N a g e h c o t e .
J e l l a m o o k i t .
within its limits, by the deftroyers o f mankind, Alexander the
great, Timur Bek, or Tamerlane, and KoutiKban. It is a moft
fertile trail, often plain, but towards the north and north-eaft
interfered by a chain of hills. The Setlege runs in one channel
for fome way, then divides, and embracing a confiderable
iiland, re-unites for a ihort fpace, and at Ferofapour feparates
again. The fouthern branch retains its name; the northern
aflumes that o f the Beyah, or Hypbajis. Thefe diverge con-
iiderably from each other, then converge, io as almoft to meet
at their fountains, at the foot of mount Imaus, or Himmaleb.
This trait is called Jallindar, and has in it Sultanpour, and a
few other towns.
N e a r the fountain o f the Beyab ftands the famous temple
o f N a g e r k o t e , greatly frequented by the Hindoo pilgrims, out
o f veneration to the goddefs Nofhabo. This place out-miracles
all miracles i cut out your tongue, and in a few days, iometimes
a few hours, it will, with due faith in the faint, be again
renewed*! This temple was immenfely rich, being paved
with gold. It was guarded by the fort Kote Kangrab. It
was taken by Ferofe III. in 13601-: To fuch a patron o f literature,
he found a treafure in a library o f books of the Brahmins-.
He caufed one, which confifted of philo-fophy, to be tranilated
in the Perfian language, and called it the Arguments o f Ferofe,.
Goropim, as quoted by Purcbas, vi. p. 35, fays, that Nagerkote
mountain.is the higheft in the world.
N o t far from Nagerkote, is Jellamooky, a temple built over
the fubterraneous fire. Poflibly the country may be inhabited
* Ayeen,ii, p. 133. t- Ferifhta, i. p. 369,
by
by the Gbebres, or worfhippers of fire, or Perfees, defcendants of
thofe who hadefcaped the horrid maflacre o f Timur Bek.
A b o u t fifty-five miles above the difcharge o f the Setlege, the T h e C h u n a u b .
Chunaub, or Acefmes, joins itfelf with the Indus, and continues
a fingle channel about the fame fpace, equal in fize to that river.
On the fouthern banks, nearly midway, ftands 'Moultan, capital M o u l t a n ..
of a province o f that name. The country is very productive,
in cotton; and alfo fugar, opium, brimftone, galls, and
camels, which- ufed to. be tranfported into Perfia- The galls
indicate oaks, which I did not before know grew fo far to.
the fouth. The fineft bows are made in this country; and it
produces the mod beautiful, and moft active female dancers in
all India, who were in the higheft efteem, particularly in the
kingdom of Perjia.
T h e air is exceflively hot, and very little- rain falls in thefe.
parts- This is a circumftance which attends remarkably the,
lower part of the Indus, efpecially the Delta, where it has been,
known to have wanted rain for the fpace of three years.
T h e city o f Moultan ftands in Lat. 30° 34', is fmall, and
ftrongly fortified. It has a celebrated pagoda, a mofque, with
a beautiful minaret, and the place of interment o f many pious
Sbiekbs. Abulfazel, ii. 137, fays, that it is one o f the moft
antient cities in India. It was not the capital of the Malli, which.
Mr.. Rennel fuppofes to have been near Toulumba; but they
inhabited the circumjacent country.
Moultan was taken by one of the generals o f Tamerlane.
Since the ravages made in this province, after the invafion of
India by Kouli Khan, a conqueror equally barbarous, the trade.
o f