1849.] Notes on the Geography of Western Afghanistan. 577 



phet Khezer appeared and told him " the spot on which now stood 

 the bazars of Herat, where the good and bad were contending for the 

 things of this world, was once a sea, and that the fort was based on a 

 rock against which endless ships had been wrecked." 



I have known learned men without number throw down this ac- 

 count as utter nonsense, from the apparent anachronisms contained in 

 it. The migration of the Kundahar tribes is recorded by Khondumeer 

 as taking place in the reign of Kobad, during the excesses of the Mani- 

 chaeun fanatics, about A. D. 490. But the appearance of the name 

 Kobad has given a reason for carrying back the account to the ancient 

 Kueanian king, who flourished in the mythological periods of Persian 

 history. 



The most curious account is the fourth, and one which forms a basis 

 for most of the other statements, and is a key to much similar Persian 

 and Arabic history, 



The fact is, this account is of a far different and very distant place, 

 viz. Heeruh, one of the seven cities of Urak, some two Fursukhs from 

 Koofuh. This I hit upon by finding the Kusre Khuwurnuk of 

 Heeruh of Urak, also located by some authors in Herat of Khorasan. 

 The work translated by Sir Wm. Ouseley contains the following: — 

 " Kadseyuh, Heeruh and Khuwurnuk are situated on the skirts of the 

 desert towards the west — the river Euphrates running by them on the 

 east * * * Heeruh is an ancient city and large, but when Cufa was 

 built Heeruh was drained of its inhabitants. Heeruh enjoys a pure air, 

 and is one farsang distant from Cufa." 



Now we know that Alexander Severus was for some time employed on 

 this frontier against the Arsakian king, and subsequently against the 

 founder of the Sasanian dynasty — Ardashur. Hence near some older 

 fort or Kohundez, he may have built a new city called Heeruh, or re-em- 

 bellished an old one of this name. We have it recorded that he was 

 entirely under the authority of his mother Mammsea, without consulting 

 whom he never undertook any enterprize of importance. 



Herodian mentions the influence of the mother on the excellent dis- 

 position of the son ; that he ruled the Roman world for thirteen years, 

 when the Persians crossed the Tigris and commenced to ravage Meso- 

 potamia. A large Roman army was destroyed from the non appearance 

 of the emperior with his division ; some attributed this to cowardice* 



4 f 



