1850.] Brdhminical Conquerors of India. 33 



to the world, the name of ancient Bok-Hara (with other nomen- 

 clatures of other places) pointed to their occupation by a people that 

 professed the Hindu religion, and spoke Sanskrit, — all this sort of 

 thing is no proof, though it goes, quantum valeat, to the formation of 

 private convictions. But it is of value as respects this period to have 

 added, as I think I have done, to the known amount of moral analo- 

 gies subsisting between the old Egyptians and the ancient Hindu 

 settlers in India : and also to have commenced lending importance to 

 the semi-history of its mythic traditions, by a positive fact, resulting 

 * from the visible evidence afforded by recent antiquarian discoveries. 

 It is in nowise germane to our purpose to linger over the identification 

 of the "great strangers" of Sesortosis the second; nor question whe- 

 ther our knowledge as natural historians would not assign to them, 

 with their antelope, an eastern origin : it is, on these subjects, so easy 

 to start hypotheses, that the very fact of the habitat of the black 

 antelope being, according to Mami, the limit of Hindu civilization, 

 might, with imaginative persons, serve as the basis of a fair theory as 

 to the identity of the men, who brought with them this type of their 

 exclusive right to be classed, as with the Egyptian castes, as not of 

 the Mlechchhas, or unclean outcast men. The arbitrary assumptions of 

 learned men and great authorities have been hardly less startling than 

 the above, as regards the identity of the nations, whose names and 

 conditions, as depicted on monuments of the 18th dynasty, or later 

 empire of Egypt, I shall now, taking Sir G. Wilkinson for my guide, 

 briefly recite. 



1 . The Shairetana inhabit a maritime country of Asia ? wear a pecu- 

 liar horned or crested helmet — features large, nose aquiline — far fairer 

 than the Egyptians — appear as enemies and allies at different times. 



2. The Tokkari — neighbours to the above, as they appear escaping 

 in their ships? — wear a Persepolitan helmet, and a cuirass like the 

 above — used war-chariots, — also carts with solid wheels for their women 

 — facial outline pleasing — enemies and allies as above. 



3. (Name lost) — wore a high fur cap like the ancient Persians — ■ 



visited our Museum, where he lived, when it was closed (as on Sundays), and per- 

 fectly quiet : I heard from him enough to know that an immense amount of the 

 strangest erudition died with him. — H. T. 



