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But the Prasii surpass in power and glory every other people, not only in this quarter, but one may say in all India, their capital being Palibothra, a very large and wealthy city, after which some call the people itself the Palibothri,—nay, even the whole tract along the Ganges. Their king has in his pay a standing army of 600,000 foot-soldiers, 30,0a0 cavalry, and 9000 elephants: whence may be formed some conjecture as to the vastness of his resources.
After these, but more inland, are the Monedes and Suari,[1] in whose country is Mount Maleus, on which shadows fall towards the north in winter, and towards the south in summer, for six months alternately.[2] Baeton asserts that the north pole in these parts is seen but once in the year, and only for fifteen days; while Megasthenês says that the same thing happens in many parts of India. The south pole is called by the Indians Dramasa. The river Jomanes flows through the Palibothri into the Ganges between the towns Methora and Carisobora.[3] In the
- ↑ The Monedes or Mandei are placed by Yule about Gangpur, on the upper waters of the Brâhmaṇî, S.W. of Chhutia Nâgpur. Lassen places them S. of the Mahânadi about Sonpur, where Yule has the Suari or Sabaræ, the Śavara of Sanskṛit authors, which Lassen places between Sonpur and Singhbhûm. See Ind. Ant vol. VI. note §, p. 127.—Ed. Ind. Ant.
- ↑ This, of course, can only occur at the equator, from which the southern extremity of India is about 500 miles distant.
- ↑ Palibothri must denote here the subjects of the realm of which Palibothra was the capital, and Jiot merely the inhabitants of that city, as Bennel and others supposed,
