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ocean; serving as a boundary to their country, and to that of the Oreita. The chief city of the latter was Ur, like that in Chaldea; but expressed by the Greeks 74 ea, Ora. They had been for ages an independent people; but were forced to submit to the fortunes of Alexander, to whom they surrendered their city.

Together with the Oreitæ and Arabians of Dionysius, are mentioned the Arachoti. These are undoubtedly the same as the Cathaians above; and were denominated from their city. Ar-Chota is the same as Cothopolis, or the city of Cutha, somewhat varied in the poet's description. The Arachotians are styled Awoxhawo, from their particular habit, which was of linen. This circumstance is a strong characteristic of the Amonians. I believe, in every place where they settled, they were famous for this 75 manufacture. They introduced it in Colchis, which was celebrated for its flax and linen so was the country of Cam

7+ Arrian. Expedit. Alexandr. 1. 4. p. 190. l. 6. p. 261. 75 Of the Colchi: εχεσι δε και λινεργεσι την καλαμην, ώσπες AYUTTIO. Schol. in Pind. Pyth. Od. 4. v. 376.

Solomon sent for linen from Egypt. 1 Kings. c. 10, v. 28. Moreover they that work in fine flax shall be confounded. Isaiah. c. 19. v. 9. of the Egyptians.

Eustathius of the Egyptians ; το λινας εσθήτας αμπέχεσθαι.
Schol. in Dionys. Perieg. ad v. 689.

pania, where they settled in Italy. The Egyptians were styled Turba linigera: and the 75 Athenians had not long left off this kind of apparel in the time of Thucydides. The same habit prevailed in Bætica, especially among the priests:

76. --velantur corpora lino,

Et Pelusiaco præfulget stamine vertex.

It seems to have been universally the garb of the Cuthic Indians: as we may infer from Philostratus: 77 σολην δε είναι τοις κατα τον Ινδον λινε φασιν εγχωριε, και υποδηματα βυβλα. This was the express habit of the Egyptians, whom this people resembled in many other respects. From circumstances of this nature, many learned men have contended that the Indians, and even the 78 Chinese, were a colony from Egypt: while others have proceeded as warmly upon the opposite principle; and have insisted that the Egyptians, or at least their learning and customs, are to be derived from the Indi and Seres. But neither opinion is

75 Thucydides. 1. 1. p. 6.

75 Silius Italic. 1. 3. v. 25.

77 Philostrati Vita Apollonii. I. 2. p. 79.

78 Memoire, dans lequel on prouve, que les Chinois sont une colonie Egyptienne, &c. Par M. de Guignes, de l'Academie Royale, &c. &c. A Paris. 1760.

quite true: nor need we be brought to this alternative; for they both proceeded from one central place and the same people who imported their religion, rites, and science into Egypt, carried the same to the Indus and Ganges; and still farther into China and Japan. Not but that some colonies undoubtedly came from Egypt: but the arts and sciences imported into India came from another family, even the Cuthites of Chaldea; by whom the Mizraïm themselves were instructed: and from Egypt they passed westward. 79 Ex Χαλδαίων γάρ λεγεται φοιτήσαι ταυτα προς Αίγυπτον, κακείθεν προς Ελληνας. The most approved account is, that arts came from Chaldea to Egypt; and from thence passed into Greece. Hence we must not be surprised if we meet with the same customs in India, or the same names of places as are to be found in Egypt, or Colchis, or the remotest parts of Iberia. In this country were cities named Ur, Cuta, Gaza, Gaugamela. The river Indus was said to rise in Mount Caucasus, similar to the mountain in Colchis. There was a place called Aornon in Epirus, in Campania, and in Iberia near Tartessus. The like was to be found in India: 80 Αόριον τινα πετράν, ἧς τας ρίζας

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ὁ Ινδος υποῤῥει πλησιον των πηγων. It was supposed here, as in other places, to have received its name from the impossibility of birds flying over it; as if it were of Grecian etymology. By Dionysius it is expressed Aornis.

81 Τένεκα μιν και φωτες επικλείεσιν Αορνιν.

I took notice that the Oreitæ and Oxydraca pretended to be descended from Dionusus. The like was said of the Gargarida, who lived upon the Hypanis, near Mount Hemodus, and are mentioned by the poet Dionysius.

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-μετα τις δε, Διωνυσσε θεράποντες Γαργαρίδαι ναιεσιν, όθε χρυσοιο γενέθλην Δαιδαλέην Ύπανις τε φερει, θειος τε Μεγαρσος.

Dionys. Perieg. v. 1151. He places it at the extremity of the isthmus, near Cape Comar: for there were two places in India of this name.

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Dionys. Perieg. v. 1143. Pompon. Mela speaks of the city Nusa in these parts. Urbium, quas incolunt, Nysa est clarissima et maxima: montium, Meros, Jovi sacer. Famam hic præcipuam habent in illâ genitum, in hujus specu Liberum arbitrantur esse nutritum: unde Græcis auctoribus, ut femori Jovis insitum dicerent, aut materia ingessit, aut error. l. 3. c. 7. P. 276.

The most knowing of the Indi maintained that Dionusos came from the west.

He styles them, from their worship and extraction, the servants of Dionusos. As there was a Caucasus in these parts, so was there also a region named Colchis; which appears to have been a very flourishing and powerful province. It was situated at the bottom of that large isthmus, which lies between the Indus and Ganges, and seems to have comprehended the kingdoms which are styled Madura, Tranquebar, and Cochin. The Gargaridæ, who lived above upon the Hypanis, used to bring down to the Colchians the gold of their country, which they bartered for other commodities. The place where they principally traded, was the city Comar, or Comarin, at the extremity of the isthmus to the south. The Colchians had here the advantage of a pearl-fishery, by which they must have been greatly enriched. A learned commentator upon the antient geographers gives this account of their country. 84 Post Barim amnem in Aiorum regione est Elancon emporium, et Cottiara metropolis, ac Comaria promontorium; et oppidum in Periplo Erythræi Κομαρ et Κομαρει, nunc servato nomine Comarin. Ab hoc promon

83

Colchis mentioned by Ethicus, and styled Colche: also by Ptolemy.

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