1854.] Gradus ad Aomon. 339 



Mt. Mahabunn, an Akhoond* learning his intention, had written 

 the following doggrel prophecy and warning to his brethren. 



Roond, charro, punjo 



Bunj oopur, chur wunjo 



Chnhlta kullahs n'h shoo, 



B'h duah humzurh b'h jooz koorm. 



Cheh oowyhee pa punjo. 

 Of which the following is a translation : 



O brothers, four or five 



Climb ye up Mt. "Wunj 



Flying shall ye not be free (until) 



With my prayers will I create a lion 



"Who shall slay with his paws. 

 The main summit of Mt. "Wunj retreats from the river. A high 

 naked ridge intervenes of which the base borders the Indus. Upon 

 this ridge just above Kyah.is the site of an old fort now called, like 

 a thousand others, Kawfur Kot. It must have been nearly inacces- 

 sible. It stands upon the naked rock where there is no soil. I 

 should estimate its height above the river at 1700 feet. 



But this site will by no means suit Arrian's description of Aornos, 

 and there are particulars in which it differs from the Aornos of 

 Curtius. For instance, a chasm separated the fort or rock from the 

 besiegers, a forest was at hand and with it Alexander filled up the 

 chasm. But here we have neither chasm nor forest. And if by 

 the word eluvies voraginesque we are to read quicksands or morasses 

 as obstacles to the attack of Aornos, we must leave the mountain 

 summit and descend into the bed of the Indus. Tradition is silent 

 concerning this fort or rather site. As before observed, had Alexan- 

 der come to attack Mt. Aonjt he would have made his camp at 



* This saint bears the title of Huqueem Sahib of Hindoostan, his name is not 

 known. Nadir by ascending the Mahabunn captured all the cattle and many of 

 the families of the Eusufzyes (Aspasioi.) 



f It is curious that when my position of Nara was threatened by a Sikh array 

 of 10,000 and a Doorani army of 12,000, both encamped in sight, the people of 

 Khubl and Kyah sent me an earnest invitation to take refuge with them, assuring 

 me they would place me on a hill never violated by Alexander. They meant, I 

 believe, Mt. Aonj. 



