The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c15.125.2

v1.c15.125.2

‘A river of vast magnitude,’ which our author calls Begmatī (*i.e.*, Vegamatī, which Blochmann identified with the Karatoya) lay in front of this place. For 10 days the Muslim army marched along the right bank of the river towards the mountains. Blochmann has pointed out that before 1784 the Karatoya was connected by branches with the Tistā (Trisrotā), which flowed west of the Karatoya and, joining the Atrai, fell into the main branch of the Ganges. Thus, it is likely that the ten days’ march extended along the Karatoya and the Tistā, which latter of all the rivers of Bengal extends furthest into Tibet. There is little doubt that the Musalmans marched along the frontier of the territory of the Rājā of Kāmarūpa. Before the tenth day was over the Musalman army reached mountainous country and a bridge of hewn stone, consisting of upwards of twenty arches. It is difficult to say where this bridge was situated; but Blochmann has suggested that it was probably somewhere in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling. Anyhow it would appear from the subsequent account that it was not far from, if not actually within, the territories of the “Rāe of Kāmrūd.” The Muslim army passed over the bridge, and Muḥammad installed at the head of the bridge two of his own Amīrs, one a Turk slave, and the other a Khalj with troops, in order to guard it until his return.