1851.] Essay on the Ancient Geography of India. 257 



near the shore, but its breadth N. and S. is in some places only four 

 or five cos. In going through this holy ground, they must suppress 

 all sorts of evacuations, they must not spit, blow their noses, and 

 throw the matter upon the ground, &c. ; otherwise they would be 

 punished with an incurable leprosy. They cross it in an oblique 

 direction, and reckon the distance to be travelled over, to be about six 

 cos, or twelve miles. When they approach it, the guides admonish 

 them, and on replying, that they are ready, on a signal given, they all 

 set off, like so many dogs after their game (such is the expression, 

 they use themselves) heedless of one another. When fatigued, they 

 occasionally lie down, and by their reckoning, they traverse this holy 

 ground in three hours. Some pilgrims prefer to go round this tre- 

 mendous spot ; but this is reckoned unfair. This holy ground is called 

 Camald-pdth, or the seat of Camald-devi : another name for it, is Cold, or 

 Gold-path. It consists of a stiff, whitish clay, which softens during the 

 rains, and the whole becomes an impracticable quagmire ; and indeed this 

 is asserted of all the low grounds between the Hdb and the river Haur. 

 The whole country, between these two rivers, is called simply Camald, 

 Gold and Cold; and by El Edrissi Colwdn, from Cold-van; and this de- 

 nomination is also made to extend, beyond the mountains to the north, 

 called in Sanskrit Darddura, which is mentioned in the Puranas, as the 

 name of a country, and of some mountains in that part of India. Chan- 

 dicd-devi, who is really the Circe of the Hindus, is, from her living there, 

 called Dardduri; and she might also be styled Ciri, or Circa, as she 

 resides in the country of Cira. 



About two miles to the east of the river Ghaur, the pilgrims per- 

 ceive the sea, and some rocks, among which there is one larger than 

 the rest. These are supposed to have been ships, and boats formerly ; 

 which with all their crews were turned into stones by Chan'dicd. The 

 same story is related, concerning a rock close to the island of Ashtola 

 in that country, by Capt. Blair, who says that the natives assured him, 

 that the island was enchanted. Some merchants had attempted once 

 to settle at the mouth of the river Haur, and had built a little town, 

 which was frequented by ships loaded with various articles of trade. 

 The goddess had told them repeatedly that she disapproved of their 

 settling so near to her ; but they insisted, and were justly punished 

 for their obstinacy and presumption. 



