History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

cHap. 11.] AVTHICAL PARST SETTLEMENTS. 93

Presidency, 48,597, or more than half, reside in the city of Bombay, 6,227 in Surat, and 2,088 in Broach. The remainder are divided between different towns of Gujarat and other places im the Presidency. Rather more than 10,000 out of the total Parsi population in India of 85,397 inhabit the territories of native states,—the bulk of them being in the territories of His Highness the Gaikwar of Baroda. The town of Navysari, one of the earliest of the Parsi colonies, and still the headquarters of the Parsi priesthood, is perhaps the most important of the settlements outside British jurisdiction.

Forty-four years ago a Mahomedan traveller tried to dupe the Parsi community of Bombay by spreading reports of the alleged existence of a large and flourishing colony of Zoroastrians at Khoten, a country lying to the south-eastward of Kashgar, under the tule of a sovereign belonging to their own ancient race. But the reply made by the late lamented Sir Alexander Burnes to a communication from Mr, Naorozji Fardunji, dissipated the illusion. In his letter Sir Alexander said :—

“T ought to have replied to your letter of November the 19th before this, but I wished to make particular inquiries regarding the singular statements made by the Syud in Bombay, that a tribe of Parsis ruled by their own kings, and guided by the ancient customs of Zoroaster, reside in Khoten. I haye now no hesitation in telling you that I believe the whole story from first to last to be a fabrication, and in this I am joined by Major tawlinson, who is a highly competent judge of such matters. I