46 ESSAY ON 



able situation. Of the time of the total subversion 

 of Ball-putra, or Rqja-grTha, we cannot form any 

 idea ; but there is every reason to believe it took 

 place at a very early period ; for Pali-bothra is not 

 mentioned in the Ptutingerian tables, and MagacVha, 

 or Patna, is pointed out as a capital city, under the 

 name of Almagadlia, or Eii-maide, Al-?naied. 



IV. The trade of Pali-bothra, and of the kingdom 

 of Magad'ha, in its days of splendor, was astonishing-, 

 and is attested by Ptolemy, Ahrian in his Periplus, 

 and the Peutingerian tables. The same is attested 

 by Chinese historians, and the two Mohammedan tra- 

 vellers. From Pali-bothra to the Indus there was 

 the royal road ; and the distances all along weie 

 marked with columns. There was another road, 

 leading from Batvche to Elymaide, Al-?naied, Al- 

 muiet, and Al-nmjiat, or Patna, called also, in San- 

 scrit books, Magad'ha, as well as the country. This 

 is mentioned in the Peufingeiian tables, and the dis- 

 tance marked 700, which I take to be Brahvieni coss, 

 equal to 856 British miles. In the Peutingerian 

 tables, Baroche is called Paricea, and the road to 

 Elymaide leads through a place called Nincilda, the 

 true name of which I take to be Nila-cunda, the 

 Blue-pcol, or rather the pool-cun'da, dedicated to Ni- 

 lacam'esVaka or Is'm'aua, with the blue neck. 

 Prom Al-maied theie is another road, leading through 

 the Barman emj)ire, Siam, and ending at Calippe, 

 now ColumpC% in the kingdom of Cambodia. Accord- 

 ing to the Peutingerian tables, this road went from 

 Patna, first to the country of Colchi, called Chalcitis, 

 Chalcis, by Ptolemy, and the distance marked is 

 6^25 ; which, being supposed to be coss, are equal to 

 74£ B. miles. Near the Colchi country, in the tables, 

 are placed the oindi, equally mentioned by Ptolemy, 

 and also a pbce called Pisatita, probably the modern 

 Pitshiai. Then, from Colchi to Thimara, probably 

 the Tomara of Ptolemy: and the distance is 450 



