing, wore 
clothes, and ate cooked food. They lived the hardy life of 
the temperate zone. 
From all antiquity the Hindoo people have been divided 
into four great tribes,t each of which comprised various 
inferior castes. These tribes neither intermarried, ate, drank, 
or otherwise associated with each other ;} nor do they at the 
* A man of wisdom, but not the Krishna whom the Hindoos worship. 
ieoc. (2. p. 10. 
t Castes appear to have existed among the Egyptians, Etruscans, and 
Israelites. Among the Israelites, particular trades descended in certain 
families. 
§ Mr. Chandra Sekhar Sur says: “ Anciently they used to intermarry, 
eat, drink, and associate with each other ; of course excepting the Non- 
