430 



Memoir on the Indian Surveys. 



[April 



These are considerations, however, which many may reckon more 

 fanciful, or at best, more speculative than conclusive and useful. Let 

 it be remembered, however, that one step made towards the solution of 

 any difficulty is calculated to pave the way to the solution of others 

 and while we dwell on the beauties of classic literature, we are fre- 

 quently tempted to discredit the accuracy of the author on the ground 

 of one mis-statement, or disparage his writings on the score of puerility 

 or fiction. Thus also, when tracing similarity of moral institutions and 

 civil usages in remote parts of the earth, where intercourse had not been 

 suspected, we are in a like degree prone to conclude against a degree 

 of civilization and intercourse, which may be founded in reason as well 

 as in fact, from not having sufficiently examined or considered the 

 evidences to the contrary. 



The commercial expeditions to India by the Romans, the Egyp- 

 tians, and at a later period by the Arabs, were of too exclusive a na- 

 ture to throw much light on geography ; vestiges of the former on the 

 coast of India are still to be found throughout Malabar, where large 

 collections of Roman coins have escaped the furnace of the gold- 

 smith.* The Egyptian fleets were encountered by the Portuguese on 

 their first arrival in India, Mnd the Arabs had for many centuries 

 colonized not only on the whole line of coast from the 

 Persian gulf to Cape Comorin, but had established themselves 

 on Ceylon, and all the principal islands of the Indian archipelago. In 



punishment, for she would lay upon him the necessity of circumnavigating Libya, until 

 he should arrive in the Arabian gulf. Xerxes consented to this proposal, and Satayses 

 going to Egypt, there hired a ship and mariners, and thence sailed through the Pillars of 

 Hercules. Having passed these, and doubled the extreme point of Libya, which bears 

 the name of Soloeis, he sailed southward ; but after traversing, during many months, a 

 vast extent of sea, and knowing that still more must be passed, he turned his course, and 

 sailed back tp Egypt. Thence he proceeded to Persia, and presented himself before 

 Xerxes, He said, that on the remotest part of the coast along which he sailed he saw 

 men of diminutive stature, clad in leaves of the palm-tree, who, whenever the sailors 

 drew to shore, abandoned their towns, and fled to the hills. His people entering, did the 

 natives no other injury than taking their cattle. The reason why he could not sail 

 entirely round Libya was, he said, that in attempting further progress his ship stuck 

 fast ; but Xerxes not giving credit to the excuse he made for not fulfilling the appointed 

 task, condemned him to undergo his first sentence, and he was impaled. The chief oflicer 

 of Satapses, instantly as he heard of his death, tied to Samos with great wealth. This 

 treasure was seized by a certain Samian, whose name I well know, and purposely 

 conceal."— i/e?orfo/M5, Book iv,, Sections. 



* A very large and most valuable collection of these coins is now in the possession of 

 a native at Palghautcherry ; and Mr. Sparks, of the Madras civil service, told me he had 

 been particularly successful in procuring many rare specimens in that province. 



