44° 



On Egypt and the Nile 



it had been the tomb of Mceris ; and others, that it was built for the purpofe 

 of holy rites j a diverfity.of opinion among the Greeks, which mows how little 

 we can rely on them ; and, in truth, their pride made them in general very 

 carelefs and fuperficial inquirers into the antiquities and literature of other 

 nations* 



IV. A lingular jftory, told in the Vttara-charltra, feems connected with 

 the people, whom, from their principal city, we call Romans. It is related, 

 that a fage, named A'lava'la refided on the verge of Himadri, and fpent 

 his time in cultivating orchards and gardens j his name or title implying a 

 fmall canal or trench, ufually dug round trees, for the purpofe of watering 

 them. He had an only fon, whofe name, in the patronymick form, was 

 A'lava'li :° .the young Brahmen was beautiful as Camade'va, but of an 

 amorous and moving difpofittoii ■; and, having left the houfe of his father, in 

 company with fome youths like himfelf, he travelled as far as the city of Ro- 

 maca, which is described as agreeably fituated and almoft impregnably ftrong. 

 The Country, in which it flood, was inhabited by Ml'ectihas, or men who 

 fpeak a barbarous dialect* and their king had a lovely daughter, who, hap- 

 pening to meet Kl a va'li, found means to difcourfe with him : the young 

 pair were foon mutually enamoured, and they had frequent interviews in a 

 fecret grove or garden; till the princefs became pregnant, and, her damfels 

 having betrayed her to the kings he gave orders for the immediate execution 

 of A'lav a';Lx ■; hut fhe had Sufficient power to effect, his eicape from the king- 

 dom. He returned home ■% but, his comrades having long deferted him, and 

 informed his father of his interc6urfe with the daughter of a M/ech'ha, 

 the irritated fage refufed to admit him into his manfion: he wandered, there- 

 fore, from country to country, till he arrived in Barbara, where he fuffered 

 extreme pain from the burning fands -, and having reached the banks of the 



