The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t2.1.1

c6.s1.t2.1.1

On leaving the confluence of the Panjâb rivers, Alexander sailed down the Indus to the realm of the *Sogdi*, Σόγδοι, where, according to Arrian,[*] “ he built another city.” Diodorus[†] describes the same people, but under a different name :—“Continuing his descent of the river, he received the submission of the *Sodræ* and the *Massanæ*, nations on opposite banks of the stream, and founded another Alexandria, in which he placed 10,000 inhabitants.” The same people are described by Curtius,[‡] although he does not mention their names :—“On the fourth day he came to other nations, where he built a town called Alexandria.” From these accounts it is evident that the *Sogdi* of Arrian and the *Sodræ* of Diodorus are the same people, although the former have been identified with the *Sodha* Rajputs by Tod and M‘Murdo, the latter with the servile *Sudras* by Mr. Vaux. The *Sodhas*, who are a branch of the Pramâras, now occupy the southeastern district of Sindh, about Umarkot, but according to M‘Murdo,* who is generally a most trustworthy guide, there is good reason to believe that they once held large possessions on the banks of the Indus, to the northward of Alor.