166 
H. G. Raverty —The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries. [No. 3, 
and lay through the most populous parts of the country, on the main 
route from Dihli through the north-western provinces, where facilities 
for crossing this vast army were ready at hand, where supplies were 
abundant, and where some of the great feudatories of those parts 
would join the Sultan’s army en route with their contingents. 82 
At this period the Biali flowed in its old bed past Debal-pur and 
the Wiliat or Bihat, the Chin-ab or Chin-ao, and the Rawah or Rawi, 
having united into one stream to the north-east of Multan, flowed 
near it on the east side, and united with the Biali some twenty-eight 
miles to the southward of that city, and east of tTohohh, instead of west 
of it, as the united rivers of the Panj-ab now flow. This movement 
enabled the Dihli forces to threaten the Mu gh al’s line of retreat north¬ 
wards, consequently, there would have been no road open to them except 
down stream or across the Ab-i-Sind or Indus, and these alternatives 
were, evidently, not approved of by Mangutah. 88 As stated by the 
author of the “ Tabakat-i-Nasiri,” who was present in attendance on the 
Sultan and his army in his ecclesiastical capacity, as soon as the Mu gh al 
Nii-in became aware that the army of Islam was marching down the 
east bank of the Rawi (which was generally fordable) through the Bari 
Do-abah, near the junction of the rivers, in order to reach Uchehh, he 
immediately found it necessary to retire; and, as the author of the above 
work 84 states, “ The advance of the victorious army, and approach of the 
royal standards, becoming manifest to the accursed Mangutah, and the 
cavalry of the advance force approaching the frontier of Sind [below the 
Even if the Dihli forces had taken the direct route by Marut, they would still 
have had the Hakra and the Biali below the junction of its tributaries to cross, both 
deep, broad, and unfordable rivers, in order to reach Uchchh, which then lay 
between the Sind liud or the Biah and its tributaries, and the Ab-i-Sind or Indus. 
Moreover, the Mughals before U chch h might then have been in a position to oppose 
their crossing the former river. 
32 In crossing higher up stream, the Sultan of Dihli merely did as Alexander the 
Great is said to have done before. Strabo, in his Geography (B. XY), says : “ He 
resolved therefore to get possession of that part of India first which had been well 
spoken of, considering at the same time that the rivers which it was necessary to 
pass, and which flowed transversely through the country which he intended to 
attack, would be crossed tvith more facility near their sources. He heard also that 
many of the rivers united and formed one stream, and that this more frequently 
occurred the farther they advanced into the country, so that from want of boats it 
would be more difficult to traverse.” 
33 He probably had no means of crossing the Ab-i-Sind, consequently he had to 
beat a hasty retreat up the Sind-Sagar Do-abah, by the same route as he came 
down against Uchchh. 
34 See pages 812, and 1156. 
