in India, and they had their Bible, as far as it was written, before the captivity.
The black Jews at Hindostan, in Asia, having descended from the ten tribes, they called themselves Jews. The Jews have been strict to retain the knowledge of their descent. The tribes of Israel were threatened with the famine of the word which has been already noted, Amos viii. 11, 12. Here the ten tribes, in their long banishment, should wander from "north to south, and from sea to sea," running to and fro to find communication from heaven, but should remain destitute of the word of life, till about the time of their restoration. The black Jews in Asia have all the sacred writings which were given before the Babylonish captivity.
Mr. Largon gives the following account of some people discovered by him, in Hindostan.
1. These people, in dress and manners, resemble the natives so much as not to be distinguished from them, but by attentive observation and inquiry.
2. They have some Hebrew names, with local terminations.
3. Some of them read Hebrew, and they have a faint tradition of the cause of their original exodus from Egypt.
4. Their common language is Hindoo.
5. They keep idols, and worship them; and use idolatrous ceremonies, intermixed with Hebrew.
6. They circumcise their children.
7. They observe the kippoor or great expiation day of the Hebrews.
8. They call themselves Jehudi.
9. They say the Arabian Jews are their brethren; grant this to be a fact; and they, no doubt, are of the descendants of Judah.
10. They use a Jew's prayer: Hear, Israel; the Lord thy God is one Lord; Deut. vi. 4.
11. They have no priest, Levite or Nasi among them; though they have elders and a chief in each community.
12. They expect the Messiah; and that when he comes he will go to Jerusalem, whither they shall return to be dispersed no more."
For these reasons, Mr. Jaratt views this people as of the ten tribes. Should they prove to be thus, they may be
