The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t22.22

c5.s4.t22.22

At the capture of Multân by Chach, in the middle of the seventh century, the waters of the Râvi were still flowing under the walls of the fortress, but in A.D. 713, when the citadel was besieged by Muhammad bin Kasim, it is stated by Biladuri‡ that "the city was supplied with water by a stream flowing from the river (name left blank by M. Reinaud); Muhammad cut off the water, and the inhabitants, pressed by thirst, surrendered at discretion. All the men capable of bearing arms were put to death, and the women and children, with 6000 priests of the temple, were made slaves.” The canal is said to have been shown to Muhammad by a traitor. I am willing to accept this account as a proof that the main stream of the Râvi had already deserted its old channel; but it is quite impossible that Multân could have been forced to surrender from want of water. I have already explained that one branch of the Râvi formerly flowed between the city and fortress of Multân, and that the old bed still exists as a deep hollow, in which water can be reached at most times by merely scratching the surface, and at all times by a few minutes’ easy digging. Even in the time of Edrisi* the environs of the town are said to have been watered by a small river, and I conclude that some branch of the Râvi must still have flowed down to Multân. But though the narrative of Biladuri is undoubtedly erroneous as to the immediate cause of surrender, I am yet inclined to believe that all the other circumstances may be quite true. Thus, when the main stream of the Râvi deserted Multân, the city, which is still unwalled on the side towards the citadel, must have been protected by continuing its defences right across the old bed of the river to connect them with those of the fortress. In these new walls, openings must have been left for the passage of the waters of the canal or branch of the Râvi, whichever it may have been, similar to those which existed in modern times. Edrisi specially notes that Multân was commanded by a citadel, which had four gates, and was surrounded by a ditch. I infer, therefore, that Muhammad Kasim may have captured Multân in the same way that Cyrus captured Babylon, by the diversion of the waters which flowed through the city into another channel. In this way he could have entered the city by the dry bed of the river, after which it is quite possible that the garrison of the citadel may have been forced to surrender from want of water. At the present day there are several wells in the fortress, but only one of them is said to be ancient; and one well would be quite insufficient for the supply even of a small garrison of 5000 men.