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



and greatly to the east of north from it. There were neat brick build- 

 ings, with beautiful orchards and gardens, and the inhabitants seemed 

 to be in good circumstances. This town, I suppose to be the Er-mayil 

 of El Edrissi ; the Armaiel of Ebn Haucal. 



Beileh signifies a town, a village in the dialect of that country, and 

 is, I believe, the true reading ; and the account given of it by El 

 Edrissi agrees with that of the Sikh priest. From the particulars given 

 by Arrian, there can be no doubt, but it is Rambdkia, or Rdmbdg 

 situated in a delightful spot, and the largest town in the country ; and 

 this induced Alexander to colonise it, and it was called Alexandria 

 afterwards. Q. Curtius says, that Alexander reached the country of 

 the Arabii in nine days, (I suppose from Pathala) and, that on the 

 fifth, he crossed the river Arabus. He then entered the country of 

 the Arbii. This river Arabus, or Arbis, I take to be the Indian Hdb, 

 On the ninth day, I suppose, he arrived on the banks of the real 

 Arbis, on the confines of the Arbii, and of the Oritce, not of Gedrosia 

 as he says ; for Gedrosia includes both the Arbii and Oritce. This 

 passage is obscure, owing to the carelessness of our author. This 

 river, says Arrian, is not very deep : this is true of the Indian Hdb, 

 but not of the other, at that season of the year ; and I have been 

 assured, that its banks in general are very high, much broken, and the 

 ghats, or passes very difficult : for which reason, travellers avoid 

 as much as possible the valley, through which it flows. Thence 

 Alexander went to Rdmbdg, now Cdrd-Beileh, or Haur-maiel*. El 

 Edrissi says, that it is two days from Kir, or Kij on the Arbis ; but Ebn 

 Haucal says four ; and I believe he is right. It appears from Arrian, 

 that Rdmbdg was at considerable distance from the pass, through the 

 mountains of Gedrosia ; and I suppose it to be between one and two 

 days from it. Thereabout Rama-chandra waited for some time, till 

 he could bring the confederate kings of the Cofs, or Caphs to an 

 action. They had entrenched themselves strongly in the pass ; but 

 being allured down, they were completely defeated ; hence the field of 

 battle has ever since been called Rajhan or Rajhan't, and CophaVt, or 

 the place of the slaughter of the confederate Rajas of the Cophs. 

 Parasu-Rama did the same before, and Rama at the end of the world 

 will encounter Bali, and his allies, and give them there a complete 

 overthrow. The place, where their immense armies were stationed, 



