The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t6.14

c5.s4.t6.14

The country is still well known as *Madr-des*, or the district of the *Madras*, which is said by some to extend from the Biâs to the Jhelam, but by others only to the Chenâb. Regarding the *Apagá* rivulet, I believe that it may be recognized in the *Ayak Nadí*, a small stream which has its rise in the Jammu hills to the north-east of Syâlkot. After passing Syâlkot the Ayak runs westerly near Sodhra, where in the rainy season it throws off its superfluous water in the Chenâb. It then turns to the south-south-west past Banka and Nandanwâ to Bhutâla, and continues this same course till within a few miles of Asarur. There it divides into two branches, which, after passing to the east and west of Asarur, rejoin at 2½ miles to the south of *Sángalawála Tíba*. Its course is marked in the revenue survey maps for 15 miles to the south-west of Sângala, where it is called the Nananwâ canal. An intelligent man of Asarur informed me that he had seen the bed of the Nananwâ 20 kos to the south-west, and that he had always heard that it fell into the Râvi a long way off. This, then, must be Arrian’s “small rivulet” near which Alexander pitched his camp, at 100 stadia, or 11½ miles, to the east of the Akesines, below its junction with the Hydaspes.[*] At that time, therefore, the water of the Ayak must have flowed for a long distance below Sângala, and most probably fell into the Râvi, as stated by my informant. Near Asarur and Sângala, the Ayak is now quite dry at all seasons; but there must have been water in it at Dhakawala only 24 miles above Asarur, even so late as the reign of Shâh Jahân, when his son Dârâ Shekoh drew a canal from that place to his hunting seat at Shekohpura, which is also called the Ayak, or Jhilri canal.