SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, &C. 357 



country was called the seven Curavas, or Caru. 

 simply in the singular number. 



This will suffice to give an idea of the geogra- 

 phical turn of the Hindus, and I shall leave off, in 

 future, the descriptions of mountains, dales, and 

 lakes, as if viewed through a prism, omitting the 

 enchanting buzz of the six-footed Bhramarci, a 

 beetle, or rather a large black bec,J'ucus, or drone, 

 the names of fragrant flowers, and precious stones, 

 with which the Hindus are as much delighted, as 

 children are with the bare names of sweetmeats, 

 and tlowers jumbled together. 



II. In the description of Bhadrasva, or China, 

 as we have observed before, the Paur/uiics take 

 peculiar notice, that this extensive country had 

 never been visited b}^ great men, that is to say, 

 by men of learning and respectability. The au- 

 thor then gives an account of the four sacred 

 streams in these words : 



Hear now what divine streams issue from the 

 lakes, abundant with ogha living Vv'aters. The 

 water of the Ocean, coming from heaven upon 

 Meru, h \\^e amfita ; and from it arises a river, 

 which, through seven channels, encircles Jlltru 

 for a space of eighty-four Yojanas, and then di- 

 vides into four streams springing over tlie four 

 sacred hills, toward the four cardinal points. One 

 stream goes over Mandara in the East, and en- 

 circles the beautiful grove of Chaitra-rafha, and 

 falls into the Arwiodd, or Arun'a lake, and goes 

 thence to the moimtains of Sitauta, Sumanta, Su- 

 manjasa, Mddhyavanta, to Vcdcanca, Ma?ii, Rish- 

 abha, from hill to hill; then falls to the o-i-.onnd, 

 and waters the country of Bhadrasva, a Su-mahd- 

 dwipUy or beautiful and extensive island, or coun- 



A a '^ 



