Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/389

THE PARSIS OF BOMBAY 329 which must, of course, invalidate its authenticity, as that prophet, according to the Persian historians, lived more than three thousand years ago; and indeed it is an indisputable fact that what religious books were in being at the time of the Grecian conquests of that country were carefully collected and burnt, by the express orders of Alexander, and were totally destroyed at the subsequent conquests of that country by the Saracens, at which period also happened the introduc- tion of the Mohammedan religion. By these means their religion and language underwent a total change, the very traces of both which have long since disap- peared, as is evident by the many fruitless efforts made to decipher those inscriptions still discernible on the walls of Persepolis, bearing not the least analogy to any character now existing. Hence it may be inferred that what is now given as the ancient character and language of this celebrated people is no more than an invention of a later date, and there remains not a prob- ability that their real Zend will ever be known. 1 The island of Bombay is about eight miles in length, and twenty in circumference: the most remarkable natural curiosity the island produces is a small fish; this fish, according to the description of a gentleman who has seen it, and from whom I received my infor- mation, is in form somewhat like a mussel, about four inches long, and has upon the top of its back, and near the head, a small valve, on the opening of which you 1 This statement is inaccurate, as the authenticity of the Avesta (wrongly called Zend) has been fully proved since the time when Francklin wrote.