1851.] Essay on the Ancient Geography of India. 271 



came back to the lake, and there ordered a naval yard, and dock, to 

 be constructed on the spot probably, where Bastdh-bandar stands now, 

 and this is, I believe, the town of Potana mentioned by Diodorus. 



Justin says, that Alexander built another town in the Delta, called 

 Barke; this is the emporium of Barbarike* of Arrian, called Barbari 

 by Ptolemy. It was in the middle mouth, and I suppose at the 

 bottom of the bay of Rishal, having a little island in front. Barrd- 

 bdri signifies the great inclosed place, or the greater Bari. Many 

 villages in that country are called Bari, or Thatthi from having either 

 a mud wall, or some other fence all round. Several places are called 

 Bar-barya, for Barra-bari, in the eastern parts of India. 



But let us return to Nearchus, whom we left at Coreestis, or Carai- 

 chi ; called also Carcede by the Portuguese formerly. There he had 

 been obliged to cut through the bar, at the mouth of the river, during 

 the recess of the tide. This is sometimes done in the Sunderbunds 

 in Bengal, and other places in the Ganges, and if Alexander did not 

 meet with the same difficulty, it was owing probably to the tide rising 

 up higher at that time. From this place they reached Crocala, after 

 a course of 150 stadia, or nine miles ; but 20 Roman, or 18£ British 

 miles, according to Pliny. It was a sandy island, which, I suppose, 

 was at the mouth of the river Hdb ; and of which I took notice 

 before. Father Monserrat, in his MS. map, says, that there was a 

 Bay at its mouth, and writes opposite to it in Spanish, JEnseada dos 

 Ab-indos capar sellada, the two last words of which, I do not under- 

 stand. Crocala is probably derived from Colcala, or Corcala in the 

 spoken dialects, or the river of noises. This river Hdb is the Hypha- 

 sis of Philostratus, who says, that it runs through a narrow bed, full 

 of stones, and falls into the sea with a dreadful noise. This account 

 is greatly exaggerated, as may be supposed. This Hdb is also the 

 river Arabus, or Arbis of Q. Curtius, who says, that Alexander crossed 

 it on the fifth day from Pathala ; four days after which he crossed the 

 real Hdb : but the passage from that author is certainly obscure. 



Leaving Crocala Nearchus proceeded, having a promontory called 

 EiruSy to the right, and a low island, almost level with the sea, on the 

 left. It runs parallel with the coast, and so near, as to leave only a 

 narrow channel, winding between both. This island does not appear 

 in the maps, and perhaps it no longer exists. If so there is still a 



