ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 531 



their scheme of attaining the dominion of the world. 

 After this memorable victory, great rejoicings were 

 made throughout the whole town of Bdjniyan : for 

 the Baiiddhists insist that the religion of Buddha 

 existed from the beginning. 



I CANNOT better conclude this essay than by mak- 

 ing a few remarks on the supposed prohibition, im- 

 posed on every good HindiL from crossing the In- 

 dus ; in order to obviate some objections lately start- 

 ed, against the possibility of their being acquainted 

 with the most ancient transactions in the western 

 parts of the world. This prohibition is certainly 

 very ancient : for it is mentioned by Diodorus the 

 Sicilian; who says, that king Stau rob axes, in 

 Sanscrit Stha'wara-pati was prevented by the 

 soothsayers, in consequence of certain prodigies, 

 from crossing the Indus. 



Before we proceed, it is proper to ascertain, what 

 part of the Indus is properly called Attaca or the for- 

 bidden. From the unanimous report of the natives 

 of that country, either Hindus or MusulmanSy learned 

 as well as simple, I am fully satisfied that the LandJii- 

 Sindhy which rises from a lake in the vicinity oi Bd- 

 mil/an, and falls into the S'ind/i ahoveAftaca-Varanesa 

 or Attock-Benares is the rt3\ Attack or forbidden river : 

 this property however it communicates to the greater 

 Sindli from the place of their confluence down to the 

 sea. The Indus is called Sindiiuh or Sindhiis in San- 

 scrit, Ab-Sind or water of Sind by Persian authors : 

 but in the Pastoo language it is called Abai-Sin or 

 father Sin. The waters of the Landhi-Sin, or lesser 

 Sind, are remarkable for their limpidity : and being 

 very deep, it gives them a dark azure appearance ; 

 whilst the waters oH\iq Abai-Sin,2irQ turbid : and above 

 lor-Bclali or the black BHah * toward Der-bend and 



* Tcr-Bela or Tor-Belam, thus called from the banks of black sanj 



Bazve7'sa 



