1851.] Essay on the Ancient Geography of India. 261 



for a considerable time, was called as usual Rdmbdg. Tradition has 

 recorded Rdjhdnt, but says nothing about this Rambdg. Alexander, 

 in consequence of the nature of the ground, took exactly the same 

 measure with his predecessors, and followed the same steps, and was 

 equally successful. This place is the Cophanta of Ptolemy ; though 

 misplaced by him, as well as Ora. There might have been several 

 towns denominated Cophanta ; for the Caphs' country extended, from 

 the entrance into the Persian gulf, unto the Indus. They are called 

 Capis in Sanskrit, and their country Capi'sdyana. Another name for 

 it, is Ki'da, or Kira s probably the Kir of Scripture, and in Hebrew 

 Caphtor signifies the mountains of Caph, Caphs, Cophs, or Cephenes. 

 Some pilgrims, from report only, say, that to the north of Hinglaj, 

 there is a considerable town called Ghauri, or Hauri, upon a small 

 river in a delightful spot, and supposed to contain about 6000 inha- 

 bitants, which is a great deal for the country. They did not agree 

 about the distance ; some supposing it to be four days ; others five or 

 six, and even seven, like the Horcea of Arrian. Whether it be the 

 same with Hanr-Beileh is uncertain. One of them, if two different 

 cities, is the Ora of Ptolemy, and the Horcea of the author of the 

 Periplus. From it the country is called to this day Haur-Cdndn y or 

 Haur Cdian ; and its ancient inhabitants Ori, and Oritoe. The southern 

 parts are called Cold by pilgrims, and Colwdn for Cold-van, both by 

 El Edrissi and Ebn Haucal. The country to the east of the Hdb is 

 called Rahun by El Edrissi, and Rahouk by Ebn Haucal ; and Mauluvi 

 Saleh recollects the latter or Rehook ; either as the name of a town, or 

 of a tribe, to the west of Tha't'tha. Rdvaca in Sanskrit implies a 

 country of strange noises from Rava, or Raba noise ; and from it, is 

 formed in Sanskrit Araba, or Arba y either with B or V, and A'raba t 

 which being used as the names of a country, or of a river, become 

 Arabd, Arbd, and Arbi y Arabd, or Arabi, and Arabaca, or Aravaca. 

 Whether these denominations were meant originally to signify a coun- 

 try full of strange noises, is certainly doubtful. None, however, of 

 the preceding etymologies are mine : but the Pauranics suppose, that, 

 in all countries styled Strirajyam, or country solely inhabited by 

 women, strange noises are heard, and some occasionally really so dread- 

 ful, as to drive those who hear them into madness, or even so as to 

 cause instant death. Be this as it may, there are several such coun- 



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