to trace such varied sounds and meanings up the tortuous stream of ages back*.

5. In hilly and poetical countries (most hilly countries are or have been poetical) mythology, the religion of the day, has lent its extensive aid, to geographical nomenclatures. This remark applies strongly to India, where the Pantheon of the Hindus is found to

have been the grand magazine whence such persons have derived and applied their varied appellations; a very great proportion of which is thus easily traced by any one moderately skilled in the dialects of India. And as the sacred language of the Hindus, and their mythology, are little or nothing altered in the lapse of many centuries, in India we may run and read in the features of nature, and in the early works of man, the origin not only of local nomenclature, but of the names of places very ancient, and very distant from this supposed source. Through what channel, lingual and geographical, the current of connection may have run is not evident, and is the subject of the speculations

above described.

6. In the interior of Africa, then, I invite your readers to remark the following names of places, which occurred to me, in a recent perusal of Park's last Mission, as coming within the purview of this letter, and which in fact have induced me to write it.

7. Jonkakonda, page 112; Tendiconda, p. 124; KootakundaTattikonda, p. 130; Baraconda, p. 132; Seesekund, p. 134; Tambakunda, p. 157; Mariancounda, p. 290; Tandacunda, p. 291; Fatte

* A stranger to the languages of Europe, or even an uninstructed Englishman, would not easilv recognize the names of our Saviour in the mouths of the natives only half a dozen leagues to the eastward of us. The French pronunciation cannot perhaps be better expressed by our letters than thus--Zshazo Kree. This may serve to show some of the difficulties of etymologists; and what license may be taken and allowed, when ages and oceans have rolled between the regions thus at tempted to be re-united.

last occur in the prefixed map.

8. On this class of names I have to observe, that the termination is Sanskrit, and means a hill. Such terminations are common in India ; and are almost always, I believe, found attached to hills, or to their immediate vicinity. Some instances occur to me, and I will note them;-Golconda, Gurrumconda, Ganescunda, Kailkunda, Inaconda, Miconda, Nargoond, Noulgoond, Penekonda, Curacunda. Many others might be added. Whether these terminations be spelled, like Park's konda, conda, kunda, counda-or like those of India, which are as varied as Park's with the farther differences of goond, kendy, ken, gondy, &c. I am disposed to refer them all to to the Sanskrit Kunda, according to Sir William Jones's orthography, or, or, as commonly pronounced, Koonda. We have the same word initial in Condapilly, Condevri, Condatchy, Cundapoor, Cundwah, &c.

Whether these are all,

or chiefly, names of hills, I have no present means of ascertaining; but should suspect so. Park has omitted to inform us of the descripKonda in Africa; but I also sustion of places bearing the name of pect them to be hills, or connected

with them.

the hill of Janeka*. I know not, it is true, of any such hill in India; but Janeka and his daughter Janeki commonly called Janky, (vowels stand for nothing) are mythological personages well known in India; and may well have given their names to a hill or river in India as well as in Africa. Tendiconda and Tandacunda, are I imagine the same place, or the same name. And although here again I have no knowledge of any such compound name in India, yet Tanda is a Hindi word, and is the name of a town in Bengal, where there are no hills to fix it on; and where, for that reason, I shall expect, when I search a map, to find few or no Kundas in that province; and the hilly country of the Dekkan abounding in them. A town in the Carnatic is named Tondi. In some dialects of India, tanda, tunda, or tund (the vowels are of no consequence, the root is tnd) means cold;-and although we may not at first view expect a reason for its positive application in the interior of Africa, or in Bengal, or in the Carnatic, yet comparative degrees of cold, and perhaps positive too, exist every where; and the Hill of Cold, may not unreasonably be looked for and found within the tropics as well, though not so obviously, as within the polar circles.

11. Koota-kunda may also be traced to India. In modern dialects, though I do not say that such dialects are derived immediately from the Sanskrit the prime radix perhaps of all languageskoota means a dog; and it farther means short or low of stature. It is found initial, final, and sole, in the names of many places in India, as the reader will see by a glance at Rennell's map or memoir; works that my book shelf is not rich

The reader is requested to observe that names of mythological persons or things printed with initial capitals, as above, indicate that he may if desirous of information concerning their history, character, &c. consult the index to the Hindu

Pantheon under the names or words so printed,

where he will find an account of them. This general mode of reference is preferred to one so frequent as might be necessary, if made on every Occurrence of such names.

enough to bear. The name occurs in like manner in Africa; of which I will presently adduce in-. stances. I should judge kuta, or cuta to be Sanskrit, and to mean a town (though being no Sanskrit scholar I speak diffidently) from finding it applied to places spread all over India. Perhaps Calcutta, Calicut, Devicotta, Palamcotta, Gooty, Dunderguttee, Milgotta, Kota, Teekatta, &c. may all contain it. The Koota-kunda of Park may therefore be set down for a compound Sanskrit word.

12. Of Tattikonda, the same may be said Tatti, or Tatta is a word current in Indian dialects, and is a name, and part of a name of Indian places, and things.

13. The same as to Baraconda. Bara is an Indian word of several meanings. Applied to a place, it would perhaps be more classically written Varaha, a name well known to Hindu mythologists. Bara is however, also found so applied.

14. Of Park's Seesekunda, I shall say but little. It is, he says, "the same village with Kussai, the inhabitants having changed its name," p. 134. If recently named Seesekunda, it may lead to a meaning of its appellation in Afri

ca.

Seesu, or Sisu, is an ancient Hindu name of persons and things.

15. Tambakunda is traceable to India. There are Tambacherry, Tamracherry, Tambah, Tambekhan, &c. In some dialects cop

per is called Tamba. I recollect no other meaning of the word. If we drop the b, Tama, or Tam would mean darkness, blackness, &c. and has extensive significations and application. But it may be reasonably doubted, if either of these be the origin of the African or Asiatic names; while it cannot be denied that it is an Asiatic word. Of Mariancounda and Mauraconda, I have but little to say. Maura, and similar sounds, have meanings in India, and are applied to places.

16. Fatteconda is an Indian compound. Fatteh, or Futteh is

more immediately Persian. I do not know indeed, that it is Sanskrit at all, though used in some Hindi dialects deduced therefrom. Fattehconda, in India, like Futtyghur, means the hill of victory. The latter perhaps would be more correctly spelled Fattehghiri; but I am not sure whether ghur may not, like poor or pura, mean distinctively a town, or fort; and ghiri restrictively a hill. Futtehpet, Fattehabad, &c. occur in India, meaning the town, and abode, of conquest.

18. Having been thus diffuse, and perhaps tedious, in my notice of this first class of African names, I shall hasten through the others selected from Park's last mission, to exemplify my speculations; placing in brackets such as come very near known names. Samee, p. 125, (Sami a name of Parvati) Kutijar; Wallia creek, 128; Madina, Tabajang, Jamberoo, 129; (Jamba), Manjalli, Tabba Cotta, 139; Jallacotta, Maheena, Tambico, Samakara "woods and wilderness," 157; Mambari, 158; Sambankala, 159; (Samba and Kala are personages of the Hindu Pantheon; Tambaura, mountains; Toombijeena, a pass through them, 183; Serimana, ib. (Srimana a name of Kartikya) Neelakalla, 187 (Nila Kala, names familiar to every eastern mythologist); Kullalie "a very high detached rocky hill" 188; (such hills in India are typical of Siva, one of whose names is Kala); Gengaran (Ganga), Secoba, 193; Sankaree," a high rocky hill, which rises like an immense castle from the plain" 196; (Siva, the Indian god of mountains, is called Sankara).

18. Sabooseera, 211; Jeena, Wangeera, Nemansana, Kooli, Chekora, Koonteela, (Koonti) Doomba, 283; Tancrawally, Yanimarou, 291: Talimangoly, 292; Saameolo, 293; Mousala, (Musali), Samicouta, 295; (Sami-Kuta) Chicowray, Jyallacoro, 309; Soobacara, Tacoutalla, 314; Bancomalla, 316; Yaminna," on the

river Joliba" 317. The Joliba is the Niger. I am not aware of any meaning in the language of the country of the word Joliba, which might allowably be altered in its orthography to the Sanskrit, more euphonic, Yalava, &c. If it should mean black, like Niger, or Nila, it will be somewhat curious. Nila, the name of the Nile in the Sanskrit, is rather dark blue. The name of Yaminna connected with the Niger reminds one of the poetical river Yamuna of India, called the "blue daughter of the sun," in Hindu poetics.

19. I must now run with greater rapidity over a few more Hindilike names from the map prefixed to Park. Others might have been extracted of similar application.

80. Kakundy, Kolar, Jeogary, Bady, Koniakary, Malla, Kolor, Koolar, Tallika, Koikarany, Samakoo-river, Mouri, Tambaoura, Sarola, Lingicotta, Mallacotta, Korankalla, Manickoroo, Sanjeecotta, Kandy, Sampaka, Sami, Jarra, Toorda, Satile, Seco, Comba, Dama, Nyamo, Ghungerolla.

21. And I now ask any oriental reader, if he can peruse these names of places, without fancying them taken from Rennell's map of India? Many of the names certainly occur there; and all are Asiatic. Most of them perhaps could be easily traced to their several sources in the languages of India, by any one moderately skilled therein. It may be doubted if all England, with France probably united, could produce so many places with oriental names, as may be gathered from Park's meagre map of his journeyings in

Africa.

But looking to the length of this introductory address, I must hasten to conclude it, without attempting any thing farther at derivation, or elucidation. I purpose in a future letter to resume the subject, and to extend our view to other regions-remaining meanwhile, &c. &c. X. X.

May, 1817.

66

The part of the Memoir that called for the animadversions of your correspondent is quoted by him, and the objectionable points in his view, are my having said that one commander's cross was destined for the Bombay Army," and that "could the wish of every officer of that army have been ascertained, few, perhaps not one, would have desired the brilliant distinction to have been otherwise bestowed than upon Sir George Holmes."

From this, Asiaticus has assumed an assertion on my part that the Bombay army could or can possess but one knight commander. But let it be observed that I have simply stated a fact, namely, that "one cross was destined for the Bombay army"-a fact incontrovertible, for one has reached that destination. Whether a greater number of crosses was or was not so destined, or why, if any more, they did not reach their destination, I was ignorant, and they are points on which I offered no opinion. What may have influenced the source of this honor, or those under whose orders it was bestowed, I have no means of ascertaining. Asiaticus asserts that no specific number of Knights Commanders was permanently apportioned to the Bombay Army, and he shews, I presume on good authority, why only one of its officers was honored with the order. I confess that I was not at the moment aware that "the dignity was conferred on those fifteen officers in the service of the East-India Company who were considered to have most distinguished themselves since the

year 1802, without any consideration as to the Presidency to which they were immediately attached"and I admit that it is reasonable and proper that it should have been so. But this makes no difference in my plain statement of a plain fact,namely, that "one Commander's Cross was destined for the Bombay Army." I did not say only one, though it would have been true if I had said so.

The other point that called for the observation of Asiaticus is not, like the former, a statement of a plain fact; but is a mere matter of opinion, on which any two honorable men may differ without discredit to either or to any one. I have offered it most inoffensively, both as to intention and effect. But Asiaticus has assumed and combated as mine, a very offensive supposition, never in the remotest degree entertained by me, and of which no trace exists in the memoir in question. Saying and believing, as I did, that an army would by a majority of voices, perhaps unanimously, have desired that the destined cross, where there was but one, should have been appropriated to a certain officer, is one thing, and as a matter of speculation, I think, altogether inoffensive; saying or insinuating that "could the wishes of that army have been accomplished," the distinction would not likewise have been bestowed on other officers, is another, essentially different, and what I have never asserted or supposed. It is in the latter sense, of which, I repeat, no trace is discernible in my paragraph that Asiaticus seems to have received it; and were his view correct, his remarks might not have been otherwise. As it is, he combats shadow of his own creation.

a

I can, with as much truth as Asiaticus, be he who he may, disclaim any motive in my former or present communication, tending to the dishonor of the Bombay Army. I may not so well know