1895.] H. Gr. Raverty— Tibbat three hundred and sixty-jive years ago. 83 
unfortunately, they are much more brief in their accounts than we 
could have desired. 
‘Ubaidu-l-lah, son of ‘Abdu-l-lah, son of Khurdad-Bih, who died in 
300 H. (912 A.D.), in his Kitabu-l-aMjbar , as quoted by the Grar- 
daizl in his Zainu-l-aJchbar, mentions the well-known tradition of 
the Hamm rulers of Yaman in Arabia having invaded Mawarau-n- 
nahr, and also of the invasion of Tibbat by one of the same race. 
‘Ubaidu-l-lah states, that there was a prominent man among the Bani 
Hamlr whose name was Sabit, who was much trusted and depended 
upon by the Maliks of Yaman, whom they style Tubba‘yawa‘. On 
Tubba‘ conferring the lieutenantcy, or vice-royalty of the country upon 
Sabit, the latter’s mother sent him a missive, saying : “ One of the 
Tubba‘yawa‘ set out towards the east, and used great efforts until he 
reached a country the verdure of which was gold, and its earth musk, 
and its grass (herbage) incense [fragrance, also the plant cinque foil, 
called the “ Khik-i-Maryam ” or “ Panjah-i-Maryam—the Virgin Mary’s 
Palm,”], its game the musk deer, its mountains snow, audits plains most 
pleasant.” When Sabit read this missive he became very desirous 
of proceeding thither ; and having fitted out a large army, he set out 
towards that country. When he reached Tibbat he found that all 
he had been told was correct. # # # * He remained in that part, 
and got the title of Khaqan. * * # # But the route into Tibbat 
from Khutan, 1 until you come out on it, lies over lofty mountains, 
which contain inhabitants, and in those mountains are numerous 
animals, consisting of sheep, cattle, and wild sheep. 2 Prom thence 
you reach Salsan in another beyond which a bridge 
has been placed from one side of a mountain to another. 3 They say in 
1 Khutan, not “ Khoten,” for the letters with which it is written will not admit 
of such a mode of writing or pronunciation — according to the Tibbati traditions, 
was anciently called Wu-than , at which period it was one of the strongholds of 
Buddhism. “ Counting the wihars in and outside the city of Wu-than, there were 
sixty large wihars, ninety-five of medium size, and four-hundred and forty-eight 
temples.” See “ Journal ” for 1886, page 195. 
2 The qucqar , also called the snow sheep. 
8 When Mirza Aba Bikr, defeated by Sultan Sa‘Id Khan in 920 H. (1514 A.D.), 
had to fly from Yar-kand, he retired to Khutan, but finding it was impossible to remain 
there, he retired towards the Qara-naqu Tagh. On arriving there, hearing that the 
Mughals were in pursuit, he again fled after destroying as much of his immense bag¬ 
gage as he could, and pouring his treasures into the river Akash, which flows through 
Qara-naqu Tagh, from the top of the bridge ; as the road was very narrow, and his 
flight was impeded by the immense amount of baggage and treasure, he took only 
such things along with him as could conveniently pass by that narrow route. He 
then set out; and when his pursuers reached his last halting place, they found that 
he had crossed the Qara-naqu Tagh, and had entered Tibbat. 
