354 H. GL Ravorty— The Mihrdnof Sind and its Tributaries. [Ex. No. 
Abu-1-Fazl merely mentions »the ancient name of the Rawi, and 
that it issues from the mountain range of Bhadral or Bhadra, and th&t 
the Dar-ul-Mulk, Lahor, is situated on its banks. 867 
867 Lahor was visited in 1603 by John Mildenhall, a merchant of London, who 
set out in 1599 from Isfahan by Yazd, Kirman, Sijis-stan, and Kandahar. He 
reached “ Lahora,” as he styles it, from “ Candahar,” but, unfortunately, no 
particulars respecting this part of his journey are in existence that I am aware of. 
Two Englishmen of Captain Downton’s company, however, reached it in 1614. 
In the extract from the account of their travels it is stated : “ But none made more 
of the trade of this famous city than the Portngals did (as long as they had the 
Wit to keep friends with the Great Mogul). For all the Merchandize they dealt 
for with the Foreigners, or Indians , at Lahore, was here embarked upon the spot, 
and so down the Ravee (into the Indus) away for Persia, Ormus, and those parts/' 
etc , etc. * * # In the time of the Potane [Patan or Af gh an] kings it (Lahore) 
was but a trifling village. 
This matter of Portuguese trade is entered into more fully by Messrs. Richard 
Steele and John Crowtlier, two Merchants in the service of the East Indian Society, 
who went from Ajrnir to Isfahan in the years 1614—1615. They reached Multan on 
the 22nd May, 1614. They say : “ Lahor stands on the Rieur Indus or Sinde [See 
page 301, and note 349, page 347], and from this place came the Treasure of the 
Portugals Trade when they had peace, as being the center of all Indian Traffique. 
And here they embarqued the same down the Rieur for Tatta, whence they were 
transferred for Ormus and Persia. The Merchants also passing that way betwixt 
Persia and India, pay’d them fraight. They did likewise drive a great Trade vp 
this Rieur for Pepper and Spices, furnishing these parts of India therewith. At 
this present the Merchants of India assemble at Lahor, and invest a great part of 
their monies in Commodities, and ioyne themselves in Carauans to passe the Moun¬ 
tains of Candahar into Persia, by which way is generally reported to passe twelve or 
fourteen thousand Camels lading, whereas heretofore scarcely pass’d three thousand, 
the rest going by way of Ormus. These Merchants are put 'to great© charges 
betwixt Lahor and Spahan (besides greate cold in Winter and heate in Summer, and 
the badness of the way, spending six or seven months betwixt those two places) 
they are said to reckon every Camel’s lading to stand them in one hundred and 
twentie or one hundred and thirtie Rupias. Persia is that way furnished with 
Pepper and Spices from Ma-sulipatan over land.” 
This merchandize went from Multan by the Sanghar Pass, and by Tal, Tsotiali 
and Pushang to Kandahar by the route described for the first time, other than by 
those two merchants, by me in my “Notes on Afghanistan.” etc., page 547. See 
also my account therein of the Powandah Af gh an Tribes, page 483. 
Thevenot says : “ Lahor is the Metropolis of a Kingdom, built upon one of the 
five Rivers that descend from the mountains of the North to swell the River Indus ; 
and give the name of Peniab to all the Region which they water. This River at 
this time flows not within a league of the Town [now it is just one mile], being 
subject to change in its Channel, and many times does very great mischief to the 
adjoining Fields, through the rapid deluges which it makes. The City is large, 
and extends itself above a league in length. But the greatest part of the Houses, 
which are higher than those of Agra and Deli, fall to ruine, by reason of the 
excessive rains that have overflowed a great number of them.” 
