{79d} _Brahmins_. These constituted the principal caste of the Indians, according to whose doctrines Brahma, from whom they are called, is the first of the three created beings by whom the world was made. This Brahma is said to have communicated to the Indians four books, in which all the sciences and ceremonies of their religion are comprised. {79e} _Faquirs_. This sect were a kind of religious anchorites, who spent their whole lives in the severest austerities and mortification. {82} _Peries_. The word Peri, in the Persian language, signifies that beautiful race of creatures which constitutes the link between angels and men. {134} _Balkis_. This was the Arabian name of the Queen of Sheba, who went from the South to hear the wisdom and admire the glory of Solomon. The Koran represents her as a worshipper of fire. Solomon is said not only to have entertained her with the greatest magnificence, but also to have raised her to his bed and his throne. Al Koran, ch. 27, and Sale’s notes. Herbelot, p. 182. {140} _Ouranabad_. This monster is represented as a fierce flying hydra, and belongs to the same class with the _Rakshe_, whose ordinary food was serpents and dragons; the _Soham_, which had the head of a horse, with four eyes, and the body of a flame-coloured dragon; the _Syl_, a basilisk with a face resembling the human, but so tremendous that no mortal could bear to behold it; the _Ejder_, and others. See these respective titles in Richardson’s Dictionary, Persian, Arabic and English.