242 Essay on the Ancient Geography of India. [No. 3. 



pose. It is called Bachmanu, for Brachmanu, by Chrysococas : thus 

 in India they say Bahman, for Brahman. His Mansaurah is the 

 Tatah of our maps, and Danville's Tatah is Shah-bandar ; and here he 

 is right. 



The town of Petha, or Tatha is situated in the Delta, on the western 

 branch of the Indus, and since the improvements made by Golam 

 Mohammad, it is now only between two or three miles from the 

 extreme point of the Delta ; but the old town was two cos and half, 

 or five miles from it. There is no arm of the Indus to the north of 

 the other Thattha, as I am assured by Mauluvi Saleh, who resided 

 there seven or eight years in a public capacity. D'Herbelot says, that 

 Deibul (or Tatha) was besieged in vain by Soliman, the second king of 

 Persia ; but I find no such a king in the history of that country. 



In the latter end of the reign of Akbar, it was besieged by his 

 general KMn-khanan with a numerous army ; the siege lasted six 

 months ; but after a most obstinate resistance it was taken. This 

 town could not have been the present Thattha, which could not have 

 held out so long : but it was Tatha, or Debiel, which was so strong, 

 on account of its insular situation. It was denominated Shah-bandar, 

 or the royal emporium, in honor of Akbar. In some old Portuguese 

 maps, it is simply called Bandel for Bandar, and in Father Monserrat's 

 map of India it is placed, exactly half way, between the mouth of the 

 western branch of the Indus and Thattha. The denomination of 

 Shah-bandar seems to be unknown to Hindu pilgrims, and is used 

 only by Mussulmans ; who never use that of Nagar-Tatha, except 

 when applied to Thattha. 



The pilgrims now prepare themselves to go through a dreadful 

 country, belonging to a mighty goddess, always ready to befriend 

 mankind, but at the same time highly irascible, and who, for the 

 most trifling offence, will inflict on the unfortunate culprit, either an 

 incurable leprosy, or turn him into stone, or drive him into madness, 

 by various and uncouth sounds, and strange noises. Pilgrims are how- 

 ever so much upon their guard, that no such accident ever happens, 

 and these noises are not always to be heard ; and then they are very 

 faint. They must not bathe all the way, nor wash their faces, or hands, 

 rinse their mouths, or even wash certain parts, as usual on particular 

 occasions. This tremendous deity resides at Hinyldjy about seven or 



