the Indus: and this position corresponds with the distance of 62 cofses, the breadth of the four provinces, collectively, from the Kishengonga to the western extreme of Bijore; and also leaves a space for the province of Guznoorgul, between its western limit, and the Chuganserai river. This then is the relative position of the body of the province; which is supposed to extend 25 cofses N and S; and 10 E and W: and the town of Bijore being six marches (see page 158) from Nilab or Attock, or about 66 G. miles; this distance laid off to the centre of the province, places the capital in latitude 34° 7′; at 50 G. miles, N a little E from Paishawur; and the same distance, E a little N from Jalalabad.

This material point being adjusted, all the rest follow of course. Sewad, and Beneer (which last seems to be a dependency of Sewad), lie on the east of Bijore, being separated from it by the Penjekoreh river; and are bordered on the N by Kuttore, on the S by Paishawur; and on the E by Puckholi; the Indus forming the common boundary between them. In the Ayin Acbaree, the Indus is said to run through the borders of Sewad (Vol. II. p. 132), and in page 192, it is mentioned, as one of the rivers of Puckholi, in common with the Kishengonga and Behut. We may therefore very safely conclude, that the Indus takes its general course between the provinces of Puckholi and Sewad; and the extent of the former being known, we are enabled to fix the general course of the Indus in this place.

Sewad and Bijore are exceedingly mountainous, and abound with passes, and strong situations: so that their inhabitants have not only held themselves generally independent of the Mogul emperors, but have occasionally made very serious inroads into their

territories.

The Yusuf-Zyes, a numerous tribe of Afghans, quitted (says Mahomed Cazim) their ancient habitations between Ghizni and Candahar, and after various unsuccessful attempts to obtain a settlement in Cabul (at the time when Mirza Ulug Beig, surnamed

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Cabulee, ruled that kingdom), finally established themselves in Sewad and Bijore; which, at this period, were governed by a dynasty of princes styled SULTANI, who derived their lineage from Alexander the Great.* It will be remarked, in its place, that Bijore is certainly the Bazira of Alexander, and that the celebrated rock of Aornus, ought to be situated either in Bijore, Sewad, or the adjoining country of Kuttore: therefore, this, and the following information concerning the descendants of Alexander, or his followers; ought not to be rejected as fabulous: for it certainly obtained belief, not only from Mahomed Cazim, but from Abul Fazil, the author of the Ayin Acbaree; and from Soojan Rae also. I shall not offer any apology for transcribing Capt. Kirkpatrick's sentiments on this subject; as his knowledge of the original authors whom he quotes, is so extensive and accurate.

"A circumstance serves to confirm your opinion respecting the "Bazira of Alexander.

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"There is a certain tribe at this day, inhabiting modern Bijore (or at least there was, not long ago), who pretend to be the de"scendants of certain persons belonging to that conqueror's army; who, they say, were left there, when he passed through that 66 country. Both ABÛ FUZUL and SOOJAN RAE report this tradi"tion, without any material variation. The latter, indeed, adds, "that these Europeans (if we may call them so), continued to pre"serve that ascendancy over their neighbours, which their ances"tors may be supposed to have possessed, when they first settled "here. Now, although we should reject this pedigree, as false, yet the bare claim to it argues a perfect conviction in the minds "of the natives (which they must have some sort of foundation for), that Alexander not only subjected Bijore, but also trans"ferred his conquests to some of his own countrymen. For what "ABÛ FUZUL has said on this subject, see page 194 of the 2d vol.

"of the Ayun Akbari: where, by Sultan SECUNDER ZûLKERMAIN

(which ought to have been printed ZûL KERNINE),* is meant "ALEXANDER THE GREAT."

It will be proper also to transcribe the passage just alluded to. "The whole of this sircar (Bijore) consists of hills and wilds; and "is inhabited by the tribe of Yusuf-Zye. In the time of Mirza "ULUG BEIG, the tribe of Sultan, who afsert themselves to be the "descendants of the daughter of Sultan Secunder Zûl Kermain, "came from Cabul, and pofsefsed themselves of this country.

They say that Secunder left treasures in Cabul, under the care "of some of his relations; and some of their descendants, who carry their genealogical table in their hands, now dwell in "the mountainous parts."

It will be perceived that Mahomed Cazim, and Abul Fazil, differ in the chronology of this point of history: the one referring the migration of the Yusuf-Zyes, to the same point of time, which the other fixes, for the migration of the Sultani.

The Yusuf-Zyes pofsefs, in addition to Sewad, and Bijore, the -tract situated between those provinces, and the rivers of Cabul and Indus; the greatest part of which is described as a desert in the Ayin Acbaree, but by Bernoulli, as a forest. On occasion of their infesting the communications between the Panjab and Cabul, in the time of Acbar, Zine Khan was sent to chastize them; which he appears to have done effectually. He over-ran their whole territory, and even penetrated to the borders of Cashgar; where he took the strong fort of Kushal, or Gushal, situated on a mountain, 17 marches north of Bijore. From the nature of the country, these marches are said to have been very short; and they might also have been very circuitous; so that we can form only a very general idea of the situation of Kushal, from them: but as the garrison retreated towards Badakshan, over the river Chuganserai,

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* That is, the TWO-HORNED.

+ In the latter part of the 16th century.

we may collect, from the course of that river (page 151), that Kushal bears to the west of N from Bijore; and may probably be less than 70 G. miles from it. Nor ought we to be surprized, at finding Cashgar (or rather its dependencies) in this position; for the Ayin Acbaree mentions it, as lying on the north of Sewad and Bijore, &c. Munglore, the capital of Sewad, is said to be near a pafs, which adjoins to Cashgar. Vol. II. p. 193.

Aurungzebe also found it necefsary to chastize the Yusuf-Zyes (about the year 1670); since which, the return of Nadir Shah in 1739, again brought them into notice. They appeared formidable, even to the Shah; but according to Abdul Kurrim, page 7, he reduced them to submifsion: and if they really engaged to supply his army with 30,000 men, the tribe must have increased since the time of Acbar; when Bijore contained only 39,000, and Sewad 40,000 families. (Kirkp. MSS.)

Kuttore appears to be the general name of the tract bordering on the north of Sewad, Bijore, Puckholi, &c. from the N E frontier of Cabul, to Cashmere. It has also obtained from the Mahomedans, the name of CAFERISTAN, or Land of Infidels. It is classed (we have seen) as a dependency of Cashgar, by the people of Hindoostan; but seems to have been very little known to them. It occupies, as we have before observed, nearly the place of Ptolemy's Comedi; and answers to it in description, being entirely mountainous. The expedition of Timur to the mountains of Kuttore, is particularly described by Sherefeddin, and translated by M. Petis de la Croix: besides which, Capt. Kirkpatrick has communicated translations of his own, both of that, and of certain passages in other authors, descriptive of the country of Kuttore, and its inhabitants.

Timur proceeded from Anderab in Badakshan, to Kawuck, or Khâwick; the furthest, or most eastern, of the passes leading through Hindoo-Kho, into the province of Cabul. In order to arrive at the fortrefs of Kuttore, he crossed several ranges of high

mountains, rising one above another; some of them covered with snow: and the fortress is described as being near the foot of the furthest range; having a river of great depth and rapidity, passing close to its walls. It may be supposed that these ranges of mountains are the continuation of Hindoo-Kho, from Kawuck; and then Kuttore will lie to the south of that range: but the distance of it from Anderab, cannot easily be made out. Capt. Kirkpatrick's translation, allows 18 days from the time of Timur's departure from Kawuck, to his return thither, by a different route. From the history of his transactions, he might be in motion 12 days of the time; which allows 6 marches in distance: but the nature of the country would not admit of more than 40 to 45 G. miles of direct distance, for these marches from Kawuck; and this last may be 60 from Anderab: whence, I suppose, Kuttore fort may be 100 to 105 G. miles to the E by S, or ES E, of Anderab; and about the same distance, in a N E direction, from Cabul. But this position, as the reader may perceive, has more of conjecture, than of authority, for its basis. The Kushal of Zine Khan, is not far from Kuttore, according to my supposition.

The author of the Dil Kusha (according to Capt. Kirkpatrick), describes the mountains of Kuttore as stretching from the borders of Cashmere to Cabul. Alishung and Alunkar, the districts alluded to, in page 151, were included in it, in the time of Baber; as Guznoorgul was, when the Ayin Acbaree was compiled: to which may be added, that the proximity of Kuttore, to Lumghan and Jalalabad, is presumed, from the circumstance of Acbar's sending off a detachment from the latter (when on his return from Cabul), to scour the skirts of the mountains of Kuttore. (Kirkpatrick's MSS.) The author of the Dil Kusha also says, "This

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region (Kuttore) contains a great number of towns and villages "and is exceedingly populous Its principal towns are Tow"kul (written in another MS. Showkul), and Jourkul; those being the residencies of its rulers. It abounds in fruits, such as

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