556 Notes on the Geography of Western Afghanistan. [June, 



took a fresh departure from the Caspian Gates, and calculated 3000 

 stadii to Zariaspa, a city of Bacfria, and 5000, more to the Jaxartes or 

 modern Sehon ; distances measured no doubt along a high road and 

 from ferry to ferry of the rivers. S. 18, C. 16, Book 6, says : — 



" A Caspiis ad orientem versus regio est Apavortene dicta, et in ea, 

 fertilitatis inclytse locus, Dareium." This I conclude to he the modern 

 Abeverd, or Bavurd, the district round Kelat ; the birth place of Nadir ; 

 near it our maps do place a Dereguz. Justin says, the first Arsaces 

 founded this place, Dareium, among the mountains of Zapaortenon ; 

 "Cujus loci ea conditio est, ut neque munitius quiquam esse neque 

 amsenius possit ; Ita enim, et prseruptis rupibus cingitur, ut tutila loci 

 nullis defensoribus egeat ; et soli circumjacentis tanta ubertas est, ut 

 propriis opibus expleatur." 



Khojah Abdol Kureem, who accompanied Nadir on his return from 

 the invasion of India, says : — " The town of Kelat is surrounded by 

 high mountains so perpendicular as to be absolutely inaccessible ; on 

 the side of Meru is a large gate where the guards examine every per- 

 son who goes in or out ; this leads to a pass so narrow, as to addmit only 

 one horseman at a time, and over which the mountains meet at the 

 top in a most astonishing manner ; forming a natural arch. The canal 

 upon which the cultivation of Kelat depends enters the town on the 

 side of Mushud, and goes through the pass of Meru. Abiwurd is a 

 populous town, it is also called Baward." Kelat thus appears a very 

 similar place to, if not identical with, Dareium ; and in Abeward or 

 about Mushud, we have the centre or starting point of the Parthian 

 nation,* a desideratum in ancient history. Next, to the eastward we 

 may trace Margiane in the modern Moorgab. And in Merve-ol-rood, 

 or Merve, f on the river, I have no doubt we may accept the city built 

 by Alexander, destroyed by the barbarians and restored by Antiochus. 

 Pliny uses the words " interfluente margo." Isidor adds, " Avriox«a -ft KaA- 

 ovixevri & vdpoos," all pointing to the designation still maintained in "Merve- 



* It is worthy of observation as a curiosity, the introduction by Justin of the 

 letter Z as in Zapaortenon. This is as an example of the dependance to be placed 

 on proper names. Our printed words have obtained a prescription of correctness 

 to which perhaps they are all ill entitled. 



f This second Merve has been placed by some writers, either on the banks or 

 close to the Oxus ; and hence carried to the North of Merve Shahjuhan ; in place of 

 being some 80 miles South-East of this place. 



