1833.] Of Alexander the Great. 307 
which they derive from his warlike achievements, they add the honor of 
being related to one of the inspired messengers of the Deity. I have 
had opportunities of conversing with some members of the Badakhshain 
family, but there was nothing in form or feature which favored their 
Grecian lineage, nor is there any thing in the languages of any of these 
tribes (of all of which I have specimens), that indicate a connexion with 
Greece. The people are fair complexioned, and not unlike the Persians 
of modern times, while there is the most decided contrast between 
them and the Tivirks and Uzbeks. 
We learn from the historians of Atuxanpsr’s expedition that he 
warred in the kingdom of Bactriana. The city of Balkh, that lies in 
the vicinity of these territories, is readily fixed upon as that capital of 
the Greek monarchs. Setting aside every local identity, the modern 
inhabitants will inform you that the country between Balkh and Cabul 
has the name of ‘‘ Bakhtar Zemin,” or the Bakhtar country, in which 
we recognise Bactria. This fact renders it by no means impossible, 
that a Grecian colony had some time or other existed in the country. | 
It may therefore be supposed, that the dynasty which succeeded Auzx: 
ANDER in his empire ascended the valley of the Oxus, the fertility of 
which would attract them. They would then be conducted by Chitral 
and IJskardo into Balté or little Thibet, and the neighbourhood of 
Kashmir, and we may perhaps account for the early civilization of that 
beautiful valley in such a migration of Grecian colonists. The intro- 
duction of the religion of Muhammed into every country seems to have 
been fatal to historical annals of a prior zra, and I doubt not, that any 
traces which may have existed of the Macedonian inroad, or of the 
Seleucid, their successors, disappeared in that great revolution. The 
countries on the upper course of the Oxus lay beyond the line of Tatér 
invasion, and I infer from the modern language of Badakhshan, which 
is Persian, and its connexion with that country, that the tribes on the 
Oxus followed the destinies of the Persian empire. This would favor 
the supposition of their having been conquered by ALEXANDER. If we 
cannot bring ourselves to concede to these moderns the illustrious 
lineage of ALEXANDER THE GrzAT, we must still receive their traditions 
as the most concurring proof of his having overrun these countries ; 
and till some well-grounded argument can be brought forward to the 
contrary, I cannot for my own part deny the title of the chiefs to the 
honors which they claim. I received the information from natives of 
these countries, and as they entertained no doubt of its truth and 
authenticity, I have contented myself with recording that, upon which 
others will be able to enlarge and speculate. 
RR 2 
