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



From the intimate connection between Armenia and Persia we may 

 fairly grant a distinguished scholar of the former country might have 

 obtained a correct account of the names of the larger districts of the 

 latter country, but whether the words are attempts to write spoken 

 terms, or are transcripts in Armenian of originals in Zund Puhluvee, or 

 Duree, is a question to be determined by those who have the knowledge 

 and means. There runs an apparent analogy through the words, which 

 warrants something better than mere spoken corruptions. 



The Armenians interchange D with T ; B with V, and add an initial 

 A. 



The author would no doubt be in terms of friendly communication 

 with the various Nestorian Christians scattered through Persia ; and 

 from them obtain information ; thus Domatia, Dumadutha is recorded 

 by the Nestorians as the seat of a bishop of their faith. 



The next link in the geographical chain which is accessable to me, 

 lies in the Persian works on this subject, or English translations from 

 the Arabic ; for alas ! the original works are not procurable. 



In a country where the revenue is almost entirely obtained from a 

 tax on the various produces of the soil ; where with few exceptions the 

 land and the water are considered as the property of the superior 

 power, to be by it distributed, under reservation of portions almost 

 rendered fixed and permanent by time and prescription, in such a coun- 

 try almost every fertile spot, every well-watered acre of land, is known 

 perfectly by the durbar of the local authorities, and generally, though 

 less minutely by the grand officers of the capital. Such lands are mark- 

 ed out as prizes to be obtained in jageers by the courtiers. A much 

 greater amount of such statistical knowledge did exist in the revenue 

 offices of the East, than it is usual to suppose. These offices could 

 tell to a fraction, the names, area and production, of a particular place, 

 although entirely ignorant of any data to position obtainable from 

 Longitude or Latitude — the situations as known to them being de- 

 termined by very general bearings from some capital, and the usual 

 marches for travellers — or for revenue collectors. Thus if we examine 

 any particular history of a place, Herat, for instance, we find record- 

 ed all the fertile spots, all the well filled canals, all the pretty villages ; 

 their extent and fruits ; with the various places of pilgrimage, and 

 all the wonderful productions of nature in hot springs, caverns, or 



