1851.] Essay on the Ancient Geography of India, 239 



a Dharma-sdld, or Alms-house, for the reception of pilgrims, who are 

 entertained there, and dismissed with alms. This circumstance has 

 brought this place to our knowledge. It is situated between two arms 

 of a branch of the Indus, called Mana-muc' hd, and which springs from 

 the western arm of the Indus, three cos below Shah-bandar. I sus- 

 pect this river to be the Hijamany of Major Rennel ; for Tjya-mand 

 signifies the sangama, or confluence of the river Mana with the sea. 

 To the north of Cacar-hdleh, it divides into two arms, which, a few 

 cos below, fall into the sea. Opposite to the town, the bed of the 

 Mana-muc'hd is very broad, and there are extensive fisheries. The 

 water is brackish ; but the inhabitants dig wells, the water of which 

 is good; but remains so only a few days. From Cacar-hdleh to 

 Shah-bandar, they reckon 31 cos by water; 28 up the Mana-muc'hd, 

 and three up the western branch of the Indus. There you land at a 

 place called Rdjghdt, opposite to Shah-bandar, where there is a large 

 Ma't, or convent of Ndnac-panthis. Mauluvi Saleh informs me, that 

 Cacar-hdleh is the name of one of the four Sircars of the province of 

 Tha't't'ha, including the Delta, as far eastward, as Bastdh. In the 

 Ayin-Acberi it is called Chucur-hdleh. 



Shah-bandar may be considered now as the capital of the country 

 on account of its size, trade, and because many of the first officers of 

 government reside there. 



Golam Mohammad ' Abbasi took it from a Hindu prince of the Sohdd, 

 or Sogdd tribe, and made great many improvements. It is situated at 

 the head of the Delta, where, at the point of division, is the place of 

 Bdbd, or Bdwd-Pethd, or our lord Pethd. It seems, that it was 

 formerly an island, and during the rains, it is even now nearly so : 

 but the bed of the channel, which separated it from the Delta, is 

 almost filled up ; yet it remains a morass to this day, over which the 

 inhabitants have made one, or two bridges, as they call them ; but 

 which are a sort of causeway made of hurdles, fascines and clay, with 

 a few small openings to drain off the water. This place is called by 

 Hindus Nagar-PaV hd, and Nagar-Tath'ha ; but not to be confounded 

 with Sindhu- Tha? 1? hd y which is our Tata. It is so called, from a 

 deity, or holy man, called Pathd, with the title of Bdbd, or rather 

 Bawd, the lord Pdfhd, and by Mussulmans not improperly rendered 

 Pir~Pa£hd; and whom they have converted into a Saint of their 



