The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t11.1

c5.s4.t11.1

Hwen Thsang places the town of Chinapati at 500 *li*, or 83 miles, to the east of Táki, a position which corresponds almost exactly with Patti, a large and very old town, situated 27 miles to the north-east of Kasûr, and 10 miles to the west of the Biâs river.* Unfortunately there is a discrepancy in the recorded distance of the next place visited by the pilgrim, otherwise the site of Chinapati might have been fixed absolutely with reference to its bearing and distance from the well-known city of Jâlandhar. In the Life† of Hwen Thsang, Chinapati is said to be 50 *li*, or 8 miles, to the north-west of the Támasa-vana monastery, which was 150 *li*, or 25 miles, to the south-west of Jâlandhar. But in the Travels‡ of Hwen Thsang the distance of the monastery is stated at 500 *li*, or 83 miles, from *Chinapati*. This last distance is quite impossible, as it would place *Chinapati* about 30 miles to the north of *Tâki*, instead of 83 miles to the east of it, as specified by the pilgrim in his journal. On the other hand, the shorter distance of eight miles would place it in the midst of the sandy bed of the Biâs river, where no town has ever existed. I would, therefore, propose to read 150 *li*, or 25 miles, which would fix *Chinapati* at the town of Patti, in the very position that has already been determined by the bearing and distance from *Tâki*.