254 On the Sites of Nikaia and Boukephalon. [No. 3. 



to this day, and I never look upon one of those graceful structures 

 without the impression that a model of the Greek altars is before 

 me. It is far from being the sole memento of that remarkable race. 

 The Sikh of the present day, who like the Lacedemonian is sworn 

 from youth to arms, wears like him unmutilated hair, and gathers his 

 turban into folds exactly resembling the low Grecian helmet ; and the 

 practice of chaunting triumphal songs, I have already had occasion to 

 mention.* The vine and the olive grow just so far as their steps 

 have trod, and every old site westward of the Jelum teems with gems, 

 coins and sculpture breathing of the Grecian hand. 



APPENDIX. 



Taxila. — Oriental scholars are fond of identifying the modern vil- 

 lage of Tukhtpurri, or Turrukpurri with the Taxila of Greek History 

 and the Tukshasilla of the Sanskrit records. But it appears to me 

 that the grounds of the identification are insufficient. Tukht signifies 

 a throne, and is a Persian word. Turruk signifies a hyaena, and is a 

 Hindi word. Tuk signifies a balance or test, and is Sanskrit. Purri 

 is Hindi, and Shilla Sanskrit, both signifying a stone, or, slab of stone. 

 The force upon Tukhtpurri or Turruckpurri to reduce it to Tuksha- 

 silla,*)* and from thence to Taxila seems to me unwarrantable. For 

 the first syllable must be wholly dispossessed of its signification to 

 suit the convenience of the transposer, merely because there happens 

 to be a jingling resemblance in sound between Tuk and Tukht. A 

 new syllable "sha" must be created for it, and the ultimate and 

 penultimate syllables must be translated into another language to 

 complete the transformation. 



* Arrian speaking of these songs as offered by the Indians to Alexander as his 

 fleet dropped down the Hydaspes adds : <t>iA.^8ot yap efaep rives &\\oi, 'IvSol, ual 

 tpiXopx'flH-oi'es airb Aiovvcrov en, Kal ruv a^ua Aiovvay PaKxevardvrwv Kara r)]v 'ivSwu 

 yrjv. Lib. vi. chap. 3. It is only the older tribes of the Punjaub that have this 

 custom. 



f There is not a doubt that Cashmere might be converted into Windermere with 

 less trouble. For instance Cahch, glass ; Winder, in the vulgar dialect, quasi win- 

 dow, made of glass ; and Mere, a lake, common to both : the glassy lake ! ! 



