The city of Fámhal* is on the borders of Hind, towards Saimúr, and the country between those two places belongs to Hind. The countries between Fámhal and Makrán, and Budha, and beyond it as far as the borders of Multán, are all dependencies of Sind. The infidels who inhabit Sind are called Budha* and Mand. They reside in the tract between Túrán, Multán, and Mansúra, to the west of the Mihrán. They breed camels, which are sought after in Khurásán and elsewhere, for the purpose of having crosses from those of Bactria.

Tht city where the Budhites carry on their trade is Kandábíl, and they resemble men of the desert. They live in houses made of reeds and grass. The Mands dwell on the banks of the Mihrán, from the boundary of Multán to the sea, and in the desert between Makrán and Fámhal. They have many cattle sheds and pasturages, and form a large population.

There are Jám'a Masjids at Fámhal, Sindán, Saimúr, and Kam-báya, all which are strong and great cities, and the Muhammadan precepts are openly observed. They produce mangoes, cocoa-nuts, lemons, and rice in great abundance, also great quantities of honey, but there are no date trees to be found in them.

The villages of Dahúk* and Kalwán are contiguous to each other, situated between Labí* and Armábíl. Kalwán is a dependency of Makrán, and Dahúk that of Mansúra. In these last mentioned places fruit is scarce, but crops grow without irrigation, and cattle are abundant.

Túrán* is a town.

Kasdár is a city with dependent towns and villages. The governor is Muín bin Ahmad, but the Khutba is read in the name of the Khalífa only, and the place of his residence is at the city of Kabá-Kánán.* This is a cheap place, where pomegranates, grapes' and other pleasant fruits are met with in abundance; but there are no date trees in this district.

[Here ends the extract from the Ashkálu-l Bilád; that which follows is
from Ibn Haukal, as translated into Latin by M. Gildemeister
.]

There is a desert between Bánia, Kámuhul, and Kambáya. From Kambáya to Saimúr the villages lie close to one another, and there is much land under cultivation. The Moslims and infidels in this tract wear the same dresses, and let their beards grow in the same fashion. They use fine muslin garments on account of the extreme heat. The men of Multán dress in the same way. The language of Mansúra, Multán, and those parts is Arabic and Sindian. In Makrán they use Persian and Makránic. All wear short tunics except the merchants, who wear shirts and cloaks of cotton, like the men of 'Irák and Persia.

* * * * * *

From Mansúra to Debal is six days' journey; from Mansúra to Multán, twelve; from Mansúra to Túrán, about fifteen; from Kasdár, the chief city of Túrán, to Multán, twenty; from Mansúra to the nearest boundary of Budha, fifteen. The whole length of the jurisdiction of Makrán, from Taiz to Kasdár, is about fifteen. From Multán to the nearest border of Túrán is about ten. He who travels from Mansúra to Budha must go along the banks of the Mihrán, as far as the city of Sadústán. From Kandábíl to Mansúra is about eight days' journey; from Kandábíl to Multán, by the desert, ten; from Mansúra to Kámuhul, eight; from Kámuhul to Kambáya, four. Kambáya is one parasang distant from the sea, and about four from Súbára, which is about half a parasang from the sea. From Súbára to Sindán, which is the same distance from the sea, is about ten* days' journey; from Sindán to Saimúr about five; from Saimúr to Sarandíp, about fifteen; from Multán to Basmad, two; from Basmad to Alrúz [Alor], three; from Alrúz to Ayara [Annarí], four; from Ayara [Annarí] to Valara [Ballarí], two; from Valara to Mansúra, one; from Debal to Kannazbúr, fourteen: from Debal to Manhátara [Manjábarí] two, and that is on the road from Debal to Kannazbúr; from Vallara [Ballarí] to Ayara [Annarí], four para­sangs; Kámuhul from Mansúra is two days' journey,* and Bánia intervenes at one stage distance. The Mihrán is the chief river of those parts. Its source is in a mountain, from which also some of the feeders of the Jíhún flow. Many great rivers increase its volume, and it appears like the sea in the neighbourhood of Multán. It then flows by Basmad, Alrúz, and Mansúra, and falls into the sea, to the east of Debal. Its water is very sweet, and there are said to be crocodiles in it it like those of Egypt. It equals the Nile in volume and strength of current. It inundates the land during the summer rains, and on its subsidence the seed is sown, as in Egypt.

The river Sandarúz [Sind-rúd] is about three days' distant from Multán. Its waters are abundant and sweet. I was told that its confluence with the Mihrán is above Basmad, but below Multán.

Jandarúz [Jand-rúd] is also a great and sweet river, on whose bank is the city of Jandarúz.* It falls into the Mihrán below the Sandarúz [Sind-rúd] towards the country of Mansúra.

Makrán contains chiefly pasturages and fields, which cannot be irrigated on account of the deficiency of water. Between Mansúra and Makrán the waters from the Mihrán form lakes, and the inhabi­tants of the country are the Indian races called Zat. Those who are near the river dwell in houses formed of reeds, like the Berbers, and eat fish and aquatic birds. * * * * Another clan of them, who live remote from the banks, are like the Kurds, and feed on milk, cheese, and bread made of millet.

We have now reached the extreme eastern border of the dominions of Islám. The revenue of the kings and governors is small, and not more than to satisfy their actual needs. Some, no doubt, have less than they wish.