Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1836 edition. Excerpt: ... xi. "India, it is said, abounds with silver; and mines "are worked there, although they are not so deep "as those of Bactria." There are no silver mines worked in either country now, and it is not known if the metal exists. iv. "At the bottom of the gold fountain, previously "noticed, Ctesias says, that iron is found, of which "two swords had been fabricated, and given him by "the king and queen-mother." It is to be inferred, that some more than ordinary value was attached to the stuff of which these swords were made; and it is interesting to find, that Indian steel, Foulad, or Wootz, is still highly prized in the Persian market for the same purpose. The greater part of that which is manufactured in the peninsula, in Hyderabad, or Golconda, is conveyed to Persia0 by agents from that country, who monopolize the whole of the fabric. The steel is used in the formation of various articles of hardware, but especially in that of the celebrated Damascus or Persian sabre. Ctesias tells us also that he witnessed the property possessed by rods of the same iron, of averting storms and dissipating heavy clouds, when set upright in the earth. It would seem as if the Persians had some notion of electrical conductors; but the marvel is probably of easy solution; and the clouds passed over, and the storm dispersed, without being materially affected by the iron rods. v. A chapter contained an account of the great mountains, where the sardo, onyx, and other precious stones were found. Heeren is of opinion that this refers to the moun 0 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. i. p. 245; Buchanan's Travels in Mysore, vol. ii. 19; Heyne's Tracts on India, p. 358; Tavernier's Voyages. tains of the Karakorum range, and the country of Badakhshan, where...
