356 On Egypt and the Nile 



own Gods had the figure of Habajhis, or negros; and even the hair of Bud- 

 bha himfelf, for whom they have no fmall degree of refpect, they confider 

 as twirled in braids, like that of fome modern Sannydjis ; but this will not 

 account for the thick lips and flat nofes of thofe ancient images ; nor can it 

 reafonably be doubted, that a race of negro s formerly had power and pre-eminence 

 in India. In feveral parts of India the mountaineers have flill fome refemblance 

 to negros in their countenance and hair, which is curled and has a tendency 

 to wool : it is very probable, that, by intermarriages with other outcasts, who 

 have black complexions but ftraight hair, they have changed in a courfe of 

 ages, like the Cutiila-dfas, or old Egyptians; for the modern Copts are far from 

 anfwering to the defcription given by Herodotus, and their features differ 

 confiderably from thofe of the mummies, and of ancient ftatues brought 

 from Egypt, whence it appears, that their anceflors had large eyes with a long 

 Hit, projecting lips, and folded ears of a remarkable fize, 



V. Of the Syd?na-muc , has, who migrated from India, the origin is not 

 yet perfectly known ; but their faces were black, and their hair ftraight, like 

 that of the Hindus, who dwell on the plains : they were, I believe, the 

 jlraight-haired Ethiops of the ancients; (a) and their king, furnamed Maha 7 - 

 sya'ma, or the Great Black, was probably the king Arab us, mentioned 

 by the Greek Mythologies,- who was contemporary with Ninus. They 

 were much attached to the Cutila-cefas, whence we may infer, that the reli- 

 gious tenets of the two nations were nearly the fame. It is believed, that they 

 were the firft inhabitants of Arva-Jl' 'ban, or Arabia, but paffed thence into 

 Africk and fettled on the banks of the Nile : the part of Egypt, which lies to 

 the eaft of that river, is by fome confidered as 'part of Arabia; and the peo- 





[a] 'IQJrp^?. Herod. Polyhymn. 



