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SEPTEMBER, 1878.]
CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEA.
235
"and the bricks are there to this day to testify bility the Zoskalēs mentioned by the author of of it."
the Periplus Marie Erythræi, $ 5. Between the temple and the cenotaph toddy- 1 The Axomites are correctly distinguished from drawers were whetting their knives at the time of the Homerites by Philostorgius, by the appellation my visit, upon a loose slab bearing a Kanarese of Æthiopes; and Procopius (De Bello Persico), inscription--a thing of itself (philologically speak- Cedrenus (Hist. Comp. p. 364, Paris, 1647), Cosmas, ing) very remarkable in so thoroughly Marath& and John Malala (Hist. Chronica Joannis Antioch., & country as the North Konkana. A little money Oxon. 1691, p. 163), though all apply the word Indi and a good deal of diplomacy enabled me to place to both people, confine the epithet Æthiopes to the it'in the collection of the Bombay Branch of the Axomites. The term Ethiopians, too, or Itiop. Royal Asiatic Society, where it has remained un- jawan, is the favourite appellation by which the heeded from that day to this, upon a landing-place, Abyssinians designate themselves. (Conf. Salt's where scholars pass it every week.
Abyssinia, pp. 460ff.; Ludolph, Histor. Æthiop. II. W.F. SINCLAIR.
4; Corpus Inscrip. III. p. 513; Tellez, Travels of the Jesuits, Lond. 1710, p. 74.)
STÅN-DÂGRESTÅN, &c. It may be interesting to 'Gaikwadito know that a century and three quarters ago, and on the spot, Dåghestên was considered to be derived from Dagh," which in their language signifieth a moun. tain." My authority noted below," always calls it "the Dagestan," and the inhabitants "the Dagestans" or "Dagestan Tartars." He states that they spoke in his time (1722) the same language as the neighbouring Tatars of the plains.
W. F. S.
ABYSSINIAN KINGS. The following is a list of the kings of Abyssinia during the greater part of five centuries from B.c. 139:B.C.
A.D. 139 Menilek or Ibn' Ha- 70 Za-Malis ... 6 yrs.
kim reigned 29 yrs. 76 Za-Hakale...13 , 110 Za-Hendedyu 1 yr. 89 Za-Demahe, 10 , 98 Awda ......... 11 yrs. 99 Za-Awtet ... 2 » 87 Ze-Awsyu ... 3, 101 Za-Elawda, 30 » 84 Za-Tsawe...3y. 10m. 131 Za-Zigen and 80 Za-Gesyu, half a day. Rema ......40 , 80 Za-Maute ...8y. 4m. 171 Za-Gafale... 1 yr. 72 Za-Babse ... 9 yrs. 172 Za-Bæsi-Serk 4 yrs. 63 KAwuda....... 2 176 Za-Elas61 Kanazi ......10 ,
guaga 76 » 51 Haduna ...... 9, 252 El-Herka ...21 42 Za Wasih ... 1 yr. 273 Za-Bæsi Tsa41 Zah-dir ...... 2 yrs. wesa ...... 1 yr. 39 Za-Awzena. 1 yr. 274 Za-Wakens. 2 days 38 Za-Berwas... 29 yrs. 274 Za-Hadus ...4 mts. 9 Za-Mabasi... 1 yr. 275 El-Segel...... 2 yrs. 8 Za-Besi
277 El-Asfeh ...14 » Bazen, 16 yrs.
291 El-Tsegaba 23, A.D 8 Za-Senatu,26 , 314 El-Ahiawya 3 .
34 Za-Les ......10 322 El-Abreba and 44 Za-Masenh ...6
El-Atzbeha, 50 Za-Sutawa ...9, or Aizana and 59 Za-Adgaba...10, Saizana, bro69 ZA-Agba ...... 6 mts. thers ......263,
In the 8th year of Abreha, A.D. 330, Christianity was introduced into Abyssinia. There is some confusion in the lists as to the rulers between Tsegaba and Abreha.
Za-Hakale, who ruled A.D. 76-99, is in all proba
BANYANS AT ASTRAKHAN IN 1722. The Banyans "are a sort of pagan Indians whose principal pursuit is trade, and have their factory within the city of Astrakhan). One of their chief merchants dying at this time (1722), his widow desired leave of the emperor to burn herself with his corpse, according to the custom of their country; but his majesty, unwilling to encour. age so barbarous a custom, refused her request, and the Indian factory withdrew from the city with their effects. His majesty, finding no argument could prevail on the woman to alter her resolution, at last gave them leave to do as they thought proper. The corpse, being dressed in his clothes, was carried to some little distance from the town, where a funeral pile of dry wood was raised, and the body laid upon it; before the pile were hung Indian carpets, to prevent its being seen. The wife, in her best apparel, and adorned with earrings, several ringe on her fingers, and a pearl necklace, attended by a great number of Indians of both sexes, was led by a Brahman, or priest, to the
Ante, p. 27.
Memoirs of Peter Henry Bruce, Esq., a Military Officer in the service of Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain, 1 vol. 4to, London, printed for the Author's Widow, and sold by T. Payne and Son, Mewagate, &c., 1782. A second edition, in 1 vol. 8vo, www published by Sheppard, Colles, and Co.,
Dublin, 1783. Bruce was of Scotch descent, born in Westphalia in 1692. Among other details, he says he surveyed the Caspian for Peter the Great, and expressly mentions the Oxus (4to ed., p. 814)," a river both large and rapid, and a musket-shot broad at its entrance," as flowing into that sea.
