Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-01-19
Tor tie Palladium.
BIOGRAPHY AM HISTORY.
NO. I.

NI
In gancing over the pages Of oTientai history
there are many subj ects presented TO the mind,
which afford lessons of deep and solid Instruction.
And indeed antiquity may be viewed as a vast
and couded mirror. presenting an endless vnrle-
~ of grotesque images, with here and there an
intellectual lus,re, radatlng lis light through all
futurity.
But before proceeding, hereby forewaFn the
public, that the facts disclosed IN this and other
compositions, are borrowed aud 10 be borrowed,
from such authors as fall into my hands Aud III
some instances, shall quote from them without
mar ing such quotations.
HINDosroH, is divided into Two regions the
Northern and Southern: tho first OF which Is
called lIindos'on proper the last, the Ocean.
Lahore, Cashmere, Moatsn, Upper Slndc
Lever Snde, Cutch, Guzerat, Adj smere, Mai
wah Alahabad. Blhar, Bengal, Nepti, oade,
Agra, Delhi, and Glrwal, constitute the provln.
ces Of H.ndosten proper ka4ndesh, Gaadwa-
na Berar. Orlssa Northern Circars, Hydeiebad,
Beeder, Arungah4d, 3 japoor, Btilaghan', Cana.
ra, NJ sore, MalabAr CoimbefUor, Cochin, Ira.
vancore, and The Carnatic, compose the rTovlo-
oes Of Deccan. This country Is called the Dee
can, because il is in The South.
The territory embraced In those DIVISIONS IS
supposed. rather vaguely, to contain l,@o00oo
square miles.
MouSrArss.-Tno principal mountains ia Hin
dos,an, are, the IIImalah, which form the North
ern boundary; and the Ghauis in the Deccan,
which branch into an accute angie, and bound
the Eastern and Western borders Of this country.
Ghauis, signifies in the Indian langunge.the gates
or passes The highest peak Of the Himalah Is
Dhawalaivri or White Mountain, in the N9rth 0:
Nepal, measuring 26 $50 feet above the level d
the sea. The name, Himaah, Is derived from
the Sanscril term. Hem, sjgnifying SRoC. Seven
ef its most prominent peaks, average y, 00O feet
above the level of The And The line Of per-
petual snow, is supposed ~ be 1000 feet above
that level.
RlvERs.-Fae fertility Of Iadia, Is attributable
10 the numerous rivers and streams, by which il
is watered; the most considerable Of which, arc
the Indus on the West, and the Gauges aud
Brahmapootra the East; the latter, however,
only traversing the Eastern portion OF the pro
vince of Bengal
The Indus is a bold and turbulent stream, the
sources of which have MOI been fully discovered
Near the point of junction Of the Caubul with
this river, are two black rochs-name1 JelalIa
and kemaIia, which pointed out bx the inha-
hitanis as the transformed bodies Of the two sons
of Peeree Tatuk, or apostle OF darkness, founder
OF the R,oshenia sect, who were thrown into the
river by Akhoond the opponent Of their father
The country through which this river flows. Is
generally barren and uninteresting, TO which
fact NAV be attributed the slight degree Of ven
Grafton IN which it is held by the natives. The
Puninuh, is one of its tributaries, and Is f0rme q
by The j iun, Chenabs kaVey, Began. ana Sut~
ledge.
The Ganges is called By the Hindoos, Boora
Gonga or 1.-The river," by way Of eminence-
Its channel, 500 miles from the sea. Is thirty feet
deep. Like the Nile, /, has Delta, which =
formed by the divisions Of The river about 900
miles from the sea. This immense body Of wa.
ter receives vast acquisitions, from the rams
which fall on the mountains, aud by the end Of
July, lis rise commencing IN June il oYerfl7ws all
the lower parts Of the country adJoining the Gan
ges to the wid III of 100 miles. That part Of the
Delta which borders on the sea, and which Is
composed of numerous islands. marshes, lens. Nc.
is called the Sunderbuuds, and Is covered wish a
rank and luxutiant vegetation. known as JInges,
and which affords secure abode to enormous IL
gers and rhnoceroces.
This is the mighty stream, before whose sa>
cred waters the superstilous Hlndoo bows, and
whose bosom his soul Is borne by the wings
of the waves into an obscure eternity. That
portion of the river which lies between Gang0o-
tree, in the province of Gurwa', and the SagoT
island below Calcutta, Is particularly sacred
Greater respect and veneratlop are shown 10 those
parts of the river. which form functions with 9th
ers. The most important of this class, IS that OF
the Junms. at the city OF Aliahabad. 10 the pro-
vince Of that name. Hers the posr. benighied
pilgrim, at this Prayags, sis down upon the hall
owed shores OF the river. and patiently submits
TO having his head shaw ed. carefully permitting all
of his hair to fan into the water, uater the belief
sha, he is to enjoy l00000o OF wears residence
in heaven for every hair thos sacrificed as the
cred writings inform him. Next day he performs
the obsequies Of his deceased ancestors. Many
sacrifice their lives, by throwing themselves into