1892.] H. G. Raverty— The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries. 235 
difficulties he had to encounter, the delay in obtaining boats, the want 
Tamachi, one of the Sammah rulers, is said to have subsequently occupied it. See 
ante note 173. Muhammad gave Amir Hajjaj an account of his recent proceed¬ 
ings, and that he “ had reached the bank(Zab) of the Ab-i-Sihun, which they call 
Mihran, at a halting place which lay in the tract of country around Budhiyah, and 
opposite to the fortress of Laghrur or Baghrur or ], which is situated on 
that river [on the east bank] and belonging to the territory of Dahir, and the very 
strong fort of Sisam ; but, in accord with his commands, he had returned, and awaited 
further instructions, which he hoped to get soon,” as the place he was then writing 
from, he says, was “ near to the Dar-ul- Kh ilafat.” He probably meant nearer than 
Siw-istan was. 
With all this before him, Elliot, in his work, confounds Ba g hrur with Nirun, 
while it is certain that the place in question lay east of the Mihran, and Nirun on the 
tvest, as is plainly stated. See vol. 1, page 163, where lie has, “ opposite the fort of 
Baghrur (Nirun), on the Mihran. * # * This fort is in the country [district is 
meant which lay east ] of Alor. # # * The forts of Siwistan and Sisam have been 
already taken,” etc. 
His accounts of Muhammad’s movements preparatory to crossing the Mihran, 
in his extract from the Ohych Natnah, is hopelessly confused. He says (page 166): 
“ Muhammad Kasim [this is how he writes the father’s and son’s names together as 
those of one person] had determined to cross, and was apprehensive lest Rai Dahir 
might come to the banks of the Mihran with his army, and oppose the transit. He 
ordered Sulaiman bin Tihan Kuraishi to advance boldly [here a sad mistake has been 
made, and the words “ towards Baghrur” have been rendered “ to advance boldly” 
mistaking for —* pride,’ haughtiness,’ etc.] with his troops against the fort 
in order that Fufi, son of Dahir, should not be able to join his father [In a note he 
says : MS. A. is faulty, but seems to say “ the fort of Aror.” He was a long way 
from Aror]. Sulaiman accordingly went with 600 horsemen. He ordered also the 
son of ’Atiya Tifli to watch the road with 500 men, by which Akham might be ex¬ 
pected to advance [this refers to a place, not a man. See his work page 362], in 
order to cover Gandava [sic.] and he ordered the Samani, who was chief of Nirun to 
keep open the road for the supply of food and fodder to the camp. Mus’ab bin 
’Abu-r-rahman was ordered to command the advance guard, and keep the roads clear. 
[This Mus’ab, son of ’Abd-ur-Rahman, us-Sakafi, was a kinsman of Muhammad]. 
He placed Namana bin Hanzala Kalabi in the centre with a thousand men; and 
ordered Zakwan bin ’Ulwan al Bik'ri with 1,500 men to attend on Moka Bisaya, chief 
of Bait [sic] ; and the Bheti [Bhati ?] Thakurs and the Jats of Ghazni, who had 
made-submission and entered the ’Arab service, were told to remain at Sagara and 
the island of Bait.” 
We all know where Gandabah is, also that bet, not “ Bait,” means an island, or 
rather, the delta of a river, surrounded by channels, which this was—the delta of the 
Mihran; and what he has mistaken for “ Ghazni,” along with his “Gandava,” is 
the word — western, applied to the Jats on the western side of the Mihran, as 
sharki Jats is applied subsequently to those on the east side. We also know for 
certain that Nirun lay between Debal and Mansuriyah, but nearer to the former, 
and that Sagarah was two days’ journey from Debal on the east. Elliot likewise 
tells us, as does Cunningham, who follows him, that “ Gandaba” was always called 
Kandabil in those days” See note 150, page 217. 
