1892.] H. G. Raverty— The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries . 417 
way into the diverted channel of the Ra’in or Ra’ini 449 — the Ra’ini 
Nalah of the present day — which, near Sayyidah, some eighty-five 
miles lower down stream, united with the main branch again, as the 
Ra’in branch had previously done. These channels still exist, and 
water still finds its way into them, but, the so-called Narah “ river,” on 
the other hand, merely arises from the overflow from the Sindhu, or 
Ab-i-Sind, which, considerably higher up, near Ghaus-pur, during the 
time of the inundations, finds its way by the ancient channel of the 
united Ab-i-Sind or Sindhu, and the Sind Rud, or Rud-i-Sind wo Hind 
of the Musalman travellers, also known as the Panch Nad or Panj Ab, 
and now consisting of a great depression only, into the ancient channel 
of the diverted Ra’in branch of the Hakra, which, before it was diverted, 
bad flowed past Aror on the east. 
Except in the season of inundation, this main branch is a mere 
series of lakes or dhands , most of which, how T ever, are of considerable 
size, and some as much as three miles and more in length, and half 
that extent in breadth. 
It must also be remembered, that we continually read of the “ rainy 
season ” in the Multan province, up to, 450 and in the time of Amir 
Timur’s invasion of Hindustan ; but there is no rainy season now as in 
the parts farther east, and has not been for a long period of years, the 
influence of the monsoon not being felt so far westwards in the present 
day. These climatic changes must also have had effect on some of the 
rivers of this part. Between the time of Amir Timur’s invasion in 801 
H. (1398 A. D.), and the reign of Akbar Badshah, a period of some two 
hundred years, great changes must have taken place in the courses of 
many of the rivers, to judge from the notice of them in the A’in-i- 
Akbari, finished in 1004 H. (1595-96 A. D.), and from the accounts of 
the English merchants, already narrated, who visited these western 
parts of the Mughal Empire in the following reign ; and such being the 
case, other changes must have taken place during these intervals of 
time. 
Thus it will be seen that in the course of ages, the Sutlaj, and all 
the other rivers west of it, including the Sindhu or Ab-i-Sind, some to 
a greater extent than others, have gradually deserted their old channels, 
as a glance at the map No. 1, will show, and moved westwards from 
44.9 This is evidently the river referred to by Al-Mas’udi at page 207 ; for the 
letters J, and CJ, are somewhat similar in Mss., and if the point of the latter letter 
should be left out, as is constantly, and I may say, commonly done by scribes, the 
latter is likely to be mistaken for ) and See also note 114 to the page above- 
mentioned. 
4£>0 See page 282. 
