332 H. G. Raverty— The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries. [Ex. No. 
breadth, roughly speaking, is from three to five, as far as the abrupt 
edge or steep bank of the Thai , another elevated desert tract, referred 
to with respect to the course of the A'b-i-Sind or Indus, in the Muzaffar 
Garh district, and its junction with the Qhin-ab and tributaries. The 
Bihat, here and there, approaches close to this Thai, in part of the Shah- 
pur district, and also in the upper part of the district of Jhang-i- 
Sialan, where it may be said to be wearing the bank of the Thai away ; 
but, more towards the south, the A lachchhi widens considerably, and, 
consequently, there is a greater distance between the river and the 
Thai . 
Very little change, comparatively, appears to have taken place in 
the course of the Bihat, except towards its place of junction with the 
Qhin-ab, which has changed often, and considerably. In former times 
it ran farther east, and passed nearer to Jhang-i-Sialan than at present. 
Abu-l-Fazl says, “the Bihat or Wihat unites with the Ohin-ab near the 
pargana'h of Shor,” that is to say, the pargana'h of w 7 hich Shor or Shor 
Kot is the chief place. At the present time the junction takes place 
twenty-six miles north of Shor Kot, and eight miles above the place of 
junction at the time of the Survey I am quoting. Abu-l-Fazl refers to 
the time when the 0]iin-ab flowed some three miles and a half east of that 
town, where the old channel is still very distinct, and the Bihat flowed 
past it about the same distance on the west. At that time the junction 
took place about three miles, or thereabouts, south-south-west of Shor 
Kot, but the Qhin-ab having subsequently changed its course very con¬ 
siderably, ran into the bed of the Bihat, thirty-one miles farther north. 
The Khuhisat-ut-Tawarikh, written in the reign of Aurang-zeb-i- 
’Alam-gir Bad shah, by an official of the Mughal empire, before alluded 
to, states, that the Qhin-ab, at that period, united with the Jililam, or 
Biliat, at, that is to say near to, Jhang-i-Sialan, which now is some 
thirteen miles above the junction, and the Biliat does not now approach 
within twenty-six or twenty-seven miles of if on the west. 
At the time of the Survey from which I have been quoting, the 
route from Jhang-i-Sialan towards the Dera’h of Isma’il Khan will 
show some of the changes which have taken place in the course of both 
the Wihat and the Chin-ab within rather less than a century. It states, 
that “ In going from Jhang-i-Sialan 317 you have to proceed nearly 
three kuroh west, and cross the Ohin-ab by boat. This ferry is called 
the Patan of Jhang-i-Sialan ; and from thence you go two kuroh more to 
Massan, a large k ary ah of the Sial tribe, on the bank of the river. From 
thence going six kuroh more in the direction of south-south-west you 
817 That is to say, Jhang of the Sials, or of the Sial tribe, but now, from care- 
essness or constant use, generally called, in conversation, Jhang-i-Sial. 
