Page:The Ancient Geography of India.djvu/285

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NORTHERN INDIA. 241


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. Kahror.

The ancient town of Kahror is situated on the southern bank of the old Biâs river, 50 miles to the south-east of Multân, and 20 miles to the north-east of Bahawalpur. It is mentioned as one of the towns which submitted to Chach* after the capture of Multân in the middle of the seventh century. But the interest attached to Kahror rests on its fame as the scene of the great battle between Vikramaditya and the Sakas, in A.D. 79. Abu Rihân describes its position as situated between Multân and the castle of Loni. The latter place is most probably intended for Ludhan, an ancient town situated near the old bed of the Satlej river, 44 miles to the east-north-east of Kahror, and 70 miles to the east-south-east of Multân. Its position is therefore very nearly halfway between Multân and Ludhan, as described by Abu Rihân.

  • Lieut. Postans, Journ. Asiat. Soc., Bengal, 1838, p. 95, where the

translator reads Karud, 2,,, instead of „S, Karor.

R

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