558 Notes on the Geography of Western Afghanistan, [June, 



would thus be the stream passing Kunduz ; this process would occupy, 

 as it does at present, the merchants, of four nations. The routes of mer- 

 chandize depend chiefly on the safety of the roads and protection 

 afforded by chiefs, as well as on the seasons ; my belief, nay my experi- 

 ence is, that mere traders are entirely ignorant of every thing beyond 

 their own beat of trade. The Lohanee merchant of Guznee who brings 

 the beautiful fruits of Kabul to the imperial city of Delhi, could give 

 on his return home but a very imperfect account of how the same fruit 

 reached the port of Calcutta, and so it was in the days Pliny wrote. 

 The following are given by this author as the distances measured by 

 Diognetus and Bceton, with the army of Alexander. 



Roman Miles. Perhaps. 

 From the Caspian gates, to Hecatompylos, . . 133 



„ to Alexandria of Aria, 566 Herat. 



„ to Prophthasia, 199 Furah ? 



„ to Arachotiorum oppidum, 515 Kundahar. 



„ to Orto spanum, trivium e Bactris, 250 Near Guznee. 



„ to Alexandria sub-Caucasa, 50 Near My dan. 



„ to the river Copheta et oppidum Peucolaitin, 227 Peshawar, 



„ to the Indus and Taxila, 60 Atock. 



„ to the Hydaspes, 120 Jhelum. 



„ to Hypasis, 29|. [Either this 



river is intended for the Acecines, or as I find some one has indicated by 

 a pencil note in the Asiatic Society's copy of Pliny, that CL. have fallen 

 out from the CLXXIX. in the distance of 1/9 miles.] 



The name Imaus, Hemalaya, in the language of the natives signified 

 " Nivosum" or covered with snow. 



Having worked round the coast of India Pliny returns up the Indus, 

 to the Peucolaitce, Arsagalitce, Geretce, Asoi ; the former of whom are 

 identified in Pukulee, and the last may be the modern Esa nation ; for 

 no less a term than nation will describe the present Esa Khuel. Four 

 provinces are then mentioned which were by some considered as Indian, 

 by some made Persian. 



Mountains surrounded the districts next the Indus river. One pro- 

 vince was called Capissene — had a capital Capissa, K amaa> also written 

 Caphusa ; this capital was destroyed by Cyrus. The city and district 



