THALIA, 53

grain, have no fixed habitations, and live solely upon
vegetables. They have a particular grain, nearly of
the size of millet, which the soil spontaneously pro­
duces, which is protected by a calyx, the whole of this
they bake and eat. If any of these Indians be taken
sick, they retire to some solitude, and there remain,
no one expressing the least concern about them
during their illness, or after their death.

CI. Among all these Indians whom I have speci­
fied, the communication between the sexes is like that
of the beasts, open and unrestrained. They are all
of the same complexion, and much resembling the
Ethiopians. The semen which their males emit is
not, like that of other men, white, but black like their
bodies, which is also the case with the Ethiopians.
These Indians are very remote from Persia towards
the south) and were never in subjection to Darius.

CII. There are still other Indians towards the
north, who dwell near the city of Caspatyrum, and
the country of Pacty'ica. Of all the Indians these in
their manners most resemble the Bactrians ( they are
distinguished above the rest by their bravery, and are
those who are employed in searching for the gold. In
the vicinity of this district there are vast deserts of
sand, in which a species of ants is produced, not so
large as a dog, but bigger than a fox. Some of these,
taken by hunting, are preserved in the palace of the
Persian monarch. Like the ants common in Greece,
which in form also they nearly resemble, they make
themselves habitations in the ground, by digging un­
der the sand. The sand thus thrown up is mixed
with gold-dust, to collect which, the Indians are
despatched into the deserts. To this expedition they
proceed, each with three camels fastened together,
a female being secured between two males, and upon
her the Indian is mounted, taking particular care to
have one which has recently foaled. The females
of this description aro in all respects as swift as horses,
and capable of bearing much greater burdens.

CII1. As my countrymen of Greece are well ac­
quainted with the form of the camel, I shall not here
describe it; I shall only mention those particulars con­

E2