1847.] Periplm of the Erythrcan Sea, fyc. 27' 



within the torrid zone.* Arrian seems to have been aware, that De- 

 sarene and the country of the Kirrhadse and Bargoosi lay to the north of 

 the Tropic of Cancer : and after describing these countries, therefore, 

 he traces the course from them towards the south, and defines the in- 

 tertropical position of Khruse by the expression above mentioned. 

 Kb ruse was the most remote maritime region towards the east that was 

 known in the time of Arrian, as appears from its situation being refer- 

 red by him, to " the extremity of the world towards the east." In all 

 probability, however, it comprehended, not only Arracan, but likewise 

 the country designed by Ptolemy, the Golden Chersonese, which is now 

 generally admitted to be Pegu. It is likely also that it included Malacca 

 and Sumatra. 



Beyond or to the north of Khruse was situated Thina — a region the 

 boundaries of which are mentioned as extending even to the confines of 

 the Caspian, and the Euxine seas, the former being erroneously describ- 

 ed according to the prevailing opinion of that time, as communicating 

 with the Northern Ocean.f Thina appears from the geographical posi- 

 tion assigned to it by Arrian, to have been the country called " Chin" 

 by the Hindoos. Dr. Buchanan states that the ancient Hindoos do not 

 mention any kingdom as intervening between Kamroop (Lower Assam) 

 and China ; and that they considered the former territory as bounded on 

 the east by " Chin," by which term, however, he thinks, was probably 

 meant the country situate between the Indian and Chinese empires — 

 China itself, he states, being, according to Abul Fazel, the Maha Chin 

 of the Hindoos. X Sir Win. Jones mentions that in the 8th century be- 

 fore the birth of Christ, there was erected a kingdom in the province of 

 Shensi, the capital of which stood nearly in the 35° N. L. and about 5° 

 west of Si-gam. § Both this country and its metropolis were called 

 Chin, and the dominion of its princes was gradually extended to the 



* The extent of the torrid zone is differently mentioned by ancient geographers. 

 Eratosthenes limited it to eight degrees, and Posedonius to a little more than twelve 

 on each side of the Equator : but in general it was considered (as originally denned 

 by Aristotle) as comprehending the portion of the earth included within the Tropics. 

 (See Robertson's America, Vol. I. p. 369, No. VIII.) 



t Strabo, (Lib. XL p. 773,) Pomponius Mela,(Lib. III. c. 5,) Pliny, (Lib. VI. c. 1 3.) 



+ Buchanan's Topography of Rungpore. Martin's Eastern India, Vol. 3, p. 403. 



§ As. Res. Vol. II. p. 371. 



E 2 



