1851.] Essay on the Ancient Geography of India. 4/7 



which signifies the body, remains Avarohana, a compound from Roha, 

 from which comes aroha, avaroha, with one or two particles serving to 

 enhance its meaning. We have also rohan, and rohaca ; and as the 

 country above Cape Mun'd, is called Rahun by El Edrisi, and Rahuk 

 by Ebn Haucal, I believe that Rohan and Rohaca are the true and 

 original names ; and the rest to be an idle superstructure of the 

 Pauranics. Be this as it may ; A'rohdn is interpreted dirghatwam, 

 and Samuch'chraya, a ridge, projection, long and high ; and it seems 

 that the lord Cay avarohana had stretched out his own body as an 

 obstacle to all intruders into this holy land. 



This Cape is called Wair by El Edrisi, and Howair by one of 

 Renaudot's travellers, from the Sanskrit Vaihar or Waihar : and in 

 the lists of countries both in the Vayu, and Brahman'da Pura'nas, we 

 read among the inferior mountains Vaihar, Barddura, Coldhala, and 

 in others Barddura, and Cach'hara. The three last are well known 

 to belong to that country, and are even noticed by El Edrisi, along 

 with the mountain of Wair, Dordur, Cassair, and Ghazerd, Cola-van, 

 or Colwun which is part of the country of Hala. This induces me 

 to suppose that Waihdr is the same with Wair. Vihdr-mun'da, or 

 Vihar-mu ddn, signify in Sanskrit the Fair-head, or Cape, and in a 

 derivative form Waihdr, any thing fair. Nearchus calls it Eiros, pro- 

 bably from Wair fair, a vulgar corruption from Waihdr, 



El Edrisi has placed three sets of these mountains, at three differ- 

 ent places : but those mentioned in the beginning of the seventh 

 chapter of the second climate belong to this place, which, I believe, 

 was the original one.* The Barddura mountains are also called 

 Daradara, or Darddara by the Pauranics, and, I believe, this to be 

 the true name. Daradara signifies Cinnabar, and also very small 

 pebbles, an inferior sort of gems. 



The latter are found in immense quantities in the mountains border- 

 ing upon the sea, and to the west of the Indus. El Edrisi, and one 

 of Renaudot's travellers call these mountains Dardur, and the former 

 has also others of that name near the Persian Gulf, where Cinnabar or 

 minium was to be found near the river Hytanis, according to Onesi- 

 critus, as cited by Strabo. Mountains of that name, are also placed 

 near the entrance of the Red Sea. The Indian Cinnabar was, accord- 

 * El Edrisi, pp. 51, 56 and 57. 



