1899.] NORTHERN AND EASTERN MOUNTAIN RANGES. 
93 
tants of the Indus region are uniformly designated in our Kasmirian 
texts (modern Ks. Butt). 1 
Ou-k'ong is the first who refers distinctly to this route when 
speaking of the road which leads through the gate in the east to Tou-fan 
or Tibet. Kalhana has scarcely occasion to refer to it, as the regions 
beyond the Pass lay quite beyond the reach of the political power of 
the later Kasmirian kings. He probably means, however, the Zoji-La, 
when mentioning the route of the Bhutta -land ( Bhuttarastradhvan) by 
which the Darads offered to pass the pretender Bhoja into Kasmir, 
while the more direct routes from their own territory were closed by 
the winter. 2 An easy pass connects Tilel at the head of the Kisanganga. 
Valley with the Dras territory to the east. From there Bhoja could 
then have entered Kasmir via the Zoji-La. 
This Pass, the ancient name of which is not known to us, has more 
than once witnessed successful invasions of Kasmir. Through it came 
early in the 14th century the Turk (P) Dulca and the Bhautta Rincana 
whose usurpation led to the downfall of Hindu rule in the Valley. 3 
About two centuries later Mirza Muhammad Haidar with his small 
Mughal force successfully fought here his entrance into Kasmir 
(a.d. 1532). The account he gives of this exploit in his Tarikh-i- 
Rashidi , is not without topographical interest. 4 
59 . A high peak situated about 10 miles east-southeast of the 
Zoji-La, marks the point where the range forming the eastern 
boundary of Kasmir branches off from the main chain. This range 
runs in an almost southerly direction until it reaches the southern¬ 
most headwaters of the Vitasta. It then turns to the north-west and 
at the Ban a hal Pass joins on to the Pir Pantsal Range. Through this 
range there lead routes connecting Kasmir with the Madivadvan 
Valley (see § 84) which drains into the Cinab, and with Kast a var, 
the ancient Kastavata, on the Cinab itself. Both these Valleys are con¬ 
fined, difficult of access, and scantily populated. They have hence never 
played an important part either in the foreign relations or trade of 
Kasmir. On this account our notices regarding the old topography 
of the dividing range are extremely meagre. 
1 Compare Rajat. i. 312-316 note. 
8 Compare Rajat. viii. 2887. 
3 See Jonar. 142 sqq., and for the stratagem by which Rincana forced his way 
into Lahara (Lar), 165 sqq. The Laharakotta mentioned in the last passage pro¬ 
bably represents the old watch-station of this route, but its position is un¬ 
certain. 
4 See Tdrikh-i-Rashtdi , transl. by Messrs. Elias and Ross, pp. 423 sqq., and 
below, § 131. 
