SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, &C. 275 



i's'wARA might be represented standing in the 

 middle, as they used to do in Egypt. 



II. The Hindus have pecidiar names for the four 

 cardinal points, derived from their respective situa- 

 tion, with regard to a man looking toward the ris- 

 ing sun, which is the most proper time to worship 

 him. The East, from that circumstance, is called 

 Para, and Purva, or before: the West, Apara, 

 and Pas'chima, or behind. The South, heing then 

 to the right, is called Dacshin'a, and the North 

 Vdma, or the left. 



From dacshin'a comes obviously the Greek dexion: 

 the Latin dexter, dexter um is from dacsh-tir, or 

 dacshatiram, towards the right. Pas'chima is ob- 

 viously a derivative form, the root of which, pas'cha, 

 is no longer to be found in Sanscrit, unless in other 

 irregular forms, as pashchdt ; but it is still in use in 

 the spoken dialects, in which it is pronounced 

 picha, and from pas'cha is derived the Latin post, or 

 behind, and postumus for postimus, answers to pas'- 

 chima, or paschum, in the spoken dialects. Para 

 is the English word /ore; thus we say a fairy from 

 the Persian Peri. It is also pronounced pra, as in 

 pra-pada, the forefoot, or fore part of the foot, 

 including the Tay^sus and Metatarsus; and from it 

 is derived the Latin prce and the Greek pro. From 

 this circumstance there arose a peculiar division of 

 the old continent ; the midland countries are called 

 Mad'hyama, or in the middle; tliose toward the 

 East Para, but more generally Ptirva: Para is 

 used oftener as an adjective noun, as Para-Gan'- 

 died, the Eastern Garidica. The countries towards 

 the West are denominated Apara^ Apar. Its de- 

 rivatives are aparam, aparcn'a, an adverb ; aparica, 

 aparicd, aparicam, masculine, feminine, and neu- 



T2 



