70 ' ESSAY ON 



Serica, a derivative word, from Ser, the name of 

 China, to this day, all over Tibet, and implying a 

 country subject to Ser. This Sera is, much more 

 probably, the ancient and famous city called Dsiri, 

 Sif^i, and Sera, to the S. E. of Lassa. Its real name 

 is Cheri, or T^eri, according* to several pilgrims who 

 had visited this famous place of worship. Between 

 it and Tonkei\ Ptole^iy places, about half way, a 

 town called Dacrsata, probably in the kingdom of 

 Tac-po, between Seri and Tonker. 



There is another Bracmania, or Bragmania, in the 

 Gaugetic provinces mentioned by Palladius, in his 

 account, in Greek, of the Bragmaua. Calanus and 

 Dandamis came from that country; and the latter 

 is introduced, reproaching Calanus with his deser- 

 tion, who could not remain satisfied with the pure 

 waters of the Tiheroboas, or Taherancus. This river 

 was to the eastward of the Gauges ; for Dandamts, 

 or Dama'-damis, says, how can Alexander be 

 called the conqueror of the world, v/hilst he has not 

 yet crossed the Tiberoboas, or Tybercboas : let him 

 only go beyond the Ganges, &c. ^The country* of 

 these sages was probably Tirhoot, in Sanscrit, Tri- 

 bitcta. This word has been distorted Aaiious ways, 

 which have very little resemblance with their primi- 

 tive and original forn). The district of TirJu'it con- 

 sisted originally of three divisions ; the first of which 

 is called to this day Tirhut, or Tyroot ; the second is 

 denominated Ti-llu-hut ; and the third, Ru-Ti-hut. 

 These words are also pronounced Ti-Ru-buct, Ru-Ti- 

 huct. Thus Sri-hut, is now called Silhet, and by 

 Arabian authors, Sarirat. Tribucta is derived from 

 7'ri, three, and Bucta, from a verb implying to 

 foster; either because there were three Rajas, foster- 

 ing the whole country, or one Raja, who alone fos- 

 tered the three districts, and we may say either Tri- 

 bucta, or Tribhi(t\ 



