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68 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF SILK
Notwithstanding the striking similarity of names, we think it
more Hkely that Serinda was adopted by Procopius as another
name for Khotan in Little Bucharia. The ancients included
Khotan among the Indian nations* : and that they were right
in so doing is established from the facts, that Sanscrit was the
ancient language of the inhabitants of Khotan ; that their al-
phabetical characters, their laws, and their hterature resembled
those of the Hindoos ; and that they had a tradition of being In-
dian in their originf. Since, therefore, Khotan was also in-
cluded in the ancient Serica, a term probably of wide and ra-
ther indefinite extenti ; the name Serinda would exactly de-
note the origin and connexions of the race which occupied
Khotan.
On the other hand, although Sir-hind is termed " an ancient
city" by Major Rennell§, we cannot find any evidence that the
* In proof of this we refer to Heeren, Ideen, i. 1. p. 358-387, on the Indian
tribes which constituted one of the Persian Satrapies, and in whicli the inhabi-
tants of Khotan appear to have been inchided ; and also to Cellarii Antiqui Orbis
Notitia, 1. iii. c. 23. § 2.
t Remusat, Hist, de la Ville de Khotan, p. 32. Note 1. and p. 37.
X De Guignes (Hist. Gen. des Huns, tome i. p. v.) expresses his opinion, that
Serica, besides the North of China, included the countries towards the West, which
were conquered by the Chinese, viz. Hami, Turfan, and other neighboring territo-
ries. Rennell (Mem. of a map of Hindostan) agrees with D'Anville, that Serica
was at the Northwest angle of the present empire of China. Heeren decides
in favor of the same opinion, supposing Serica to be identical with the modem
Tongut. Comment. Soc. Reg. Sclent. Gottingensis, vol. xi. p. 106. 111. Gottingae,
1793.
Pausanias observes that the Seres, in order to breed the insects which produced
silk, had houses adapted both for summer and winter, which implies that there
was a vast diifcrence between the summer and winter temperature of their coun-
try. A late oriental traveller says of the climate of Khotan, " In the summer,
when Tnelons. ripen, it is very hot in these countries ; but, diu-ing winter, ex-
tremely cold."—Wathen's Memoir on Chinese Tartarj"^ and Khotan, in Journal of
the Asiatic Society of Bengal, December 1835, p. 659.
On referring to the map, Plato VII., the reader will see the position of Serica
hidicated at its Eastern extremity. As that map is limited to the Orhis Veteri-
bus Cognitus, only a small space on its border is marked as the country of silk
indicated by the yellow color. It is, nevertheless, pretty certain that silk may be
justly placed next in order to wool.
§ Memoir of a Map of Hindostan.