SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST. ■ 73 



Immediately after the word Brahma'. *' Take Garud'a, or the eagle, 

 " said the statue, go quickly and bring Maga. ^S amba went to Dwdracd 

 " to his father, who advised him to lose no time ; and 'S'amba, mounting 

 " Garud'a, soon arrived in 'Sdea-dwipa. There he found the sage wor- 

 ** shipping the sun, upon whom he prevailed at last to follow him. The 

 *' sage said, there are eighteen families descended from me, all deeply 

 »* skilled in the Vedas, and perfe6lly well acquainted with all religious 

 " rites and ceremonies, and we are ready to accompany you. They 

 *' mounted Garud'a, and soon arrived at the town of 'Samba. There 

 *' they consecrated the statue of the sun, and 'Sa'mba bestowed upon 

 *' them the town, and immense riches. They afterward intermarried in 

 •** the family of king Bho'ja ; hence they are called Bhojacas. Since that 

 *' time the town of 'Samba is become famous through the three worlds; 

 " and 'Sa'mba, having bowed to the sun, to the Brdhmens, and performed 

 ** the usual procession, went to see his father at Dwdracd." 



The town of 'Samba is very little known to us, and even to the na- 

 tives. It is mentioned however by Father Monserrat, who accompanied 

 the Emperor Ac BAR in his expedition to Cahul in the year 1581. The 

 •emperor, and his army, passed in sight of Sdmbd, which was then 

 garrisoned by his troops; and Monserrat places it is minutes of long. 

 to the east of Jummoo, and 21 minutes, or geographical miles, to the 

 north of it. It cannot be far from the Chindh; and the word tat 

 does not imply the banks of a river exclusively, but extends also to 

 the adjacent country. Thus eighteen families of learned and devout 

 priests, with their venerable sire Maga at their head, came from the 

 most distant countries in the west, from the dwrpa of 'Sdca in tlie 

 White Sea, to instru6l the inhabitants of India, in the most perfect 



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