from the Ancient Books- of the Hindus. 319' 



This account of the Pallis has been extracted from two of the eighteen 

 Purdnas, entitled Scanda, or the God of War, and Brahma'nda, or 

 the Mundane Egg. We muft not omit, that they are faid to have carried 

 from India not only the At'barva-veda* which they had a right to poiTefs, but 

 even the three others, which they acquired clandestinely, fo that the four books 

 of ancient Indian fcripture once exifted in Egypt; and it is remarkable, that 

 the books of Egyptian fcience were exactly jour, called the books of 

 Harmonia or Hermes, which are fuppofed to have contained fubjects of 

 the higheft antiquity (a) : Nonnus mentions the firft of them as believed 

 to be coeval with the world ; and the Brabmens affert, that their three firft 

 VkAas exifted before the creation. 



The Pallis, remaining in India, have different names ; thofe, who dwell 

 to the fouth and fouthweft of Benares, are, in the vulgar dialects, called 

 Palis and Bhils ; in the mountains to the north-eaft of that city, they are 

 in Sanfcrit named Ciratas ; and, toward the Indus, as I am informed, a 

 tribe of them has the w appellation of Harita : they are now coniidered as 

 outcails, yet are acknowledged to have poiTeffed a dominion in ancient times 

 from the Indus to the eaflern limits of Bengal, and even as far as Siam. 

 Their anceftors are defcribed as a mofl ingenious people, virtuous, brave, 

 and religious ; attached particularly to the worfhip of Maha'de'va under 

 the fymbol of the Linga or Phallus ; fond of commerce, art, fcience ; And 

 ufing the Paifdch) letters, which they invented. They were fupplanted 

 by the Rajiputras; and the'r country, before named Pali/? ban was after- 

 wards called Rdjaputana in the vulgar dialed: of their conquerors. The 

 hiftory of the Pillis cannot fail to be interefting, efpecially as it will be 

 found much connected with that of Europe ; and I hope foon to be fupplied 



(u) See 2 Bryant 150. 



