362 On Egypt and the Nile 



multitude of human beings, who adored the female power only, and were all 

 well-fhaped with fweet afpecls and line complexions. A furious contefl en- 

 fued between the two races, and the Lingajas were defeated in battle ; but 

 Maha'de'va, enraged againft the Yonijas, would have deftroyed them 

 with the fire of his eye, if Pa'rvati v had not interpofed and appeafed him; 

 but he would fpare them only on condition, that they mould inftantly leave 

 the country with a promife to fee it no more j and from the yoni, which they 

 adored as the fole caufe of their exiftence, they were named Yavanas. It is 

 faid, in another paffage, that, they fprang from the Cow 'Savila'j but 

 that cow was an incarnation of the goddefs I'si'j and here we find the Egyp- 

 tian \tgmft., adopted by the Greeks, of lo and Is is. After their expulfion 

 they fettled, according tp the Pur anas, partly on the borders of Varaha-dwip, 

 and partly in the two dwipas of Cusha, where they fupported themfelves by 

 predatory excurlions and piracy, and ufed to conceal their booty in the long, 

 grafs of Cujha-dwip. within; but Pa'rvati' conitantly protected] them, 

 and, after the fevere punimment of their revolt againft. De'va-nahush, or 

 Dionysus, gave them a line country, wherein a fhort time they became 

 a molt flouriming nation. Thofe Tavanas , who remained in the land of 

 Cusha and on the banks of the Call, were perhaps the Hellenick Shep- 

 herds mentioned in Egyptian hiftory ; and it as probable, that great part of 

 thofe, who- had revoked againft Dionysus, retired after their defeat into 

 Greece : all the old founders of colonies in that country had come originally 

 from Egypt ; and even the Athenians admitted, that their anceftors formerly 

 refided in the diftricts round Sa'is. 



It is evident, that the ftrange tale in the Servarafa was invented to efta- 

 blifn the opinion of the Yony ariettas t or votaries of De'vi', that the good 

 ihape, ilrength, and courage of animals depend on the fuperiour influence of 



