534 ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 



NoNNUS compiled his Dionysiacs were originally 

 written in these countries j of whichNoNNUs himself 

 was a native. 



The Hir-me7id which has its source in the same 

 lake with the Landhi-Sin, and flows toward Persia, 

 is called also Attack, so that it seems, that the whole 

 country between the He?^me7id and JnduSyW^iS equally 

 Attaca or forbidden. I have not been able yet to 

 discover the origin of this prohibition: but I believe 

 it extended at first to civil purposes only. In this 

 manner the Hara-Modren in China is called Attack 

 by Hindu pilgrims, who do not consider it, in the 

 least, as a religious prohibition : this civil prohibition 

 is very ancient for it is recorded by Pliny*. The 

 Mdha-nadi near Cuttack is also called Attack, but 

 this prohibition is very little regarded. 



In that dreadful war which we mentioned in out 

 former essay f between the Lingancitas and Yonijas 

 or Yavanas: the former stood their ground pretty 

 well at first : but were in the end defeated and 

 shamefully routed in the battle, through the efficacy 

 of the sacred Yani^ Maha'de'va enraged, was going 

 to destroy them with the fire of his eye : but Pa'r- 

 VATi' interposed, and to appease him made use of 

 the same artifice, the old woman called Baubo, did to 

 put Ceres in good humour, and shewed him the 

 prototype of the Latos. Maha'de'va smiled and 

 relented ; but on the condition only that they should 

 instantly leave the country. Whether this legend 

 allude to a real war between the worshippers or the 

 Linga and Yoni, or be a mere physiological allegory 

 I cannot determine : be this as it may, the Yavanas 

 withdrew to the countries between the Indus, and 

 the Hirmend, and the Landhi-Sin or Nilab: every 



* Lib. 6, c. 22. t Asiatick Researches, vol. 3. p. 362. 



inter- 



