386 On Egypt and the Nile 



TV. When this earth was covered with waters, Maha'ca'la, who* 

 floated on their furface, beheid a company of Ajtfarafes, or Nympbs, and 

 expreffed with fuch force his admiration of their beauty, that MAH.UA'ir, 

 his confort, was greatly incenfed and fuddenly vanifhed: the God, flung 

 with remorfe, went in fearch of her, and with hafty ftrides traverfed the 

 earth, which then had rifen above the waters of the deluge> as they were 

 -dried up or fubfided; but the ground gave way under the-prdfure of his 

 foot at every ftep, and the balance of the globe was nearly deflrbyed. Irs 

 this diftrefs he was feen by the relenting CA'Li'on the fite of Srirangapaitanai 

 and confidering the injury, which the univerfe would fu (lain by her con- 

 cealment, me appeared in the character of Ra'jara'je'sw aiu\ and in 

 the form of a damfel more lovely than an Apfaras, on the banks of a fiver 

 <iince named Call. There at length he faw and approached her in the cha- 

 racter of Ra'jara'je'swara, and in the fhape of a beautiful youth: they 

 were foon reconciled, and travelled together over the world, promoting the 

 increafe of animals and vegetables, and instructing mankind in agriculture 

 and ufeful arts. At lalt they returned to Cu/ha-dwip, and fettled at a place, 

 which from them was named the Sthdna of Ra'jara'je'swara and 

 Ra'jara'je'swara, and which appears to be the Nyja of Arabia, called 

 Elim in Scripture, and El Tor by modern Geographers ; but Al Tur be- 

 longs properly to the interior dwlp of CuJJia: they refided long in that 

 Nation converfing familiarly with men, till the iniquities of later genera- 

 tions compelled them to difappear ; and they have iince been worshipped 

 under the titles of Is a'n a, or Isa, and Isa'ni, or Isf. 



Since the goddefs Is is made her firft appearance in Egypt, that country 

 is called her nurjing mother in an infcription mentioned by Diodorus, and 

 Caid to have been found on a pillar in Arabia: (he was reported by the 



