374 AN ESSAY ON THE 



Here I have placed the three ranges of moun- 

 tains, according to the documents of Hindu astro- 

 nomers : but not according to their usual delinea- 

 tions : for, according to these, the three ranges 

 should be represented by three concentric half 

 circles, parallel to the meridians of the projection. 

 It is acknowledged, that these ranges are in the 

 direction of as many parallels of latitude. In that 

 case the outermost ranges must be the longest : 

 and this is the opinion of the Jahias, as I observed 

 before, in the sixth paragraph of the first chapter. 



No. IV, exhibits the old Continent, projected 

 upon an imaginary circle passing* through the 

 North pole, and just grazing the equator in the 

 South. Instead of a circle, it should be an oval, 

 with the longest diameter East and West. But as 

 the tracing of an oval would be attended with some 

 dit^iculty, the mdoXtntPaurhiics have adopted the 

 circle in its room ; and seldom use the other. As 

 such a delineation would be useless, I have, of 

 course, omitted it. 



The chasm in the North-West, through the 

 mountains surrounding the world, was made by 

 Cr^shna, when he went to see his prototype 

 VisHxu, or the great spirit, the Faramatmd of the 

 world, whose abode is among waters, in the land 

 of darkness. Several heroes have passed since 

 through this chasm, which will be the subject of 

 a particular paragraph hereafter. 



No. y, explains the true system of the known 

 world, 2.ccording to the Pwr^w'^*, and 'the J«i;z^^, 

 reconciled with that of the astronomers of India. 



Here the Meru of the Paurhfics is brought back 

 to its proper place, whilst the Miru of the astro- 



