SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, 41 



he the fa-ces of the A ley on, a famous bird in antiquity. The Mindhhra 

 is f' from mina, fish, in Sanscrit; being supposed to be the fceces of a 

 sort of whale, and they said that it was black: thus confounding it 

 with the ^Saiid-Jatu, or Petroleum, called Selahit, Silachet, or Selachet 

 by Arab and Greek authors. 



Abhra is then the root of amber, and is the same substance; though 

 the learned are in general of a different opinion. Several Pandits thmk, 

 that by Carpura in general, we are to understand ambergris, (called 

 also Chandram or Chandra-rasa,) unless it be otherwise specified. 



The word amhara is found only in Sanscrit lexicons ; and in no other 

 books: hence I suppose that it is not originally, a ^a^^n^ word, and 

 th^t, like many proper names not pure Sanscrit ^^i^^. been admitted inta 

 lexicons : besides it is not there said to mean amber, 



Amrita is the sacred name of this precious perfume, in its most 

 perfe6l state, but not to be procured by mortals; for it belongs solely 

 to the gbd's, whom it has rendered iinmortal. They procured it in that 

 liigh refined state, with immense labour, by churning the White Sea; 

 and what we have is nothing Wiore,'-than the dregs and coarser parts 

 left behind, after the churning was over. Though it. cannot confer im-- 

 mortality, yet it will, when duly prepared, greatly lengthen the days 

 of mortal man. This preparation is somewhat Uke the philosopher's 

 stone among chymists, and. it was tlie opinion of the celebrated 

 BoERHAAVE, I believe, for I sp^ajl;- from recolle6tion only, that, if 

 properly prepared, it might have that efF^6l. Amber and ambergris, 

 have certainly a very great affinity; for by analysis they give the same 

 results. 



L 



