1847.] 



or Scythian Vesitgei 



93 



few of them returned ; many of them left their bones by the way ; and 

 it is an open question whether some of the sepulchres discovered 

 were not those of that predatory horde ; their plunder, in some cases 

 at least, would be buried with them. During the lapse of four or 

 five centuries, customs may have been altered ; if not, at Uttra- 

 Merur (that is in vulgar spelling, Ootramaloor) a great action was 

 fought between Mahomedans and Hindus, the former under the 

 command of David, or Daoodkhan : hence possibly the caves in that 

 neighbourhood. 



As regards Paduvur were my passing conjectures before offered 

 correct, that might explain some things there. It has occurred to me 

 however since, as an objection, that the construction of the caves 

 imply art and labour; such as would not be bestowed for remains 

 deemed no better than those of dead dogs. And the statement of 

 the 3d translation that those places were tombs, carefully prepar- 

 ed for their ancestors by the Javias, may possibly best remain un- 

 disputed. 



If there be any weight in the conjecture, that the old Druids were 

 professors of the Bauddhist religion, then we could trace a relation 

 between both Kist-vaeti and Cromlech of western countries, and the 

 like remains in the Carnatic. The slight analogy is I fear not solid ; 

 especially considering the strong objection arising from the fact that 

 the Druids offered human sacrifices: any cruental sacrifice whatso- 

 ever being abhorrent to the spirit of the Bauddhist system. 



An indication already given may here be somewhat developed. 

 When the pauranical 2^ZQ,0ViX\.i% of the Hindus close, the ascendancy of 

 barbarous races is mentioned. Sir W. Jones gives the names Ahhira 

 Gardahhin, Canca^ Yavana, Tarushcara, Bhuru?ida, Maula, Wil- 

 ford gives, Abhiras^ Sacas, Tushcaras, Yavanas, Maurundas, 

 Maunas, and Gardhahinas ; and southern Tamil MSS. (as stated 

 by me in Or. Hist. MSS. vol. I, p. 247,) give Ahiral^ Gardhahi- 

 yaly Buvathiyal, Yavanal, Maruntirali and Mavunal. Now of 

 those names, the Ahhiras are probably Affghans, the Sacas are 

 Scythians, i. e. Siberians, the Tush-caras Parthians or Turcomans, 

 and the Marundas, or Maunas, or Madunal, most probably Huns. It 

 is now some eleven years ago that I read a little Tamil book prepared 

 by the Rev. B. Schmid for a seminary; and I found him stating, from 

 German authorities, that the Huns had ravaged India, as well as other 

 countries. I have very recently conversed with Dr. Schmid on the 

 subject ; and I believe that there are many German works that may 



