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lay between the two rivers, Cophenes and Indus. We have before taken it for granted (page 170), that the Cophenes is the river that runs by Nughz, and falls into the Indus, 30 or 35 miles below the city of Attock; and as the river of Cabul joins the Indus in front of the city of Attock, it is clear that until he came opposite to that city, he could not be between the Cophenes and Indus. And if it be said that the Cabul river, was the Cophenes, he had all along been between the Cophenes and the Indus; and Arrian's words could have no meaning. But it is probable, on every account, that Attock was the crossing-place: there the mountainous country from the north-east terminates, and the plains of the Panjab begin; a circumstance highly favourable to his future plan of penetrating into India, and no lefs so to the construction of his bridge; which was no easy matter to accomplish, across a river so wide and so rapid as the Indus; but which was lefs difficult in a level country, than in a mountainous one. The bridge was undoubtedly made of boats, as Tamerlane's was, in 1398: but Tamerlane crossed at a season when the river was (comparatively) low; Alexander, after it was considerably swoln, with the periodical rains.

By Alexander's sending off Hephestion from the Cophenes, to provide the means of passing the Indus in the country of Peucelaotis (Puckholi), it would appear that he had an intention of crossing it, higher up than he afterwards did: and it was natural enough, before he had learnt from Hephestion that the situation was, in every respect, unfavourable.

I return from this long digrefsion concerning Alexander, to the account of the modern geography of the Indus, and the countries bordering on it, in the lower part of its course. I am convinced, that the more our knowledge of the particular geography of the countries, on both sides of the upper parts of the Indus, increases; the clearer will be our ideas of Alexander's marches. The commentaries of the Emperor Baber, quoted in the Ayin Acbaree,

have already proved a fruitful source of information; particularly in the province of Cabul, and its vicinity: and, I trust, that the spirit of inquiry, which has gone forth, in the countries where the events themselves were produced, will keep pace with the spirit of curiosity, which has been excited concerning them, in our

own.

Of the INDUS, and its principal Branches, below MOULTAN; with some Particulars relating to SINDY.

The common boundary of Moultan and Candahar, in the line between the capitals of those countries, is about 60 G. miles beyond the western bank of the Indus: as appears by the march of Dara Sheko. Our researches have scarcely penetrated into this quarter; of course we are unable to enlarge the reader's ideas concerning it: but it seems as if the country, at no great distance from the west of the Indus, partook of the nature of the adjoining province of Makran (the Gedrosia of Alexander), and was little better than a desert.

The best information, and which contains some very curious particulars, respecting the country of Sindy, and the river Indus; was most obligingly communicated, by a person of character and great respectability, who resided some time in that country, in the service of the East-India Company: and this shall be detailed, after the insertion of some particulars, that ought necessarily to pre

cede it.

The general course of the Indus, from Attock to the delta, is taken from M. D'Anville's map of Asia; as I know of no better authority. The towns on its banks, are taken chiefly from the missionary's itinerary, before mentioned: as is also the point of conflux of the Setlege and Indus. The latitude of Behker, is given

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at 27° 12′ in this itinerary; and its distance from Moultan being
1063 royal cofses, or about 215 G. miles, in the tables; this will
agree nearly to the position of Moultan, in page 91. The Ayin
Acbaree says, that Behker is the ancient Mansurah. Finding
Hajykan mentioned in the Ayin Acbaree, as one of the districts
belonging to Sindy; and it being very certain that a large pro-
vince of the same name, lies on the west of the Indus, opposite to
Moultan; I can no otherwise reconcile the two accounts, than by
supposing that Hajykan extends southward, along the Indus, un-
til it meets the border of Sindy; and that a small part of it was
subject to Sindy. In this case, the district of Behker must be con-
fined chiefly to the east side of the Indus. No part of Hajykan,
is reckoned to belong, either to Moultan, or Candahar, in the
Ayin Acbaree.
The missionary's itinerary (1662) mentions the
Balloges, as the then pofsefsors of Hajykan: and we have supposed
that the Oxycani are intended for the inhabitants of the same coun-
try, by the historians of Alexander, in page 129.

Moultan is nearly at the same distance from the sea, as Allahabad; that is, from 800 to 850 B. miles, by the course of the river: and the missionary's party were 21 days in dropping down with the stream, in the months of October and November; when the strength of the land floods was abated.

The Indus, and its branches, admit of an uninterrupted navigation, from Tatta, the capital of Sindy, to Moultan, and Lahore, for vessels of near 200 tons; and a very extensive trade was carried on between those places, respectively, in the time of Aurungzebe: but, at present, very little of this trade remains, owing to a bad government in Sindy; and probably to the hostile or rapacious disposition of the Seiks; the present pofsefsors of the countries of Moultan and Lahore. Capt. Hamilton says, that boats came from Lahore to Tatta, in 12 days. Had Ferose's canal been completed, there would have been a continued inland navigation, from Tatta to Bengal, and Afsam. (See page 75.)

The geographical position of Tatta, and those of the principal mouths of the Indus, depend on that of Cape Monze, as set forth in page 37 of this Memoir; or rather as it was meant to be; for the latitude of this cape, should have been 24° 55', instead of 24° 45′ · The mouth of Ritchel river, taken at 24° 14'; and that of LarryBunder, which was the principal channel of the Indus, during the last century, and early in the present one, at 24° 44'; are respectively within one or two minutes of the latitudes afsigned them: the first, by an observation of Capt. Scott (which was 24° 12′); and the latter by the East-India Pilot.

The city of Tatta, the capital of the province of Sindy, and supposed to be on, or near the site of the Pattala* of the ancients, is situated, according to the idea of the gentleman who resided there, and whose observations have proved of such singular use, about 38 G. miles to the north of Ritchel, and 50 to the east of it: so that it ought to be in lat. 24° 50′, lon. 67° 37′; and about 125 miles from the sea, by the course of the river. According to M. Thevenot, it is three days journey from Larry-Bunder town; which, according to Capt. Hamilton, is five or six leagues from the sea. M. Thevenot's three days journey may be taken at 54 G. miles of horizontal distance; and the whole distance of Tatta, from the mouth of Larry-Bunder river, at about 68 G. miles: and this does not disagree with the account given above.

According to a MS. itinerary (kept by N. Whittington, no date

It is impofsible to fix the exact site of Pattala, because there are properly two deltas, a superior, and an inferior one; exclusive of the many islands formed by the Indus, when it approaches the sea. Tatta is near the head of the inferior delta; and the ancient accounts mention only one great delta, having Pattala at the upper angle of it. In Ptolemy's map (Asia, Tab. XX.), Pattala is placed very far below the place where the Indus begins to separate into branches.

These are the particulars: From Ritchel to Shabunder, about 40 miles by the course of the river, the bearing, much eastwardly. Thence to Aurungabunder, 25 more (but by land only 10 or 12), the course somewhat more northwardly. Thence to Tatta, 60 miles, NNE, or NE by N. The windings of the river are supposed to reduce the distance, on a straight line, to 63 G. miles. The latitude of Tatta, is supposed to be something more than 24° 40': the construction, according to these data makes it 24° 50'.

to it), Tatta is about 180 cofses from Radimpour on the Puddar river: and 228 from Amedabad, pafsing through Radimpour. This last town is placed in the map, chiefly on the authority of a MS. map of Guzerat (of which more will be said hereafter); and 180 cofses, laid off from it, would place Tatta about 22 G. miles further to the west, than the position afsigned it, above; provided that the general direction of the road, was straight; but it appears by the ideas of Jansen and Blaeu, who have severally described this road, that it bends greatly to the south; and therefore will accord very well with the above data: and it may be concluded, on the whole, that the longitudes of Tatta and of Cape Monze, are not far from the truth. The route in question, goes by the village of Negar-Parkar, and by the town of Nuraquimire; and through part of the territory of Cutch: it also crosses the great sandy desert.

It is not to be expected that any particular account of the number and positions of the several branches and mouths of the Indus, should exist, unless a survey of them had previously been made. All the information that I have been able to obtain on the subject, respects three of them only; and is as follows. About About 170 miles from the sea, by the course of the river, the Indus divides into two branches; of which the westermost is by much the largest. This branch, after a course of about 50 miles, to the SW, divides into two more; the smallest of which runs on a WSW course, to Larry-Bunder, and Darraway: and the largest, taking the name of the Ritchel river, runs on a more southwardly course to the town or village of Ritchel, on the sea coast. (Tatta is situated within this inferior delta, and about five miles below the upper angle of it.) The other principal branch remains to be mentioned, and is that which bounds the eastern side of the superior delta; separating, as is said above, at about 170 miles from the sea. It is smaller than the Ritchel river, but larger than that of Larry-Bunder; and by cir

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