from the Ancient Books of the Hindus. 357 



pie, who lived between the Mediterranean and Mero'e, were by Juba faid to 

 be Arabs, 



VI. The firft origin of the Danavas, or Children of Danu, is as little 

 known as that of the tribe laft mentioned; but they came into Egypt from 

 the weft of India; and their leader was Beli, thence named Da' nave'ndr a, 

 who lived at the time, when the Padma-mandira was erected on the banks of 

 the Cumudvati : the Danavas, whom he governed, are frequently mentioned 

 in the Pur anas among the inhabitants of countries adjacent to the Cali. 



As to the Stri-rdjya, or country governed by women, the Hindus aiTert, 

 that the fovereign of if was always a Queen, and that all her officers, civil 

 and military, were females, while the great body of the nation lived as in 

 other countries -, but they have not in this refpect carried the extravagance of 

 fable to the fame pitch with the Greeks in their accounts of the Amazons; 

 it is related in the Mall art Mdhdtmya, that, when Ra'vana was apprehen- 

 five of being totally defeated, he fent his wives to difcant countries, where 

 they might be fecure j that they firft fettled on the Indian peninfula near the 

 fite of Srirangapattana, or Seringapatnam, but that, being difturbed in that 

 ftation, part of them proceeded to the north of Dwaraca' in Gujarat, and part 

 into Sanc'ba-divipa, where they formed a government of women, whence 

 their fettlement was called Strirajya. It was on the iea-ihore near the Cula 

 mountains, extending about forty yojanas in length, and furrounded by low 

 fwampy grounds, named Jalabhumi in Sanfcrit and Daldal in the vulgar 

 idiom : Strirdjya, therefore, mult be the country of Saba, now AJ'ab, which 

 was governed by a celebrated Queen, and the land round which has to this 

 day the name of Taltal. The Cula mountains are that range, which extends 

 •from Dobaroiva, the Cohe of the ancient geographers, to the fource of the 



