2X1V ON ASIATIC HISTORY, 



was removed, when I found in a classical Saner it book) 

 hear 2000 years old, that Hiranyahahu, or gold tor- arm* 

 ed y which the Greeks changed into Erannobot.,, or the 

 river with a lovely murmur, was in fact another name 

 for the Sana itself j though Megasthenes, from igno- 

 rance or inattention, has named them separately. This 

 discovery led to another of greater moment ; for Chan" 

 drampta, who, from a military adventurer, became, 

 like Sandracoitus, the sovereign of Upper Hindustan, 

 actually fixed the seat of his empire at Puialiptctrzt, 

 where he received ambassadors from foreign princes ; 

 and was no other than that very Sandracottus who con- 

 cluded a treaty with Seleucus Nicalor ; so that we have 



red another problem, to which we before alluded, and 

 may in round numbers consider the twelve and three 

 hundredth years before Christ, as two certain epochs 

 between Rama, who conquered Silan a few centuries 

 After the flood, and Vicramaditya, who died a Vjjayini 

 fifty-seven years before the beginning of our era. 

 ■ IF. Since these discussions would lead us too far, I 

 proceed to the history of Nature, distinguished, for our 

 present purpose, from that of Man ; and divided into 

 that of other animals who inhabit this globe, of the 



■^eral substances which it contains, and of the vege- 

 tables which so luxuriantly and so beautifully adorn it. 



j. Could the figure, instincts, and qualities of 

 birds, beasts, insects, reptiles, and fish be ascertained, 

 cither on the plan of Buffbn, or on that of Linnaus, 

 without giving pain to the objects of our examination, 

 few studies would afford us more solid instruction, or 



more 



