^88 A DISSERTATION ON SEMIRAMIS, 



first verse, as usual, is inserted. <f The dove of d 

 * ( $ant countries is now struck dumb." 



The Hindus further insist, that the black stone in the 

 wall of the Caaba, is no other than the Linga or Phal- 



s of Mah a'-deva'j ana that when the Caaba was 

 rebuilt by Mohammed, (as they affirm it to have been) 

 it was placed in the wall, out of contempt; but the 

 new converted pilgrims would not give up the wor- 

 ship of the black stone ; and sinistrous portent? forced 

 the ministers of thenew religion to conniveatit. Ara- 

 bian authors also inform us that stones were worshipped 

 all over Arabia, particularly at Mecca ; and Al-s hah- 

 r est an i* says, that the temple at Mecca was dedica- 

 ted to Zohal or K y e v u n, who is the same with Sa- 

 turn. The author of the Dabistan declares possi- 

 tively that the Hejar at asw,ad, or the black stone, was 

 the image of Kvevun. Though these accounts 

 somewhat differ from those in the Parana's, yet they 

 shew that this black stone was the object of an idola- 

 trous worship from the most remote times. 



The Mussulmans, in order to palliate their idolatry 

 towards it, have contrived other legends. Kyevun 

 is the Ghyun of Scripture, also called Remphan, 

 which is interpreted the God of Time. If so, Chyun, 

 or Kyevun, must be Maha'-de'va, called also Ma- 

 -ca'la, a denomination of the same import with 

 Remphan'j the Egyptians called Horus, the lord of 

 time; and Horus is the same with Kara, or Ma- 



H A-DE'v A f . 



* Sale's Korav. 



+ See Dissertation on Egypt, &c. in the third volume of the Afi~ 

 4tic Researches* 



The 



