The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t9.4

c6.s1.t9.4

The city of *Thatha* is situated in a low swampy valley, 3 miles from the western bank of the Indus, and 4 miles above the separation of the *Bágar*, or western branch, from the *Satá*, or main stream of the river. Littlewood remarks that “the mounds of rubbish upon which the houses are piled slightly raise its site above the level of the valley.”† The place was visited by Captain Hamilton in A.D. 1699, who describes it‡ as situated on a spacious plain about 2 miles from the Indus. It is highly probable, therefore, that the town originally stood on the bank of the river, which has been gradually receding from it. Its name also would seem to point to the same conclusion, as *thattha* means a “shore or bank,” so that *Nagar-Thatha*, which is the common name of the place, would mean the “city on the river bank.” Its date is not certainly known; but M‘Murdo, who is gene-