HERODOTUS AS A BOTANIST. 83 



Hindoo mythology, a deity wan seated on the lotus, that 

 therefore the conception of the former people was derived 

 from that of the latter. Given two nations surrounded by 

 similar external objects at a similar period of their civi- 

 lization, and in the dawn of history, and it will be found 

 in many instances that there is a striking family likeness 

 between the images that occur to their respective minds. 

 The famous hill that is covered with obsidian (alias vitrified 

 lava) in the north-east of Iceland, and is said to present the 

 appearance of a quantity of broken beer bottles jutting 

 out from the soil beneath the rays of the sun, has been termed 

 Hi'aftinnukryggr by the natives, or mountain of the raven's 

 Aving, from a supposed resemblance to the glossy plumage 

 of that bird, Avhile the Peruvians, between whom and the 

 Icelanders there can scarcely by any possibility have been 

 any communication in the days of old, and in whose land 

 obsidian is also found, have dubbed that formation by a name 

 of similar import. Besides IJorus, or J fat; in other words i7ar- 

 jja-hrat (in the Greek form of the word, Ilarpocrates), is by 

 no means to be regarded as the same deity as the Indian 

 Cupid. The common legend runs as follows : — Osiris is king 

 of Egypt, rules beneficently, goes upon his travels, leaves 

 his Avife Isis to conduct the government, which she does with 

 vigour and prudence. Set, the principle of evil, conspires 

 against Osiris, murders him, and having cut his body into 

 fourteen pieces, disposes of them in various parts of the 

 country. Isis collects the remains, and revivifies tJiem, 

 Avhile Horus, to avenge his father, seeks out Set, and 

 engaging him, biings him under. Apropos of this I may 

 mention that I have myself inspected the sacred chamber ot 

 Osiris on the roof of the temple, known as " Pharaoh's Bed," 

 in the island of PJiilee, and formerly regarded as so sacred 

 that even Strabo, the Roman historian, was not permitted to 

 <3nter it, and I have there seen the celebrated bas-relief 

 when he is recalled to life by Isis, his wife, at the head, and 

 Nephthys at tlie foot of his couch, and is commencing to 

 move his left arm and left leg in consequence. In another 

 ■carving Paslit, the cat-headed goddess, stands at the head of 

 his couch, Avhere he is extended in death, and Horus, his 

 eon, wearing the combined croAvn at the foot. {AchUnda 11.) 

 Position of the lotus in Kgyptian mythologri. — It is just at 

 this point that I think we have the clue as to the part the 

 Egyptian lotus plays in the popular myth, if after having 

 ^iven much thought to the subject, I have the good fortune 



