34 AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION
SECT, refemblance to be a tranfcript of his words. But,I. unfortunately , Megafthenes was fo fond of themarvellous, that he mingled with the truths whichhe related many extravagant fidions; and to himmay be traced up the fabulous ta'es of men withear^ fo large that they could wrap themfJves upin them, of others with a fmgle eye, withoutnouhs, without nofes, with long feet, and toesturned backwards, of people only three fpans inheight, of wild men with heads in the Ihape ofa wedge, of ants as large as foxes that dug upgold, and many other things no lefs wonderful 47 .The extra&s Irom his narrative which have beentranfmitted to us by Strabo , Arrian , and otherwriters, fcem not to be entitled to credit, unlefswhen they are fupporred by internal evidence, andconfirmed by the teftimony of other ancient authors,or when they coincide with the experience of moderntimes. His account, however, of the dimenfio.ns andgeography of India , is curious and accurate. Hisdefcription of the power and opulence of the Prafijperfectly refembles that which might have beengiven of fome of the greater ftates in the modemlndoftan, before the eftablifliment of the Mahomedanor European power in India , and is confonanc tothe accounts which Alexander had received con-cerning that people. He was informed that theywere ready to oppofe him on the banks of theGanges, with an army confiding of twenty thou-fand cavalry, two hundred thoufand infantry, and
47