The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t11.3

c6.s1.t11.3

In favour of Karâchi Sir Henry quotes Biladuri, who records that in the year A.H. 15, or A.D. 636, Hâkim dispatched his brother Mughira on an expedition to the Bay of Debal. But as the city of Lyons is not on the shore of the Gulf of Lyons, so it does not necessarily follow that Debal was on the shore of the Bay of Debal. In fact it is described by Ibn Khordâdbeh as being 2 farsangs from the mouth of the Mihran, which is still further extended to 2 days’ journey by Masudi.* But as Debal was situated on the Indus, it cannot be identified with Karâchi, which is on the seacoast beyond the mouth of the river. All our authorities agree in stating that it was on the west side of the Mihran,† that is of the main stream of the river, or Baghâr, which flows past Lâri-bandar, and discharges itself into the sea by several different mouths named the Piti, the Phundi, the Kyâr, and the Pintiani. But M‘Murdo also quotes the native authorities to show that it was on the *Ságára* branch of the Indus, which flowed past Bhambûra. According to these accounts, Debal must have been situated on the western bank of the Baghâr river, below the junction of the southern branch of the Ghâra, or Sâgâra, branch. Its position may therefore be fixed approximately at the point of junction, which is 5 miles to the north of Lâri-bandar, 17 miles to the south-west of Bhambûra, and about 30 miles from the Piti and Pintiani mouths of the river. This position also fulfils the other condition quoted by Sir Henry Elliot, that Debal was between Karâchi and Lâri bandar, in the territory of the Tangâmara tribe of pirates. It further agrees with the position assigned to it by Mr. Crow, who places it between Karâchi and Thatha, which is an exact description of the locality following the course of the river, which is the only course that can be taken, as Debal was situated amongst the intersecting streams of the Delta.