18 Some conjectures on the progress of [Jan. 



contains, with many episodes on various subjects, an account of the 

 struggle for domination between the lines of Pandu and Kuru, two 

 branches of the Lunar race of Indian sovereigns. The epoch of the 

 history of the Mahabharat,* has been fixed chronologically at about 

 fourteen centuries before our era ; its scene is laid in the country about 

 Thanesar in Sirhind, a tract which has been the great battle-field of 

 India, from time immemorial to our own days. The combatants were 

 six Gangetic monarchs, those of Hastinapura, Mathura, Panchala, 

 Benares, Magadha, and Bengal, as well as Krishna who reigned in 

 Guzerat. The tide of Hindu domination had not extended itself 

 beyond the boundaries of Aryavarta, or in other words, further south 

 than the Nerbudda river, even so late as the days of Manu, who after 



array which was entirely impenetrable. In the centre of the formation shaped like 

 the unblown water-lily, was also formed another under cover of it. 



O ! chief of Kshetriyas, numerous elephants, foot-soldiers, Rathins, (a) and 

 horses appeared like (the meshes of) hundreds of thousand nets. 



Warriors equipped with these shining weapons, bows, swords, scimitars, maces, 

 javelins, and spears were posted amidst these armies. 



Scimitars clear as the serene firmament, as well as shields made of the bull hide, 

 and studded with hundreds of moons — glittered bright. 



! Great king, I have seen many elephants who were without their riders 

 (lying in the field) like mountains, exceeding faint under the shafts of Bhishma." 

 Vol. II. p. 643. Drona Parva. 



" At mid- day, oh ! great king, a furious battle took place, between Bhishma and 

 Somaka, occasioning loss of lives. 



1 saw hundreds and thousands of horses of different countries, adorned with 

 golden ornaments, running with the fleetness of the wind. 



I also witnessed the horsemen running with their wounded horses, and causing 

 their followers to run in all directions on the field of battle, with scimitars in their 

 hands. 



The elephants grappling with other elephants quickly came up to the infantry 

 and horse. Then king Duryodhana sent ten thousand of valiant horsemen to resist 

 the Pandavas." Vol. II. Bhishma Parva. 



* Mr. Prichard in his 4th volume of the Physical History of Man has so massed 

 together all authorities and opinions on this most interesting question (See p. 101, 

 et seq.) that in place of referring to detached writers, I would earnestly recom- 

 mend a perusal of his clear and compendious view of the subject, to all who feel 

 any desire to imbibe definite ideas on a point of history, long either utterly obscure, 

 or iu the highest degree uncertain. — H. T. 



(a) Those that ride in cars. 



